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Psychology Chapter 3
Biological Psychology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Genes are the building blocks of behavior | Why study genetics? |
| Behavioral geneticists | study the interaction of genes with the environment |
| Chromosomes | long strands of genetic material |
| DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) | helix-shaped molecule |
| Gene | specific DNA sequence located in a particular place on a chromosome |
| allele | one of several versions of a gene Ex: having an A, B, or O blood type allele |
| genotype | individual's profile of alleles--genetic makeup of the person |
| phenotype | inherited physical characteristics or trait; combination of genetic and environmental influences |
| gene expression | the process in which genetic instructions are converted into a feature of a living cell |
| epigenetics | the study of gene-environment interactions in the production of phenotypes |
| biological psychology | Interdisciplinary study that combines methods and psychological theories with those in biology, neurosciences, biochemistry, and physiology |
| glial cells | transport nutrients and waste; clean up debris; hold neurons in place; form myelin (insulation to neurons); prevents toxins from entering brain |
| neurons | microscopic building blocks of the nervous system; nerve cells |
| sensory neurons | carry info from the external environment or body back to central nervous system |
| motor neurons | carry commands from the central nervous system back to muscles and glands of the body |
| interneurons | neither primarily sensory or motor function but play vital roles throughout the nervous system and important roles in the complex reflexes |
| dendrites | receive input from other neurons via receptors |
| soma | (aka cell body) large central mass that houses the nucleus |
| axons | carries information to other neurons |
| myelin | insulating material that speeds up neural signaling |
| axon terminals | contain synaptic vesicles which contain chemical messengers of the nervous system |
| excitatory | interaction between neurotransmitters that mean "pass the message along" |
| inhibitory | interaction between neurotransmitters that mean "do not pass the message along" |
| spinal cord | routes messages to and from brain |
| cerebral cortex | the surface of the brain; folds (gyri) and grooves (sulci); thin layer of neurons covering the outer surface of the cerebral hemispheres |
| corpus callosum | wide band of nerve fibers that connects right and left hemisphere; allows communication between two hemispheres |
| cross lateralization | movement sensation in left side of body is processed by right hemisphere |
| frontal lobe | processes complex cognitive things; damage could cause difficulty speaking and characteristics of psychology disorders like ADHD |
| parietal lobe | lobe that lies on top of head, behind frontal lobe; helps us localize pain, touch, skin temperature, and body position; damage could produce symptoms of neglect syndrome |
| occipital lobe | at the back of brain; contains primary visual cortex; interprets the process of interpreting input from the eyes by responding to basic information about an image, shading, color, and movement |
| temporal lobe | curves around the side of each hemisphere; contains auditory cortex and wernicke's area; allows us to process incoming sounds; damage can alter the way people recognize other familiar people |
| central nervous system subcortical structures | embedded within the tracts of the nerve fibers or white matter that make up cerebral hemispheres; lie below the cerebral cortex |
| thalamus | almost at center of brain; processing sensory info, states of arousal and memory; all senses are routed through it |
| basal ganglia | collection of subcortical structures; receives input from all areas of cerebral cortex and motor neurons; control of movement |
| amygala | "almond"; located in temporal lobe; involves emotional processing and emotional meaning associated with memories |
| hypothalamus | involves motivation homeostasis; directs the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system |
| hippocampus | (seahorse shape) involves formation and retrieval of long-term memories |
| brainstem | early in prenatal development; contains the midbrain, pons, and medulla |
| midbrain | located above the pons; involves sensory reflexes, movement, and pain |
| reticular formation | in the midbrain but extends up into forebrain and down into hindbrain; regulates sleep cycle, arousal, alertness, motor activity, and participates in the control of mood |
| substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area | contains cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine; involves movement, mood, addiction, and reward |
| medulla | located just above spinal cord and contains a large bundle of nerve fibers that travel to and from higher levels of the brain; manages essential automatic processes (ex: breathing) |
| pons | "bridge" located between medulla and midbrain; manages sleep, arousal, and facial expressions |
| cerebellum | "little brain"; connected to the brain via the pons; balance, motor coordination; and motor skills, associations with procedural memory; contains more nerve cells than the rest of the brain |
Created by:
ehubbard21
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