Psychology Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the biological bases of behavior, including genetics, nervous system divisions, neurotransmitters, hormones, psychoactive substances, and realistic behavioral applications.

Heredity (Nature)

Traits passed down through genes from biological parents.

Heredity (Nature) (Application)

A student and their biological parent both have naturally curly hair, suggesting that heredity may influence the student's hair type.

Environment (Nurture)

Experiences and surroundings that shape development and behavior.

Environment (Nurture) (Application)

Two students may have similar natural singing ability, but the student who receives regular lessons and practices more may develop stronger vocal skills.

Genetic Predisposition

An inherited tendency that makes a person more likely, but not certain, to develop a trait or condition.

Genetic Predisposition (Application)

A student with several relatives who experience anxiety may have a higher genetic risk for anxiety, although their experiences and environment also matter.

Adoption Studies

Studies that compare adopted children with their biological and adoptive relatives to help separate genetic and environmental influences.

Adoption Studies (Application)

If an adopted child has a temperament similar to a biological parent they rarely see, but shares habits with their adoptive family, researchers can study the possible roles of genes and environment.

Evolutionary Perspective

Explains behavior by considering how it may have helped humans survive or reproduce over time.

Evolutionary Perspective (Application)

Researchers might explain why people quickly notice angry facial expressions by suggesting that recognizing possible threats helped our ancestors stay safe.

Natural Selection

The process in which inherited traits that improve survival or reproduction become more common over generations.

Natural Selection (Application)

In a snowy environment, animals with lighter fur may be harder for predators to spot, so they may survive and reproduce more often than animals with darker fur.

Eugenics

A discredited and unethical movement that tried to control human reproduction to promote traits people labeled as desirable.

Eugenics (Application)

A government forcing people with certain disabilities to be sterilized is an example of eugenics and a violation of human rights.

Twin Studies

Studies that compare identical and fraternal twins to investigate how genes and environment influence traits.

Twin Studies (Application)

If identical twins raised apart show more similar personality traits than fraternal twins raised apart, researchers may consider whether genetics contributes to those traits.

Family Studies

Studies that examine whether a trait is more common among relatives, which can help researchers investigate genetic influences.

Family Studies (Application)

Researchers compare rates of depression among people whose close relatives have depression with rates among people whose relatives do not, while also considering shared environments.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system involved in voluntary skeletal-muscle movement and sensory information.

Somatic Nervous System (Application)

When a student sees a ball coming toward them and deliberately reaches out to catch it, the somatic nervous system carries sensory information and helps control the movement.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that controls automatic functions such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing.

Autonomic Nervous System (Application)

During a test, a student's heart rate and digestion can change without the student consciously telling those organs what to do.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for action during stress (fight-or-flight).

Sympathetic Nervous System (Application)

Just before giving a speech, a student's heart beats faster, breathing speeds up, and pupils may widen as the body prepares to respond.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, promotes digestion, and conserves energy during rest

Parasympathetic Nervous System (Application)

After the speech ends and the student feels safe again, the parasympathetic system helps the heart rate return toward normal and digestion resume.

Glial Cell

A nervous-system cell that supports, protects and nourishes neurons, helping them function properly

Glial Cell (Application)

Some glial cells form myelin around axons, helping neural messages travel faster. If this protective later is damaged, it will slow this process down

Neural Cell (Neuron)

A specialized cell that receives and sends information using electrical and chemical signals.

Neural Cell (Neuron) (Application)

When a student touches a hot surface, sensory neurons carry information toward the spinal cord and brain so the student can respond.

Reflex Arc

The neural pathway that produces a fast, automatic response to a stimulus, often before conscious awareness.

Reflex Arc (Application)

When someone touches a hot pan, sensory neurons send a signal to the spinal cord, which quickly sends a signal to muscles to pull the hand away.

Location in the Nervous System

Identifying where a nervous-system structure is found, such as in the central or peripheral nervous system.

Location in the Nervous System (Application)

The brain and spinal cord are part of the CNS, while the nerves carrying signals between the spinal cord and the hand are part of the PNS.

Excitatory Signal

A neural signal that makes the receiving neuron more likely to fire an action potential.

Excitatory Signal (Application)

Glutamate can excite a neuron involved in learning, increasing the chance that it will send a signal to another neuron.

Inhibitory Signal

A neural signal that makes the receiving neuron less likely to fire by moving it farther from the threshold needed to send an electrical impulse

Inhibitory Signal (Application)

GABA can inhibit a neuron by making it less likely to fire, helping keep activity in the brain balanced.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter involved in movement, motivation, attention, learning, and reward.

Dopamine (Application)

When a student receives praise after solving a difficult problem, dopamine-related reward pathways may help reinforce the behavior that led to the success.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, and other functions.

Serotonin (Application)

Serotonin signaling helps regulate sleep and mood, so changes in that system can be associated with changes in how a person feels or sleeps.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter and hormone that helps regulate alertness, attention, and the body's response to stress.

Norepinephrine (Application)

When a loud crash surprises a student, norepinephrine helps increase alertness so the student can quickly pay attention to what happened.

