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General Psychology > Topic 3: Biology & Human Behaviour > Flashcards

Topic 3: Biology & Human Behaviour Flashcards

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1
Q

What are three major characteristics of the brain?

A

Integration, Sophistication and Adaptability.

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2
Q

Why study the brain?

A

There are no simple relationships between brain events and human behaviour but consistent and predictable patterns do exist.

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3
Q

What is “integration”?

A

The brain’s structures are constantly competing and co-operating.

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4
Q

What is sophistication?

A

Even the most high-tech computers can’t match the human brain in complexity of thought and behaviour.

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5
Q

What is “Adaptability”?

A

The human brain is always working and constantly changing. The brain can adapt and function fully under very unusual circumstances.

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6
Q

What is the central nervous system?

A

The brain and spinal cord. Has no access to the outside environment.

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7
Q

Where does the CNS get it’s information from?

A

The Peripheral Nervous System.

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8
Q

What is the Peripheral Nervous System?

A

Connects the CNS to the rest of the body and gives it info.

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9
Q

What are neurons?

A

Specialized cells that carry messages throughout the nervous system.

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10
Q

How fast does information travel through neurons?

A

Up to 530 km/hour

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11
Q

What is plasticity?

A

Even though most neurons are created in early life, shape, size and connections can change throughout the lifespan.

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12
Q

What are the three types of neurons?

A

Sensory, motor and interneurons.

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13
Q

What are sensory neurons?

A

They relay information from the senses to the brain and spinal cord.

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14
Q

What are motor neurons?

A

They send information from the nervous system to the glands and muscles, enabling the body to move.

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15
Q

What are interneurons?

A

They carry information between neurons in the CNS. Most important, there are more of these.

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16
Q

What are glial cells?

A

They are like the glue that holds neurons together. Dispose of cellular waste. Insulate. Protect (prevents toxins from entering the brain through blood/brain barrier). Guide newborn neurons to proper place (fetal development).

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17
Q

What are the parts of a neuron?

A

Cell body (soma), axons, dendrites, myelin sheath, nodes of ranvier, axon terminals, terminal buttons.

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18
Q

What is a cell body (soma)?

A

Contains the nucleus, responsible for cell growth and maintenance.

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19
Q

What are the dendrites?

A

Recieve and send info towards the cell body.

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20
Q

What is the axon?

A

Carries information away from the cell body towards other neurons.

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21
Q

What is a myelin sheath?

A

Speeds up the transmission of nerve impulses.

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22
Q

What are the nodes of ranvier?

A

Small bare bits of axons and helps speed of actional potential.

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23
Q

What are axon terminals?

A

Each axon branches out to an axon terminal.

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24
Q

What are terminal buttons?

A

The junction where the axon terminal connects with other neurons. Release chemicals called neurotransmitters.

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25
Q

What are parts of the Peripheral Nervous System?

A

Somatic, autonomic, sympathetic and parasympathetic.

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26
Q

What does the somatic NS do?

A

Controls skeletal muscles.

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27
Q

What does the Autonomic NS do?

A

Regulates glands, blood vessels and internal organs.

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28
Q

What does the sympathetic NS do?

A

Mobilizes body for action and energy output.

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29
Q

What does the Parasympathetic NS do?

A

It conserves energy and maintains quiet state.

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30
Q

What are networks?

A

Large groupings of neurons living in large communities.

31
Q

What are clusters of neurons in tight groupings called?

A

Nerves.

32
Q

How do neurons communicate?

A

By passing messages between themselves.

33
Q

What has to happen to a neuron in order for communication to occur?

A

It has to reach its threshold.

34
Q

What is resting potential?

A

Stable negative charge of an inactive neuron.

35
Q

What is action potential?

A

Brief wave of positive electrical charge.

36
Q

What is the all or non-prinicple?

A

Once an electrical impulse begins, it does not lose intensity along the way.

37
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A connection between two neurons where communication takes place.

38
Q

What is a neurotransmitter?

A

A chemical message between neurons.

39
Q

What is a synaptic cleft?

