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Exam 1
Ch. 3
93
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
09/21/2011

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
The biology of behavior
Definition

genetics

nervous sstem

neuron

brain

measuring brain

endocrine system

Term
allele
Definition

different forms of a gene

 

EXAMPLE: blue/brown/green eye allel

Term
Dominant Gene
Definition

show their effect even if there is only one copy of that gene in the pair

 

 

EXAMPLE: one brown eye allele and one blue eye allele= brown eyes because brown eyes are dominant

Term
Recessive Gene
Definition

shows its effects only when both alleles are the same

a person will have blue eyes only if they inherit an allele for blue eyes from EACH parent

Term
Behavioral Genetics
Definition
  1. Relationship between specific genes and behavior is complex
  2. Most specific behaviors derive from dozens or hundreds of genes (not one or two)
  3. By studying twins and adoptees, behavioral geneticists may disentangle the contributions of heredity and environment to behavior
  4. The environment influences how and when genes affect behavior (epigenetics)
Term
Complex connection between genes and behavior
Definition

no single gene causes anxiety, it is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors

few cases: specific gene guarantees outcome; but only physical not behavioral

 

Term
Polygenic Influence on Behavior
Definition
  • traits = influenced by many genes
  • few human traits result from single gene
  • tend to be physical not behavioral
  • monogenic transmission: hereditary passing o of traits determined by a single gene
  • Polygenic transmission: many genes interact to create a single characteristic (personality/skin color/height/weight)
Term
Heritability
Definition

extent to which characteristics are influenced by genetics

use..

  1. twin
  2. adoption
  3. twin adoption
  4. gene-by-environment

studies

Term
Twin Studies
Definition

compare monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal)

study into heritability

 

EXAMPLE: on avg. fraternal twins have 1/2 as many alike genes as identical, so if a trait is genetically influenced, identical twins should be more alike in that trait than franternal twins

Term
Adoption Studies
Definition
  • Compare child to biological and adopted parents
  • measures heritabiliity b/c if child is more like their adoptive parent in a certain trait then environment is most influential, but if they are more like their biological parent then genetics are more influential
  • or if even amount from both, they are basically the same
Term
Twin Adoption Studies
Definition

compare twins raised together and seperated

balance between twin and adoption studies b/c both have their limitations

EXAMPLE: if genes play strong role in trait:

-similarity = strongest in ident. raised together

-identical twins raised apart

-siblings and biological parent offspring raised together

-weakest in adopted siblings and adoptive parent offspring

Term
Gene By Environment Studies
Definition
  • look at genetic variation in genome
  • comparing genetic markers to assess how genetic differences interact with environment to produce certain behaviors in some people but not others
Term
Epigenetics
Definition
  • interaction between environment and genetic expression
  • environmental factors can turn genes on and off
  • How genes change according to a person's behaviors
  • usually studied on non-humans
Term
Organization of the nervous system
Definition
[image]
Term
Central Nervous system
Definition
Brain
Spinal cord
Term
Nervous System
Definition

Central Nervous System

Peripheral Nervous system

Term
Perioheral nervous system (PNS)
Definition

Somatic nervous system

Autonomic nervous system

Term
Somatic nervous system
Definition
voluntary
Term
Autonomic NS
Definition

involuntary

  • sympathetic
  • parasympathetic
Term
Sympathetic
Definition

ACTIVATION of nervous system in emergencies

AROUSING

 

EXAMPLE: a robber enters your house, you might sense your heartbeat increases, blood pressure increases, inhibits bladder, allows blood flow to sex organs

Term
Parasympathetic
Definition

PARA-paralyzed (relax/not moving)

Calming sensations

relaxes, returns to normal rest state

 

EXAMPLE: after robber leaves and police show up you might sense; heartbeat slows, stimulates digestion activity, bladder contracts, stimulates ejaculation in males

Term
Centeral Nervous System Cells
Definition

Glial

Neurons

Term
Glial Cells
Definition

serve teh primary function of holdin gCNS together

structure, support, promote efficient communication between neurons

reove cellular debris

important role in communication between neurons

Term
Neurons
Definition

cells that process and transmit info throughout nervous system

receive, integrate and generate messages in brain

  1. neurons = building blocks of N.S.; all major structures of brain are composed of neurons
  2. info travels within neuron in form of an electrical signal by action potentials
  3. info transmitted between neurons by neurotransmitters
Term

Types of Neurons

 

SIMM

Definition

Sensory

Interneurons

Motor

Mirror

Term
Sensory neurons
Definition

transmit info from senses

eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin

everything we do that activates a sense gets sent to the sensory neurons to be transfered to the brain to be processed

Term
Interneurons
Definition
  • connect only with other neurons
  • usually connect neurons in one part of brain with neurons in another part
  • some receive info from sensory neurons and transmit it to motor neurons for action

EXAMPLE: touched a sharp knife, interneurons in spinal cord would receive pain info from sensory neurons in fingers and communicate it to motor neurons in muscles of arm so you could pull your hand away.

