Term Test 2 Flashcards
Behaviour genetics
The study of relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences
Heredity
Genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
Environment
Every non genetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.
Chromosome
Threadlike structures made of DNA Jolie led that contain the genes
DNA
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosome
Genome
Complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in the organisms chromosomes
Genes
Bio chemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes, small segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
Identical twins (monozygotic)
Develop from a single fertilized egg that splits. Genetically identical!
- same genes but not always the same number of copies of those genes repeated in the genome.
- share placenta 2/3 of time
Fraternal (dizygotic) twins
Develop from two separate fertilized eggs. As genetically similar as siblings.
Identical twins are more similar in..
Openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness,extra version, and temperament
Temperament
A persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
-genetically influenced
Heritability
The proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes
- intelligence is 50-80% heritable
- height is 90% heritable
Interaction
The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heritability).
Molecular genetics
The sub field of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
Molecular behaviour genetics
The study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behaviour
Epigenetic
“Above” or “in addition” genetics
The study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence gene expression (without a DNA change)
-diet, drugs, and stress
Evolutionary psychologists
The study of the evolution of behaviour and the kind, using principles of natural selection
Natural selection
The principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
Mutations
A random error in general replication that leads to a change
What percent of genetic variation exists within populations?
95%
Which sex thinks, engages and dreams of sex more?
Males
What do men and women prefer in a mate
Men: smooth skin, youthful shape, smaller waist than hips.
Women: tall, thin waist: broad shoulders, money to support them
Social scripts
A culturally modelled guide for how to act in various situations
Sexual over perception bias
Men believe dating partners are expressing more interest in them than they really are.
Prosopagnosia
Face blindness due to a damaged right hemisphere where the brain can not recognize faces.
Sensation
The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Sensory receptors
Sensory nerve ending that respond to stimuli
Perception
The process by which our brain organized and interprets sensory information, enabling us to recognize objects and events as meaningful.
-under normal circumstances sensations no perception blend into a continuous process
Bottom up processing
Information processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information.
Top down processing
Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another
Psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity and our psychological experience of them.
Absolute threshold
The minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.
Signal detection theory
A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and the detection depends partly on a persons experience, expectations and motivation
Subliminal
Belies ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. We experience this as a just noticeable difference.
Weber’s law
The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage greater than a constant amount.
Ex: 2 lights must differ in intensity by 8%
Sensory adaption
Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Perceptual set
A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.
- optical illusions
- does Mac D’s taste better in container or plate?
Wavelength
The distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short gamma rays to the long radio waves
Hue
The dimension of colour that is determined by the wavelength of light.
Intensity
The amount of energy in a light wave or sound wave. Which influences what we perceive as brightness or loudness. Intensity is determined by the waves amplitude (height)
Retina
Light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neruons that begin the processing of visual information.
Accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens change shoots to focus on near or far objects on the retina.
Rods
Cones
Retinal reception that detect black, white and Grey and are sensitive to movement. Rods are necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond.
Retinal reception that are concentrated near the Center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-light conditions. Detect fine details and give rise to colour sensations.
Optic nerve
The nerve that carriers neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Blind spot
The point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a “blind spot” because no receptor cells are located there.
Fovea
The central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster
A cone can transmit its message to a_____
While rods…
Single bipolar cell which relays to the visual cortex. Rods work together for one bipolar cell.
Young-hemholtz trichromatic theory
The theory that the retina contains 3 different types of colour receptors. One most sensitive to red, to green, and to blue. Which when stimulates in combination, can produce the perception of any colour.
Red+green=yellow
Opponent process theory
The theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, blue-yellow, black-white) enable colour vision.
Ex: some cells stimulated by green and inhibit red.
Feature detectors
Nerve cells in the brains visual cortex that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle or movement
Parallel processing
Processing many aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously
Gestalt
An organized whole, our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes.
Figure-ground
The organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings
Grouping
The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
Depth perception
The ability to see objects in 3-D, although the images that strike the retina are 2-d; allows us to judge distance
Visual cliff
A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infancy and young animals.
Binocular cues
A depth cue, such as retinal disparity, that depends on the use of two eyes.
Retinal disparity
A binocular cue for perceiving depth, by comparing retinal images form the two eyes, the brain computes distance.
Monocular cue
A depth cue such as interposition or linear perspective, available to either eye alone
Phi phenomenon
An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
Perceptual constancy
Perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent colour, brightness, shape, and size) even as illumination and retinal images change.
Perceptual adaption
The ability to change sensor input, including an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field.
-wear glasses that make everything 40° left, in minutes you’ll adapt
Audition
The send of or act of hearing
- can hear 10x faster than we can see
- amplitude perceives loudness
Frequency
The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Pitch
A tones experienced highness or lowness: depends on frequency
What is the absolute threshold of hearing
0 decibels
How do we hear
Sound waves strike your eardrum, causing the tight membrane to vibrate
Middle ear
The chamber between the eardrum and the cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the ear drum on the cochlear window.
Cochlea
A coiled, bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear where sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses
Inner ear
The innermost part of the ear, containing the chickens , semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.
Pathway of hearing
Vibrating air-tint moving bones- fluid waves-electrical impulses-auditory nerve- thalamus-auditory cortex in temporal lobe.
Sensorineural hearing loss
The most common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or to the auditory nerve;also called nerve deafness.
Conduction hearing loss
A less common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to the mechanical system (eardrum/middle bones) that conducts sounds waves to the cochlea.
