Modules 9, 10, 14 & 15 Quiz Flashcards
adoptive studies
assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents
family studies
Scientific studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble each other on a specific trait
oxytocin
A hormone released by the posterior pituitary that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk ejection during breastfeeding.
leptin
hormone that signals the hypothalamus and brain stem to reduce appetite and increase the amount of energy used
ghrelin
A hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach
adrenaline
A hormone released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress
hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
pituitary gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
antagonist
a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action
endocrine system
the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory
agonist
a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action
reuptake
a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
substance p
a neurotransmitter involved in pain perception and immune response
Norepinephrine
neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal
endorphins
Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter
inhibitory neurotransmitters
chemicals released from the terminal buttons of a neuron that inhibit the next neuron from firing
Dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
serotonin
A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.
excitatory neurotransmitters
chemicals released from the terminal buttons of a neuron that excite the next neuron into firing
resting potential
The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neuron’s cell membrane
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
refractory period
in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state
depolarization
The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.
all-or-none response
a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
myelin sheath
a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
dendrites
a neuron’s often bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
axon
the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
cell body (soma)
part of the neuron that contains the nucleus/ the cell’s life-support center
reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
neuron
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
Somatic nervous system
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles
motor (efferent) neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord; that communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
Central Nervous System (CNS)
consists of the brain and spinal cord
sensory (afferent) neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
nerves
bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body
nervous system
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
biopsychosocial approach
an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
Epigenetics
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
fraternal (dizygotic) twins
fraternal (dizygotic) twins individuals who developed from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary brothers and sisters, but they share a prenatal environment
genome
the complete instructions for making an organism
identical (monozygotic) twins
individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organismsprenatal environment
environment
environment every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
heredity
Passing of traits from parents to offspring
mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change
genes
the biochemical units of heredity
evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
natural selection
A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
nature-nurture issue
nature-nurture issue the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture
Charles Darwin
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection
