Chapter 53: Behavioral Biology Flashcards
What are the two Analysis of Behavior?
Proximate causation and ultimate/evolutionary causation
What is Proximate causation?
Mechanisms that are the reason for behavior
What is Ultimate/Evolutionary causation?
Determines how behavior influences reproductive success or survival
Why did this behavior happen?
What are the four levels of Analysis of Behavior?
- Physiology (how it is influenced by hormones, nerve cells, and other internal factors)
- Ontogeny (how it develops in an individual)
- Phylogeny (origin in groups of related species)
- Adaptive significance (role in survival and fitness)
Ethology
The study of natural history of behavior
What is innate behavior? (ethology)
A genetic-fixed action pattern; instinctive, does not require learning
Ex: egg retrieval behavior
What are the functions of the nervous system?
Detects, interprets, and responds to stimuli from outside and within the body; forms rapid communication network
What two nervous tissues does the nervous system consist of?
Neurons and neuroglia
What is a neuron? (nervous tissue)
Interconnected cells that communicate via electrical impulses
What is a neuroglia? (nervous tissue)
Supports neurons both structurally and functionally
What is the peripheral nervous system?
Carries information to and from the brain
ex: eyes, ears, and nose are activated by sensory input
What is the central nervous system?
Interprets sensory input
ex: deciding how to respond
What are the basic parts of a neuron?
Cell body, dendrites, and axon
What does the cell body of a neuron contain?
Nucleus, mitochondria, and other organelles
What is the function of the dendrites in a neuron?
Extends outwards and touches other cells to communicate
What is the function of the synapses in a neuron?
Delivers signals to a muscle, gland, or other neuron
What are the five characteristics of a neuron?
- Excitability (responsiveness to a stimulus)
- Conductivity (ability to propagate a signal)
- Secretion
- Extreme longevity
- Amitotic (can’t divide)
What are the three classes of neurons that make up the nervous system?
Sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons
What are sensory neurons?
Part of peripheral nervous system
Bring information from body’s organs (ex: heat, pain, taste, etc.) toward the central nervous system
What are interneurons?
Part of central nervous system
Receive signals from sensory neurons, process the message, and send signal to motor neuron
What are motor neurons?
Part of peripheral nervous system
Conducts messages from central nervous system, stimulating activity of muscle and glands
What is a myelin sheath?
Speeds up communication
What is a synapse?
A specialized junction between a neuron and another cell
What does a synapse include?
A sending neuron, synaptic cleft, and receiving cell
