AP PSYCH Unit 1 - Biological Bases of Behavior Study Guide

Nature & Nurture

or certain traits inherited by parents or is it inherited by how one is raised?

Genes

biochemical units of heredity that make up chromosomes, segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

Genome

the complete instructions for making an original, what makes us human

Heritability

the percentage of trait variation in a group that can be induribateld to genetic different; eye color, height, genetic variance

Twin Studies

twins, both identical and fraternal, help show us the effects of heredity and environment on twins, help us with nature vs. nurture

Monozygotic vs. Dizygotic Twins

1. Identical twins, genetically the same

2. Fraternal twins, genetically different

Epigenetics

how ones environment can affect their genes

Nature-Nurture Interaction

they work together, intertwin, nature AND nurture, not nature vs. Nurture

Charles Darwin

father of evolutionary psychology, natural selection

Evolutionary Psychology

uses natural selection to explain certain behaviors, such as women wanting rational relationships while men wanted recreational, likelyhood to send one’s genes to the future.

Nervous System

the body’s speedy, electrochemical, communication network. Endocrine system produced hormones

Central nervous system

Brain&Spine, descio maker incoming and sensory message and outcoming mortar messages

Brain

made up of Cortex and 4 lobes that Carry out various functions, neural networks

Spinal Cord

2 way communication between PNS and brain, sensory and motor pathways

Peripheral nervous system

sensory and motor nerves, gathers info from the senses to CNS and then back to CNS

Somatic NS

contrals body’s skeletal muscles, skeletal nervous system.

Autonomic NS

controls gland mucle of our internal orgrans

Sympathetic NS

arouses our body, mobilizes energy, flight of flight, increased heart rate, bp, decrease digestion and waste

Parasympathetic NS

calms body, conserves energy, rest & digest, opposite effects of sympathetic NS

Motor Neurons

carries messages from the bodys issues and sensory orgages to the brain, (efferent)

Sensory Neurons

carry messages from the Brain to the body’s muscles and tissues, (afferent)

Neuron

cells sending nerve impulses.

Interneuron

carry information between one neuron to another

Soma (Cell Body)

contains nucleus and cells normal organs

Dendrites

branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons

Axon

attaches to soma, passes electric messages away to axon termincals

Myelin Sheath

fatty tissue layer that increases transmissions speed and provides insulation, with it or detarioncan lead to otar imparients

Axon Terminals/Terminal Branches

end of neuron contains terminal buttons, has synaptic vesicles that store neurotransmiters

Glial Cells

cells insulate and support Neurons, create myelin sheath, remove waste products, proves neuromyish, forms white matter in brain

Neural transmission

occurs when a neuron is fire or activated, firing happens when a nraon is stimulated chemically by another neuron

All-or-nothing principle

either firing happens or it doesn’t, helps prevent the level of stimulation to affect the impluses intestity

Action potential

brief neural impulses that move down the axon,helps open up channels

Depolarization

switches polarization, helps move signals down the axon, major step in the all or nothing process

Refractory period

neurons break period prevents accidents the neural impulse

Resting potential

gives Neurons a break, provents accidents

Reuptake

letting the axon terminal recycling/reuptake the left over neurotransmitters

Firing threshold

the threshold needed, only activated when enough stimulus occurs to trigger a neural impulse, deporlized.

Synapse (synaptic gap/cleft)

the gap between the axon terminal and the dendrite and receptor site, where the neurotransmitters travel between

Synaptic vesicles

releases neurotransmitters that bind to receptor site

Receptor sites

sites on the dendrite of the receiving neuron where neurotransmitters bind fitting like keys into specifically designed locks.

Excitatory vs Inhibitory

excitatory: opens up the receiving neuron,

promate an action potential

Inhibitory: stops any other keeps, depresses action potential generation

Agonist

mimics neurotransmitters, opens receptor site

Antagonist

blocks neurotransmitter from opening receptor site

Reuptake Inhibitors

blocks reuptake of neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitter

the release of chemical messages that crosses the synaptic gap to bind receptors to receiving site

