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1;2 Psychology 101 CSN 2023 > Chapter 2 The Biology of Mind and Consciousness > Flashcards

Chapter 2 The Biology of Mind and Consciousness Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the branch of psychology that studies the links between behavior and biology?

A

biological psychology

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2
Q

When a neuron fires an action potential, the information travels through

A

dendrites, axon, then the cell body.

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3
Q

How does the nervous system allow us to experience the difference between a slap and a tap on the back?

A

Stronger stimuli such as the slap cause more neurons to fire and more frequently than a weaker stimuli.

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4
Q

What happens in the synaptic gap?

A

Neurons send neurotransmitters (chemical messages) across this tiny space between one neruron’s terminal branch and the next neuron’s dendrite or cell body.

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5
Q

neuron

A

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

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6
Q

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

A

threshold

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7
Q

all- or- none response

A

a neuron’s reaction of either firing(with a full strength response) or not firing

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8
Q

neurotransmitters

A

neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells.

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9
Q

Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine are all chemical messengers called

A

neurotransmitters

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10
Q

chemical that depresses neural activity, temporarily lessening pain or anxiety.

A

opiate

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11
Q

endorphins

A

“morphine within”
linked to pain control and pleasure

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12
Q

central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

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13
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

sensory and motor neurons connecting the CNS to the rest of the body

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14
Q

bundled axons that form neutral cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

A

Nerves

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15
Q

neuron that carries incoming information from sensory receptors to the CNS

A

sensory neurons

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16
Q

neurons that carry outgoing information from the CNS to the muscles and glands

A

motor neurons

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17
Q

neurons within the brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs.

A

interneuron

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18
Q

somatic nervous system

also called the skeletal nervous system.

A

peripheral nervous system division controlling the body’s skeletal muscles.

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19
Q

peripheral nervous system division controlling the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic subdivision arouses; its parasympathetic subdivision calms.

A

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

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20
Q

autonomic nervous system subdivision that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.

A

sympathetic nervous system

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21
Q

autonomic nervous system subdivision that calms the body, conserving its energy.

A

parasympathetic nervous system

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22
Q

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response.

A

reflex

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23
Q

carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS.

A

Sensory Neurons

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24
Q

communicate within the CNS and between incoming and outgoing messages.

A

Interneurons

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25
Q

carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands.

A

Motor neurons

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26
Q

What bodily changes does your ANS (autonomic nervous system) direct before and after you give an important speech?

A

Responding to this challenge, your ANS’ sympathetic division will arouse you. It increases your heartbeat,raises your blood pressure and blood sugar, slows your digestion, and cools you with perspiration. After you give the speech, your ANS’ parasympathetic division will reverse these effects.

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27
Q

Why is the pituitary gland called the “master gland”?

A

Responding to signals from the hypothalamus, the pituitary releases hormones that trigger other endocrine glands to secrete hormones, which in turn influence our brain and our behavior.

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28
Q

How are the nervous and endocrine systems alike, and how do they differ?

A

Both of these communication systems produce chemical molecules that act on the body’s receptors to influence our behavior and emotions. The endocrine system, which secretes hormones into the bloodstream, delivers its messages much more slowly than the speedy nervous system, and the effects of the endocrine system’s messages tend to linger much longer than those of the nervous system.

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29
Q

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

A

endocrine system

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30
Q

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.

A

hormones

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31
Q

pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.

A

adrenal glands

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32
Q

most influential endocrine gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

A

pituitary gland

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33
Q

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions

A

brainstem

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34
Q

tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function.

A

fMRI scan

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35
Q

tracks radioactive glucose to reveal brain activity.

A

PET scan

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36
Q

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show brain anatomy.

A

MRI scan

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37
Q

device that uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface.

A

EEG (electroencephalograph)

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38
Q

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

A

medulla

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39
Q

area at the top of the brainstem; directs sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

A

thalamus

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40
Q

nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus; plays an important role in controlling arousal.