**most common kind neuron in brain

Term
Motor Neurons
Definition

transmit information to motor movement

commands from brain and carry to muscles in body

 

Term
Mirror Neurons
Definition

become active when we see someone doing something

like observational learning

 

Term
Soma
Definition

Cell body with nucleus

needed for cell maintenance and function

 

coming off soma is the axon also the dendrites

Term
Axon
Definition

attatched to Soma

 

transmits electrical impulses toward the adjacent neuron

 

covered by the myelin sheath (like insulation) so nerve impulses travel more efficiently

 

coming off axon = synapse; then terminal buttons

Term
Dendrites
Definition

connected to the soma

 

fingerlike projections that receive incoming messages form other neurons

Term
Myelin Sheath
Definition
acts as insulation for axon for efficent traveling of electrical current
Term
Synapse
Definition

part that connects the axon to the other neuron

 

where info is transmitted from one neuron to another

 

attached to synapse = terminal buttons

Term
Terminal Buttons
Definition

knobs at the end of the axon that contain tiny sacs of neurotransmitters

 

connect to dendrites

Term
Process of info being passed along Axon
Definition
goes from 1.) chemical to 2.) electrical as getting sent down the axon, then back to 3.) chemical signal to be sent to another neuron
Term
Action Potential
Definition
the impulse of postitive charge that runs down the axon
Term
resting potential
Definition

negative melabolting (charge) within an axon

has the potential to fire

 

when decides to fire; (aka) action at synapse

goes from negative to positive because it gets depolarized

then goes back to negaive by getting REpoarized

boltage is too negative to fire and needs time to get back to "resting potential"

Term
Action at Synapse
Definition

1.) resting potential (-70)

2.) DEpolarization (from negative to positive)

(action potential)

3.) REpolarization (from positive to negative)

4.) Refractory period (too low to fire)

5/1.) resting potential (-70)

Term
Synapse
Definition

space between terminal buttons and neuron receiving sight

 

resting potential (neg charge, ability to fire)

Action potential (when neuron actually fires)

graded potential (little "opinions" get addded up to decide the fate (to fire or not to fire)

 

Term
Synaptic Vessels
Definition

tiny sacs in teh terminal buttons that contain neurotransmitters

 

 

Term
Postsynaptic
Definition

receiving neuron

binds with neurotransmitters

different neurotransmitter types bind with only certain receptor sites

 

like a LOCK AND KEY

Term
Limbic System
Definition
Motivation and Emotion
Term
Acetylochine (ACH)
Definition

-slows ANS activity -autonomic (involuntary)

-eating and drinking

-***neuromuscular juncion (spinal cord to muscles)

 

Term
Dopamine
Definition

Somatic Nervous System (voluntary)

-arousal/mood

-voluntary muscle movement

-excess correlates with psychosis (too much = skitzo, delusions, etc)

Term
Epinephrine
Definition

-increases ANS (autonomic nervous system) involuntary

-the fight/flight idea

-also called adrenaline sometimes

-arouses bodily systems (heart rate)

Term
Norepinephrine
Definition

important role in sympathetic nervous system

-energizing bodily systems and increasing MENTAL arousal and alertness

-associated with ADHD

Term
Seratonin
Definition

everywhere in the brain

-controlling emotional states

-**esp. anger/anxiety/depression

one of most wide ranges of effects on behavior of all neurotransmitters

 

ppl who are often anxious/depressed have low seratonin levels

 

so drugs that block reuptake of seratonin are taken for ^^^

Term
GABA
Definition

-primary inhibitory neurotransmitter (DO NOT FIRE)

**GABBI would never say to shoot a gun

-slows CNS

- low amounts = anxiety

- excessive amounts = intoxication b/c gaba leads to relaxing sometimes unconscience states (or death)

-without GABA CNS would have no "brakes"

Term
Glutamate
Definition

opposite of GABA

-primary excitatory neurotransmitter

-FIRE! glucose is bad and so is fire?

-very important in early brain development

-facilitates growth and change in neurons and migration of neurons to different sites in teh brain

-can tell difference between important and not imp info.

