Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
142 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
nativists |
emphasized genes and inborn characteristics of human behavior
|
|
|
empiricists
|
focused on learning and experience as an explanation for human behavior
|
|
|
evolutionary psychology
|
a field of psychology emphasizing evolutionary mechanisms that may help explain human commonalities in cognition, development, emotion, social practices, and other areas of behavior
|
|
|
behavioral genetics
|
an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of behavior and personality
|
|
|
set-point theory
|
the genetically influenced weight range for an individual , thought to be maintained by a biological mechanism that regulates food intake, fat reserves, and metabolism
|
|
|
genes
|
the functional units of heredity; they are composed of DNA and specify the structure of proteins
|
|
|
chromosomes
|
within every body cell, rod-shaped structures that carry the genes
|
|
|
DNA
|
The chromosomal molecule that transfers genetic characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins
|
|
|
genome
|
the full set of genes in each cell of an organism
|
|
|
linkage studies
|
studies that look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families in which a particular condition is common
|
|
|
genetic markers
|
a segment of DNA that varies among individuals, has a known location on a chromosome, and can function as a genetic landmark for a gene involved in a physical or mental condition
|
|
|
evolutionary psychology
|
a change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations; a mechanism by which genetically influence characteristics of a population may change
|
|
|
mutate
|
when an error occurs in the copying of the original DNA sequence, resulting in spontaneous changes in the genes
|
|
|
natural selection
|
the evolutionary process in which individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in a particular environment tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than other individuals; as a result, their traits become more common in the population
|
|
|
Charles Darwin
|
British naturalist who wrote on the origin of species and asserted that thee fate of genetic variations depended on the environment
|
|
|
reflexes
|
simple, automatic responses to specific stimuli
|
|
|
practice play
|
teaches children how to get along with others and gives them a chance to practice their motor and linguistic skills
|
|
|
sensation
|
the detection of physical energy emitted or reflected by physical objects; it occurs when energy in the external environment or the body stimulates receptors in the sense organs
|
|
|
perception
|
the process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory information
|
|
|
feature-detector cells
|
cells that process special features of the visual world within the brain
|
|
|
visual cliff
|
a test used to understand an infant's perception of depth
|
|
|
neurocultural theory of emotion
|
emphasizes that two factors are involved in emotional expression; universal neurophysiology in facial muscles associated with certain emotions, and culture-specific variations in the expression of emotion
|
|
|
synchrony
|
the adjustment of one person's nonverbal behavior to coordinate with another's
|
|
|
attachment
|
a deep emotional tie to caregivers
|
|
|
contact comfort
|
the pleasure of being touched and held; the basis of an infant's first attachment
|
|
|
language
|
a system that combines meaningless elements such as sounds and gestures to form structured utterances that convey meaning
|
|
|
surface structure
|
the form in which a sentence is spoken or signed
|
|
|
deep structure
|
the meaning of a sentence which is spoken or signed
|
|
|
syntax
|
rules of grammar
|
|
|
language acquisition device
|
an innate mental module that facilitates the young child's development of language
|
|
|
critical period
|
a make or break period in which children must be exposed to language and must have opportunities to practice their emerging linguistic
|
|
|
psycholinguists
|
researchers who study the psychology of language
|
|
|
universal grammar
|
the brain is disposed to notice the core features common to all languages
|
|
|
over regularizations
|
when a child reduces a sentence to their own two-word sentence
|
|
|
sociobiology
|
an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes evolutionary explanations of social behavior in animals, including human beings
|
|
|
heritability
|
a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group
|
|
|
monozygotic twins
|
twins that develop when a fertilized egg divides into two parts that develop into separate embryos
|
|
|
dizygotic twins
|
twins that develop from two separate eggs fertilized by separate sperm; they are no more alike genetically than are any other pair of siblings
|
|
|
intelligence quotient
|
a measure of intelligence originally computed by dividing a person's mental age by his or her chronological age and multiplying the result by 100; it is now derived from norms provided for standardized intelligence tests
|
|
|
temperament
|
a characteristic of an individual, describing a habitual way of behaving, thinking, and feeling
|
|
|
factor analysis
|
a statistical method for analyzing the intercorrelations among different measures or test scores' clusters of measures of scores that are highly correlated are assumed to measure the same underlying trait or ability
|
|
|
big five personality traits
|
a small cluster of personality traits that remain stable over a person's lifetime; these have also been identified all over the world.
|
|
|
central nervous system
|
the portion of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord
|
|
|
spinal cord
|
a collection of neurons and supportive tissue running from the base of the brain down the center of the back, protected by the spinal column
|
|
|
peripheral nervous system
|
all portions of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord; it includes sensory and motor nerves
|
|
|
sensory nerves
|
carries messages from special receptors in the skin, muscles, and other internal and external sense organs to the spinal cord
|
|
|
motor nerves
|
carries orders from the central nervous system to muscles, glands, and internal organs
|
|
|
somatic nervous system
|
the subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that connects to sensory receptors and to skeletal muscles; sometimes called the skeletal nervous system
|
|
|
autonomic nervous system
|
the subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that regulates the internal organs and glands
|
|
|
biofeedback
|
a method for learning to control bodily functions, including ones usually thought to be involuntary, by attending to feedback from an instrument that monitors the function and that signals changes in it
|
|
|
sympathetic nervous system
|
the subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes bodily resources and increases the output of energy during emotion and stress
|
|
|
parasympathetic nervous system
|
the subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that operators during relaxed states and that conserves energy
|
|
|
neuron
|
nerve cells
|
|
|
glial cells
|
nervous system cells that aid the neurons by providing them with nutrients, insulating them, and removing cellular debris when they die
|
|
|
dendrites
|
a neuron's branches that receive information from other neurons and transmit it toward the cell body
|
|
|
cell body
|
the part of the neuron that keeps it alive and determines whether it will fire
|
|
|
axon
|
a neuron's extending fiber that conducts impulses away from the cell body and transmits them to other neurons
|
|
|
axon terminals
|
the axon's end branches
|
|
|
myelin sheath
|
a fatty insulation that may surround the axon of a neuron
|
|
|
nerve
|
a bundle of nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system
|
|
|
neurgenesis
|
when immature cells (precursor cells) give birth to new neurons
|
|
|
synaptic cleft
|
where the axon terminal of one neuron nearly touches a dendrite or cell body of another
|
|
|
synapse
|
the site where a nerve impulse is transmitted from one nerve cell to another; it includes the axon terminal, the synaptic cleft, and receptor sites in the membrane of the receiving cell
|
|
|
plasticity
|
the term referring to the brain's flexibility
|
|
|
action potential
|
a brief change in electrical voltage which produces an electric current or impulse
|
|
|
synaptic vesicles
|
tiny sacs in the tip of the axon terminal
|
|
|
neurotransmitter
|
a chemical substance that is released by a transmitting neuron at the synapse and that alters the activity of the receiving neuron
|
|
|
receptor sites
|
special molecules in the membrane of the receiving neuron
|
|
|
excitatory
|
a voltage shift in a positive direction
|
|
|
inhibitory
|
a voltage shift in a negative direction
|
|
|
all-or-none principle
|
a neuron either fires or it doesn't
|
|
|
serotonin
|
a neurotransmitter that affects neurons involved in sleep, appetite, sensory perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression, and mood
|
|
|
dopamine
|
a neurotransmitter that affects neurons involved in voluntary movement, learning, memory, and emotion
|
|
|
acetylcholine
|
a neurotransmitter that affects neurons involved in muscle action, cognitive functioning, memory, and emotion
|
|
|
Norepinephrine
|
neurons involved in increased heart rate and the slowing of intestinal activity during stress, and neurons involved in learning, memory, dreaming, waking from sleep, and emotion
|
|
|
GABA
|
functions as the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
|
|
|
Glutamate
|
functions as an important excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and plays a critical role in long-term memory
|
|
|
Alzheimer's disease
|
a devastating condition that leads to memory loss, personality changes, and eventually disintegration of all physical and mental abilities
|
|
|
Parkinson's disease
|
a condition characterized by tremors, muscular spasms, and increasing muscular rigidity
|
|
|
blood-brain barrier
|
a system of densely packed capillary and glial cells whose function is to prevent potentially harmful substances from entering the brain
|
|
|
endorphins
|
chemical substances in the nervous system that are similar in structure and action to opiates; they are involved in pain reduction, pleasure, and memory, and are known technically as endogenous opiod peptides
|
|
|
neuromodulators
|
some endorphins which alter the effects of neurotransmitters
|
|
|
hormones
|
chemical substances, secreted by organs called glands, that affect the functioning of other organs
|
|
|
endocrine glands
|
internal organs that produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream
|
|
|
adrenal hormones
|
hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands and that are involved in emotions and stress; they include cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine
|
|
|
cortisol
|
an adrenal hormone that increases blood-sugar levels and boosts energy which is produced in the outer part of the adrenal gland
|
|
|
epinephrine
|
an adrenal hormone that is popularly known as adrenaline, produced in the inner part of the adrenal gland
|
|
|
norepinephrine
|
an adrenal hormone produced in the inner part of the adrenal gland
|
|
|
melatonin
|
a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, that is involved in the regulation of daily biological rhythms
|
|
|
biological rhythm
|
a periodic, more or less regular fluctuation in a biological system; it may or may not have psychological implications
