Chapter 2: Biology and Psychology

Question 1

a specialized cell of the nervous system that receives and transmits messages

Answer 1

Neuron

Question 2

cells that remove dead neurons and waste products from the nervous system, nourish and insulate neurons, form myelin, and play a role in neural transmission of messages

Answer 2

Glial Cells

Question 3

root like structures; attached to the cell body of a neuron, that receive impulses, or incoming messages, from other neurons.

Answer 3

Dendrites

Question 4

a long, thin part of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons from bulb-shaped structures called axon terminals or terminal buttons.

Answer 4

Axon

Question 5

a fatty substance that encases and insulates axons, facilitating transmission of neural impulses

Answer 5

Myelin

Question 6

transmits messages from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain.

Answer 6

Afferent Neurons or Sensory Neurons

Question 7

transmits messages from the brain or spinal cord to muscles or glands.

Answer 7

Efferent Neurons or Motor Neurons

Question 8

the electrochemical discharge of a nerve cell or neuron.

Answer 8

Neural Impulses

Question 9

the electrochemical discharge of a nerve cell or neuron.

Answer 9

Neural Impulses

Question 10

to ready a neuron for firing by creating an internal negative charge in relation to the body fluid outside the cell membrane.

Answer 10

Polarize

Question 11

the electrical potential across the neural membrane when it is not responding to other neurons

Answer 11

Resting Potential

Question 12

to reduce the resting potential of a cell membrane from about 70 millivolts toward zero

Answer 12

Depolarized

Question 13

the electrical impulse that provides the basis for the conduction of a neural impulse along an axon of a neuron.

Answer 13

Action potential

Question 14

a location on a dendrite of a receiving neuron tailored to receive a neurotransmitter

Answer 14

Receptor Site

Question 15

a neurotransmitter that controls muscle contractions.

Answer 15

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Question 16

a neurotransmitter that affects the ability to perceive pleasure, voluntary movement, and learning and memory; it is involved in Parkinson’s disease and appears to play a role in schizophrenia.

Answer 16

Dopamine

Question 17

a neurotransmitter whose action is similar to that of the hormone epinephrine and that may play a role in depression.

Answer 17

Norepinephrine

Question 18

a neurotransmitter involved in emotional arousal and sleep; deficiencies of serotonin have been linked to eating disorders, alcoholism, depression, aggression, and insomnia

Answer 18

Serotonin

Question 19

an inhibitory neurotransmitter that apparently helps calm anxiety.

Answer 19

Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

Question 20

inhibitory neurotransmitters that occur naturally in the brain and in the bloodstream and are similar to the narcotic morphine in their functions and effects

Answer 20

Endorphins

Question 21

a bundle of axons from
many neurons

Answer 21

Nerves

Question 22

the brain and spinal cord

Answer 22

Central Nervous System

Question 23

the part of the nervous system consisting of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

Answer 23

Peripheral Nervous System

Question 24

the division of the peripheral nervous system that connects the central nervous system with sensory receptors, skeletal muscles, and the surface of the body

Answer 24

Somatic Nervous System

Question 25

the division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates glands and activities such as heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and dilation of the pupils.

Answer 25

Autonomic Nervous System ( ANS )

Question 26

Two Divisions of Autonomic Nervous System

Answer 26

Sympathetic Division and Parasympathetic Division

Question 27

the branch of the ANS that is most active during emotional responses, such as fear and anxiety, that spend the body’s reserves of energy

Answer 27

Sympathetic Division

Question 28

the branch of the ANS that is most active during processes (such as digestion) that restore the body’s reserves of energy

Answer 28

Parasympathetic Division

Question 29

"super information highway" a column of nerves within the spine that transmits messages from sensory receptors to the brain and from the brain to muscles and glands throughout the body

