Unit 3: The Biology of Behavior

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

Nerve cells that make up the nervous system and communicate to transfer information from the brain throughout the body.

Question 2

Action Potential

Answer 2

When a sensation occurs, either outside your body or from another neuron, a quick electrical charge is sent down the axon of the neuron, waking it up.

Question 2

Excitatory Signals

Answer 2

like gas pedal, telling neurons to go

Question 3

Inhibitory signals

Answer 3

Like brakes, telling the neuron to stop

Question 4

Threshold

Answer 4

Specific level of stimulation that must be generated for a neural impulse or message to be sent. When threshold is met, action Potential occurs, signal is sent to other neurons, leading to a response, or the behavior.

Question 5

Synapse

Answer 5

Point of connection between the tip of the axon or the synaptic terminal and the dendrite of another neuron. The open space between neurons is a synaptic gap.

Question 6

Neurotransmitters

Answer 6

Chemical messengers that communicate between neurons/neuron and muscle.

Question 7

Reuptake

Answer 7

when neurotransmitters are unable to find a receptor site either disperse, break down, or are reabsorbed.

Question 8

Lateralization

Answer 8

Scientists have hound that different regions of the brain have different functions

Question 9

Brain Sides

Answer 9

Right: Creative
Left: Logical and analytical

Question 10

Frontal Lobe

Answer 10

Located at the front of brain. Responsible for conscious or voluntary movement and executive functions. Like your secretary (Planning, organizing, self-monitoring)

Question 11

Parietal Lobe

Answer 11

Located behind your frontal lobe, responsible for sensations and perceptions. (5 senses) Plays a role in reading and reasoning.

Question 12

Temporal Lobe

Answer 12

Side of your head behind your ears, processes emotions. Used for language and processing info from 5 senses.

Question 13

Occipital Lobe

Answer 13

Beneath the parietal Lobe, responsible for vision.

Question 14

Cerebellum

Answer 14

Located at the back of your head, responsible for movement and coordination. Helps for fine motor skills.

Question 15

Brain Stem

Answer 15

Base of your neck, connected to spinal cord, responsible for basic functioning (Heartbeat, breathing, swallowing) Essential for life.

Question 16

Timeline of Brain Discovery

Answer 16

-1664: “Anatomy of the Brain” is published by Thomas Willis, term neurology is introduced
-1862: Area of brain responsible for speech is discovered by Paul Broca
-1929: Electroencephalography is invented by Hans Berger and measures electric activity in the brain.
-1938: Nuclear magnetic resonance, which leads to MRI, discovered by Isidor Rabi
-1974: Positron Emission Tomography scanner is invented, producing images of brain activity
-1992: Becomes possible to map activity in human brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Question 17

Sensory Neurons

Answer 17

Acquire info from stimuli in environment, the deliver it to brain.

Question 18

Motor Neurons

Answer 18

Carry info from brain and spinal cord throughout the body to communicate what functioning should occur.

Question 19

Interneurons

Answer 19

Located within the brain and spinal cord. Process and disseminate info coming in from sensory Neurons and info going out from motor neurons.

Question 20

Somatic nervous system

Answer 20

controls voluntary movement within your musculature

Question 21

Neroplasticity

Answer 21

The ability of the brain and nervous system to change, adjust, reorganize, and growth, is constantly.

Question 21

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 21

controls your internal organs and glands.

Question 22

Hormones

Answer 22

chemical messengers created in endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream

Question 23

Genetic transmission

Answer 23

Study of how genes are passed from one generation to the next

Question 24

Genetic mutation

Answer 24

abnormality within chromosomal development or reproduction.

Question 25

Perceptual set

Answer 25

the assumptions and interpretations that influence the processing of sensations

Question 26

Bottom-up processing

Answer 26

occurs when sensations reach sensory receptors and then travel to your brain for processing.

Question 27

Top-down processing

Answer 27

When expectations/experiences are used to create our perceptions.

Question 28

Absolute threshold

Answer 28

minimum amount of stimulus that just be present for detection to occur

Question 29

Biological functioning

Answer 29

essential to detect sensation and interpret it. Must have proper biological components for 5 senses.

Question 29

Subconscious

Answer 29

Outside our immediate awareness. Affects mood, behavior, and thought processes. Can be brought to conscious mind

Question 30

Conscious

Answer 30

Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of which you are fully aware and which are readily accessible

Question 31

Unconscious

Answer 31

Info processing (Memories, interest, motivation, perception) is beneath level of perception. Happens automatically.

Question 32

Explicit Processing

Answer 32

Information processing that takes place on a conscious level.

Question 33

Repair and Restore Theory

Answer 33

Sleep cleans up and fixes brain and body, eliminating waste, restoring necessary chemicals, and organizing/consolidating memories. (Repairs body after day)

Question 34

Evolutionary or Adaptive Theory

Answer 34

Sleep preserves the human species by conserving energy for necessary periods of activity and minimizing their presence while predators are hunting at night.

Question 35

Information Consolidation Theory

Answer 35

Sleep improves cognition as the brain organizes and stores memories and info preparing for the next day

Question 35

Brain Plasticity Theory of Sleep

Answer 35

Essential for brain growth and development, during sleep the brain participates in neural reorganization and growth.