Unit 1

Question 1

Nature (Genes)

Answer 1

All of the genes & heredity factors that influence who we are - from physical appearance to our personality characteristics.

Question 2

Nurture (Enviornment)

Answer 2

Refers to all environmental variables that impact who we are.
-early childhood experiences
-how we’re raised
-social relationships
-surrounding culture
-anything that can influence development that is not from within a person.

Question 3

Biological Psychology

Answer 3

stresses the importance of genetics & biological influences

Question 4

Heredity

Answer 4

Sum of all biological processes by which particular characteristics are transmitted from parents to their offspring (one generation to the next)

Question 5

Genes

Answer 5

Segments of DNA molecules are functional units of heredity, make up the body’s blueprint
-we have about 24,000 genes

Question 6

Epigenetics

Answer 6

Study of heritable changes in gene expression (active vs. inactive). Study of changes in gene expression due from nongenetic causes

Question 7

Sensitive Period

Answer 7

Particular time of life in which some behaviors or physical characteristics should be expressed

Question 8

Monozygotic Twins (Identical)

Answer 8

Result from a single fertilized egg that splits in 2, are genetically identical.

Question 9

Dizygotic Twins (Fraternal)

Answer 9

Develop from 2 zygotes & share 50% of their DNA

Question 10

Heritability

Answer 10

Extent to which differences in the appearance of a trait across several people can be accounted for by differences in their genes.

Question 11

Nervous System

Answer 11

Body’s communication network that consists of all nerve cells.
-allows organisms to sense, organize, & react to information in the environment.

Question 12

Central Nervous system

Answer 12

Coordinates the actions & interactions of the brain & spinal cord. Body’s main control center
-largest part of the nervous system.

Question 13

Peripheral Nervous system

Answer 13

Incudes the sensory nerves outside the brain & spinal cord that connect the CNS to organs, limbs, & skin.

Question 14

Motor Pathway

Answer 14

Part of the PNS
Signals from brain to muscles/glands

Question 15

Sensory Pathway

Answer 15

Part of PNS
Signals from sensory receptors to the brain

Question 16

Somatic Nervous System

Answer 16

Part of motor pathway
Includes the nerves that transmit signals from your brain to the skeletal muscles to allow voluntary movement

Question 17

Sensory Neurons (Afferent Neurons)

Answer 17

Part of motor pathway
Carry information from the nerves to the CNS
-allow us to take in sensory information & send it to the brain & spinal cord

Question 18

Motor Neurons (Efferent Neurons)

Answer 18

Part of Motor pathway
Carry information from the brain & spinal cord to muscle fibers throughout the body

Question 19

Three types or neurons

Answer 19

Afferent, somatic, efferent

Question 20

SAME

Answer 20

S-sensory
A-afferent
M-motor
E-efferent

Question 21

Interneurons

Answer 21

Neurons within the brain & spinal cord that communicate internally & intervene between the sensory inputs & motor outputs

Question 22

reflex arc

Answer 22

Signal is sent from a sensory organ to the spinal cord, which processes the information instead of passing it on to the brain

Question 23

Autonomic Nervous System

Answer 23

Regulates involuntary & unconscious actions
-Breathing, blood pumping through veins, digestion, heartbreak, work of internal organs

Question 24

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 24

Emergency response system. If something alarms, enrages, or challenges you “fight, flight, or freeze”
-accelerate heartbeat, raise blood pressure, slow digestion, raise blood sugar & cool you with sweat, making you alert

Question 25

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 25

Functions to calm the person. "Rest and Digest." -Reduces body arousal, decreases blood sugar, increases blood flow to the digestive organs, decreases heart rate.

Question 26

Neuron (Nerve Cell)

Answer 26

Specialized cell in the nervous system that receives and sends messages with electrochemical signals

Question 27

Glial Cells

Answer 27

Cells that provide physical support for the neurons to grow on & around (glue) -90% of the brain is composed of glial cells (50:1) -Surrounding neurons get nutrients to the neurons, clean up remains of neuron that have dried provide isulation

Question 28

Dendrites (Antenna)

Answer 28

Part of neuron, branchlike extensions that receives electrical messages from other cells

Question 29

Soma (Life Support)

Answer 29

Cell of the neuron that is responsible for maintaining the cell and keep the neuron functional (nucleus included)

Question 30

Axon (Talker)

Answer 30

Fiber that extends from the cell body to the terminal endings, its job is to carry messages out to other cells

Question 31

Myelin Sheath

Answer 31

Layer of fatty substance produced by certain glial cells, wraps around the axon to protect the nerve fiber from damage, insulating sheath, speeds up the neural message.

Question 32

Axon Terminals

Answer 32

Tips at the end of the axon, sends signals to other neurons terminal buttons/synaptic knobs

Question 33

Synapse (contact point)

Answer 33

Meeting point between neurons at the end of the terminal button is a gap known as a synapse.

Question 34

Synapse Vesicles

Answer 34

Store various neurotransmitters (chemicals) that are released at the synapse

Question 35

Synaptic cleft or gap

Answer 35

Less than a millionth of an inch wide

Question 36

Receptor sites

Answer 36

Receive signals, receptor sites are the lock that the neurotransmitter molecule fits into

Question 37

Neurotransmission

Answer 37

Process by which chemical signals information travels through a neuron.

Question 38

Electrochemical

Answer 38

Neurons send messages electrochemically, meaning that chemicals cause an electrical signal inside the neuron -electrical part happens in the neuron -chemical part happens between the neurons

Question 39

Selectively permeable membrane (step 1)

Answer 39

may allow certain positive ions to pass through

Question 40

Threshold (Step 2)

Answer 40

Receiving a message, the receptor site will trigger the axon to let in positively charged ions if it reaches threshold. If stimulation is not strong enough, the neuron doesn't fire Sodium-entering the cell Potassium-leaving the cell those entering and leaving restores the equilibrium

Question 41

Action Potential (step 3)

Answer 41

"Firing:" an electrical charge is created once stimulated enough by the +/- reaction, stopping resting potential (depolarization) -neuron sends information down axon, away