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brainstem
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
thalamus
the brains sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Reticular formation
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal
cerebellum
the "little brain" at the
rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and
balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory.
limbic system
neural system (including the hippocampus,
amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
amygdala
two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.
hypothalamus
a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotions and reward
hippocampus
A neural center located in the limbic system; helps process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of facts and events
cerebral cortex
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
frontal lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
parietal lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
occipital lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
temporal lobes
portion of the cerebral lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.
motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
somatosensory cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.
plasticity
the brains ability to change, especially during childhood, by recording after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
corpus callosum
the large band of
neural fibers connecting the two
brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
split brain
a condition resulting
from surgery that isolates the brain's
two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.
consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
blindsight
A condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
dual processing
the principle
that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.
parallel processing
Processing many aspects of a problem simultaneously; generally used to process well-learned information or to solve easy problems
sequential processing
Processing one aspect of a problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve difficult problems
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
heredity
The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
environment
every external
influence, from prenatal nutrition to
the people and things around us.
chromosomes
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
genes
the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organisms chromosomes
identical monozygotic twins
twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.
fraternal dizygotic twins
twins who develop from separate
fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.
Heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of population and environments studied
interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).
molecular genetics
The subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
molecular behavior genetics
The study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior
epigenetics
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
evolutionary psychology
he study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
natural selection
the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change
social script
culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations
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