Chapter 4 - Biological processes and psychological explanation Flashcards
Physiology
The study of the structure and function of the body.
Reductionism
An approach to scientific explanation that seeks insight by reducing to a smaller scale of explanation.
Emergent property
A property exhibited by a combination of components, which is not evident when looking at the properties of the individual components alone.
Dualism
A philosophical perspective that draws an absolute distinction between the brain and mind.
Cell
A basic building block of an organism.
Neuron
A type of cell that forms part of the nervous system and which is specialized for processing information.
Motivation
A tendency to engage in a particular type of behaviour, such as feeding.
Regulation
The maintenance of stable conditions for bodily variables such as temperature.
Control
Action that is exerted in the interests of regulation.
Homeostasis
The tendency of certain parameters of the body to remain nearly constant and action to be taken when they deviate from their normal values.
Cell body
The cell body is the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus, amongst other things.
Process
A part of a neuron, an extension.
Neural system
A combination of neurons that serve a particular role.
Spinal cord
A collection of neurons housed within the backbone.
Central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral nervous system
The part of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord.
Detector
A neuron or part of a neuron that is sensitive to events in the world, such as touch or tissue damage.
Hormone
A chemical that is secreted into the blood at one location, is transported in the blood, and effects action at a distant site.
Nucleus
The component of the cell body of a neuron that contains the genetic material.
Chromosome
The structure within which genes are located.
Gamete
A generic term for egg cells of the female and sperm cells of the male.
Reproduction
The coming together of sperm and egg cells and the production of a new individual.
Replication
The process of producing cells from the original precursor cell, the fertilized egg cell.