Chapter 1 Flashcards
Biology and Behavior
Franz Gall
Earliest theories that behavior, intellect, and even personality might be linked to brain anatomy. Developed Phrenology.
Phrenology
Basic idea was that if a particular trait was well-development, then the part of the brain responsible for that trait would expand. This was proven false.
Pierre Flourens
First person to study the functions of the major sections of the brain.
William James
Father of American psychology, believed that it was important to study how the mind functioned in adapting to the environment. Developed functionalism.
Functionalism
A system of though in psychology that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments.
John Dewey
Important in 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
Examining the behavioral deficits of people with brain damage.
Hermann von Helmholtz
Was the first to measure the speed of a nerve impulse
Sir Charles Sherrington
First inferred the existence of synapse
Sensory Neurons
Also known as afferent neurons.
Transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain.
Motor Neurons
Also known as 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.
Mainly located in brain and spinal cord and often linked to reflexive behavior.
Reflex Arcs
Also called neural circuits. Controlled reflective behavior.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Composed of the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Made up of nerves tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord. Including all 31 pairs of spinal nerves and the 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
2 Branches: Somatic and Autonomic. Autonomic breaks down into sympathetic and parasympathetic
Somatic Nervous System
Consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout the skin, joints, and muscles.
Sensory = afferent fibers
Motor = efferent fibers
Autonomic Nervous System
Regulates heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and glandular secretions. Manages involuntary muscles associated with many internal organs and glands.
Independent of conscious control.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Main role = Conserve energy.
Rest and digest.
Neurotransmitter = acetylcholine.
Constructs pupils, Stimulates flow of saliva, constricts bronchi, slows heartbeat, stimulates peristalsis and secretion, stimulates bile release, contracts bladder
Sympathetic Nervous System
Activated by stress.
Flight or flight
Increase heart rate, blood glucose concertation, relaxes bronchi, dilates eyes, release epinephrine into bloodstream, redistributes blood to muscles of locomotion.
Meninges
Covering of brain with a thick sheath of connective tissue. Protect the brain, keep it anchored within the skull, and resorb cerebrospinal fluid.
3 Layers of Meninges
Dura Mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Aqueous solution in which brain and spinal cord rest: it is produced by specialized cells that line the ventricles (internal cavities) of the brain.
Subdivision of Brain
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain
Brainstem
Most primitive region of the brain.