Answer 29

Spinal Cord

Question 30

a simple, unlearned response to a stimulus that may involve only two neurons

Answer 30

Spinal Reflex

Question 31

the grayish neurons and neural segments that are involved in spinal reflexes

Answer 31

Gray Matter

Question 32

axon bundles that carry messages to and from the brain

Answer 32

White Matter

Question 33

a method of detecting brain waves by means of measuring the current between electrodes placed on the scalp

Answer 33

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Question 34

a method of brain imaging that passes a narrow X-ray beam through the head and measures the structures that reflect the beams from various angles, enabling a computer to generate a three-dimensional image

Answer 34

Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT or CT scan)

Question 35

a method of brain imaging that injects a radioactive tracer into the bloodstream and assesses activity of parts of the brain according to the amount of glucose they metabolize

Answer 35

Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan)

Question 36

an imaging method that places a person in a magnetic field and uses radio waves to cause the brain to emit signals that reveal shifts in the flow of blood, which, when the brain is being scanned, indicate brain activity

Answer 36

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Question 37

a form of MRI that enables researchers to observe the brain “while it works” by taking repeated scans

Answer 37

Functional MRI (fMRI)

Question 38

an area near the center of the brain involved in the relay of sensory information to the cortex and in the functions of sleep and attention

Answer 38

Thalamus

Question 39

a bundle of nuclei below the thalamus involved in body temperature, motivation, and emotion

Answer 39

Hypothalamus

Question 40

an oblong area of the hindbrain involved in regulation of heartbeat, blood pressure, movement, and respiration

Answer 40

Medulla

Question 41

a structure of the hindbrain involved in respiration, attention, and sleep and arousal; Pons is the Latin word for “bridge”

Answer 41

Pons

Question 42

a part of the hindbrain involved in muscle coordination and balance

Answer 42

Cerebellum

Question 43

a part of the brain involved in attention, sleep, and arousal

Answer 43

Reticular Formation

Question 44

a group of structures (Hippocampus, amygdala, and parts of hypothalamus) involved in memory, motivation, and emotion that forms a fringe along the inner edge of the cerebrum

Answer 44

Limbic System

Question 45

a part of the limbic system that apparently facilitates stereotypical aggressive responses

Answer 45

Amygdala

Question 46

The outer coating of the cerebrum

Answer 46

The Cerebral Cortex

Question 47

- is responsible for thinking and language. - the large mass of the forebrain, which consists of two hemispheres: Left and Right; - The hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum (Latin for “hard body”),

Answer 47

Cerebrum

Question 48

The 4 Lobes

Answer 48

Prefrontal Lobe, Frontal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, and Occipital Lobe

Question 49

- the section of cortex in which sensory stimulation is projected. - It lies just behind the central fissure in the parietal lobe

Answer 49

Somatosensory Cortex

Question 50

the section of cortex that lies in the frontal lobe, just across the central fissure from the sensory cortex; neural impulses in the motor cortex are linked to muscular responses throughout the body.

Answer 50

Motor Cortex

Question 51

- Breadth and depth of human learning, thought, memory, and language. - Core of your working memory

Answer 51

Association Areas

Question 52

Located in the frontal lobe, near the motor cortex which controls the muscles of the throat, tongue, and other parts of the face. Processes the information and relays it to the motor cortex

Answer 52

Broca’s Area

Question 53

a language disorder characterized by slow, laborious speech

Answer 53

Broca’s aphasia

Question 54

Located in the temporal lobe near the auditory cortex, and responds to sounds.

Answer 54

Wernicke’s Area

Question 55

a language disorder characterized by difficulty comprehending the meaning of spoken language

Answer 55

Wernicke’s aphasia

Question 56

The body’s system of ductless glands that secrete hormones and release it directly in the bloodstream.

Answer 56

The Endocrine System

Question 57

A substance secreted by the endocrine gland that regulates body functions (growth, metabolism, behavior)

Answer 57

Hormones

Question 58

a system where if the hormone that was secreted was enough, the gland is signaled to stop.