-also learning and memory

Term
Enzymatic Degradation
Definition

enzymes bind with neurotransmitters (nt) and destroy it

used for common NT easy for body to produce, like ACH

 

opposite is the reuptake of nt

Term
Reuptake
Definition

-nt transported back to presynaptic neuron and stored in vesicles for future use

-used for nts difficult for the body to produce

 

way of removing excess NTs in teh synaptic cleft, and those that bind to dendrites and eventually disengage

Term
THE BRAIN
Definition

-Hind brain

-mid brain

-Forebrain

 

further you move up, the more complicated the functions get

Term
HINDBRAIN
Definition

Medulla

Cerebellum

Pons

Term
Medulla
Definition

basic life function, staying alive

-breathing, heart rate, blook pressure

reflexes like coughing, swallowing, sneezing, and vomiting

Term
PONS
Definition

means bridge

-like the bridge between the spinal cord and the brain (lecture)

-bridge between lower brain regions and midbrain/forebrain

-info about body movementand various sensations get relayed from cortex via the pons to the cerebellum

Term
Cerebellum
Definition

involved in

-body movement, balance, coordination, fine-tuning motor skills, cognitive activities like learning and memory

 

-higher level functioning (processed learning)

 

-more neurons than any other single part of the brain

Term
MIDBRAIN
Definition

starting point for lots of NTs

lots basic functioning and processing

orienting reflex, seeing/hearing things with the reaction to turn and see them

-process auditory and visual information

-initiate voluntary body movement

 

people with Parkinson's disease struggle with midbrain functioning because the nt dopamine is not available so they shake alot

Term
Recticular Formation
Definition

-in the midbrain

-critical for waking up and falling asleep

-network of nerves runs through the hindbrain and midbrain

involved in arousal

 

 

found by the use of a cat

Term
FOREBRAIN
Definition

larges part of human brain (last to evolve)

-cerebrum

-thalamus

-limbic system

-control cognitive, sensory,, and motor function an d

-regulate temperature, reproductive functions

-eating, sleeping and

-display of emotions

usually BILATERAL (two of them one on each side)

Term
Thalamus
Definition
  • receives inputs from ears, skin, eyes, or taste buds
  •  relays sensory info to part of the cerebral cortex responsible for processing that sense
  • Sensory relay station (like a post office)
  • -top of hind brain (part of mid brain)

sense of smell = only that doesn't have thalamatic relay

 

Term
Limbic System
Definition

important for emotions and motivations

-hypothalamus

-hippocampus

-Amygdala

-cingulate gyrus

 

limbic-i want to be limber so i need to be MOTIVATED

Term
hypothalamus
Definition

directly below the thalamus

-master regulator of almost all major drives and motives we have (hunger, thirst, temp, sexual)

-controls pituitary gland = resp. for producing/controlling hormones our body produces

-surrounded by hippocampus

Term
hippocampus
Definition

surrounds hypothalamus

-vital role in learning/memory

-sensory info from sense organs goes to hippocampus

-if important enough, they are processed in hippo and eventually establish as memories

-

-learning changes the brain; as shown in the study on taxi cab drivers in london

-directly in front of hippo is the Amygdala

Term
Amygdala
Definition

directly in front of hippocampus, which surrounds hypothalamus, which is under the thalamas

-almond shaped structure

-connections with many other areas of brain

-hypothalamus = autonomic N.S

-hippocampus = learning and memory

-Thalamus = contains neurons that receive info from sense organs

-cerebral cortex

-due to location=very imp. for determ emotional significance (esp fear)

Term
Cingulate Gyrus
Definition

means belt ridge (latin)

-middle of brain and is impotant for attention and cognitive control

-like when ppl first trying to solve a difficult problem the cingulate gyrus is activiated

-upper level emotional processing

 

PAIN!

 

cinge/singe a body part would be very PAINful

Term
Basal Ganglia
Definition

important for voluntary motor movement

-collection structures surrounding thalamus

-parkinsons and huntington's disease affect functioning of neurons in this region

jerky, uncontrollable movements

-considered part of limbic system

resides on both sides of the thalamus and above the limbic system

connect to: cerebrell cortex, thalamus, and brain stem

Term
Corpus Callosum
Definition

Where the two hemispheres connect

-provides channel for extensive communication between hemispheres

Term
Cerebrum
Definition

each of large halves of brain that cre covered with convolutions

-uppermost portion of the brain

 

-composed of 4 main sections called lobes (bilateral) located on both left and right sides

