PSYCH 1010 Exam Practice - Chapter 3: Biological Bases of Behavior

Vocabulary flashcards for review.

Neuron

Basic unit of the nervous system

Dendrites

Part of the neuron that receives information from other neurons

Myelin Sheath

Function is to transmit electrical impulses faster

Synaptic Cleft

Tiny gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released

Dopamine

Chemical messenger involved in movement; linked to Parkinson's disease

All-or-None Law

Neuron fires fully or not at all

Somatic System

Controls voluntary muscle movements

Sympathetic System

Responsible for the 'fight or flight' response

Cerebellum

Responsible for coordination and balance

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, and body temperature

Pituitary Gland

The 'master gland' of the endocrine system

Frontal Lobe

Associated with higher-level thinking and decision-making

Temporal Lobe

Primarily involved in sound and language

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to adapt or rewire

Split Brain

In split-brain patients, the two hemispheres cannot share information normally

Left Hemisphere

Typically more involved in language production

Epigenetics

Study of how environment can change gene expression

Nervous System

Two main parts are peripheral and central

Limbic System

Involved in emotion, motivation, and memory

Serotonin

Most linked with mood and depression

Occipital Lobe

Processes vision

Jill Bolte Taylor's TED Talk

Focused on her experience of having a stroke

Left Hemisphere

Specializes in logic and language

Divided Brain

The left and right hemispheres specialize in different tasks

Evolutionary Psychology

Behaviors develop because they increase survival and reproduction