AP Psychology Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior

What are the three main criticisms of the evolutionary explanation of human sexuality?

(1) It starts with an effect and works backward to propose an explanation. (2) This explanation may overlook the effects of cultural expectations and socialization. (3) Men could use such explanations to rationalize their irresponsible behavior toward women.

(1) If we flash a red light to the right hemisphere of a right-handed person with a split-brain and flash a green light to the left hemisphere, will each observe its own color? (2) Will the person be aware that the colors differ? (3) What will the person verbally report seeing?

(1) yes (2) no (3) green

FRQ: Charlotte is 88 years old and is feeling the effects of her long life. She suffered a stroke five years ago, which left the right side of her body limp. She also sometimes has trouble understanding when she is asked questions. Her doctors believe that she also may be suffering from the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease. Explain how each might contribute to Charlotte's current circumstance. -Motor cortex -Acetylcholine -Association areas -Plasticity -Epigenetics

1 point: Because Charlotte's right side is limp, the damage from her stroke most likely occurred in the left hemisphere and potentially in her left motor cortex, which would leave her with little muscular control over the right side of her body. Page 110 1 point: If Charlotte suffers from Alzheimer's disease, it is possible that the neurons responsible for producing acetylcholine have deteriorated. Page 87 1 point: If Charlotte's association areas have been damaged, it may be difficult for her to integrate new ideas. She may also have trouble retrieving memories that were once easily recalled. Page 114 1 point: Because of Charlotte's age, her brain will not have the ability to build an abundance of new neural networks, and if she has not recovered from her injury in a few months' time, she is likely to make little progress in her recovery. Page 116 1 point: Perhaps Charlotte has a predisposition for Alzheimer's disease. If she was in an environment that was not enriching and cognitively engaging, it may have made Alzheimer's disease more likely. On the other hand, despite having a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's disease, if Charlotte was exposed to an enriching environment, her disposition may not have been expressed. Page 137

FRQ: Provide two examples of how nature and nurture interact to affect an individual's physical health.

1 point: Because nature refers to the contributions of heredity, a person may be predisposed to develop (or not) diabetes or heart disease. Page 129 1 point: Because nurture refers to the contributions of environment and the way individuals are raised, an individual may eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, activities that will make them healthy, which may counteract their heredity. Page 129

FRQ: Karl's doctor is concerned about a loss of neural functioning in Karl's brain. Explain how loss of each of the following might make Karl's reaction time slower. Myelin sheath Acetylcholine (ACh)

1 point: Damage to the myelin sheath would slow down neural impulses and cause the message to travel slower which makes the muscles move slower. Page 82 1 point: ACh is the neurotransmitter involved in muscle action. The doctor might look to see if Karl was producing enough of this neurotransmitter. Page 87

FRQ: Explain how evolutionary psychologists and the concept of social scripts would explain differences in mate selection by men.

1 point: Evolutionary psychologist would argue that men, in general, choose mates who are younger than they are and are able to have many children. Page 146 1 point: Social scripts would explain that the choice of one's mate can be determined by cultural scripts and that child bearing may not be the determining factor. Page 146

FRQ: Brain lateralization means that each hemisphere has its own functions. Give an example of both a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere function. Then explain how the two hemispheres communicate with one another.

1 point: Left hemisphere functions include language, math, and logic. Page 123 1 point: Right hemisphere functions include spatial relationships, facial recognition, and patterns. Page 123 1 point: The corpus callosum carries information back and forth between the two hemispheres. Page 120

FRQ: Doctors sometimes have to remove a portion of the brain to control life-threatening seizures. Describe what the results of the removal of a portion of the somatosensory cortex would be and explain how this procedure might be affected by brain plasticity.

1 point: Removing part of the somatosensory cortex would result in a lack of sensation/inability to feel being touched in the parts of the body associated with the removed tissue. Page 113 1 point: Because of brain plasticity, the person's brain may be able to change and reorganize new pathways based on experience. This is more likely if the person is a child. Page 116

FRQ: While walking barefoot, you step on a piece of glass. Before you have a chance to consciously process what has happened, you draw your foot away from the glass. Identify and explain the three types of neurons that deal with information regarding this painful stimulus.

1 point: Sensory neurons carry information from the point of the injury to the central nervous system. Page 92 1 point: Interneurons are neurons within the brain and spinal cord. Interneurons would help you interpret the pain and enable your spinal cord to send out marching orders. Page 92 1 point: Motor neurons carry the instruction from the central nervous system to activate the muscles in your leg and foot. Page 92

FRQ: Thomas fell and hit his head, so his parents brought him to the emergency room. Explain how the following scans would give doctors different information about the type of injury Thomas may have. CT scan MRI fMRI

1 point: The CT scan would reveal brain damage to structures that would be visible on an X-ray. Page 99 1 point: The MRI would provide a much more detailed picture of the brain than a CT scan. Page 99 1 point: The fMRI would enable the doctors to determine if the functioning of parts of the brain had been damaged, by looking at blood flow to certain regions. Page 100

In what brain region would damage be most likely to 1)disrupt your ability to jump rope 2) disrupt your ability to hear 3) leave you in a coma 4) cut off the very breath and heartbeat of life

1) cerebellum 2) thalamus 3) reticular formation 4) medulla

What are the three key structures of the limbic system, and what functions do they serve?

