Behavioral Sciences - Biology and Behavior Flashcards
(15 cards)
Franz Gall
1758-1828. Phrenology (bulges on the head correlate to the development of certain personalities).
Pierre Flourens
1794-1867. First to study the functions of the major sections of the brain. Done by removing parts of rabbits and pigeons’ brains.
Extirpation/Ablation
When various parts of the brain are surgically removed and the behavioral consequences are observed.
William James
1842-1910. Founder of American psychology. Studied how the mind adapts to the environment. His views formed the foundation of functionalism.
Functionalism
Studies how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments.
John Dewey
1859-1952. Functionalism. Believed that psychology should focus on the study of the organism as a whole as it functioned to adapt to the environment.
Paul Broca
1824-1880. Examined the behavioral deficits of people with brain damage. Was the first person to demonstrate that specific functional impairments could be linked with specific brain lesions.
Hermann von Helmholtz
1821-1894. The first to measure the speed of a nerve impulse. Linked behavior to the nervous system.
Sir Charles Sherrington
1857-1952. First inferred the existence of synapses. Was mostly correct except he thought it was an electrical process but it is mostly chemical.
Sensory/Afferent Neurons
Transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain.
Motor/Efferent Neurons
Transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands.
Interneurons
Are found between other neurons and are the most numerous of the 3 types of neurons.
Reflex Arcs
Neural circuits that control reflexive behavior. Ex. if you place your hand on a hot stove, interneurons signal the muscles to move away from the stove before the brain can send out a signal.
Spinal Nerves
31 pairs of nerves branching out from the spinal cord.
Cranial Nerves
12 pairs of nerves branching out from the brain.
