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the biology of behavior

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Term
Definition
biological psychology   the scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes.  
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neuron   a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.  
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dendrites   a neurons bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.  
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axon   the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or muscles or glands.  
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myelin sheath   a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next.  
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glial cells   cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking.  
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action potential   a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.  
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threshold   the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.  
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synapes   the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.  
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Gap between dendrite and neuron   synaptic gap  
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neurotransmitters   chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.  
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acetylcholine   best understood neurotransmitter which plays a role in learning and memory.  
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endorphins   natural opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure  
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nervous system   the bodys speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems  
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central nervous system   the brain and spinal cord  
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peripheral nervous system   the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body  
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nerves   bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands and sense organs  
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sensory(afferent) neurons   neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord  
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motor(efferent) neurons   neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.  
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interneurons   neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.  
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Plato   believed that the mind was placed in the brain  
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Aristotle   Platos student who believed that the mind was located in the heart.  
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glia   play essential role in our body.  
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placisity   new neurons grow even in adulthood and old neurons adjust to new information  
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serotonin pathways   involved with mood regulation  
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reuptake   recycling neurotransmitters--after NTs. stimulate the receptors on receiving neuron, the chemicals are taken back up into the sending neuron to be reused.  
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somatic nervous system   enables voluntary control of our skeletal muscles  
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autonomic nervous systems   controls our glands and muscles of our internal organs, influencing functions such as heartbeat, glandular activity and digestions  
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sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight)   arouses and expends energy. (accelerate heartbeat raise blood pressure, and slow digestions)  
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parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest)   calms body and slows heartbeat and lower blood sugar and so forth.  
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endocrine system   the chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into bloodstream  
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hormones   chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues  
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adrenal glands   a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones(epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in the time of stress  
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pituitary glands   the endocrine systems most influential gland. regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.  
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brainstem   the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull, is responsible for automatic survival functions  
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medulla   the base of the brains stem; controls heartbeat and breathing  
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thalamus   the brains sensory router located on top of the brainstem it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transits replies to the cerebellum and medulla  
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reticular formation   a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and plays an important role in controlling arousal.  
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limbic system   the neural system sits between the brains older parts and its cerebral hemispheres. this systems hypothalmus controls the pituitary gland  
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carebellum   processes sensory input, cordinates movement output and balance, and enables nonverbal learning and memory  
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amygdala   two lima bean sized neiral clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion  
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hypothalamus   keeps the body internal environment in a steady state. link emotions and rewards  
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multiplescolorisis   disease due to thinning of the myelin sheath  
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motor cortex   sends messages  
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sensory cortex   receives messages  
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parital lobe   math and spacial reasoning  
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plasticity   ability to modify for a piece of the body that gets injured. especially strong for deaf and blind people  
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Left brain   controls language  
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right brain   controls hearing- clarifying speech and self awareness  
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reticular formation   allows to wake up - located between ears  
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cerebellum   "little brain" controls learning and emotion  
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limbic system   below cerebral hemisphere  
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amygdala   linked to emotion  
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hippocampus   conscious memories  
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hypthalamus   bodily maintenence  
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cerebral cortex   most recently evolved part of brain makes 85% of brains mass,thin layer of interconnected neural cells, stretched out like pizza  
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frontal lobe   behind forehead - speech and muscle movement  
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parietal   top of head - receive touch and body  
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occipital   back of head - visual  
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temporal   side of head - auditory  
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hypnosis   can work, beneficial to health, works for open minded and people who have a good imagination  
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consciousness   awareness of ourselves and our environment  
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conscious "high" track   mind takes deliberate action  
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conscious "low" track   perform automatic actions - often with out being aware  
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selective inattention   miss something because your attention away focused on something else  
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selective attention   focusing on what we notice  
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cocktail party affect   being able to focus on one conversation while other conversations are going on around you.  
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change blindness   if attention is diverted else where "change" or "Switch" in detail is unnoticed - often miss large change in our environment  
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circadian rhythm   bodies natural 24 hr cycle roughly match to the day/night cycle of light and dark  
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circadian rhythm affects   hard to shift(jet lag) can also be affected by light, which suppresses the relaxing hormone melatonin  
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benefits of sleeep   restores and repairs our brain, strenghthens memories, and facilitates creative problem solving  
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what hormone is active while we sleep   growth hormone  
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psychoactive drug   chemical substance altering perceptions and moods  
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tolerance   with repeat usage, can achieve desired effects requiring larger doses  
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addiction   compulsive drug crave and usage despite bad effects  
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withdrawel   discomfort/distress that follows discontinueing usage of an addictive drug  
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physical dependance   physiological need for a drug  
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depressant   drugs that reduce neural activity and slows down body functions  
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alcohol dependence   alcoholism  
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opiates   opium and its derivaties; suppresses neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety  
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amphetamine   super addictive drug that stimulates central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes  
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ectasy(MDMA)   synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen, produces euphoric and social intimacy  
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LSD   powerful hallucinogenic drug also known as acid  
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Marijuana   takes 7 seconds for this drug to get to the brain  
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