Chapter 2 Flashcards
Which two events does a reflex involve?
An eliciting stimulus and a corresponding response.
Presentation of stimulus is followed by the response and the response rarely occurs in the absence of the stimulus.
What constitutes the reflex arc?
afferent neuron, interneuron, and efferent neuron
Modal action patterns
A response pattern exhibited by most, if not all, members of a species in much the same way. Modal action patterns are used as basic units of behavior in ethological investigations of behavior.
sign stimulus
a specific feature of an object or animal that elicits a modal action pattern. Also called releasing stimulus
supernormal stimulus
A sign stimulus whose features have been artificially enhanced or exaggerated to produce an abnormally large modal action pattern.
appetitive behavior
Behavior that occurs early in a natural behavior sequence and serves to bring the organism in contact with a releasing stimulus
consummatory behavior
Behavior that serves to bring a natural sequence of behavior to consummation or completion. Consummatory responses are usually species-typical modal action patterns.
habituation effect
a progressive decrease in the vigor of elicited behavior that may occur with repeated pre-sensations of the eliciting stimulus
habituation process
a neural mechanism activated by repetitions of a stimulus that reduces the magnitude of responses elicited by that stimulus.
sensitization effect
an increase in the vigor of elicited behavior that may result from repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus or from exposure to extraneous stimulus
spontaneous recovery
return of responding to baseline levels produced by a period of rest after habituation or sensitization.
sensory adaptation
a temporary reduction in the sensitivity of sense organs caused by repeated or excessive stimulation.
fatigue
a temporary decrease in behavior caused by repeated or excessive use of the muslces involved in the behavior
How are sensory adaptation and fatigue related to habituation and sensitization?
Habituation and sensitization are limited to neurophysiological changes - fatigue and sensory adaptation do not amount for this as they are produced outside the nervous system.
dual-process theory
sensitization and habituation, through changes in the state system and the S-R system, respectively, account for increases and decreases in responsiveness to stimulation.
S-R system
The shortest neural pathway that connects the sense organs stimulated by an eliciting stimulus and the muscles involved in making the elicited response
state system
neural structures that determine the general level of responsiveness, or arousal of the organism.
According to the dual-process theory, what is the specificity of habituation and sensitization?
habituation is stimulus specific because of the S-R circuit
sensitization is not highly stimulus specific
What are the characteristics at the core of the opponent process theory of motivation?
(1) emotional reactions are biphasic; a primary reaction is followed by an opposite after-reaction
(2) the primary reaction becomes weaker or habituates with repeated stimulation
(3) the weakening of the primary reaction with repetition is accompanied by a strengthening of the after-reaction
a process/primary process
The first process in the opponent process theory of motivation that is elicited by a biologically significant stimulus.
b process/opponent process
A compensatory mechanism that occurs in response to the primary process elicited by biologically significant events. The opponent process causes physiological and behavioral changes that are the opposite of those caused by the primary process.
