Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

1Biopsychology > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Dichotomy

A

a division or contrast between two things that are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Zeitgeist

A

The general intellectual climate of a culture.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Cartesian dualism

A

Rene Descartes philosophy that states that the universe is composed of two elements: (1) physical matter, which behaves according to the laws of nature and is thus a suitable object of scientific investigation; and (2) the human mind (soul, self, spirit), which lacks a physical substance, controls human behavior, obeys no natural laws, and is thus the appropriate purview of the Church.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Nature-nurture issue

A

The debate about whether humans and other animals inherit their behavioral capacities or acquire them through learning.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

John B. Watson

A

The father of behaviorism.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Ethology

A

The study of animal behavior in the wild.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Instinctive Behaviors

A

Behaviors that occur in all like members of a species, even when there seems to have been no opportunity for them to have been learned.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Asomatognosia

A

A deficiency in the awareness of parts of one’s own body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Fitness (Darwinian sense)

A

The ability of an organism to survive and contribute its genes to the next generation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Conspecifics

A

Members of the same species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Species

A

A group of organisms reproductively isolated from other organisms; that is, the members of a species can produce fertile offspring only by mating with members of the same species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Chordates

A

Are animals with dorsal nerve cords (large nerves that run along the center of the back, or dorsum); they are 1 of the 20 or so large categories, or phyla, into which zoologists group animal species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Vertebrates

A

Chordates that posses spinal bones to protect their dorsal nerve cords. The spinal bones are called vertebrae.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Amphibians

A

In their larval form must live in water; only adult amphibians can survive on land.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hominins

A

Primates of the family that include humans.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Spandrel

A

Incidental nonadaptive evolutionary by-product. Example: the belly button.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Exaptations

A

Characteristics evolved to serve one function and were later co-opted to serve another. Example: bird wings. Initially limbs evolved for the purpose of walking.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Homologous

A

Structures that are similar because they have a common evolutionary origin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Analogous

A

Structures that are similar but do not have a common evolutionary origin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Convergent Evolution

A

Evolution in unrelated species of similar solutions to the same environmental demands.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Brain Stem

A

Regulates reflex activities that are critical for survival.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Cerebrum

A

Involved in complex adaptive processes such as learning, perception, and motivation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Convolutions

A

Folds on the cerebral surface.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Dichotomous Traits

A

Occur in one form or other, never in combination. For example, seed color is a dichotomous pea plant trait: every pea plant has either brown or white seeds.

25
Q

True-breeding lines

A

Breeding lines in which interbred members always produce offspring with the same trait, generation after generation.

26
Q

Phenotype

A

An organism’s observable traits.

27
Q

Genotype

A

The traits that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genetic material.

28
Q

Alleles

A

The two genes that control the same trait.

29
Q

Homozygous

A

Organisms that possess two identical genes for a trait are said to be homozygous for that trait.

30
Q

Heterozygous

A

Organisms that possess two different genes for a trait.

31
Q

Chromosomes

A

Threadlike structures in the nucleus of each cell. Chromosomes occur in matched pairs, each species has a characteristic number of pairs in each of its body cells; the human body has 23 pairs.

32
Q

Meiosis

A

The process of cell division that produces gametes. In meiosis, the chromosomes divide, and one chromosome of each pair goes to each of the two gametes that results from the cell division.

33
Q

Gametes

A

Egg cells and sperm cells.

34
Q

Zygote

A

Fertilized egg cell.

35
Q

Mitosis

A

Cell division in the body.

36
Q

What are the four nucleotide bases?

A

Adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.

37
Q

Mutations

A

Accidental alterations in individual genes.

38
Q

Autosomal Chromosomes

A

Typical chromosomes which come in matched pairs.

39
Q

Sex Chromosomes

A

The pair of chromosomes that determine an individual’s sex.
There are two types, X and Y.
Female mammals have two X chromosomes, and male mammals have one X and one Y.

40
Q

Proteins

A

Long chains of amino acids; they control the physiological activities of cells and are important components of cellular structure.

41
Q

Enhancers

A

Stretches of DNA whose function is to determine whether particular structural genes initiate the synthesis of proteins and at what rate.

42
Q

Transcription Factors

A

Proteins that bind to DNA and influence the extent to which genes are expressed.

43
Q

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A

A molecule that is similar to DNA except that it has the nucleotide base uracil and a phosphate and ribose backbone.

44
Q

Messenger RNA

A

A strand of RNA that is transcribed from DNA and carries the genetic code out of the cell nucleus to direct the synthesis of protein.

45
Q

Ribosome

A

A structure in the cell’s cytoplasm that translates the genetic code from strands of messenger RNA.

46
Q

Codon

A

A group of three consecutive nucleotide bases on a DNA or messenger RNA strand; each codon specifies the particular amino acid that is to be added to an amino acid chain during protein synthesis.

47
Q

Mitochondria

A

The energy-generating, DNA containing structures in each cell’s cytoplasm.

48
Q

Epigenetics

A

A field of research that focuses on factors that influence the expression of genes. / The study of all mechanisms of inheritance other than the genetic code and its expression.

49
Q

DNA Methylation

A

An epigenetic mechanism wherein a methyl group attaches to a DNA molecule, usually at cytosine sites in mammals. This tends to reduce the expression of adjacent genes.

50
Q

Histone Remodeling

A

An epigenetic mechanism wherein histones change their shape and in doing so influence the shape of the adjacent DNA. This can either increase or decrease gene expressions.

51
Q

Phenylpyruvic acid

A

A substance that is found in abnormally high concentrations in the urine of those suffering from phenylketonuria.

52
Q

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

A

A neurological disorder whose symptoms are vomiting, seizures, hyperactivity, hyper-irritability, mental retardation, brain damage, and high levels of phenylpyruvic acid in the urine.

53
Q

Sensitive Period

A

The period during the development of a particular trait, usually early in life, when a particular experience is likely to change the course of that development.

54
Q

Sensory Phase

A

The first of the two phases of birdsong development, during which young birds do not sing but form memories of the adult songs they hear.

55
Q

Heritability Estimate

A

A numerical estimate of the proportion of variability that occurred in a particular trait in a particular study and that resulted from the genetic variation among the subjects in that study.

56
Q

Monozygotic Twins

A

Identical twins; twins that develop from the same zygote and are thus genetically identical.

57
Q

Dizygotic Twins

A

Fraternal twins; twins that develop from two zygotes and thus tend to be as genetically similar as any pair of siblings.

58
Q

Phylogeny

A

The evolutionary development of species.

59
Q

Ontogeny

A

The development of individuals over their life span.

1Biopsychology (45 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions