Biological Bases of Behavior and Psychology Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering basic neuroscience, research design, developmental psychology, and psychiatric disorders from the provided PsychPrep lecture notes.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

A division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions like digestion and heart rate to maintain homeostasis.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The 'mobilizing' or 'fight or flight' system that is dominant during stress, increasing heart rate and releasing hormones.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The 'energy conserving' system dominant when relaxed; facilitates body maintenance by slowing heart rate and increasing digestion.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex, allowing them to communicate.

Broca's Area

Located in the left frontal lobe; controls the muscles involved in speech production.

Wernicke's Area

Located in the left temporal lobe; involved in verbal memory and language comprehension.

Parietal Lobes

Brain regions that contain primary sensory areas processing somatosensory information like touch, pain, heat, and proprioception.

Thalamus

The major sensory relay center for the brain, receiving input from all senses except smell (olfaction).

Hypothalamus

Regulates homeostasis systems like temperature, hunger, thirst, and the circadian clock (via the suprachiasmatic nucleus).

Hippocampus

Primary brain structure for memory, specifically the consolidation of new information into lasting conscious memories.

Basal Ganglia

A set of subcortical structures involved in the regulation of smooth movement and coordination; includes the substantia nigra and caudate nucleus.

Action Potential

An electrochemical impulse created when sodium rushes into a neuron and potassium moves out, allowing cell-to-cell communication.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A common neurotransmitter involved in voluntary movement and memory; deficiencies are observed in Alzheimer's disease.

Dopamine Hypothesis

The theory that schizophrenia results from hyperactivity of the dopaminergic system or excess dopamine.

Standard Error of Measurement

The standard deviation of a theoretically normal distribution of test scores obtained by one individual on equivalent tests; indicates measurement error.

Internal Validity

The degree to which changes in the dependent variable can be accurately attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Cognitive Dissonance

Festinger's theory that people experience aversive arousal when their cognitions are inconsistent, motivating a change in attitude to match behavior.

Object Permanence

A Piagetian milestone achieved in the sensorimotor stage where a child understands that objects continue to exist even when not seen.

Autocracy/Authoritarian Parenting

A parenting style characterized by high demands for obedience, low warmth, and detachment; often results in withdrawn or aggressive children.

Agoraphobia

In the DSM-5, a distinct diagnosis involving intense fear of situations where escape might be difficult, such as open spaces or public transit.

Type I Error

A statistical error occurring when the null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected, finding significance where none actually exists (alpha level).

Tardive Dyskinesia

A potentially permanent movement disorder caused by long-term use of typical antipsychotics, involving involuntary movements of the face and tongue.