IB Biology of Psychology Flashcards
The correlation found in twin research
Concordance Rate
The inherited characteristics passed from parents to children to make it more likely a person will develop an addiction.
Genetic Vulnerability
Are secreted from a number of different parts of the body and selects part of the brain.
Hormones
chemicals that transfers information from one neuron to another.
Neurotransmitters
a longitudinal study in which researchers look back to a certain point in time to analyze a particular group of subjects who have already experienced an outcome of interest.
Retrospective Research
Spends reserved energy
Sympathetic Nervous System
Restores and repairs spent energy
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.
Epigenetics
Stress hormones that help with the metabolism of glucose. They are released during stress to assist with fight-or-flight
Glucocorticoids
certain functions have certain locations or areas with the brain.
Localization of function
A type of longitudinal study where researchers will follow and observe a group of subjects over a period of time to gather information and record the development of outcomes.
Prospective Research
The reabsorption by a neuron of a neurotransmitter following the transmission of a nerve impulse across a synapse.
Reuptake
Theory that the brain has the capacity (in case of an injury) to transfer functional memory from the damaged portion of the brain to other undamaged portions of the brain.
Equipotential theory
Located just behind the forehead and the largest of the four lobes responsible for controlling inhibitions, short-term memory, reasoning, and planning for the future.
Frontal Lobe
Responsible for receiving and combining tactile stimuli from all over the body to allow the formation of a single contact.
Parietal Lobe
Responsible for processing auditory stimuli
Temporal Lobe
Responsible for processing visual stimuli, as well as maintaining balance.
Occipital Lobe
the outer most layer of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities
Cerebral Cortex
Plays a role in the regulation of complex cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
Prefrontal Cortex
Regulates hunger, thirst, the fight or flight response, sex drive, and body temperature; maintains homeostasis.
Hypothalamus
The location at the base of the brain at which the optic nerves from the two eyes meet.
Optic chiasm
Known as the “master gland” responsible for the production and distribution of hormones throughout the body.
Pituitary Gland
Relays information between the cerebellum and the cerebrum (brain); helps control autonomic functions such as sleeping and dreaming.
Pons
Automatically controls basic life support function.
Medulla
Regulates alertness and arousal levels; damage in this area results in a coma.
Reticular Formation
The neural tissue/fiber that connects the two halves of the brain.
Corpus Callosum
Serves as a switchboard that relates information to the appropriate area of the brain for procession; doesn’t process the sense of smell.
Thalamus
Produces melatonin, and as melatonin levels rise, a person becomes more tired. Hormone levels should increase as darkness (nighttime) sets in.
Pineal Gland
Voluntary movement, balance, implicit memories including classically conditioned response.
Cerebellum
Controls formation of new explicit memories; has the largest concentration of acetylcholine.
Hippocampus
Associated with fear and aggression; if removed, the subject will not experience fear or aggression.
Amygdala
motor movement and implicit memories including procedural memories.
Basel Ganglia
The life long ability to recognize our neural pathways in response to learning or to brain damage.
Neuroplasticity
The birth of new neurons
Neurogenesis
