WHAT IS PSYCHOBIOLOGY? Define Biological Psychology (Learning Objective 1) 1. The biological 2. The subfield of experimental psychology in which the biological basis of behavior is studied is called biological psychology, physiological psychology, or psychobiology THE NEURON Identify the Parts of a Neuron (Learning Objective 2) 3. The basic unit of the nervous system is the neuron 4. Like all cells, a neuron has a cell body (soma), nucleus, and cell membrane. The neuron's short, finger-like projections that receive messages from other neurons are known as dendrites 5. A neuron has a long tail-like projection along which messages are conducted called the axon 6. The axon is often covered by a protective substance called myelin 7. A neuron that carries messages from the sense organs toward the central nervous system is a sensory neuron 8. A neuron that carries messages from the central nervous system toward the muscles and glands is a motor neuron Describe the Neural Impulse and the Functioning of the Synapse (Learning Objective 3) 9. The process of conducting electrical information along the length of a neuron from the dendrites to the axon is called the neural impulse 10. The normal -70 mV electrical charge of a passive neuron is called a resting potential 11. When the electrical charge of a neuron reaches the threshold of -50 mV, the neuron fires and an electrical charge called the action 12. The principle which states that a neuron only fires when the stimulus is above the threshold, and then it fires at full strength, is called the all-or-none 13. After firing, the neuron cannot fire again for a brief period of time, called the refractory 14. In order for information to get from the axon of one neuron to the dendrites of the next, it must cross the space between neurons called the synapse 15. When the electrical neural impulse reaches the end of an axon, it causes the release of a chemical substance called a neurotransmitter 16. The neurotransmitter involved in activation of muscle movement and memory is acetylcholine 17. The neurotransmitter involved in sleep, sensory experiences, and mood is serotonin 18. A high level of the neurotransmitter dopamine 19. Wakefulness, arousal, emotion, and female sexual behavior are influenced by the levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine 20. Glutamate, aspartate, glycine, and GABA are amino acids 21. The neuropeptide endorphins THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Identify the Major Functions of the Central Nervous System (Spinal Cord and Brain) (Learning Objective 4) 22. The spinal cord and brain together are considered the central 23. The bundle of nerves that are housed in the spinal backbone and form a communication link between the brain and the peripheral nervous system is the spinal cord 24. In addition to serving as a pathway between the brain and the peripheral nervous system, the spinal cord also controls certain types of automatic movement, called reflexes 25. The memory Describe the Major Structures of the Brain (Learning Objective 5) 26. The division of the brain that connects the spinal cord with the rest of the brain and controls the basic life- support functions is the hindbrain 27. The part of the hindbrain that directly connects the spinal cord to the brain and helps to regulate the heart rate and breathing is the medulla 28. Lying just above the medulla is the pons 29. Next to the medulla is a convoluted structure known as the cerebellum 30. The network of neurons which acts as a filter to relevant sensory stimuli and arouses you to properly respond is called the reticular formation 31. The largest and most complex division of the brain which is responsible for the uniquely human higher-level behaviors such as thinking and memory, is the forebrain 32. An important relay station for sensory information in the forebrain is the thalamus 33. The most important part of the limbic system, the hypothalamus 34. Other limbic system structures include the amygdala, which is involved in aggression and anger, and the hippocampus 35. The largest part of the forebrain, the cerebrum 36. The two hemispheres of the cerebrum are connected by a bundle of nerves that keeps each hemisphere informed about what is happening to the other. This is called the corpus callosum 37. The frontal lobes (thinking, memory), occipital lobes (seeing), temporal lobes (hearing), and parietal lobes (touch) are all in the outermost layer of the cerebrum, the cerebral cortex Describe the Research Findings on Cerebral Hemisphere Functioning (Learning Objective 6) 38. The brain hemisphere that is considered the logical, analytical, and verbal side, exerting control over manual dexterity, reading, speaking, and understanding speech, is the left 39. The brain hemisphere that tends to process information in a nonverbal, artistic, and intuitive fashion is the right 40. Roger Sperry devised a method of presenting different information to each hemisphere in split-brain patients. If a right-handed patient is given an object like a pencil in his right 41. If you placed an object like a pencil in a split-brain patient's left List Three Research Methods Used to Study the Brain (Learning Objective 7) 42. The procedure in which electrodes are attached to the scalp in order to record the brain's electrical activity is called EEG 43. In PET 44. The technique of MRI 45. The procedure in which a tiny electric current is sent to a precise location in the brain in order to alter behavior is called electrical stimulation of the brain, or ESB THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Compare the Functions of the