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i didn't type this, i just copied from other quizlets, so sorry for any errors.
Cerebral cortex
The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres.
Glial cells
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. Also plays a role in learning or thinking
Frontal lobes
Laying behind forehead. Involves speaking and muscle movement and in makinplans/ judgments
Parietal lobes
Lying at the top of the head in the back.
Areas that receive sensory input for touch and body position
Occipital lobes
Lying at the back of head bottom .
Includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
Temporal lobes
Roughly above ears. (Temples)
Auditory areas
Motor cortex
An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
Somatosensory cortex
Are at the front of the parietal lobes.
Registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor sensory functions.
Involved in higher mental functions such are learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
Plasticity
The brains ability to change
Neurogenesis
The formation of new neurons
Broca area
Located in the left frontal lobe LEFT FRONTAL LOBE. DAMAGE TO THIS AREA RESULTS IN DIFFICULTY WITH SPOKEN LANGUAGE
Wernicke’s area
the language area that is responsible for comprehending spoken word as well as formulating written and spoken language.
Lateralization
the fact each brain hemishphere has dif functions
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)
dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
blindsight
a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
parallel processing
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.
sequential processing
the processing of one aspect of a problem at a time; used when we focus attention on new or complex tasks
behavior genetics
study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
Environment
every external influence, form the prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
Chromosomes
- 23 from mom, 23 from dad
- threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
DNA
complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
Genes
biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
Genome
complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
Identical Twins
twins who develop form a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
genetically identical
they don't always have the same number of copies of genes--why one twin may be more at risk of an illness
if they had separate placenta, one twin may receive better nourishment
Fraternal Twins
who develop form separate fertilized eggs
genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but share fetal environment
Biological Vs. Adoptive Relatives
people who grow up together, biologically related or not, do not much resemble one another in personality
in extraversion and agreeableness, adoptees are more similar to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents.
the environment shared by a family's children has virtually no discernible impact on their personalities
Molecular Genetics
sub field of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
Molecular Behavior Genetics
to find some of the many genes that toegether orchestrate traits such as body weight, sexual orientation, and etc.
Heritability
proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes
may vary,depending on the range of populations and environments studied
differences among people are attributed to genes
variation among people; "we can never say what percentage of an individual's personality or intelligence is inherited
Gene-Environment Interaction
our shared biology enables our developed diversity
nature vs.nurture
Interact
interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor (environment with heredity)
Epigenetics
genes can either be active (expressed, as the hot water activated the tea bag) or inactive
study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
Epigenetic Mark
organic methyl molecule attached to part of a DNA strand
instructs the cell to ignore any gene present in that DNA segment, preventing the DNA from producing coded proteins by that gene
Cerebrum
body’s contorl and info processing center.
Left brain functions
speech and language, logical analysis and reasoning, mathematical computations
Right brain functions
spatial awareness, intuition, facial recognition, visual imagery, music awareness, art, rhythm
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