Cochlear implant
A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Place theory
I’m hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlear membrane is stimulated.
Frequency theory
I’m hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses travelling up the auditory nerve matches the frequent of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
How can we hear frequencies above 1000 waves/second?
Nerve cells alternate firing to schedule combined frequency above 1000 waves/ second
Nociceptors
Sensory receptors mostly in skin the detect hurtful temperatures, pressure or chemicals
Gate control theory
The theory that the spinal cord contains a “neurological gate” that blacks lain signals or allows them to pass in to the brain. Gate it opened by the activity of pain signals travelling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers (massage)
Hypnosis
A social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts or behaviours will spontaneously occur.
Dissociation
A split in consciousness, which allows some through and behaviours to occur simultaneously with others.
Posthypnotic suggestions
A suggestion made during a hypnosis session that is to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized.
Guststion
Our sense of taste
Taste senses
Sweet, sour, bitter and umami
- reproduce every two weeks
- as you age the number of taste buds decrease
Olfaction
Our sense of smell (chemical sense)
- receptors in nose (by pass thalamus)
- odour molecules bind to a combination of receptors
- hard to describe smells
Kinesthesia
Our movement sense- sensory position and movement of individual body parts
Vestibular sense
Our balance sense- our sense of body movement and position that enables
our sense of balance.
-movement of fluids in the inner ear
Sensory interactions
The principle that one sense can influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
Embodied cognition
The influence of bodily sensations, gestures and other states in cognitive preferences and judgements
-people feel socially warm and friendly on warm days
Extra sensory perception (ESP)
The controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input. Includes telepathy (Ming to mind communication), clairvoyance (perceiving remote events) and precognition
Parapsychology
The study of paranormal phenomena including ESP and psychokinesis
Consciousness
Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment
Altered states of consciousness
Occur spontaneously: day dream, drowsiness, dreaming
Physiologically induced: hallucinations, orgasm, food/oxygen starvation
Psycho-Logically induced: sensory deprivation, hypnosis, meditation
Cognitive neuroscience
The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (perceptions, thinking, memory and language)
Selective attention
Focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
Ex: cocktail party effect: at a party you hear only the person talking to you, but if you hear your name, you become aware of others
Inattentional blindness
Failing to see visible objects when our attention is distracted elsewhere
Ex: pick pockets bump into you to distract you from taking your money
Change blindness
Failing to notice changes in the environment; a form of inattentional blindness
Dual processing
The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
Blindsight
A condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
Sequential processing
Processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve a difficult problem
Sleep
A periodic, natural loss of consciousness as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a constant, herbal anesthesia or hibernation.
-brains activity cortex responds to stimuli even during sleep
Circadian rhythm
Our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms for example of temperature and wakefulness that occur in a 24 hour cycle
REM sleep
Rapid eye movement sleep; a reoccurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active.
Alpha waves
The relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state
Hallucinations
False sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus
Delta waves
The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
Regardless of sexual context, gentians become ______ in REM sleep
Aroused
Suprachiasmatic nucleus
A pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm in response to the light. The SCN cussed the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness.
Why sleep
Protects from danger, recuperate brain, restore memories, feeds creative thinking, supports growth
Insomnia
Reoccurring problems in falling or staying asleep
Narcolepsy
A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. Sufferers also into REM sleep randomly
Sleep apnea
A sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessation’s of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings
Night terrors
Sleep disorder where high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; occur during N3 sleep, within 2 or 3 hours of falling asleep and are seldom remembered
Dreams
A sequence of images, emotions and thoughts passing through a sleeping persons mind.
Manifest content
According to freud, the symbolic, remembered story line of a dream
Latent content
According to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream (not the manifest content)
REM rebound
The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation
Psychoactive drugs
A chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods
Substance abuse disorder
A disorder characterized by continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and or physical risk
Tolerance
The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take a larger dose
Addiction
An everyday term with regular use of that continues despairs harmful consequences
Withdrawal
The discomfort and distress that follows discontinuing an addictive drug or behaviour
Depressants
Drugs such as alcohol and opiates that reduce neural activity and slow body functions
Opiates
Depress neural functioning (heroin, meth, codes, oxytocin, morphine)
Repeated use stops brain from producing endorphins
Stimulant
Drugs like coffee, nicotine, cocaine, ecstasy and meth that excite neural activity and speed up body functions
Nicotine
A stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco products
Cocaine
A powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant: temporary increased alertness and euphoria
Methamphetamines
A powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the CNS with accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, reduced baseline dopamine levels
Ecstasy
(MDMA) a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen that produced euphoria and social intimacy. Causes long term harm to Serotonin producing neurons and to mood and cognition
Hallucinogens
Psychoactive drugs such as LSD that district perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.
Near death experience
An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with dearth- often similar to drive induced hallucinations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
A powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid
Marijuana
Marijuana leaves contain THC which triggers a variety of effects including mild hallucinations.
THC lingers in the body for a week
Biological influences of drugs
- genetics making you more susceptible
- if identical twins is diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, other is at increased risk
- adoption studies: children of biologically drug-abusing parents had doubled risk of drug abuse
Psychological and social influences of Durga
P: lacking sense of purpose, significant stress, psychological disorders (depressions)
S: difficult environment, cultural acceptance, negative peer influence
Sleep stages
N1- lasts (1-5 minutes) dozing off
N2- lasts (10-60 minutes) slowed breathing and heart ate
N3- lasts (20-40 minutes) deep delta wave sleep
REM- lasts (10-60 minutes) brain activity picks up
