Chapter 15: Emotions, Aggression, and Stress

Question 1

Emotion

Answer 1

A subjective mental state that is usually accompanied by distinctive behaviors, feelings, and involuntary physiological changes

Question 2

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 2

A component of the autonomic nervous system that arises from the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord

Question 3

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 3

A component of the autonomic nervous system that arises from both the cranial nerves and sacral spinal cord

Question 4

James-Lange Theory

Answer 4

The theory that our experiences of emotion is a response to the physiological changes that accompany it

Question 5

Cannon-Bard Theory

Answer 5

The theory that our experiences of emotion is independent of the simultaneous physiological changes that accompany it

Question 6

Cognitive Attribution Theory

Answer 6

The theory that our emotional experience results from cognitive analysis of the context around us, such that our physiological changes may accentuate emotions but not specify which emotion we experience

Question 7

Polygraph

Answer 7

Also called “lie detecter”. A device that measures several bodily responses, such as heart rate and blood pressure

Question 8

Individual Response Stereotypy

Answer 8

The tendency of individuals to show the same response pattern to particular situations throughout their life span

Question 9

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 9

A field devoted to asking how natural selection has shaped behavior in humans and animals

Question 10

Facial Nerve

Answer 10

Cranial Nerve VII (#7), which receives information from the face and controls the superficial muscles there

Question 11

Trigeminal Nerve

Answer 11

Cranial Nerve V (#5), which receives information from the face and controls jaw musculature

Question 12

Bell’s Palsy

Answer 12

A disorder, usually caused by viral infection, in which the facial nerve on one side stops conducting action potentials, resulting in paralysis for one side of the face

Question 13

Brain Self-Stimulation

Answer 13

The process in which animals will work to provide electrical stimulation to a particular brain site, presumably because experience is very rewarding

Question 14

Medial Forebrain Bundle

Answer 14

A collection of axons traveling in the midline region of the forebrain

Question 15

Decorticate Rage

Answer 15

Also called “sham rage”. Sudden intense rage characterized by action (such as snarling and biting in dogs) that lacks clear direction

Question 16

Limbic System

Answer 16

A loosely defined, widespread group of brain nuclei that innervate each other to form a network. These nuclei are implicated in emotions

Question 17

Kluver-Bucy Syndrome

Answer 17

A condition, brought about by bilateral amygdala damage, that is characterized by dramatic emotional changed including reduction in fear and anxiety

Question 18

Fear Conditioning

Answer 18

A type of classical conditioning where a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with shock or some other unpleasant experience, causing the individual to act fearful in response to the stimulus

Question 19

Amygdala

Answer 19

A group of nuclei in the medial anterior part of the temporal lobe

Question 20

Two-Photon Excitation Microscopy

Answer 20

Method of providing many low-energy photons that can penetrate deep into tissues, such that simultaneous arrival of two photons at a fluorescent molecule is sufficient to elicit a visible photon in response

Question 21

Aggression

Answer 21

Behavior that is intended to cause pain or harm (whether physical or emotional) to others, either individually or in groups

Question 22

Intermale Aggression

Answer 22

Aggression between males of the same species

Question 23

Medial Amygdala

Answer 23

A region of the amygdala involved in processing olfactory stimuli

Question 24

Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

Answer 24

A hypothalamic region involved in eating, sexual and aggressive behaviors

Question 25

Maternal Aggression

Answer 25

The fierce defensive aggression of females defending their offspring

Question 26

Psychopathy

Answer 26

A cluster of personality traits with superficial charm, lying, and diminished remorse

Question 27

Stress

Answer 27

Any circumstance that upsets homeostasis balance

Question 28

Alarm Reaction

Answer 28

The initial response to stress

Question 29

Adrenal Medulla

Answer 29

The inner core of the adrenal gland, which secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine

Question 30

Norepinephrine

Answer 30

Here, a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla under the control of the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body for action

Question 31

Epinephrine

Answer 31

Also called “Adrenaline”. Here, a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla under the control of the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body for action

Question 32

Adrenal Cortex

Answer 32

The outer rind of the adrenal gland, which secretes steroid hormones, including cortisol

Question 33

Adrenal Steroids

Answer 33

Steroid hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex, including glucocorticoids such as cortisol and mineralocorticiords such as aldosterone

Question 34

Cortisol

Answer 34

A glucocorticiod stress hormone of the adrenal cortex

Question 35

Stress Immunization

Answer 35

The concept that mild stress early in life makes an individual better able to handle stress later in life

Question 36

Epigenetic Regulation

Answer 36

Process affecting the expression of a particular gene without affecting the sequence of nucleotides making up the gene itself

Question 37

Psychosomatic Medicine

Answer 37

A field of study that emphasizes that role of psychological factors of disease

Question 38

Health Psychology

Answer 38

Also called “Behavioral Medicine”. A field that studies psychological influences on health-related processes, such as why people become ill and how they remain healthy

Question 39

Psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 39

The study of the immune system and its interaction with the nervous system and behavior

Question 40

Phagocyte

Answer 40

An immune system cell that engulfs invading molecules or microbes

Question 41

B Lymphocyte

Answer 41

Also called “B Cell”. Immune system cell, formed in the bone marrow (hence the B), that mediates hormonal immunity

Question 42

Antibodies

Answer 42

Also called “immunoglobulins”. Large proteins that recognize and permanently bind to particular shapes, normally as part of the immune system attack o foreign particles

Question 43

T Lymphocytes

Answer 43

Also called “T Cells”. Immune system cells, formed in the thymus (hence the 7), that include killer T cells, which attacks foreign microbes, and helper T cells, which secretes cytokines

Question 44

Cytokines

Answer 44

Proteins that include the proliferation of other cells, as in the immune system

Question 45

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Answer 45

A therapy to reduce stress that pairs relaxation with efforts to focus attention on the present moment, rather than past or future problems