MCAT P/S: Foundational Concept 7: Behavior & Behavior Change

Neuron

The basic unit of the nervous system that transmits information

Dendrites

Receive incoming signals from other neurons

Axon

Transmits signals away from the neuron

Synapse

Gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released

Action potential

Electrical impulse traveling down the axon

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses

Dopamine

Linked to reward, motivation, and pleasure

Serotonin

Regulates mood, sleep, appetite

Acetylcholine

Involved in muscle movement and memory

GABA

Inhibitory neurotransmitter (reduces neural activity)

Glutamate

Excitatory neurotransmitter (increases neural activity)

Central nervous system (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Nerves connecting CNS to body

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movement

Autonomic nervous system

Controls involuntary functions

Sympathetic nervous system

Fight-or-flight response

Parasympathetic nervous system

Rest-and-digest functions

Forebrain

Includes cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus

Midbrain

Involved in motor control and sensory processing

Hindbrain

Includes cerebellum, medulla, pons (basic life functions)

Frontal lobe

Decision-making, personality, motor function

Parietal lobe

Sensory processing

Temporal lobe

Hearing, language

Occipital lobe

Vision

Endocrine system

System of glands that release hormones into bloodstream

Hormones

Chemical messengers that regulate body functions

Pituitary gland

Master gland controlling other endocrine glands

Hypothalamus

Links nervous and endocrine systems

Behavioral genetics

Study of how genes and environment influence behavior

Heritability

Proportion of trait variation due to genetics

Gene-environment interaction

Genes and environment jointly influence traits

Prenatal development

Development before birth (germinal, embryonic, fetal stages)

Motor development

Development of movement skills

Adolescence

Period of physical and psychological development

Personality

Enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviors

Psychoanalytic theory (Freud)

Behavior driven by unconscious conflicts

Id

Pleasure principle (instincts)

Ego

Reality principle (mediates id and superego)

Superego

Moral standards

Humanistic theory (Rogers/Maslow)

Focus on self-actualization and growth

Trait theory

Personality described by stable traits (Big Five)

Social cognitive theory

Behavior influenced by environment + cognition

Behaviorist theory

Personality shaped by reinforcement

Psychological disorder

A pattern of behavior causing distress or impairment

Biomedical model

Disorders caused by biological factors

Biopsychosocial model

Disorders result from biological, psychological, social factors

Anxiety disorders

Excessive fear or worry

OCD

Obsessions (thoughts) + compulsions (behaviors)

PTSD

Stress disorder after trauma

Depression

Persistent sadness, loss of interest

Bipolar disorder

Mood swings between mania and depression

Schizophrenia

Disorganized thinking, hallucinations, delusions

Dissociative disorders

Disruption of identity or memory

Personality disorders

Enduring maladaptive personality patterns

Motivation

Process that initiates and directs behavior

Instinct

Innate patterns of behavior

Drive

Internal state of tension (e.g., hunger)

Need

Physiological or psychological requirement

Drive reduction theory

Motivation to reduce internal tension

Incentive theory

Motivation driven by external rewards

Maslow's hierarchy

Physiological → safety → love → esteem → self-actualization

Arousal theory

Motivation to maintain optimal level of arousal

Attitude

A learned tendency to evaluate something positively/negatively

Cognitive component

Beliefs

Affective component

Emotions

Behavioral component

Actions

Cognitive dissonance

Psychological discomfort from conflicting beliefs/actions

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

Small request increases likelihood of larger request

Role-playing effects

Behavior influences attitudes

Social facilitation

Improved performance in presence of others (simple tasks)

Social inhibition

Worse performance in presence of others (complex tasks)

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups leading to impulsive behavior

Bystander effect

Less likely to help when others are present

Diffusion of responsibility

Responsibility spread among group members

Social loafing

Reduced effort when working in groups

Peer pressure

Influence from peers to conform

Conformity

Adjusting behavior to match group norms

Normative influence

Conforming to be liked

Informational influence

Conforming because others are correct

Obedience

Following orders from authority (Milgram)

Group polarization

Group opinions become more extreme after discussion

Groupthink

Poor decision-making due to desire for harmony

Social norms

Rules for acceptable behavior

Folkways

Informal norms (minor violations)

Mores

Serious norms (moral significance)

Taboos

Strongly prohibited behaviors

Sanctions

Rewards or punishments for behavior

Anomie

Breakdown of social norms

Deviance

Behavior that violates norms

Differential association theory

Deviance learned through interaction

Labeling theory

Labels influence self-identity and behavior

Strain theory

Deviance due to gap between goals and means

Collective behavior

Behavior in large groups (fads, riots, hysteria)

Socialization

Process of learning norms, values, roles

Agents of socialization

Family, school, peers, media, workplace

Learning

Permanent change in behavior due to experience

Habituation

Decreased response to repeated stimulus

Dishabituation

Return of response after change in stimulus

Classical conditioning

Learning via association between stimuli

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Naturally triggers response