Answer 58

Negative Feedback Loop

Question 59

- Located between the visual and Wernicke’s area; - Translates visual information into auditory information and sends it to the Wernicke’s area

Answer 59

Angular gyrus

Question 60

More involved in logical analysis, problem solving, math, language

Answer 60

Left-Brained

Question 61

Colors, aesthetic, emotional responses, etc.

Answer 61

Right-Brained

Question 62

temporary disturbances of brain functions that involve sudden neural discharges

Answer 62

Epilepsy

Question 63

- “Master Gland” - Controls the function of other glands in the endocrine system

Answer 63

Pituitary Gland

Question 64

Production of urine and paternal behavior

Answer 64

Vasopressin (Antidiuretic Syndrome)

Question 65

Stimulates labor

Answer 65

Oxytocin

Question 66

Secretes hormones to stimulates the pituitary gland

Answer 66

Hypothalamus

Question 67

Secretes melatonin to regulate sleep-wake cycle and affect on-set puberty

Answer 67

Pineal Gland

Question 67

- Produces hormones that help the body respond to stress; - Regulated by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). - Secretes corticosteroids (heartbeat, muscle development) - Epinephrine/Adrenaline intensifies emotions - Norepinephrine/Noradrenaline

Answer 67

Adrenal Gland

Question 67

Produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, and development.

Answer 67

Thyroid Gland

Question 68

Produces hormones that regulates calcium levels in the blood

Answer 68

Parathyroid Gland

Question 68

acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain of the adrenal gland.

Answer 68

Norepinephrine/Noradrenalin

Question 68

intensifies emotions (adrenal gland)

Answer 68

Epinephrine/Adrenaline

Question 69

Produces hormones to regulate blood sugar: insulin and glucagon.

Answer 69

Pancreas

Question 70

Regulates menstrual cycle and reproduction: estrogen and progesterone

Answer 70

Ovaries

Question 71

Regulates testosterone and reproduction.

Answer 71

Testes

Question 72

the branch of psychology that studies the ways in which adaptation and natural selection are connected with mental processes and behavior

Answer 72

Evolutionary Psychology

Question 73

the concept that holds that adaptive genetic variations among members of a species enable individuals with those variations to survive and reproduce

Answer 73

Natural Selection

Question 74

a sudden variation in an inheritable characteristic, as distinguished from a variation that results from generations of gradual selection

Answer 74

Mutation

Question 75

stereotyped pattern of behavior that is triggered by a particular stimulus and nearly identical among members of a species, even when they are reared in isolation

Answer 75

Instinct

Question 76

the transmission of traits from parent to offspring by means of genes

Answer 76

Hereditary

Question 77

the area of biology that focuses on heredity

Answer 77

Hereditary

Question 78

the area of biology that focuses on heredity

Answer 78

Genetics

Question 79

bridges the sciences of psychology and biology. It is concerned with the genetic transmission of traits that give rise to patterns of behavior.

Answer 79

Behavioral Genetics

Question 80

a basic unit of heredity, which is found at a specific point on a chromosome

Answer 80

Gene

Question 81

- made up of strings of genes. - Chromosomes are large complex molecules of DNA (short for deoxyribonucleic acid), which has several chemical components.

Answer 81

Chromosome

Question 82

that forms the basic material of chromosomes; it takes the form of a double helix and contains the genetic code.

Answer 82

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Question 83

influenced by combinations of genes.

Answer 83

Polygenic

Question 84

your full genetic potential, as determined by the sequencing of the chemicals in your DNA.

Answer 84

Genotype

Question 85

one’s actual development and appearance, as based on one’s genotype and environmental influences

Answer 85

Phenotype

Question 86

the inborn, innate character of an organism

Answer 86

Nature

Question 87

the sum total of the environmental factors that affect an organism from conception onward

Answer 87

Nurture

Question 88

the 23rd pair of chromosomes, whose genetic material determines the sex of the individual

Answer 88

Sex Chromosomes