A

reticular formation

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41
Q

In what brain region would damage be most likely to (1) disrupt your ability
to skip rope?

A

cerebellum

42
Q

In what brain region would damage be most likely to (2) disrupt your ability to hear and taste?

A

thalamus

43
Q

In what brain region would damage be most likely to (3) perhaps leave you in a coma?

A

reticular formation

44
Q

In what brain region would damage be most likely to (4) cut off the very breath and heartbeat of life?

A

Medulla

45
Q

Electrical stimulation of a cat’s amygdala provokes angry reactions, suggesting the amygdala’s role in aggression. Which ANS division is activated by such stimulation?

A

The sympathetic nervous system

46
Q

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.

A

cerebellum [sehr-uh-BELL-um]

47
Q

(including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

A

limbic system neural system

48
Q

two lima-bean- sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

A

amygdala [uh-MIG-duh-la]

49
Q

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

A

hypothalamus [hi-po-THAL-uh-muss]

50
Q

What are the three key structures of the limbic system, and what functions do they serve?

A

(1) The amygdala is involved in aggression and fear responses. (2) The hypothalamus is involved in bodily maintenance, pleasurable rewards, and control of the hormonal systems. (3) The hippocampus processes memory.

51
Q

Try moving your right hand in a circular motion, as if polishing a car. Then start your right foot doing the same motion as your hand. Now reverse the right foot’s motion, but not the hand’s. Finally, try moving the left foot opposite to the right hand.
1. Why is reversing the right foot’s motion so hard?
2. Why is it easier to move the left foot opposite to the right hand?

A
  1. The right limbs’ activities interfere with each other because both are controlled by the same (left) side of your brain. 2. Opposite sides of your brain control your left and right limbs, so the reversed motion causes less interference.
52
Q

Our brain’s —— cortex registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. The —– cortex controls our voluntary movements.

A

somatosensory; motor

53
Q

What five theories explain our need for
sleep?

A

(1) Sleep has survival value.
(2) Sleep helps restore and repair brain tissue.
(3) During sleep we strengthen memory traces.
(4) Sleep fuels creativity.
(5) Sleep plays a role in the growth process.

54
Q

1) If we flash a red light to the right hemisphere of a person with a split brain, and flash a green light to the left hemisphere, will each observe its own color? (2) Will the person be aware that the colors differ? (3) What will the person verbally report seeing?

A

ANSWER: 1. yes, 2. no, 3. green

55
Q

Why are association areas important?

A

Association areas are involved in higher mental functions—interpreting, integrating, and acting on information processed in other areas.

56
Q

thin layer of interconnected neurons covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.

A

cerebral cortex

57
Q

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments.

A

frontal lobes

58
Q

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.

A

parietal lobes

59
Q

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

A

occipital lobes

60
Q

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive information from the ears.

A

temporal lobes

61
Q

cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes; controls voluntary movements.

A

motor cortex

62
Q

Explain three attentional principles that
magicians may use to fool us.

A

Our selective attention allows us to focus on only a limited portion of our surroundings. Inattentional blindness explains why we don’t perceive some things when we are distracted by others. And change blindness happens when we fail to notice a relatively unimportant change in our environment. All these principles help magicians fool us, as they direct our attention elsewhere to perform their tricks.

63
Q

The neuron fiber that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles and glands is the

A

axon

64
Q

The tiny space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite or cell body of another is called the

A

synaptic gap.

65
Q

Regarding a neuron’s response to stimulation, the intensity of the stimulus determines

A

whether or not an impulse is generated.

66
Q

In a sending neuron, when an action potential reaches an axon terminal, the impulse triggers the release of chemical messengers called

A

nuerotransmitters

67
Q

Endorphins are released in the brain in response to

A

pain or vigorous exercise.

68
Q

The autonomic nervous system controls internal functions, such as heart rate and glandular activity. The word autonomic means

A

self-regulating.

69
Q

The sympathetic nervous system arouses us for action and the parasympathetic nervous system calms us down. Together, the two systems make up the ——— nervous system.