Glutamate

The most significant form of an excitatory neurotransmitter, which helps neurons communicate and supports learning and memory

Glutamate (Application)

As a student practices a new skill, glutamate helps neurons communicate and supports changes in connections involved in learning.

GABA

The brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter; it reduces the likelihood that neurons will fire.

GABA (Application)

GABA helps limit excessive neural activity, allowing the brain's signaling systems to stay regulated rather than becoming overactive.

Endorphins

Natural chemicals produced by the body that help reduce pain and can contribute to feelings of pleasure.

Endorphins (Application)

After a long run, a person may feel less discomfort and a sense of well-being partly because the body releases endorphins.

Substance P

A chemical messenger involved in transmitting pain signals from the body to the nervous system.

Substance P (Application)

After a student twists an ankle, substance P helps carry pain-related messages that alert the nervous system to the injury.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter that triggers skeletal-muscle contraction and also supports learning and memory.

Acetylcholine (ACh) (Application)

When a student reaches to pick up a pencil, motor neurons release acetylcholine at the muscles, helping the muscles contract and move the hand.

Hormones

Chemical messengers released by endocrine glands into the bloodstream to affect target organs and body processes.

Hormones (Application)

During a stressful situation, hormones released into the blood help change body activity; other hormones regulate growth, hunger, and sleep.

Adrenaline (Epinephrine)

A hormone released by the adrenal glands that prepares the body for quick action during stress or danger.

Adrenaline (Epinephrine) (Application)

When a car suddenly brakes in front of a pedestrian, adrenaline helps increase heart rate and make energy available so the body can react quickly.

Leptin

A hormone made mainly by fat cells that signals the brain about the body's energy stores and helps regulate appetite.

Leptin (Application)

After the body has stored energy, leptin sends signals to the brain that help regulate hunger and energy balance.

Ghrelin

A hormone that helps signal hunger to the brain.

Ghrelin (Application)

Before lunch, a student's ghrelin level may rise, contributing to the feeling of hunger and encouraging them to eat.

Melatonin

A hormone released by the pineal gland, especially in darkness, that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Melatonin (Application)

As it gets dark in the evening, melatonin levels rise and help signal to the body that it is time to prepare for sleep.

Oxytocin

A hormone involved in social bonding and processes such as childbirth and milk release.

Oxytocin (Application)

Oxytocin is involved in bonding between a parent and newborn and is released during childbirth and breastfeeding.

Psychoactive Drugs

Substances that affect brain activity and can change mood, awareness, perception, or behavior.

Psychoactive Drugs (Application)

After drinking a caffeinated beverage, a student may feel more alert because caffeine affects activity in the nervous system.

Agonist

A substance that binds to a receptor and activates it, or increases the effect of a neurotransmitter.

Agonist (Application)

If a drug acts as an agonist at a particular receptor, it can activate that receptor and produce a similar effect to the body's natural chemical messenger.

Antagonist

A substance that binds to a receptor and blocks or reduces the effect of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist (Application)

If an antagonist blocks a receptor, the neurotransmitter cannot activate that receptor as effectively, so the usual response is reduced.

Reuptake Inhibitors

Substances that block neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed by the neuron that released them, allowing them to remain active in the synapse longer

Reuptake Inhibitors (Application)

Some antidepressants inhibit serotonin reuptake, allowing serotonin to remain available between neurons for longer.

Stimulants

Psychoactive drugs that increase activity in the central nervous system, often increasing alertness.

Stimulants (Application)

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors that normally contribute to sleepiness, which can make a student feel more awake for a while.

Depressants (Alcohol)

Psychoactive drugs that slow central nervous system activity and can reduce coordination and reaction time.

Depressants (Alcohol) (Application)

Alcohol slows nervous-system activity, so a person may react more slowly and have trouble coordinating movements.

Hallucinogens (Marijuana on your sheet)

Substances that can change sensory perception, mood, or the experience of time; cannabis can have some of these effects.

Hallucinogens (Marijuana on your sheet) (Application)

After using cannabis, a person may perceive time as passing differently or experience changes in attention and sensory perception.

Opioids (Heroin)

Drugs that act on opioid receptors to reduce pain; they can also cause drowsiness, dependence, and dangerous slowing of breathing.

Opioids (Heroin) (Application)

Morphine may be prescribed to treat severe pain after surgery, but it must be used carefully because opioids can cause serious side effects and dependence.

Tolerance

A reduced response to a substance after repeated use, meaning more may be needed to get the same effect.

Tolerance (Application)

A person who regularly uses a substance may find that the same amount has less effect than it did when they first used it.

Addiction

A condition involving difficulty controlling substance use despite harmful consequences.

Addiction (Application)

A person may continue using a substance even after it repeatedly causes problems with health, school, work, or relationships.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Physical or psychological symptoms that can occur when a person who has become dependent reduces or stops using a substance.

Withdrawal Symptoms (Application)

Someone who regularly consumes caffeine may develop a headache and feel tired after suddenly stopping.