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AP Psychology > 2 The Biological Basis of Behavior > Flashcards

2 The Biological Basis of Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Psychobiology

A

The area of psychology that focuses on the biological foundations of behavior and mental processes

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2
Q

Neuroscience

A

The study of the brain and the nervous system

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3
Q

Neurons

A

Individual cells that are the smallest units of the nervous system

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4
Q

Dendrites

A

short fibers that branch out from from the cell body and pick up incoming messages

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5
Q

Axon

A

single long fiber extending from the cell body; it carries outgoing messages

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6
Q

Nerve (or tract)

A

Group of axons bundled together

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7
Q

Myelin sheath

A

white fatty covering found on some axons

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8
Q

Sensory (afferent) neurons

A

neurons that carry messages from sense organs to the spinal cord or brain

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9
Q

Motor (efferent) neurons

A

Neurons that carry messages from the spinal cord or brain to the muscles and glands

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10
Q

Interneurons (association neurons)

A

neurons that carry messages from, one neuron to another

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11
Q

Glial cells (glia)

A

cells that form the myelin sheath; they insulate and support neurons by holding them together, removing waste products, and preventing harmful substances from passing from the bloodstream into the brain

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12
Q

Ions

A

electrically charged particles found both inside and outside the neuron

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13
Q

Resting potential

A

electrical charge across a neuron membrane due to excess positive ions concentrated on the outside and excess negative ions concentrated on the inside

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14
Q

Polarization

A

The condition of a neuron when the inside is negatively charged relative to the outside; for example, when neuron is at rest

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15
Q

Neural impulse (action potential)

A

the firing of a nerve cell

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16
Q

Graded potential

A

a shift in the electrical charge in a tiny area of a neuron

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17
Q

Threshold of excitation

A

the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire

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18
Q

All-or-none law

A

Principle that the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; the neuron either fires at full strength or it does not fire at all

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19
Q

Absolute refractory period

A

a period after firing when a neuron will not fire again no matter how strong the incoming messages may be

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20
Q

Relative refractory period

A

a period after firing when a neuron is returning to its normal polarized state and will fire again only if the incoming message is much stronger than usual

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21
Q

Synaptic space (synaptic cleft)

A

tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron

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22
Q

Terminal button (synaptic knob)

A

structure at the end of an axon terminal branch

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23
Q

Synapse

A

area composed of the axon terminal of one neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrite or cell body of the next neuron