Somatic Nervous System and the Autonomic Nervous System (Learning Objective 8) 46. All of the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord make up the peripheral 47. The division of the peripheral nervous system that includes sensory nerves that carry messages from the sense organs to the CNS, and motor nerves that carry information directing the voluntary movements of the skeletal muscles is called the somatic 48. The peripheral division that connects the central nervous system with the endocrine glands, the smooth muscles controlling the heart, and the primarily involuntary muscles controlling the other internal organs, is the autonomic 49. The branch of the autonomic nervous system that is dominant when you are calm and quiet, is the parasympathetic 50. The branch of the autonomic nervous system that dominates in emergencies is the sympathetic THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Identify the Functions of the Hormones Produced by Four Important Endocrine Glands (Learning Objective 9) 51. The autonomic nervous system works with the ductless endocrine glands 52. The endocrine glands secrete chemicals called hormones 53. The master gland located near the hypothalamus which secretes hormones to help regulate growth and antidiuretic hormones to cause the kidneys to retain water is called the pituitary gland 54. The gonads are involved in sex determination, secondary sexual characteristics, and sexual motivation. The female reproductive glands, the ovaries 55. The glands located over the kidneys which secrete adrenaline, a hormone which helps the body react to stress by regulating short-term energy use, are the adrenal glands HEREDITY AND BEHAVIOR
Describe the Basic Principles of Genetics (Learning Objective 10) 56. The natural capability of an individual to develop the characteristics possessed by its ancestors is called heredity 57. In the study of heredity, called genetics 58. The basic unit of heredity is called the gene 59. The complete set of genes inherited by an individual from her parents is called the genotype 60. The genotype interacts with the environment to produce the phenotype 61. Genes can be thought of as locations along chromosomes 62. Twenty-two of the pairs of chromosomes are called autosomes 63. The genes located on one pair of chromosomes are responsible for determining the sex of the individual. These are called sex chromosomes Explain How Heredity Influences Behavior (Learning Objective 11) 64. The study of how heredity influences behavior is called behavior genetics 65. A form of mental retardation that occurs when the body doesn't convert phenylalanine into harmless by-products is called phenylketonuria, or PKU Outline Two Research Methods Used in Human Behavior Genetic Research (Learning Objective 12) 66. One important human behavior genetic research method involves the study of twins. Nonidentical twins, called dizygotic twins 67. Twin studies indicate that characteristics that make up intelligence and personality are more similar in monozygotic 68. Genetic influences have been discovered in many behavior disorders, including depression, alcoholism, schizophrenia, and anxiety. The genotype predisposes the individual to react in a way that will vary according to environmental 69. Comparisons are made between children and their adoptive parents as well as between children and their biological parents in behavior genetic adoption 70. Genes always interact with the environment 71. Basic research in behavior genetics is often performed using animals. If the most similar animals in each litter are mated for many generations, eventually inbred strains 72. The behavior genetic procedure in which similar animals are mated for many generations is called selective breeding 73. Cooper and Zubek (1958) used bright and dull inbred strains of rats in their experiment on genetic and environmental influences on intelligence. They found that heredity and environment always interact WEB SITE *Exploring Psychology: Neurotransmitters 1. The major classes of neurotransmitters include acetylcholine, monoamines *Biography: Roger Sperry 2. Roger Sperry was awarded a Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1981 for his work in split-brain 3. Sperry found that the left 4. Sperry received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago *Exploring Psychology: Early Methods of Studying the Brain 5. In the early 1800s, Franz Gall used the method of phrenology 6. In the 1930s, a popular procedure was prefrontal lobotomy 7. Electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) has a strong reinforcing 8. Jose Delgado demonstrated the effects of brain stimulation on behavior by implanting an electrode in the brain of a bull 9. Penfield discovered that stimulating areas of the cerebral cortex could produce memories *Exploring Psychology: Hormones and Premenstrual Syndrome 10. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is termed premenstrual dysphoric disorder 11. Estrogen production increases during the first half of the menstrual cycle, whereas progesterone 12. One hypothesis is that PMS is caused by a significant decrease *Exploring Psychology: Animal Behavior Genetic Research Methods 13. Researchers produce inbred strains 14. If two genetically different inbred strains are reared in identical environments, any differences should be due to the genetic 15. In the research technique of selective breeding 16. By continually mating bright or dull rats, Robert Tryon 17. Cooper and Zubek (1958) placed bright and dull rats in a restricted environment or an enriched environment and found that the environment
