Chapter 3: The Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards
minimum length of the time after action potential during another action potential cannot begin
Absolute Refractory Period
a brief change in a neuron’s electrical charge
Action Potential
an inherited characteristic that increased in a population because it helped solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged
Adaption
research studies that assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents
Adoption Studies
axons that carry information inward to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body
Afferent Nerve Fibers
a chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter
Agonist
a chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter
Antagonist
partial or total loss of the ability to articulate ideas or comprehend written or spoken language
Aphasia
the system of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
a long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to other neurons,or to muscles or glands
Axon
where plasma regions of cell body (soma) generate nerve impulses
Axon Hillock
any overt (observable) response or activity by an organism
Behavior
an interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors on behavioral traits
Behavioral Genetics
the brain and the spinal cord
Central Nervous System (CNS)
the convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum
Cerebral Cortex
the right and left halves of the cerebrum
Cerebral Hemispheres
a solution that fills the hollow cavities of the brain and circulates around the brain and spinal cord
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CFS)
threadlike strands of DNA molecules that carry genetic information
Chromosomes
the structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres
Corpus Callosum
a limited time span in the development of an organism when it is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the organism is especially responsive to certain experiences
Critical Period
branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information
Dendrites
a gene that is expressed when paired genes are heterozygous (different)
Dominant Gene
axons that carry information outward from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body
Efferent Nerve Fibers
sending weak electric currents into a brain structure to stimulate (activate) it
Electrical Stimulation of the Brain (ESB)
a device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
a group of glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning
Endocrine System
the entire family of internally produced chemicals that resemble opiates in structure and effects
Endorphins
theoretical perspective that examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for a species over the course of many generations
Evolutionary Psychology
an electric potential that increases the likelihood that a postsynaptic neuron will fire action potentials
Excitatory PSP
people who tend to be interested in the external world of people and things
Extraverts
scientific studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they rememble each other on a specific trait
Family Studies
a physiological reaction to threat in which the autonomic nervous system mobilizes the organism for attacking (fight) or fleeing (flight) an enemy
Fight-or-Flight Response
the reproductive success of an individual organism relative to the average reproductive success of the population
Fitness
the largest and most complicated region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum
Forebrain
twins that result when two eggs are fertilized simultaneously by different sperm cells, forming two separate zygotes
Fraternal Twins; Dizygotic Twins
DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmition
Genes
the process of determining the location and chemical sequences of specific genes on specific chromosomes
Genetic Mapping