Untitled Flashcard Set

Biological psychology

The scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) & psychological processes.

Nature-nurture issue

The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes & experience make to the development of psychological traits & behavior.

Natural selection

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

Evolutionary psychology

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

Mutation

A random error in gene replication that leads to a change.

Environment

Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to our experiences of the people & things around us.

Heredity

The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring.

Genes

The biochemical units of heredity.

Identical (monozygotic) twins

Individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

Fraternal (dizygotic) twins

Individuals who developed from separate fertilized eggs; they are genetically no closer than ordinary siblings, but they shared a prenatal environment.

Interaction

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

Epigenetics

Study of how certain environments can trigger or block genetic expression (without a DNA change).

Nervous system

The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral & central nervous systems.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The brain & spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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

Nerves

Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, & sensory organs.

Sensory neurons

Neurons that carry incoming information from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

Motor neurons

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain & spinal cord to the muscles & glands.

Interneurons

Neurons within the brain & spinal cord; they communicate internally & process information between the sensory inputs & motor outputs.

Somatic nervous system

The division of the PNS that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the PNS that controls the glands & muscles of the internal organs; its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

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.

Reflex

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus that occurs between a sensory neuron input, an interneuron, and a motor neuron output.

Neuron

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Cell body

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

Dendrites

A neuron’s often bushy, branching extensions that receive & 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 & glands.

Myelin sheath

A fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; it enables vastly greater transmission speed.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, causing a breakdown in neural signals.

Glial cells (glia)

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, & protect neurons.

Action potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

Threshold

The minimum level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

Refractory period

A brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired.

All-or-none response

A neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full strength response) or not firing.

Myasthenia gravis

An autoimmune disease where the immune system produces antibodies that block neural receptor sites, causing muscle weakness.

Synapse

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron & the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons.

Reuptake

A neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron.

Endorphins

Natural, opioid-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control & to pleasure.

Agonist

A molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action.

Antagonist

A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action.

Endocrine system

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

Hormones

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands.

Biopsychosocial approach

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, & social-cultural levels of analysis.

Levels of analysis

The differing complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood.

Lesion

Tissue destruction; brain lesions may occur naturally or experimentally.

EEG (electroencephalogram)

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface.

CT (computed tomography) scan

A series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles.

PET (positron emission tomography)

A technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A technique that uses magnetic fields & radio waves to produce images of soft tissue.

fMRI (functional MRI)

A technique for revealing blood flow by comparing successive MRI scans.

Brainstem

The central core of the brain responsible for automatic survival functions.

Medulla

The brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat & breathing.

Thalamus

The forebrain’s sensory control center.

Reticular activating system

A nerve network that filters information & controls arousal.

Cerebellum

The hindbrain’s “little brain”; involved in processing sensory input & coordinating movement.

Limbic system

Neural system associated with emotions & drives.

Amygdala

Neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion.

Hypothalamus

A limbic system structure directing maintenance activities & governing the endocrine system.

Hippocampus

A neural center in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories.

Cerebral cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres.

Frontal lobes

Lobes that enable language production, higher-order thinking, & executive functioning.

Parietal lobes

Lobes that receive sensory input for touch & body position.

Occipital lobes

Lobes that include the areas that receive information from the visual fields.

Temporal lobes

Lobes that include the auditory areas and enable language processing.

Motor cortex

A cerebral cortex area that controls voluntary movements.

Somatosensory cortex

A cerebral cortex area that registers & processes body touch sensations.

Association areas

Areas of the cerebral cortex involved in higher mental functions.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons.

Corpus callosum

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres.

Split brain

A condition resulting from surgery that separates the brain’s two hemispheres.