Psychology AP Chapter 2
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laurenleistman on April 5, 2012
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The Biological Basis of Behavior
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91 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Nervous System | the brain, the spinal cord, and the network of nerve cells that transmit messages throughout the body |
| Endocrine System | internal network of glands that release hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate body functions |
| Neurons | individual cells that are the smallest units of the nervous system |
| Dendrites | short fibers that branch out from the cell body and pick up incoming messages |
| Axon | single long fiber extending from the cell body; it carries outgoing messages |
| Nerve | (tract) groups of axons bundled together |
| Myelin Sheath | white fatty covering found on some axons |
| Sensory Neurons | (afferent) neurons that carry messages from sense organs to the spinal cord or brain |
| Motor Neurons | (efferent) neurons that carry messages from the spinal cord or brain to the muscles and glands |
| Interneurons | (association neurons) neurons that carry messages from one neuron to another |
| Glial Cells | (glia) cells that form the myelin sheath; they insulate and support neurons by holding them together, removing waste products, and preventing harmful substances from passing from the bloodstream into the brain |
| Ions | electrically charged particles found both inside and outside the neuron |
| Resting Potential | electrical charge across a neuron membrane due to excess positive ions concentrated on the outside and excess negative ions on the outside |
| Polarization | the condition of a neuron when the inside is negatively charged relative to the outside; for example, when the neuron is at rest |
| Neural Impulse | (action potential) the firing of a nerve cell |
| Graded Potential | a shift in the electrical charge in a tiny area of a neuron |
| Threshold of Excitation | the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire |
| Absolute Refractory Period | a period after firing when a neuron will not fire again no matter how strong the incoming messages may be |
| Relative Refractory Period | a period after firing when a neuron is returning to its normal polarized state and will fire again only if the incoming message is much stronger than usual |
| All-or-None Law | principle that the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; the neuron either fires at full strength or it does not fire at all |
| Terminal Button | (synaptic knob) structure at the end of an axon terminal branch |
| Synaptic Space | (synaptic cleft) tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron |
| Synapse | area composed of the axon terminal of one neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrite or cell body of the next neuron |
| Synaptic Vesicles | tiny sacs in a terminal button that release chemicals into the synapse |
| Neurotransmitters | chemicals released by the synaptic vesicles that travel across the synaptic space and affect adjacent neurons |
| Receptor Site | a location on a receptor neuron into which a specific neurotransmitter fits like a key into a lock |
| Plasticity | the ability of the brain to change in response to experience |
| Central Nervous System | (CNS) division of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body |
| Peripheral Nervous System | division of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body |
| Long-term Potentiation | (LTP) a long-lasting change in the structure or function of a synapsse that increases the effciency of neural transmission |
| Hindbrain | area containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum |
| Medulla | part of the hindbrain that controls such functions as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure |
| Pons | part of the hindbrain that connects the cerebral cortex at the top of the brain to the cerebellum |
| Cerebellum | structure in the hindbrain that control certain reflexes and coordinate the body's movement |
| Brain Stem | the top of the spinal column; it widens out to form the hindbrain and midbrain |
| Midbrain | region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight, and it is one of several places in the brain where pain is registered |
| Forebrain | top part of the brain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex |
| Thalamus | forebrain region that relays and translates incoming messages from the sense receptos, except those for smell |
| Hypothalamus | forebrain region that governs motivation and emotional responses |
| Cerebral Cortex | the outer surface of the two cerebral hemispheres that regulate most complex behavior |
| Association Areas | area of the cerebral cortex where incoming messages from the separate senses are combined into meaningful impressions and outgoing messages from the motor areas are integrated |
| Occipital Lobe | part of the cerebral hemisphere that receives and interprets visual information |
| Temporal Lobe | part of the cerebral hemisphere that helps regulate hearing, balance, and equilibrium, and certain emotions and motivations |
| Parietal Lobe | part of the cerebral cortex that receives sensory infomation from throughout the body |
| Primary Somatosensory Cortex | area of the parietal lobe where messages from the sense receptors are registered |
| Frontal Lobe | part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for voluntary movement; it is also important for attention, goal-directed behavior, and appropriate emotional experiences |
| Motor Projection Areas | areas of the cerebral cortex where response messages from the brain to the muscles and glands begin |
