Unit 1 Summary: Biological Basis of Behavior 🧠 Nature vs. Nurture 🌿 The age-old question of whether nature (heredity) or nurture (environmental fact

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate regarding the relative contributions of heredity (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to human behavior.

Eugenics

A controversial practice aimed at improving genetic quality by selectively breeding desirable traits and discouraging reproduction of undesirable traits.

Epigenetics

The study of how the environment and behavior can affect gene expression and how genes are turned on or off.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience, involving the strengthening or weakening of neural connections.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, responsible for sending out orders to the body.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Nerves branching off from the brain and spinal cord that connect the CNS to the body's organs and muscles.

Afferent Neurons

Nerve cells that send signals from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.

Efferent Neurons

Nerve cells that send signals from the central nervous system to muscles or glands in the body.

Autonomic Nervous System

Part of the PNS that controls involuntary activities, such as heartbeat and digestion.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Division of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body for action (fight or flight).

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Division of the autonomic nervous system that relaxes the body and conserves energy (rest and digest).

Reflex Arc

The nerve pathway that allows the body to respond to a stimulus without thinking, involving sensory, motor, and interneurons.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse that occurs when a neuron fires, sending a signal down the axon after receiving enough stimulation.

Synapse

The gap between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released and signals are transmitted.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical messenger that transmits signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

A neurological disorder caused by damage to the myelin sheath of neurons, disrupting signal transmission.

Psychoactive Drugs

Substances that alter perception, consciousness, or mood, affecting brain function.

Cerebrum

The largest part of the brain, responsible for complex thought and divided into two hemispheres.

Hippocampus

A brain structure involved in learning and memory formation.

Amygdala

A brain structure associated with emotional reactions, such as fear and aggression.

Thalamus

The part of the brain that acts as a relay station, processing and forwarding sensory information.

Hypothalamus

A brain structure that regulates body balance and homeostasis, controlling drives like hunger and thirst.

Phineas Gage

A case study of a railroad worker who survived a severe brain injury that changed his personality, highlighting the role of the limbic system in emotional regulation.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

A technique that records electrical activity in the brain using electrodes on the scalp.

Trichromatic Theory

A theory of color vision stating that different combinations of three color receptors (red, green, blue) enable us to see all colors.

Place Theory

A theory proposing that specific frequencies of sound activate specific places along the cochlea.

Vestibular Sense

The sense that provides information about balance and spatial orientation using fluid movement in the semicircular canals.

Pheromones

Chemical signals released by individuals that can affect the behavior or physiology of others of the same species.

Sensory Adaptation

The process by which sensitivity to a stimulus decreases after prolonged exposure.

Gate Control Theory of Pain

The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological 'gate' that either blocks or allows pain signals to reach the brain.