Introductory Psychology - Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering heredity, environment, nervous system, neurons, drugs, endocrine system, brain structures, neuroplasticity, consciousness, and sleep.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Debate asking whether our behavior and traits are influenced more by genetics (nature) or environment and experience (nurture).

Natural Selection

Process in which organisms with traits that help them survive and reproduce are more likely to pass those traits to their offspring.

Eugenics

The attempt to control human reproduction to increase supposedly desirable traits, historically used to justify racism, discrimination, and forced sterilization.

Evolutionary Psychology

Branch of psychology that studies how natural selection may have shaped human behavior and mental processes.

Behavioral Genetics

Branch of psychology that studies how genes and environment contribute to differences between individuals.

Epigenetics

Study of how environmental factors can affect gene expression without changing DNA.

Monozygotic Twins

Identical twins that develop from one fertilized egg and share nearly all their genes.

Dizygotic Twins

Fraternal twins that develop from two fertilized eggs and share about half their variable genes.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The division of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Nerves connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body during stress (fight-or-flight).

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body (rest-and-digest).

Afferent Neurons

Neurons that carry sensory information toward the central nervous system.

Efferent Neurons

Neurons that carry motor information away from the central nervous system.

Interneurons

Neurons that communicate between neurons within the central nervous system.

Reflex Arc

Neural pathway that produces a quick, automatic response.

Myelin Sheath

Structure that insulates the axon and speeds neural impulses.

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in myelin that help impulses travel quickly.

Glial Cells

Cells that support, protect, nourish, and insulate neurons.

Multiple Sclerosis

A disease in which the immune system damages myelin, disrupting communication between neurons.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder that interferes with communication between nerves and muscles, causing muscle weakness.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse traveling down an axon.

Refractory Period

Short recovery period after an action potential occurs.

All-or-None Response

Principle stating that a neuron fires completely or doesn't fire at all.

Reuptake

Process in which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron.

Agonist

A chemical or substance that mimics or increases a neurotransmitter's effects.

Antagonist

A chemical or substance that blocks or decreases a neurotransmitter's effects.

Reuptake Inhibitor

Substance that prevents neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed by the sending neuron, causing more neurotransmitters to remain in the synapse.

Leptin

Hormone produced by fat cells that signals fullness and reduces hunger.

Ghrelin

Hormone secreted by the stomach that stimulates hunger.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Approach that explains behavior through the interaction of biological, psychological, and social-cultural factors.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change and reorganize because of experience or damage.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons.

fMRI

Brain imaging technique that measures blood-oxygen changes to show active brain areas.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Brain structure responsible for alertness and arousal; severe damage can cause coma.

Hypothalamus

Brain structure that regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and hormones to maintain homeostasis.

Amygdala

Limbic system structure primarily involved in fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

Limbic system structure responsible for forming new memories.

Corpus Callosum

Structure connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Broca's Area

Region in the frontal lobe responsible for speech production.

Wernicke's Area

Region in the temporal lobe responsible for language comprehension.

Aphasia

Language impairment caused by brain damage.

Contralateral Organization

Organizing principle where each brain hemisphere primarily controls the opposite side of the body.

Dual Processing

Principle that information is processed simultaneously on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

Blindsight

Condition in which a person can respond to visual information without consciously seeing it.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

The body's main biological clock that regulates circadian rhythms based largely on light.

Paradoxical Sleep

Another term for REM sleep, named because the brain is highly active while most skeletal muscles are temporarily paralyzed.

REM Rebound

The tendency to experience increased REM sleep after being deprived of REM sleep.

Activation-Synthesis Theory

Dream theory proposing that the brain creates dreams while trying to make sense of random neural activity.