AP Psychology Unit 1 Vocab - Biological Bases of Behavior (copy)

Nature

Innate biological factors that influence development and personality.

Nurture

External and environmental factors, including learning, that influence development and personality.

Heredity

Transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring.

Eugenics

Process that seeks to eradicate genetic defects and improve genetic makeup of populations through selective human breeding.

Environment

Every non-genetic influence on our thought, feelings, and actions.

Twin Research Study

Comparing characteristics of twins to assess the relative contributions of heredity and environment to some attribute.

Central Nervous System

Includes the brain and spinal cord, it’s responsible for processing information and coordinating body functions.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for “fight or flight” responses by increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, and inhibiting digestion.

Depolarization

Process which a neuron’s membrane potential becomes less negative, making the inside of the cell more positive and triggering an action potential.

Refractory Period

Brief time after an action potential during which a neuron cannot fire another action potential; return to homeostasis.

Threshold

Minimum level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential in a neuron.

Peripheral Nervous System

Consists of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, connecting the CNS to the rest of the body so that the CNS can communicate with muscles, organs, and sensory receptors.

All-or-Nothing Principle

States that a neuron either fires completely or not at all; once the threshold is reached an action potential will occur with full strength, regardless of the strength of the stimulus.

Multiple Sclerosis

Neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths covering nerve fibers, leading to impaired nerve signal transmission and a range of physical and cognitive symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Regulates involuntary bodily functions (heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, etc.)

Neurons

Basic functional units of the nervous system that transmit information through electrical and chemical signals between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body.

Sensory Neurons

Responsible for transmitting sensory information from receptors (like skin or eyes) to the central nervous system for processing.

Interneurons

Neurons that connect sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system that facilitate communication and processing of information.

Resting Period

The state in which a neuron is not actively sending a signal, with its membrane potential maintained at a stable, negative charge.

Myasthenia Gravis

Autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction, leading to muscle weakness and fatigue.

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements by transmitting signals from the central nervous system to skeletal muscles.

Glial Cells

Non-neuronal cells in the nervous system that support, protect, and maintain neurons, and help in the repair and nourishment of neural tissue.

Motor Neurons

Responsible for transmitting signals from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, enabling movement and other bodily functions.

Reflex Arc

A quick, automatic response to a stimulus, involving a sensory neurons, an interneuron, and a motor neurons, which allows the body to react without the brain’s direct involvement.

Reuptake

Process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the neuron that released them, terminating their action and preparing the neuron for the next signal.

Neutrotransmitters

Chemical messengers released by neurons that transmit signals across synapses to other neurons, muscles, or glands.

Glutamate

A neurotransmitter that plays a key role in excitatory signaling in the brain, influencing learning and memory.

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter involved in arousal, alertness, and the body’s stress response, and it also helps regulate mood and attention.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

An inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to reduce neuronal excitability and prevent excessive brain activity.

Ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates appetite and promotes food intake, also called the “hunger hormone.”

Excitatory Neutrotransmitters

Increase the likelihood that a neuron will fire an action potential by depolarizing the neuron’s membrane.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that act as natural painkillers and mood enhancers by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, reducing pain, and promoting feelings of pleasure.

Substance P

A neurotransmitter that transmits pain signals and influencing mood and anxiety.

Leptin

A hormone that helps regulate energy balance by signaling to the brain to reduce appetite and increase energy expenditure when fat stores are sufficient.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Decrease the likelihood that a neuron will fire an action potential by hyperpolarizing the neuron’s membrane.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that regulate various physiological processes and influence behavior.

Oxytocine

Promotes social bonding, emotional regulation, and uterine contractions during childbirth.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter involved in reward, pleasure, motivation, and motor control.

Seratonin

Regulates mood, sleep, appetite, and mood. Imbalances associated with mood disorders.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that plays a key role in muscle activation, memory, and learning. Involved in both the central and peripheral nervous system.

Melatonin

Regulates sleep-wake cycles and helps signal to the body when it’s time to sleep.

Psychoactive Drugs

Substances that affect the brain and alter mood, perception, or consciousness by changing neurotransmitter activity.

Depressant

Reduces neural activity and slows down bodily functions, often leading to relaxation or drowsiness.

Cocaine

Stimulant drug that increases alertness, energy, and euphoria by clocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonine.

Heroin

Opioid drug that process intense euphoria and pain relief by binding to opioid receptors in the brain.

Agonist

A substance that binds to and activates a receptory, mimicking the action of a natural neurotransmitter and enhancing its effect.

Stimulant

A type of psychoactive drug that increases neural activity, alertness, and energy levels.

Alcohol

A depressant that reduces neural activity and impairs cognitive and motor functions.

Addiction

A chronic condition that’s characterized by the compulsive use of a substance or engagement in a behavior despite negative consequences.

Antagonist

Substance that binds to a receptory and blocks or reduces its activation, inhibiting the effects of a neurotransmitter or other substance.

Hallucinogen

A type of psychoactive drug that alters perception, mood, and cognitive processes, often causing distortions and hallucinations.

Marijuana

A psychoactive drug that primarily acts as a depressant and hallucinogen, affecting mood, perception, and cognition.