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24
Q

Synaptic vessicles

A

tiny sacs in a terminal button that release chemicals into the synapse

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25
Neurotransmitters
chemicals released by the synaptic vesicles that travel across the synaptic space and affect adjacent neurons
26
Receptor site
a location on a receptor neuron into which a specific neurotransmitter fits like a key into a lock
27
Acetylcholine
released at neurotransmitter junction, plays an important role in arousal and attention, loss of ACh producing cells linked to Alzheimer's disease
28
Dopamine
affects neurons associated with voluntary movement, plays role in learning, memory, and emotion, loss of dopamine producing cells causes symptoms of Parkinson's disease
29
Serotonin
found throughout brain, appears to set "emotional tone," low serotonin levels are implicated in depression
30
Endorphins
reduce pain by inhibiting neurons that transmit pain information
31
Glutamate
involved in long term memory and perception of pain
32
GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid)
inhibitory neurotransmitter distributed in central nervous system, implicated in sleep and eating disorders, low levels of GABA linked to extreme anxiety
33
Glycene
principally responsible for inhibition in the spinal cord and lower brain centers
34
Neural plasticity
the ability of the brain to change in response to experience
35
Neurogenesis
the growth of new neurons
36
Central nervous system
Division of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord
37
Peripheral nervous system
Division of the nervous system that connects that central nervous system to the rest of the body
38
Hindbrain
Area containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum
39
Cerebellum
Structure in the hindbrain that controls certain reflexes and coordinates the body's movements
40
Midbrain
Region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight, and it is one of several places in the brain where pain is registered
41
Thalamus
Forebrain region that relays and translate incoming messages from the sense receptors, except those for smell
42
Hypothalamus
Forebrain region that governs motivation and emotional responses
43
Reticular formation (RF)
Network of neurons in the hindbrain, the midbrain, and part of the forebrain whose primary function is to alert and arouse the higher parts of the brain
44
Limbic system
Ring of structures that play a role in learning and emotional behavior. Includes Hippocampus and amygdala
45
Cerebral cortex
The outer surface of the two cerebral hemispheres that regulates most complex behavior
46
Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex where incoming messages from the separate senses are combined into meaningful impressions and outgoing messages from the motor areas are integrated
47
Occipital lobe
Part of the cerebral hemisphere that receives and interprets visual information
48
Temporal lobe
cerebral hemisphere. Regulates: smell, hearing, balance, equilibrium, emotion and motivation, some language comprehension, complex visual processing
49
Parietal lobe
Part of the cerebral cortex that receives sensory information from throughout the body, association areas, visual/spatial abilities
50
Primary somatosensory cortex
Area of the parietal lobe where messages from the sense receptors are registered
51
Frontal lobe
Part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for: goal-directed behavior, concentration, emotional control and temperament, motor projection and association areas, coordinates messages from other lobes, complex problem solving, involved in many aspects of personality
52
Primary motor cortex
The section of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement
53
Corpus callosum
A thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral cortex
54
Spinal cord
Complex cable of neurons that runs down the spine, connecting the brain to most of the rest of the body
55
Somatic nervous system
The part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages from the senses to the central nervous system and between the central nervous system and the skeletal muscles
56
Autonomic nervous system
The part of the peripheral nervous system that carries
57
Noroepinephrine
affects arousal, wakefulness, learning, memory, and mood
58
Pons
hindbrain, regulates sleep-wake cycle
59
Medulla
hindbrain, regulates respiration, heart rate, blood pressure
60
Hippocampus
formation of new memories
61
Aamygdala
Governs emotions related to self-preservation
62
Microelctrode techniques
used to study functions of single neurons
63
Macroelectrode techniques
used to obtain overall picture of activity in particular brain region
64
Broca's area
involved in speech production. Damage affects ability to talk, but understanding spoken or written language hardly affected
65
Wernicke's area
involved in understanding of spoken or written language. Damage affects comprehension of languages but speech is hardly affected
66
Structural imaging list
CAT, MRI
67
Functional imaging list
EEG, MEG, MSI, PET, SPECT, fMRI
68
sympathetic division
branch of the autonomic nervous system; prepares body for quick action in emergency
69
Parasympathetic division
branch of the autonomic nervous system; calms and relaxes body
70
Endocrine glands
glands of the endocrine system that release hormones into the bloodstream
71
Hormones
chemical substances released by the endocrine glands that regulate bodily activities
72
Thyroid gland
endocrine gland located below voice box; produces hormone thyroxin
73
Parathyroids
four tiny glands embedded in the thyroid; secrete parathormone
74
Pineal gland
gland located roughly in center of brain that appears to regulate activity levels over the course of the day
75
Pancreas
organ lying between stomach and small intestine; secretes insulin and glucagon to regulate blood-sugar levels
76
Gonads
reproductive glands, testes in males and ovaries in females
77
Pituitary glands
gland located on underside of brain, produces largest number of body's hormones
78
Adrenal glands
2 endocrine glands located just about the kidneys
79
Behavior genetics
study of the relationship between heredity and behavior
80
Evolutionary psychology
A subfield of psychology concerned with the origins of behaviors and mental processes, their adaptive value, and the purposes they continue to serve
81
Genetics
study of how traits are transmitted from one generation to the next
82
Genes
Elements that control the transmission of traits; they are found on the chromosomes
83
Chromosomes
pairs of threadlike bodies within the cell nucleus that contain the genes
84
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
complex molecule in a double helix configuration is the main ingredient of chromosomes and genes and forms the code for all genetic information
85
Human genome
full complement of genes withing a human cell
86
Dominant gene
member of a gene pair that controls the appearance of a certain trait
87
recessive gene
member of a gene pair that can control the appearance of a certain trait only if it is paired with another recessive gene
88
Polygenic inheritance
process by which several genes interact to produce a certain trait; responsible for our most important traits
89
Strain studies
studies of the heritability of behavioral traits using animals that have been inbred to produce strains that are genetically similar to one another
90
Selection studies
studies that estimate the heritability of a trait by breeding animals with other animals that have the same trait
91
Family studies
studies of heritability in humans based on the assumption that if genes influence a certain trait, close relatives should be more similar on that trait than distant relatives
92
Twin studies
studies of identical and fraternal twins to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior
93
Identical twins
twins developed from a single fertilized ovum and therefore identical in genetic makeup at the time of conception
94
Fraternal twins
twins developed from two separate fertilized ova and therefore different in genetic makeup
95
Adoption studies
research carried out on children, adopted at birth by parents no related to them, to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior
96
Natural selection
mechanism proposed by Darwin in theory of evolution, states that organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive, transmitting their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations, whereas organisms with less adaptive characteristics tend to vanish

AP Psychology (9 decks)

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