1.)frontal 2.)temporal 3.)parietal 4.)occipital

Term
cerebral cortex
Definition

outer most layer of the brain

most human thought, planning an dperception and consciousness takes place

"what makes us most human"

Term
Frontal Lobe
Definition

higher level processing

executive functions (planning/memory/attention)

allows you to carry out motor functioning

"makes us human"

-connected to the most parts of the brain (able to integrate much brain activity)

-motor cortex

Term
Parietal Lobe
Definition
  • top and rear of brain
  • sensation and perception of touch
  • visual and spacial awarenes where things are in relation to space
  • allows us to imagine what something would look like flipped upside down, or spun in a circle
  • sensory information processed at port that meets with the frontal lobe

-somatasensory cortex

 

Term
Motor Cortex
Definition

in frontal lobe

twin to the somatosensory cortex

-stimulating part of the brain caused teh body to move

-last place info is processed before getting sent to the body

-discovered by Edward Hitzig in soldiers and carried out by Gustav Fritsch; found the idea of contralaterality

-extremely localized (each cell corresponds to body part)

Term
Somatosensory Cortex
Definition

found in parietal lobe

-twin to motor cortex

-senses feeling and touching

different parts of the strip are activated when different parts of the body are touched

Term
Contralaterality
Definition

-idea that the opposite side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body

 

discovered by hitzig and fritsch

Term
Temporal Lobes
Definition

processing auditory information

language, music, etc.

right behind the ears (below frontal and parietal)

auditory cortex

also involved in memory and emotion bc connected to hippocampus and amygdala

Term
Occipital Lobes
Definition
  • visual info is processed
  • if damaged; think you are blind and can't see
  • but if someone was to throw something to you, you could catch it because there is still visual processing happening outside the occipital lobe
  • like spacial awareness in parietal
Term
Insula
Definition
  • structure resides deep inside the cerebrum
  • -area that seperates temporal lobe from parietal lobe
  • active in perception of bodil sensations, emotional states, empathy and addictive behavior
  • communicates with limbic system and higher brain areas in decision making
  • awareness of our body as our own
Term
Localization of Language
Definition

Broca

Wernicke

Term
Broca
Definition

-Paul Broca; first neuropsychologist

-man with aphaisa could understand language but not speak it

-man's left hemisphere was damaged

-region of the left frontal lobe "broca's area"

-responsible for conducting language/speaking

Term
Wernicke
Definition

Carl Wernicke; 20 yrs after Broca's discovery

-discovered an area in the left temporal lobe that is responsible for the comprehension of speach and language

-

people with wernicke's aphaisa can't understand language but can put together words/"sentences" but nothing makes sense

Term
Lateralization
Definition

LEFT SIDE OF BRAIN:

  • main language/boca and wernicke/analytical detail
  • sequential, processed one after the other
  • RIGHT side of the body

RIGHT SIDE OF BRAIN

  • nonverbal-musical processing
  • global-focus on bigger picture (apt comlex vs apt #)
  • LEFT side of body
Term
Concept of cutting the corpus callosum
Definition

-very severe epileptic patients to help with siezuring

-when cut, the two hemispheres cannot communicate bc no information can pass through the corporus callosum

 

example: someone sees a marker to their left, they could not SAY what it was because the right side of their brain (Which receives the information that its a marker) cannot communicate with the left side of the brain which holds speaking power. But could pick up the brush with her LEFT hand

Term
Measuring the Brain
Definition
  • EEG
  • MRI
  • FMRI
  • PET Scan
Term
EEG
Definition

-measure ELECTRIC activity on cortex/in brain

-looks at the function of the brain

-difficult to interpret

-only activity on cortex, none on lower sections

-hard to tell localization

-cheaper method

Term
MRI
Definition

-magnets to sense change in MAGNETIC FIELD in brain

-looks at density tissues

-only telling about structure

(what parts are damaged)

-more expensive than EEG

 

Term
FMRI
Definition

-used to measure electricity and magnetic fields

-can measure  structure and function

-sees where neurons are firing and function

-easy to read (colors)

-deeper brain structures that can't be done with EEGs

Term
Endocrine System
Definition
hypothalamus is connected to the pituitary which connect to the hormones, which go throughout the rest of the body
Term
Major Glands
Definition

-pituitary- connected to hypothalamus

-master gland

-secretes hormones that control all other glands in the body

 

Term
Thyroid
Definition
metabolism
Term
Pancreas
Definition
regulates blood sugar levels with insulin
Term
Adrenal Glands
Definition

-release hormones involved in stress response and emotions

-adrenaline, cortezal

-physiological impacts of stress

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