Serotonin

mood regulation, sleep, appetite

too much: serotonin syndrome

too little: depression, low mood

Norepinephrine

arousal, alertness, stress response

too much: anxiety, high blood pressure

too low: depression, low energy

Acetylcholine

memory, learning, movment

too much: muscle spasms

too little: alzheimer’s disease, paralysis

GABA

inhibition, relaxation

too much: excessive calmness, sleepiness

too little: anxiety seizures

Glutamate

excitation, learning

too much: seizures, migraines

too little: fatigue, poor brain activity

Endorphins

pain relief, pleasure

too much: reduced pain sensitivity

too little: increases pain, sadness

Dopamine

reward, movement, attention

too much: schizophrenia, addiction

too little: parkinson’s disease, low motivation

Substance P

pain signaling

too much: chronic pain

too little: reduced pain preception

Myasthenia Gravis

chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and rapid fatigue if voluntary muscles, caused when immune system mistakenly attacks the acetylcholine receptors on muscle cells, 

Multiple Sclerosis

impacts the CNS, causes an triggers to attack the Brain stem by the immune system, more specifically the myelin sheath symptoms are numbness, memory problems, blindness, pain, paralysis

Brainstem

oldest part of the brain, were spinal cord swells and enter the skull, responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla

base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing

Reticular Formation (Reticular Activating System)

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important in controlling atrousal, can cause narcelopsy if damaged

Thalamus

sensory switchboard of the brain, directs messages to the sensory areas in the Cortex and transmits to cerebellum and medulla

Cerebellum

little brain, processing center for sensory input, Coordinating voluntary movement and balance, nonverbal learning and memory

Limbic System

donut shaped system of the brain, associated with emotions such as fear,aggression and hunger

Amygdala

two Liza bean sized neural clusters, linked to emotions of fear, anger, and disgust, recognizing emotions on faces

Hypothalamus

directs maintenance actives, stimulates or inhibits pituitary and other endocrine glands

Hippocampus

important role in the formation of new memories, transforming information into long term memory

Cerebral Cortex

fabric interconnect neural cells that cover the verbal hampshires, the body’s ultimate controls and information processing center

Frontal lobes

contains the prefrontal cortex and morter cortex, involved in muscle movement, speaking, logic

Motor Cortex

rear of frontal lobe, controls voluntary movment

Prefrontal Cortex

involved with personality and executive functioning,such as problem solving, morality, and decision making

Broca’s Area

production of speech

Temporal lobes

above the ears, recvies info about sounds

Auditory Cortex

processed sound into speech in conscious

Wernicke’s Area

comprehension of speech, in temporal lobe

Parietal lobes

contains somatesenroy cortex, recives sensory and body input

Somatosensory Cortex

infront of parietal lobe, registers physical sensations

Occipital lobes

back of brain, involved with processing vision

Plasticity

the brains ability to adapt when damaged, best done young

neurogenesis

processes of neurons being created

Visual Cortex

in occipital lobe, processes vision

Lesions

injury to the Brain, naturally or experimental

Case Studies

an study of one personal or a small group, unique, cannot be replicated usually, earliest method to study the brain

Phineas Gage

an man who got an metal rod blew through his head and survived. his personality changed and he has a slight inteligent impairment, what actually happened was damaged to his left frontal lobe and white brain tissue matter.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

amplified recording of the electric waves through brain messed by electrodes placed on scalp, used to get an picture of overall activity in brain and regions of brain

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

uses magnetic field and rapid wave to get computer image, distinguishes among different type of brain issue

fMRI (functional MRI)

shows functioning brain structure by measuring movement of blood molecules within brain

PET scan

using radioactive glucose to determine location of greatest brain activity

Hemispheres

left and rght hemispheres, contralaterally controlled, right side dominant people is better at spatial and creative takes, left side dominant peopke are better at logic

Corpus Callosum

bundle of axons fibers that connect the two hemispheres and carry messages back and forth, needed to complete visual images

Split-Brain Research

when split, an experiment can only see words on the right visual/left brain, but needed to draw when the word is on the left visual inorder for his left brain can work. Each side works independentally

Michael Gazzaniga

found out that both hempshires run on autopilot, acts first explains later.

Hemispheric Specialization

left side: umbers, logic, word puzzles, task, components of the  pictures

right side: creative, colors, music, completed pictures

Endocrine System

communcation system interconnected with nervous System, helps coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions, hormones by glands

Pituitary Gland

master gland of the Endocrine, released hormones that regulate other glands

Hormones

chemical messenger made by glands, secreted in blood stream, slower that neurotransmitters

Adrenaline

adrenal glands, fight or flight hormone

Ghrelin

hunger hormone, released in stomach

Leptin

signel that we are satiated, produce by fat cells

Oxytocin

love hormone, involved in social bonding, produced by hypothalamus and released by pituitary gland

Melatonin

regulate sleep-wake cycle, produced by pineal gland

CAT Scan

ex ray rotates around to get 3D image of brain, much more detailed than x-ray of bone and soft tissue