A

autonomic

70
Q

The neurons of the spinal cord are part of the—–
nervous system.

A

central

71
Q

The most influential endocrine gland, known as the master gland, is the

A

pituitary.

72
Q

The —– —– secrete(s) epinephrine and norepinephrine, helping to arouse the body during times of stress.

A

adrenal glands

73
Q

The part of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing is the

A

medulla.

74
Q

The thalamus functions like a

A

sensory control center.

75
Q

The lower brain structure that governs arousal is the

A

cerebellum.

76
Q

The part of the brain that coordinates voluntary movement and balance is the .

A

cerebellum

77
Q

Two parts of the limbic system are the

A

amygdala and the hippocampus.

78
Q

A cat’s ferocious response to electrical brain stimulation would lead you to suppose the electrode had touched the

A

amygdala

79
Q

The neural structure that most directly regulates eating, drinking, and body temperature is the

A

hypothalamus.

80
Q

The initial reward center discovered by Olds and Milner was located in the

A

hypothalamus

81
Q

Failure to see visible objects because our attention is occupied elsewhere is called

A

inattentional blindness

82
Q

Inattentional blindness and change blindness are forms of ——
attention.

A

selective

83
Q

Our body temperature tends to rise and fall in sync with a biological clock, which is referred to as our

A

circadian rhythm

84
Q

During the NREM-1 sleep stage, a person is most likely to experience

A

hallucinations.

85
Q

NREM-3

A

The brain emits large, slow delta waves during sleep.

86
Q

The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation is referred to as

A

REM rebound

87
Q

“For what one has dwelt on by day, these things are seen in visions of the night” (Menander of Athens, Fragments). How might the information-processing perspective on dream- ing interpret this ancient Greek quote?

A

The information-processing explanation of dreaming proposes that brain activity during REM sleep enables us to sift through what one has dwelt on by day.

88
Q

What is the neural activation theory of dreaming?

A

suggests that dreams are the brain’s attempt to make sense of random neural activity.

89
Q

In interpreting dreams, Freud was most interested in their

A

latent content, or hidden meaning.

90
Q

An experimenter flashes the word HERON across the visual field of a man whose corpus callosum has been severed. HER is transmitted to his right hemisphere and ON to his left hemisphere. When asked to indicate what he saw, the man says he saw ON but points to HER.
.

A

An experimenter flashes the word HERON across the visual field of a man whose corpus callosum has been severed. HER is transmitted to his right hemisphere and ON to his left hemisphere. When asked to indicate what he saw, the man says he saw ON but points to HER.
.

91
Q

Plasticity is especially evident in the brains of

A

young children.

92
Q

The “uncommitted” areas that make up about three- fourths of the cerebral cortex are called
.

A

association areas

93
Q

What would it be like to talk on the phone if you didn’t have temporal lobe association areas? What would you hear? What would you understand?

A

You would hear sound, but without the temporal lobe association areas you would be unaware to make sense of what you were hearing.

94
Q

Judging and planning are enabled by the —-lobes.

A

frontal

95
Q

body regions has the greatest representation in the somatosensory cortex?

A

Lips

96
Q

If a neurosurgeon stimulated your right motor cortex, you would most likely

A

move your left leg.

97
Q

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

A

latent content

98
Q

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream.

A

manifest content

99
Q

What five theories explain why we dream?

A

ANSWER:

(1) Freud’s wish fulfillment (dreams as a psychic safety valve),
(2) information processing (dreams sort the day’s events and form memories),
(3) physiological function (dreams pave neural pathways),
(4) neural activation (REM sleep triggers random neural activity that the mind weaves into stories),
(5) cognitive development (dreams reflect the dreamer’s developmental stage)

100
Q

Damage to the brain’s right hemisphere is most likely to reduce a person’s ability to

A

make inferences.

101
Q

Studies of people with split brains and brain scans of those with undivided brains indicate that the left hemisphere excels in

A

processing language.

1;2 Psychology 101 CSN 2023 (8 decks)

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