Studied by 4 people
What is evolutionary psychology?
the study of the evolution of behavior in the mind, using principles of natural selection
What is a mutation?
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change
What is fitness?
the ability to survive and reproduce
What is a genome?
a genetic profile
What is an example of natural selection?
women who experience morning sickness/nausea during pregnancy were less likely to eat bitter, strongly flavored, and new foods (foods toxic to embryonic development)
What else does natural selection prepare us for?
a world that no longer exists, people like sweet and fatty things because our bodies store the fat for a famine
What is behavior genetics?
the study of the relative power and limits of genetics and environmental influences on behavior
What is heredity?
the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
What is environment?
every external influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
What are chromosomes?
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
What is DNA (dioxyribonucleic acid)?
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
What are genes?
the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes, segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
What are genomes?
the complex instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes
What is heritability?
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. the heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of population and environments studied
What is interaction?
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
What is epigenetics?
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
What is the nervous system?
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, made of nerve cells
What are the two parts of the nervous system?
central and peripheral
What is the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
the brain and spinal cord
What is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
What are sensory (afferent) neurons?
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
What are motor (efferent) neurons?
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
What are interneurons?
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
What are the two parts of the PNS?
somatic and autonomic
What is the Somatic Nervous System?
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles
What is the Autonomic Nervous System?
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs
What are the two parts of the Autonomic Nervous System?
sympathetic and parasympathetic
What does the Sympathetic Nervous System do?
arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations (fight)
What does the Parasympathetic Nervous System do?
calms the body, conserving its energy (flight)
What are neural networks?
neuron clusters
What does the spinal cord do?
serves as a connection between the brain and PNS
What are reflexes?
simple, automatic responses to sensory stimulus
What do dendrite fibers do?
receive information
What do axons do?
passes messages from the cell body to the terminal branches to other neurons/muscles/glands
What is a myelin sheath?
a layer of fatty tissue that insulates axons and speeds up the impulses or messages
What are glial cells?
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may play a role in learning and thinking
What is action potential?
the message the axon sends; a neural impulse/brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
What are a neuron’s charges?
outside the axon-mostly positive charged ions
inside the axon-mostly negative charged ions
What happens when a neuron fires?
the first axon section open its gates and positively charged sodium ions can enter
What does the myelin sheath do?
makes the impulses jump from one section to another
What is a refractory period?
a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired; the positively charged potassium ions get pumped back outside
Do neurons touch?
NO
What is the synapse?
where two neurons meet
Where is the synaptic gap?
between the axon terminal and the receiving neuron
What crosses the synaptic gap and what do they do?
neurotransmitters or chemical messengers; bind to the receptor sites on the receiving neuron
What is acetylcholine (Ach)?
a neurotransmitter that is at every junction between motor neurons and skeletal muscles
when released, the muscle contracts; when blocked like with anesthesia, muscles cannot move
What is dopamine linked to?
movement, learning, attention, and emotion
What is serotonin linked to?
mood, hunger, arousal, and sleep
What are endorphins?
“morphine within”; natural opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure
What do agonist molecules do?
mimic neurotransmitters (like morphine mimics endorphins)
What do antagonist molecules do?
block neurotransmitters (naloxone given to people to prevent heroin overdoses)
What is the Endocrine System?
the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
What are hormones?
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands and travel through the bloodstream to affect other tissues
What are adrenal glands?
a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys that secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine
What is the pituitary gland?
the endocrine system’s most influential gland; under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
What is the feedback system?
brain-pituitary-other glands-hormones-brain and body
What are psychoactive drugs?
chemical substances that alter perceptions and moods
What is substance use disorder?
continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk
What is tolerance?
the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effects
What is addiction?
compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors (such as gambling) despite known adverse consequences
What is withdrawl?
the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior
What are depressants?
drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions
What does alcohol do?
enlivens people by slowing brain activity that controls judgment and inhibitions
slows the sympathetic nervous system
What are barbituates?
drugs that reduce anxiety by impairing memory and judgment (tranquilizers)
What are opiates?
opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety
What are stimulants?
drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions
What is nicotine?
a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco
What are nicotine’s withdrawal symptoms?
irritability, insomnia, and anxiety
What is cocaine?
a powerful and addictive stimulant, derived from the coca plant, producing temporary increased alertness and euphoria
What does cocaine do?
mimics dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine so the brain stops making those and then there is a crash with agitated depression
What is crack?
a faster-working crystallized form of cocaine that produces a quicker and more intense high but also a more intense crash
What are amphetemines?
drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing sped-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes
What are the after effects of meth?
irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, social isolation, depression, and occasional violent outbursts
What is ecstasy (MDMA)?
a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen; produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and long-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition
What is a near-death experience?
an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as a cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations
What is LSD?
a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide)
What is THC?
the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations
What are the effects of THC?
disrupts memory formation and learning-can damage brain areas that process memories and emotions
What is plasticity?
the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface; measured by placing electrodes on the scalp
What is a magnetoencephalogram (MEG)?
a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity
What is a computed typography (CT) scan?
a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by a computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain’s structure (AKA CAT scan)
What is a position emission tomography (PET) scan?
shows brain activity by looking at where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a certain task
What is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?
uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue (shows brain anatomy)
What is a functional MRI (fMRI)?
reveals blood flow and therefore brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans (shows brain structure as well as function)
What is the brain stem?
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; it is responsible for automatic survival functions
What is the medulla?
the slight swelling at the base of the brain stem, controls heartbeat and breathing
What does the pons do?
coordinate movement
What is the thalamus?
the brain’s sensory control center, located at the top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
What is the reticular formation?
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal
What is the cerebellum?
the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory
What is the limbic system?
located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
What does the limbic system include?
the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus
What is the amygdala?
two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion, rage, and fear
What is the hypothalamus?
a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion, reward, eating, drinking, and body temperature
What does the hippocampus do?
helps process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of facts and events
What is the cerebral cortex?
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information processing center
What do the frontal lobes do?
involved in speaking and moving muscles; making plans and judgments
What do the parietal lobes do?
receive sensory input for touch and body position
What do the occipital lobes do?
include areas that receive information from the visual fields
Note 
Flashcard (24)