| Corpus Callosum | a thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral cortex |
| Reticular Formation | (RF) network of neurons in the hindbrain, the midbrain, and part of the forebrain whose primary function is to alert and arouse the higher parts of the brain |
| Limbic System | ring of structures that play a role in learning and emotional behavior |
| Spinal Cord | complex cable of neurons that runs down the spine, connecting the brain to most of the rest of the body |
| Somatic Nervous System | the part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages from the senses to the central nervous system and between the central nervous system and skeletal muscles |
| Autonomic Nervous System | the part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages between the central nervous system and the internal organs |
| Sympathetic Division | branch of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for quick action in an emergency |
| Parasympathetic Division | branch of the autonomic nervous system; it calms and relaxes the body |
| Hormones | chemical substances released by the endocrine glands; they help regulate bodily activities |
| Endocrine Glands | glands of the endocrine system that release hormones into the bloodstream |
| Thyroid Gland | endocrine gland located below the voice box; it produces the hormone thyroxin |
| Parathyroids | four tiny glands embedded in the thyroid; they secrete paranthormone |
| Pineal Gland | a gland located roughly in the center of the brain that appears to regulate activity levels over the course of a day |
| Pancreas | organ lying between the stomach and small intestine; it secretes insulin and glucagon to regulate blood-sugar levels |
| Pituitary Gland | gland located on the underside of the brain; it produces the largest number of the body's hormones |
| Posterior Pituitary | part of the pituitary that affects thirst, sexual behavior, and perhaps paternal and maternal behavior |
| Anterior Pituitary | part of the pituitary known as the "master gland" because it produces numerous hormones that trigger the action of other glands; it regulates body and growth and also affects motivation and emotions |
| Gonads | the reproductive glands--testes in males and ovaries in females |
| Adrenal Glands | two endocrine glands located just above the kidneys |
| Adrenal Cortex | outer covering of the two adrenal glands; the adrenal cortex releases hormones important for dealing with stress |
| Adrenal Medulla | inner core of the adrenal glands that also releases hormones to deal with stress |
| Beta Endorphin | one of the endorphins, a natural painkiller released by the body |
| Nature vs. Nurture | a debate surrounding the relative importance of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) in determining behavior |
| Behavior Genetics | study of the relationship between heredity and behavior |
| Evolutionary Psychology | a subfield of psychology concerned with the origins of behaviors and mental processes, their adaptive value, and the purposes they continue to serve |
| Genetics | study of how traits are transmitted from one generation to the next |
| Traits | characteristics on which organisms differ |
| Heredity | the transmission of traits from one generation to the next |
| Genes | elements that control the transmission of traits; they are found on the chromosomes |
| Chromosomes | pairs of threadlike bodies within the cell nucleus that contain the genes |
| Deoxyribonucleic acid | (DNA) complex molecule in a double-helix configuration that is the main ingredient of chromosomes and genes and forms the code for all genetic information |
| Dominant Gene | member of a gene pair that controls the appearance of a certain trait |
| Recessive Gene | member of a gene pair that can control the appearance of a certain trait only if it is paired with another recessive gene |
| Polygenic Inheritance | process by which several genes interact to produce a certain trait; responsible for our most important traits |
| Strain Studies | studies of the heritability of behavioral traits using animals that have been inbred to produce strains that are genetically similar to one another |
| Selection Studies | studies that estimate the heritability of a trait by breeding animals with other animals that have the same trait |
| Family Studies | studies of heritability in humans based on the assumption that if genes influence a certain trait, close relatives should be more similar on that trait than distant relatives |
| Twin Studies | studies of identical and fraternal twins to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior |
| Identical Twins | twins developed from a single fertilized ovum and therefore identical in genetic makeup at the time of conception |
| Fraternal Twins | twins developed from two separate fertilized ova and therefore different in genetic makeup |
| Adoption Studies | research carried out on children, adopted at birth by parents not related to them, to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior |
| Natural Selection | the mechanism proposed by Darwin in his theory of evolution, which states that organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive, transmitting their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations, whereas organisms with less adaptive characteristics tend to vanish from the earth |
| Amniocentesis | technique that involves collecting cells cast off by the fetus into the fluid of the womb and testing them for genetic abnormalities |
| Chorionic Villus Sampling | a procedure that involves collecting cells from the membranes surrounding the fetus and testng them for genetic abnormalities |
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