Psychology: Brain Structure, Function, Genetics, and Evolutionary Bases of Behaviour

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering brain structures and functions, neuroplasticity, hemispheric specialization, the endocrine system, behavioural and molecular genetics, epigenetics, and evolutionary psychology based on lecture notes.

Homunculus

A sensory map of the brain where body areas close to each other physically are represented adjacently, though the size of the cortical map area does not reflect the real-world size of the body organ.

Hindbrain

A major brain region responsible for vital physiological functions, composed of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.

Midbrain

A brain region involved in sensory functions, containing dopaminergic projections and the reticular activating system.

Forebrain

The largest brain division, responsible for emotion and complex thought; consists of the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.

Cerebrum

The center of complex thought, divided into two hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum and organized into four distinct lobes.

Corpus Callosum

The neural bridge connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres, enabling constant communication between them.

Left Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere primarily specialized for verbal functions, including language, speech, reading, and writing.

Right Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere primarily specialized for nonverbal functions, including spatial reasoning and visual recognition.

Occipital Lobe

The cerebral lobe primarily dedicated to visual processing.

Parietal Lobe

The cerebral lobe primarily dedicated to somatosensory processing.

Temporal Lobe

The cerebral lobe primarily dedicated to auditory processing.

Frontal Lobe

The cerebral lobe responsible for movement and executive control systems.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that fire both when an individual performs an action and when observing another animal perform that same action.

Brain Plasticity

The brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage, through dendritic length modification, synapse formation, and altered metabolic activity.

Neurogenesis

The process by which the adult brain generates new neurons, which is depleted by sleep deprivation and promoted by exercise and proper nutrition.

Split-Brain Research

Pioneering studies by Gazzaniga, Bogen, and Sperry on patients with a severed corpus callosum, demonstrating that visual stimuli flashed to the right visual field (left hemisphere) can be named, whereas stimuli flashed to the left visual field cannot be named verbally.

Apraxia

A behavioral outcome of brain injury where a person can move physically but exhibits no coordination.

Agnosia

A neurological condition resulting from brain injury where an individual is not blind but is unable to recognize sensory stimuli.

Synesthesia

A neurological condition characterized by a cross-sensory experience, where stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second pathway.

Hormones

Chemical messengers released into the blood in pulsatile bursts and regulated by a negative feedback system to communicate across the body.

Pituitary Gland

The "master gland" of the endocrine system, responsible for secreting growth hormone and oxytocin.

Thyroid Gland

An endocrine gland that produces hormones regulating metabolic rate.

Adrenal Glands

Endocrine glands responsible for regulating salt and carbohydrate metabolism.

Pancreas

An endocrine organ that regulates sugar metabolism.

Gonads

Endocrine glands responsible for producing and secreting sex hormones.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A technique measuring the brain's electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp.

Behavioural Genetics

The scientific field studying the influence of genetic factors on behavioural traits.

Chromosomes

Strands of DNA that carry genetic information; human somatic cells contain $46$ chromosomes arranged in $23$ pairs, each housing thousands of paired genes.

Family Studies

A research design in behavioural genetics assessing whether specific traits or disorders run in families by examining blood relatives.

Twin Studies

A behavioural genetics research design comparing resemblance between identical and fraternal twins on specific traits.

Adoption Studies

A research method that compares resemblance between adopted children and their biological versus adoptive parents to evaluate genetic and environmental influences.

Epigenetics

The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence.

Molecular Genetics

The field dedicated to studying the biochemical bases of genetic inheritance.

Genetic Mapping

The process of locating specific genes on chromosomes, as undertaken in the Human Genome Project.

Interactionist Model

The framework in behavioural genetics emphasizing that traits and behaviors result from the ongoing interplay between nature (heredity) and nurture (environment).

Richard Rose (1995)

Behavioural genetics researcher who articulated the interactionist principle that "we inherit dispositions, not destinies."

Evolutionary Psychology

A field in psychology analyzing human behaviour in terms of its adaptive significance based on Darwin's theory of natural selection, emphasizing reproductive success.

Adaptations

Behavioral or physical characteristics evolved to enhance survival and reproductive success, such as the fight-or-flight response, taste preferences, and parental investment strategies.