Unit 1 Biological Basis of Behavior

Nature

Refers to genetic or predisposed characteristics that influence physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes.

Nurture

Environmental factors, refers to the external factors that one experiences such as family interactions or education

Evolutionary perspective

Explores how natural selection affects the expression of behavior and mental processes to increase survival and reproductive success

Eugenics

Principles of the evolutionary perspective in ways that discriminate against others

Central nervous system (CNS)

The brain and the spinal cord; interacts with all processes of the body

Peripheral Nervous system (PNS)

Relays messages from the central nervous system to the rest of the body and includes the autonomic and somatic nervous systems

Autonomic nervous system

Governs processes that are involuntary and includes the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system

Somatic nervous system

Governs processes that are voluntary

Parasympathetic nervous system

Responsible for the body’s rest and digest response, promoting relaxation and recovery

Sympathetic Nervous System

Body’s fight or flight response system, preparing the body for physical activity

Neurons

Neural cells that transmit information, form the basis of the nervous system and are the building blocks of all behavior and mental processes

Glial cells

Cells that provide structure, insulation, communication, and waste transport.

Reflex arc

Demonstrates how neurons within the central nervous system work together to respond to stimuli. Three types of neurons work together in the spinal cord to create it: sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons.

Sensory neurons

Nerve cell forming part of a pathway along which impulses pass from the brain or spinal cord to muscles or glands

Interneurons

a neuron which transmits impulses between other neurons especially as part of a reflex arc

Neural transmission

Most commonly occurs in an orderly systematic way and involves the all or nothing principle, depolarization, refractory, period, resting potential, reuptake, and threshold. Disruptions to this process could lead to disorders such as multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis

All or nothing principle

A cognitive bias where situations are seen in black and white like good or bad, success or failur3

Depolarization

Reduction in the difference of electrical charge across a cell’s membrane making the inside of a cell less negative and positive on the outside

Refractory period

Neuron cannot fire another action potential due to a previous stimulus

Resting potential

The stable electrical charge difference scores a neurons membrane