Unit 1 - Biological Bases of Behavior

Question 1

Nature-Nurture Issue

Answer 1

Nature - our genetics/DNA
Nurture - our environment
The debate regarding how much of a persons personality was shaped by nature or nurture

Question 2

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 2

Natural Selection; genes passed on in order to survive, our genes can change to adapt; it is genetics based

Question 3

Behavioral Genetics

Answer 3

Role that genes and environment play in our behavior; could be nature or nurture

Question 4

Epigenetics

Answer 4

How environmental factors can modify gene expression

Question 5

Heredity

Answer 5

genes getting passed on from parents to offspring

Question 6

Twin Studies

Answer 6

similarities and differences of identical vs fraternal twins

Question 7

Adoption Studies

Answer 7

Twins separated at birth and study the impact of their environment vs shared genes

Question 8

Natural Selection

Answer 8

The organisms more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce; therefore favored

Question 9

Neuron

Answer 9

Cell in brain and nervous system that sends and receives messages

Question 10

Dendrites

Answer 10

receive messages from other neurons, ends of the cell body

Question 11

Axon

Answer 11

takes action potential from receiving to sending side

Question 12

Myelin Sheath

Answer 12

fatty tissue covering axon to inflate it, protect, and help messages travel faster

Question 13

Terminal Branches

Answer 13

End spot

Question 14

Cell Body

Answer 14

Keeps the neuron alive

Question 15

Action Potential

Answer 15

processes once the neurotransmitters get to the end and exit, travel from dendrites, through axon, and out the terminal branches

Question 16

Synapse

Answer 16

space between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite of the receiving neuron

Question 17

Threshold

Answer 17

the limit; enough ions to get over threshold to reach action potential

Question 18

Depolarized

Answer 18

has more positive ions than negative; increases the chance for action potential

Question 19

Hyper-polarized

Answer 19

not enough positive ions to reach threshold to create action potential

Question 20

Intensity

Answer 20

the action potential remains the same/steady throughout the entire axon; keeps the same speed/intensity

Question 21

All or None Response

Answer 21

depolarizing current exceeds threshold, a neuron will fire; if it does not exceed the threshold, it will not fire; will either completely fire or not at all

Question 22

Reuptake

Answer 22

neurotransmitters in the synapse are reabsorbed into the sending neurons

Question 23

Refractory Period

Answer 23

after a neuron fires an action potential it pauses shortly to recharge so it can fire again

Question 24

Agonist

Answer 24

mimics a neurotransmitter

Question 25

Antagonist

Answer 25

blocks a neurotransmitter