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Psych > Unit 3 Biological Bases of Behavior > Flashcards

Unit 3 Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Biological Psychology

A

Relates biological processes to psyschological processes.

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2
Q

Neuron

A

A nerve cell; basic building block of the nervous system.

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3
Q

Dendrites

A

A neuron’s bushy branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses to cell body.

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4
Q

Axon

A

Passes messages through branches to other neurons, muscles or glands.

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5
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

A fatty tissue layer, butter for axons

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6
Q

Action Potential

A

A nerval Impulse, brief electrical charge

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7
Q

Refractory Period

A

A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.

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8
Q

Threshold

A

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

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9
Q

All-or-none response

A

Either firing or not for a neuron

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10
Q

Synapse

A

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

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11
Q

Neurotrasmitters

A

Chemical messangers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

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12
Q

Reuptake

A

reabsorption by the sending neuron

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13
Q

Endorphins

A

Natural opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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14
Q

Agonist

A

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

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15
Q

Antagonist

A

A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response

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16
Q

Nervous System

A

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.

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17
Q

Central Nervous System

A

The brain and spinal cord

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17
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

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18
Q

Nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

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19
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

Neurons that carry incoming information form the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

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20
Q

Motor Neurons

A

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

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21
Q

Interneurons

A

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

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22
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system

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23
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

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24
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body; mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.

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25
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.

26
Q

Reflex

A

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus.

27
Q

Endocrine System

A

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

28
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endoncrine glands travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues.

29
Q

Adrenal Glands

A

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.

30
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

the endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituatary regulats growth and controls other endocrine glands.

31
Q

Lesion

A

tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.

32
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

33
Q

CT (computed tomography) scan

A

a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain’s structure.

34
Q

PET (Positron emission tomography) scan

A

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

35
Q

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.

36
Q

fMRI (functional MRI)

A

a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function as well as its structure.

37
Q

Limbic System

A

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres associated with emotions and drives.

38
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

the neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres, ultimate control and information processing center.

39
Q

Glial Cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking.

40
Q

Somatosensory Cortex

A

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

41
Q

Associating Areas

A

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering , thinking, and speaking.

42
Q

Plasticity

A

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

43
Q

Neurogenesis

A

The formation of new neurons

44
Q

Split Brain

A

A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s hemispheres and carries messages between them.

45
Q

Consciousness

A

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

46
Q

Cognitive neuroscience

A

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition.

47
Q

Dual Processing

A

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

48
Q

Behavior Genetics

A

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

49
Q

Environment

A

every external influece, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.

50
Q

Chromosomes

A

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes.

51
Q

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

A

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

52
Q

Genes

A

The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes

53
Q

Genome

A

The complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes.

54
Q

Idental Twins

A

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

55
Q

Fraternal Twins

A

Twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

56
Q

Molecular Genetics

A

The subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes.

57
Q

Heritability

A

the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.

58
Q

Interaction

A

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor

59
Q

Epigenetics

A

the study of environmental influences on a gene expression that occur without a DNA change.

60
Q

Evolutionary Psychology

A

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.

61
Q

Natural Selection

A

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

62
Q

Mutation

A

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

Psych (4 decks)

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