A

Releases neurotransmitters after being stimulated by electrical messages travelling through the neuron.

40
Q

Within a neuron, the communication is chemical and between them electrical. True or False?

A

False. Inside, electrical. Between is chemical (neurotransmitters.)

41
Q

What does the brain do?

A

Controls movement of muscles, processes/retains information about the environement. Regulating physiological functions of the body.

42
Q

What are two functions of the brain?

A

Conduit for incoming sensory and outgoing motor information. Integrates survival oriented functions like alertness and respitory control.

43
Q

What are the four parts of the brainstem?

A

Medulla, Pons, Thalamus, and Cerebellum.

44
Q

What does the Medulla do?

A

Controls autonomic functions such as heatbet, breathing, coughing, etc…

45
Q

What is the functions of the Pons?

A

Plays a role in body movement, sleep and dreaming.

46
Q

What is the job of the Thalamus?

A

It translates. Recieves and integrates sensory information. Also relays information from most sense organs to the cerebral cortex in a form it can understand.

47
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

Integrates sensory information with motor movements. Allows graceful movement and modifies motor skills. Executes smooth, skilled movement and regulates muscle tone and posture. Also takes care of performance of everyday activities. Does not produce movement but perfects it.

48
Q

What are the four parts of the limbic system?

A

Amygdala, hippocampus, cingulate cortex and hypothalamus.

49
Q

What is the functions of the amygdala?

A

Fear detection system. Produces a fight/flight response without consideration. Gets you ready to react.

50
Q

What are the functions of the hippocampus?

A

Creates and stores new memories.

51
Q

What are the four distinct regions of the cingulate cortex?

A

Anterior, midcingulate, posterior, and retrosplenial.

52
Q

What does the anterior part of the cingulate cortex do?

A

Plays a role in emotions.

53
Q

What does the midcingulate of the congulate cortex do?

A

Response detection.

54
Q

What does the posterior of the cingulate cortex do?

A

Personal space.

55
Q

What does the retrosplenial of the cingulate cortex do?

A

Memory formation and retrieval.

56
Q

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

A

Body tempurature, hunger, thirst, etc… translates information from the thalamus and sends to pituitary gland.

57
Q

What are the four lobes of the Neocortex?

A

Frontal, Temporal, Parietal and Occipital.

58
Q

Each lobe of the neocortex has what?

A

They all contain a primary cortex and an association cortex.

59
Q

What does the primary cortex contain?

A

Basic sensory and motor functions.

60
Q

What does the association cortex do?

A

Responsible for percieving, learning/remembering, planning and acting.

61
Q

What are parts of the occipital lobe?

A

Includes primary vision cortex and visual association cortex.

62
Q

What happens if there is total or partial damage to the primary visual cortex?

A

Blindness and a hole in the field of vision.

63
Q

What happens if there is damage in the visual association cortex?

A

Causes recognition problems while sight is still good (visual agnosia).

64
Q

What are the parts of the temporal lobe?

A

Contains the primary auditory cortex and the auditory association cortex.

65
Q

What happens if there is damage to the primary auditory cortex?

A

Leads to hearing loss.

66
Q

What happens if there is damage to the auditory association cortex?

A

To the left, leads to language deficits. To the right, leads to problems recognizing non-speech sounds.

67
Q

What is in the parietal lobe?

A

Contains primary somatosensory cortex. Contained within that is the Homunculus.

68
Q

What is a homunculus?

A

A distorted body map. Each part of the body sized relative to how much space is given for information processing.

69
Q

What is in the frontal lobe?

A

Primary motor cortex. Attention, working memory, reasoning and problem solving.

70
Q

What is in the primary motor cortex?

A

Movement and integration of information. Helps execute movement, integrates and orchestrates from other parts of the brain.

71
Q

The Peripheral nervous system is divided into two parts. What are they?

A

Somatic and Automatic (sympathetic and parasympathetic).

72
Q

What does the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system do?

A

Directs activities involved in expenditure of energy.

73
Q

What does the parasympathetic branch of the automatic nervous system do?

A

Controls quiet activities like food digestion.

General Psychology (7 decks)

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