Unit 1.1 Biological Bases of Behavior

Unit 1.1: Biological Bases of Behavior Terms & Concepts  Biological Psychology  Neuron  Dendrites  Axon  Myelin Sheath  Multiple Sclerosis (MS)  Myasthenia Gravis  Action Potential  Resting Potential  Refractory Period  Threshold  inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters  All-or-none Response  Synapse  Neurotransmitters o Acetylcholine (ACh) o Dopamine o Serotonin o Norepinephrine o GABA o Glutamate o Substance P o Endorphins     Reuptake Agonist Antagonist Nervous System               Nerves Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System o Sensory (Afferent) Neurons o Motor (Efferent) Neurons Interneurons Somatic Nervous System Autonomic Nervous System Sympathetic Nervous System Parasympathetic Nervous System Reflex/Reflex Arc Endocrine System  Hormone s  Function  Adrenali ne  Prepare body for emergencies → fight or flight  Ghrelin  Feelings of hunger  Leptin  Feelings of satiety  Melatoni n  Regulates the sleep cycle  Oxytocin  improves relationships → “love” hormone Pituitary Gland Lesion EEG Electroencephalogram fMRI (functional MRI)                                Brainstem Medulla Thalamus Reticular activation system Cerebellum Limbic System Amygdala Hypothalamus Cerebral cortex Glial cells Frontal lobes Parietal Lobes Occipital Lobes Temporal Lobes Motor Cortex Somatosensory Cortex Association Areas The case of Phineas Gage Plasticity Corpus Callosum Split Brain Consciousness Dual Processing Behavior Genetics Gene Environment Interaction Identical Twins (monozygotic twins) Fraternal Twins (dizygotic twins) Separated Twins Biological v. Adoptive Relatives Epigenetics Evolutionary Psychology Major Questions 1. Describe how a neuron fires and the function of each part of the neuron. a. A signal travels through the dendrites, then the axon, then the synapse 2. Briefly describe a neuron in a) resting potential, b) action potential, and c) the refractory period. Be sure to include information about the charge on the inside and outside of the axon. a. Resting – neuron is at rest, inside is neg. b. Action – neuron fires; inside is pos. c. Refractory – neuron resets itself 3. How is information passed between two neurons? a. Neurotransmitters 4. What is the basic difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous system? a. Somatic controls voluntary actions while autonomic controls involuntary actions 5. Between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, which functions faster and why? a. Sympathetic because it is your fight or flight response 6. What are the functions of the endocrine system? a. Produces hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and emotions 7. How does the EEG work compared to the fMRI? a. EEG measures brain waves while fMRI showed detailed images of the brain activity 8. What is plasticity? a. Brain’s ability to adapt 9. What are some differences functions between the right and left hemispheres of the brain? a. Left – logical, language, math b. Right – creativity, emotions, and spatial awareness 10.What is meant by the phrase “nature vs. nurture?” a. Whether genetics or environment shapes behavior b. Nature – genetics c. Nurture – environmental 11.Describe the concept of natural selection as related to psychology. a. Behaviors that help survival get passed on For each of the following, describe the major functions (complete sentences not necessary). Term Description 13 Medulla Keeps you alive by controlling heart beat, breathing, and blood pressure 15 Thalamus Sends sensory information to the right parts of your brain 16 Reticular Formation Helps keep you awake, alert, and aware; helps sleep when it’s time to 17 Cerebellum Keeps you balanced and smooth movements 18 Amygdala Handles emotions, fear the most 19 Hypothalamus Keeps your body balanced by controlling hunger, thirst, etc. 20 Hippocampus Making memories and learning new things 21 Pituitary Gland “master gland”; releases hormones and controls growth in the endocrine system 22 Frontal Lobe Control center for decision-making, problem-solving, and planning 23 Motor Cortex Controls voluntary movements (running, waving) 24 Broca’s Area Helps produce speech and talking clearly 25 Parietal Lobe Processes sensory info; helps understand where things are around you 26 Somatosensory Cortex Receives signals from your body about things like touch, pressure, pain 27 Occipital Lobe Visual processor – everything you use gets interpreted here 28 Temporal Lobe 29 Wernicke’s Area 30 Corpus Callosum Unit 1.2: Consciousness, Sleep, Psychoactive Drugs Terms and Concepts  Consciousness  Circadian Rhythm  Sleep stages  REM sleep (paradoxical sleep)  Alpha waves  Hypnagogic Sensations