Tolerance

The reduced effectiveness of a drug or substance resulting from repeated use. This leads individuals to require larger doses to achieve the same effect.

Reputake Inhibitor

Blocks the reuptake of neurotransmitters, increasing their availability and prolonging their effects in the brain.

Caffeine

A stimulant that increases alertness and energy.

Opioids

A class of drugs that act on opioid receptors in the brain and body to relieve pain and produce euphoria.

Withdrawal

A set of physical and psychological symptoms that occur when a person stops using a substance they are dependent on.

Brain Stem

Responsible for basic life functions like breathing, heart rate, and arousal.

Thalamus

Tranmits sensory information to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex for processing.

Hippocampus

Involved in forming, organizing, and storing memories, particularly long-term and spatial memories.

Medulla Oblongata

Lower part of the brain stem that controls vital functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Limbic System

A group of interconnected brain structure involved in regulating emotions, memory, and motivation.

Amygdala

Brain structure within the limbic system that plays a key role in processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression.

Reticular Activating System

Network of neurons in the brainstem that regulates arousal and alertness by filtering sensory information and maintaining consciousness.

Corpus Collosum

Thick band of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres, enabling communication between them.

Cerebellum

Located on the back of the brain, responsible for coordinating voluntary movements, balance, and motor skills.

Hypothalamus

Regulates vital bodily functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and the endocrine system through its control of the pituitary gland.

Cerebrum

Responsible for higher brain functions such as thought, memory, sensory processing, and voluntary movement. Split into 2 hemispheres.

Pituitary Gland

Small endocrine gland that produces and releases hormones regulating growth, metabolism, and reproductive processes.

Cerebral Cortex

Responsible for higher brain functions such as sensory perception, decision-making, and complex cognitive processes.

Parietal Lobe

Processes sensory information related to touch, temperature, pain, spatial awareness, and coordination.

Broca’s Area

Region of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere, crucial for speech production and language processing.

Broca’s Aphasia

Type of language disorder characterized by difficulty in producing speech while comprehension remains relatively intact. Results in labored speech and difficulty with grammar.

Frontal Lobe

Responsible for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making, problem-solving, planning, and controlling voluntary movements.

Prefrontal Cortex

Front part of the frontal lobe, involved in complex behaviors including decision-making, planning, social behavior, and personality.

Wernicke’s Area

Region in the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere that is crucial for understanding and processing spoken and written language.

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Type of language disorder where individuals have difficulty understanding language and may produce fluent but nonsensical speech.

Occipital Lobe

Back part of the cerebral cortex, primarily responsible for processing visual information and interpreting visual stimuli.

Motor Cortex

Region in the frontal lobe responsible for planning, controlling, and executing voluntary motor movements.

Hemispheric Specialization

The concept that each hemisphere of the brain is specialized for certain functions. The life hemisphere with handling language and analytical tasks, and the right for managing spatial abilities and creative tasks.

Association Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate and interpret sensory information from various modalities, involved in higher-level functions such as thinking, memory, and decision-making.

Temporal Lobe

Located on the sides of the brain, it’s involved in processing auditory information, language comprehension, and memory formation.

Somatosensory Cortex

Region in the parietal lobe that processes and interprets sensory information from the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain.

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

The concept that each hemisphere of the brain controls and processes sensory and motor functions for the opposite side of the body. Ex. the left hemisphere controls movements and receives sensory input from the right side of the body, and vice versa.

Brain Plasticity

The brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to learning, experience, or injury.

EEG (electroencephalogram)

A technique that measures and records electrical activity in the brain though electrodes placed on the scalp, often used to diagnose neurological disorders and study brain function.

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

An imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow, providing insights into which areas are the brain are active during specific tasks or processes.

Lesions

Areas of damaged or abnormal tissue in the brain. Often studied to understand the functions of specific brain regions by observing changes in behavior or cognition following the damage.

Case Study: Phineas Gage

Follows Phineas Gage, a railroad worker, after a rod pierced through his skull and damaged his frontal lobes. Demonstrates the roll of the frontal lobes in personality and behavior.

Case Study: H.M. (Henry Molaison)

Patient who underwent surgery to remove parts of his hippocampus and surrounding areas in order to try and treat severe epilepsy. After the surgery, he developed amnesia and couldn’t form new long-term memories. Highlighted how crucial the hippocampus is in memory formation.

Case Study: Clive Wearing

Patient with severe amnesia that was studied in order to understand the distinction between short-term and long-term memory and the role of the hippocampus.

Case Study: Tan (Louis Victor Leborgne)

Patient could only speak the word “tan” because he had a condition known as expressive aphasia. His autopsy revealed damage to his left frontal lobe (Broca’s area) and that provided early evidence of the link between that region of the brain and speech production.

Split-Brain Research

Research that studies patients who have undergone a corpus callosotomy, a surgical procedure that severs the corpus callosum, with connects the two hemispheres of the brain. Helps researchers understand how the brain functions independently.

Family Research Study

Investigates how family dynamics, genetics, and environment influence behavior, development, and mental health. Families are followed across generations to measure these changes.

Adoption Research Study

Examines the effects of adopting children into different families on their psychological development and behavior.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical messenger that transmits signals across the synaptic gap between neurons, enabling communication within the nervous system.