Chapter 53: Behavioral Biology

Question 1

What are the two Analysis of Behavior?

Answer 1

Proximate causation and ultimate/evolutionary causation

Question 2

What is Proximate causation?

Answer 2

Mechanisms that are the reason for behavior

Question 3

What is Ultimate/Evolutionary causation?

Answer 3

Determines how behavior influences reproductive success or survival
Why did this behavior happen?

Question 4

What are the four levels of Analysis of Behavior?

Answer 4

1. Physiology (how it is influenced by hormones, nerve cells, and other internal factors)
2. Ontogeny (how it develops in an individual)
3. Phylogeny (origin in groups of related species)
4. Adaptive significance (role in survival and fitness)

Question 5

Ethology

Answer 5

The study of natural history of behavior

Question 6

What is innate behavior? (ethology)

Answer 6

A genetic-fixed action pattern; instinctive, does not require learning
Ex: egg retrieval behavior

Question 7

What are the functions of the nervous system?

Answer 7

Detects, interprets, and responds to stimuli from outside and within the body; forms rapid communication network

Question 8

What two nervous tissues does the nervous system consist of?

Answer 8

Neurons and neuroglia

Question 9

What is a neuron? (nervous tissue)

Answer 9

Interconnected cells that communicate via electrical impulses

Question 10

What is a neuroglia? (nervous tissue)

Answer 10

Supports neurons both structurally and functionally

Question 11

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 11

Carries information to and from the brain
ex: eyes, ears, and nose are activated by sensory input

Question 12

What is the central nervous system?

Answer 12

Interprets sensory input
ex: deciding how to respond

Question 13

What are the basic parts of a neuron?

Answer 13

Cell body, dendrites, and axon

Question 14

What does the cell body of a neuron contain?

Answer 14

Nucleus, mitochondria, and other organelles

Question 15

What is the function of the dendrites in a neuron?

Answer 15

Extends outwards and touches other cells to communicate

Question 16

What is the function of the synapses in a neuron?

Answer 16

Delivers signals to a muscle, gland, or other neuron

Question 17

What are the five characteristics of a neuron?

Answer 17

1. Excitability (responsiveness to a stimulus)
2. Conductivity (ability to propagate a signal)
3. Secretion
4. Extreme longevity
5. Amitotic (can’t divide)

Question 18

What are the three classes of neurons that make up the nervous system?

Answer 18

Sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons

Question 19

What are sensory neurons?

Answer 19

Part of peripheral nervous system
Bring information from body’s organs (ex: heat, pain, taste, etc.) toward the central nervous system

Question 20

What are interneurons?

Answer 20

Part of central nervous system
Receive signals from sensory neurons, process the message, and send signal to motor neuron

Question 21

What are motor neurons?

Answer 21

Part of peripheral nervous system
Conducts messages from central nervous system, stimulating activity of muscle and glands

Question 22

What is a myelin sheath?

Answer 22

Speeds up communication

Question 23

What is a synapse?

Answer 23

A specialized junction between a neuron and another cell

Question 24

What does a synapse include?

Answer 24

A sending neuron, synaptic cleft, and receiving cell

Question 25

What is a sending neuron?

Answer 25

Releases neurotransmitters

Question 26

What is a synaptic cleft?

Answer 26

Area between neuron membrane and the membrane of other cell

Question 27

What is a receiving cell?

Answer 27

Could be a neuron, muscle, or gland cell

Question 28

What are the five basic neurotransmitters?

Answer 28

1. Acetylcholine
2. Glutamate
3. Epinephrine
4. Dopamine
5. Serotonin

Question 29

What is habituation?

Answer 29

Prolonged exposure to stimulus may cause cells to lose ability to respond
ex: in long-term drug use, means more of drug is needed to obtain same effect

Question 30

What does the biological term “learning” mean?

Answer 30

Altered behavior as result of previous experiences

Question 31

What does the biological term “associative learning” mean?

Answer 31

Association between two stimuli or between stimulus and response
ex: conditioned behavior

Question 32

What are the two major types of conditioned behavior?

Answer 32

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning

Question 33

What is classical/pavlovian conditioning?

Answer 33

Paired presentation of two different kinds of stimuli with an association formed between them

Question 34

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 34

Organism learns to associate its behavior response with a reward or punishment