|
|
|
circadian rhythm
|
a biological rhythm with a period of about 24 hours
|
|
|
suprachiasmatic nucleus
|
an area of the brain containing a biological clock that governs circadian rhythms
|
|
|
sex hormones
|
hormones that regulate the development and functioning of reproductive organs and that stimulate the development of male and female sexual characteristics; they include androgens, estrogens, and progesterone
|
|
|
androgens
|
masculinizing hormones
|
|
|
estrogen
|
feminizing hormones
|
|
|
progesterone
|
contributes to the growth and development of the uterine lining in preparation for a fertilized egg
|
|
|
lesion method
|
damaging or removing sections of the brains of animals, then observing the effects
|
|
|
electrodes
|
devices that detect the electrical activity or millions of neurons in particular regions of the brain and are widely used in research and medical diagnosis
|
|
|
electroencephalogram
|
a recording of neural activity detected by electrodes
|
|
|
positron-emission tomography
|
a method of analyzing biochemical activity in the brain, using injections of a glucose-like substance containing a radioactive element
|
|
|
magnetic resonance imaging
|
a method for studying body and brain tissue. Using magnetic fields and special radio receivers
|
|
|
localization of function
|
specialization of particular brain areas for particular functions
|
|
|
brain stem
|
the part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting of the medulla and the Pons
|
|
|
medulla
|
a structure in the brain stem responsible for certain autonomic functions, such as breathing and heart rate
|
|
|
Pons
|
a structure in the brain stem involved in, among other things, sleeping, waking, and dreaming
|
|
|
reticular activating system
|
a dense network of neurons found in the core of the brain stem; it arouses the cortex and screens incoming information
|
|
|
cerebellum
|
a brain structure that regulates movement and balance, and that is involved in the learning of certain kinds of simple responses
|
|
|
thalamus
|
a brain structure that relates motor impulses to the spinal cord and sensory messages to the cerebral cortex
|
|
|
olfactory bulb
|
the private switching station for the sense of smell
|
|
|
hypothalamus
|
a brain structure involved in emotions and drives vital to survival, such as fear, hunger, thirst, and reproduction; it regulates the autonomic nervous system
|
|
|
pituitary glands
|
a small endocrine gland at the base of the brain, which releases many hormones and regulates other endocrine glands
|
|
|
limbic system
|
a group of brain areas involved in emotional reactions and motivated behavior
|
|
|
amygdale
|
a brain structure involved in the arousal and regulation of emotion, particularly fear, and the initial emotional response to sensory information
|
|
|
hippocampus
|
a brain structure involved in the storage of new information in memory
|
|
|
cerebrum
|
the largest brain structure, consisting of the upper part of the brain; it is in charge of most sensory, motor, and cognitive processes
|
|
|
cerebral hemispheres
|
the two halves of the cerebrum
|
|
|
corpus callosum
|
the bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres
|
|
|
lateralization
|
specialization of the two cerebral hemispheres for particular operations
|
|
|
cerebral cortex
|
a collection of several thin layers of cells covering the cerebrum; it is largely responsible for higher mental functions
|
|
|
occipital lobes
|
lobes at the lower back part of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas that receive visual information
|
|
|
visual cortex
|
where visual signals are processed
|
|
|
parietal lobes
|
lobes at the top of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas that receive information on pressure, pain, touch, and temperature
|
|
|
somatosensory cortex
|
an area that receives information on pressure, pain, touch, and temperature
|
|
|
temporal lobes
|
lobes at the sides of the cerebral cortex, just above the ears; they contain areas involved in hearing, memory, perception, emotion, and language comprehension
|
|
|
auditory cortex
|
an area where sounds are processed
|
|
|
wernicke's area
|
an area of the left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension
|
|
|
frontal lobes
|
lobes at the front of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas involved in short-term memory, higher-order thinking, initiative, social judgment and speech production
|
|
|
motor cortex
|
an area that issues order to 600 muscles of the body that produce voluntary movement
|
|
|
broca's area
|
an area involved in speech production
|
|
|
association cortex
|
areas of the brain that are silent when stimulated, but are involved in higher mental processes
|
|
|
prefrontal cortex
|
the forward most part of the frontal lobes involved in personality
|
|
|
split-brain surgery
|
the process of cutting the corpus callosum to reduce or eliminate seizures in epileptic patients
|
|
|
hemispheric dominance
|
a term for when one brain hemisphere is more active during specified tasks than another
|
|
|
long-term potentiation
|
a long-lasting increase in the strength of synaptic responsiveness, thought to be a biological mechanisms of long-term memory
|
|
|
declarative memories
|
memories of facts and events
|
|
|
procedural memories
|
memories for skills and habits
|
|
|
rapid eye movement sleep
|
sleep periods characterized by quick eye movements, loss of muscle, tone, and dreaming
|
|
|
non-REM sleep
|
sleep periods of fewer eye movements
|
|
|
alpha waves
|
brain waves that have a regular, slow rhythm and a high amplitude
|
|
|
delta waves
|
very slow brain waves with high peaks
|
|
|
sleep spindles
|
short bursts of rapid, high-peaking brain waves
|
|
|
activation-synthesis theory
|
the theory that dreaming results from the cortical synthesis and interpretation of neural signals triggered by activity in the lower part of the brain
|
