Unit 1

Nature - Nurtue - Issue

The long - standing controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make the development of psychological traits and behaviors

Psychology

The science of behavior and mental processes

Behavior Genetics

The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

Environment

Every non genetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to our experiences of the people and things around us

Chromosome

Composed of a coiled chain of the molecule DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Genome

The complete instructions for making an organism

Gene Therapies

Use genetic - editing technology to prevent or treat diseases with a genetic basis

Polygenetic

Influenced by “many genes of small effect”

Family Studies

Search for traits and diseases that tend to be shaved by family members

Interact

The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)

Eugenics

Aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population (selectively breeding humans to promote certain characteristics)

Genetic Predisposition

Genetic characteristics that influence the possible phenotypic development of an individual organism

Evolutionary Perspective

Developing traits that enhance survival and reproduction by using natural selection

Nerves

Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sensory organs

Resting Potential

Positive - outside/negative - inside state

Depolarization

The loss of the inside/outside charge difference

Endorphins

“Morphine within” natural, opioid - like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Endocrine Hangover

Lingering emotion - related hormones

Near - Death Experience

An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as cardiac arrest); often similar to drug - induced hallucinations

Alcohol

Depressants; initial high followed by relaxation and disinhibition

Heroin

Depressant; rush of euphoria, relief from pain

Caffeine

Stimulant; increased alertness and wakefulness

Nicotine

Stimulant; arousal and relaxation, sense of well-being

Cocaine

Stimulant; rush of euphoria, confidence, energy

Methamphetamine

Stimulant; euphoria, alertness, energy

Ecstay (methylendioxymethamphetamine, MDMA)

Stimulant (mild hallucinogen; emotional elevation, disinhibition

LSD (lysergie acid diethylamide)

Hallucinogen; visual “trip”

Marijuana

Mild hallucinogen; enhanced sensation, relief of pain, distortion of time, relaxation

Localization of Function

The idea that various brain regions have particular functions

Culture

The enduring beliefs, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group

Optogenetics

Technique that allows neuroscientists to control the activity of individual neurons

Ventricles

Fluid filled brain areas

Nucleus Accumbens

in front of the hypothalamus

Prefrontal Cortex

Forward part of the frontal lobes enables judgment, planning, social interactions, and processing of new memories

Natural Selection

The principle that the inherited traits enabling an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Mutations

A random error in gene replication that leads to change

Heredity

The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

Genes

The biochemical units of heredity; small segments of the giant DNA molecules, when expressed (turn on), direct the development of proteins that influence a person’s individual development

Monozygotic Twins

identical twins; individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

Dizygotic Twins

Fraternal twins; individuals who developed from separate fertilized eggs

Epigenetics

“above” or “in addition to” genetics; the study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change)

Nervous System

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system

Central Nervous System (CNS)

the brain and the spinal cord (the body’s decision maker)

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

Afferent Neurons

aka sensory neurons; neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

Efferent Neurons

aka motor neurons; neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

Interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor inputs

Somatic Nervous System

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles; aka skeletal nervous system

Autonomic Nervous System

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)

Sympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy

Parasympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Reflexes

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Cell Body (Soma)

the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life support

Dendrites

a neuron’s often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

Axon

the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles of glands

Myelin Sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; it enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

Glial Cells (Glia)

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they

Action Potential

a neuron impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Refractory Period

in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

All-or-None Response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing; aka all-or-nothing principle

Synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron; the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the gap between neurons

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

Acetylcholine (ACh)

function: enables muscle action, learning and memory; malfunctions: with Alzehimer’s disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

Dopamine

function: influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion; malfunctions: oversupply linked to schizophrenia, undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease

Serotonin

function: affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal: malfunctions: undersupply linked to depression, some drugs that raise serotonin levels are used to treat depression

Norepinephrine

function: helps control alertness and arousal; malfunctions: undersupply can depress mood

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

function: a major inhibitory neurotransmitters; malfunctions: undersupply linked to seizures, tremons, and insomnia

Glutamate

function: a major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory; malfunctions: oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures

Endorphins

function: neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure; malfunctions: oversupply with opioid drugs can suppress the body’s natural endorphin supply

Substance P

function: involved in pain perception and immune response; malfunction: oversupply can lead to chronic pain

Agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s actions

Antagonist

a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s actions

Endocrine System

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

Adrenaline

increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar; provide a surge of energy (glands on top of kidneys)

Leptin

causes people to be hungry; found in stomachs and placenta

Ghrelin

it increases appetite and food intake; found in stomach or intestines

Melatonin 

in controls when your asleep or awake; found in the pineal glands

Oxytocin

enables orgasm and contractions for women; located at the base of the brain in the posterior pituitary gland

Psychoactive Drug

a chemical substance that alerts the brain, causing changes in perceptions and moods

Substance Use Disorder

a disorder characterized by continued substance use despite significant life disruption

Tolerance

adapting to a substance

Addiction

to experience the same effect as before, you need larger and larger doses (and craves the drug)

Withdrawal

taking away something

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions; ex: alcohol

Barbiturates

drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment; ex: Nembutal, Seconal, Amytal

Opioids

opium and its derivatives; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety; ex: heroin, methadone

Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions; ex: caffeine, nicotine

Hallucinogens

psychedelic (“mind-manifesting”) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input; ex: marijuana

Biological Psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes

Biopsychosocial Approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Levels of Analysis

the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon

Neuroplasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Neurogenesis

generating new nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain

Lesions

tissue destruction; brain lesions use the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by recognizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface, the waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp; it shows the electrical wave that is evoked by the stimulus