Exam 1: Behavior - Development, Emotions, and the Brain Flashcards
What does behavior depend on
Genetics
Environment
What contributes to behavior
Everything
Brain, nervous system
Genetics, inherited traits
Experiences, environment
Emotions
Experiences, environment, and the brain
Normal development of the brain and sense organs requires novelty and varied sensory inputs
Effects of deprivation during early development are also relatively permanent
Socialization period
Learning about environment, littermates, mother, and humans
Play
Sensitive period
Time in life of animal when small amount of experience (or lack of) will have a large effect on later behavior
Temperment
Genetically-acquired
Inherited behavioral responses to specific situations or stimuli
“Tendency” to respond in a certain way
Tendencies continue throughout life
What is foundation for personality
Genetically inherited tendencies
Personality
Combination of animal’s temperament, learning experiences, and development
What does personality describe
How an animal might react to general situations
What are the most commonly measured personality factors
Exploration, Activity, Aggressiveness, Sociability, Boldness
Emotion
Genetically influenced
Nervous system processing/activity in brain regions
Hormone release
Behavioral responses to certain classes of stimuli
Discretely focused and short lived
Components of a feeling
Emotional systems and behavior
Emotional systems motivate behavior
The brain systems control emotions
Jaak Panksepp
Outlined major emotional systems located in the subcortical areas of the brain
These emotional systems drive behavior, are similar in all mammals, and are in some of the most ancient regions of the brain
Part of brain used for thinking and flexible problem solving
Cerebral cortex
Limbic system
Part of the brain responsible for emotions
Active when an individual has feelings
Parts of the limbic system (5)
Hypothalamus Hippocampus Amygdala Thalamus Cortex
Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine - highly concentrated in neurons of basal ganglia, used by motor neurons of spinal cords
Transmitter amines
Dopamine (catecholamine) - in substantia nigra
Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) (catecholamine) - in locus coeruleus in brain stem
Serotonin (indoleamine) - in brain stem
Transmitter amino acids
GABA - in neurons in basal ganglia going to substantia nigra; cerebellum
Arousal
Intense emotional state
Fear
Emotional state and reaction of apprehension and fright due to presence/proximity of specific stimulus perceived as a threat/danger
Anxiety
Emotional anticipation of adverse event, danger, threat
Absence of identifiable stimulus
Anticipation of something unpleasant that may or may not be real
Phobia
Profound excessive abnormal fear response that occurs without the presence of a true threat or is out of proportion to the needs for dealing with an actual threat
Maladaptive and interfere with normal function
Affective states
Include all emotions or feelings experienced as pleasant of unpleasant
Experienced consciously and which motivate animals to behave in a particular way