1) the amygdala is involved in aggression and fear responses. 2) the hypothalamus is involved in bodily maintenance, pleasurable rewards, and control of the hormonal systems. 3) the hippocampus processes memory of facts and events.

Try moving your right hand in a circular motion, as if cleaning a table. Then start your right foot doing the same motion, synchronized with your hand. Now reverse the right foot's motion, but not the hand's. Finally, try moving the left foot opposite to the right hand. Why is reversing the right foot's motion so hard? Why is it easier to move the left foot opposite to the right hand?

1. The right limbs' opposed activities interfere with each other because both are controlled by the same (left) side of your brain. 2. Opposite sides of your brain control your left and right limbs, so the reversed motion causes less interference.

How are the nervous and endocrine systems alike, and how do they differ?

Both of these communication systems produce chemical molecules that act on the body's receptors to influence our behavior and emotions. The endocrine system, which secretes hormones into the bloodstream, delivers its messages much more slowly than the speedy nervous system, and the effects of the endocrine system's messages tend to linger much longer than those the nervous system.

How do evolutionary psychologists explain male-female differences in sexuality?

Evolutionary psychologists theorize that females have inherited their ancestors' tendencies to be more cautious sexually because of the challenges associated with incubating and nurturing offspring. Males have inherited a tendency to be more casual about sex, because their act of fathering requires a smaller investment.

What happens in the synaptic gap?

Neurons send neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) across this tiny space between one neuron's terminal branch and the next neuron's dendrite or cell body.

How are Belyaev and Trut's fox-breeding practices similar to, and how do they differ from, the way natural selection normally occurs?

Over multiple generations, Belyaev and Trut selected and bred foxes that exhibited a trait they desired: tameness. This process is similar to naturally occurring selection, but it differs in that natural selection is much slower, and normally favors traits (including those arising from mutations) that contribute to reproduction and survival.

How do researchers use twin and adoption studies to learn about psychological principles?

Researchers use twin and adoption studies to understand how much variation among individuals is due to genetic makeup and how much is due to environmental factors. Some studies compare the traits and behaviors of identical twins (same genes) and fraternal twins (different genes, as in any two siblings). They also compare adopted children with their adoptive and biological parents. Some studies compare traits and behaviors of twins raised together or separately.

Why is the pituitary gland called the "master gland"?

Responding to the signals from the hypothalamus, the pituitary releases hormones that trigger other endocrine glands to secrete hormones, which i turn influence brain and behavior.

What bodily changes does your ANS direct before and after you give an important speech?

Responding to this challenge, your ANS (autonomic nervous system) sympathetic division will arouse you. It accelerates your heartbeat, raises your blood pressure and blood sugar, slows your digestion, adn cools you with perspiration. After you give the speech your ANS parasympathetic division will reverse these effects. (returns you to homeostasis)

What is reuptake? What two other things can happen to excess neurotransmitters after a neuron reacts?

Reuptake occurs when excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron. They can also drift away or be broken down by enzymes.

How does the biopsychosocial approach explain our individual development?

The biopsychosocial approach considers all the factors that influence our individual development: biological factors (including evolution and our genes, hormones, and brain), psychological factors (including our experiences, beliefs, feelings, and expectations), and social-cultural factors (including parental and peer influences, cultural individualism or collectivism, and gender norms).

What are the mind's two tracks, and what is dual processing?

The human brain has separate conscious and unconscious tracks that process information simultaneously. In vision, for example, the visual action track normally guides our conscious visual processing, while the visual perception track normally operates unconsciously, enabling our quick recognition of objects.

What do phrenology and biological psychology have in common?

They share a focus on the links between the brain and behavior. Phrenology faded because it had no scientific basis - skull bumps don't reveal mental traits and abilities.

How does information flow through your nervous system as you pick up a fork? Can you summarize this process?

Your central nervous system's hungry brain activates and guides the muscles of your arm and hand via your peripheral nervous system's motor neurons. As you pick up the fork, your brain processes the information from your sensory nervous system, enabling it to continue to guide the fork to your mouth. The functional circle start with sensory input, continues with interneuron processing by the central nervous system, and finishes with motor output.

Match the description: Sensory Neurons a) carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS b) communicate within the CNS and process information between incoming and outgoing messages c) carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands

a) carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS Think Afferent -> ADD

Match the description: PET scan a)tracks radioactive glucose to reveal brain activity b) tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function c) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show brain anatomy

a) tracks radioactive glucose to reveal brain activity

Match the description: behavior genetics a)study of the relative effects of our genes and our environment on our behavior b) study of how the structure and function of specific genes interact with our environment to influence behavior c) Study of environmental factors that affect how our genes are expressed.

a)study of the relative effects of our genes and our environment on our behavior

Why are association areas important?

association areas are involved in higher mental functions -- interpreting, integrating, and acting on information processed in other areas

Match the description: molecular behavior genetics a)study of the relative effects of our genes and our environment on our behavior b) study of how the structure and function of specific genes interact with our environment to influence behavior c) Study of environmental factors that affect how our genes are expressed.

b) Study of how the structure and function of specific genes interact with our environment to influence behavior.

Match the description: Interneurons a) carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS b) communicate within the CNS and process information between incoming and outgoing messages c) carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands

b) communicate within the CNS and process information between incoming and outgoing messages Think Inter -> Between

Match the description: fMRI scan a)tracks radioactive glucose to reveal brain activity b) tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function c) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show brain anatomy

b) tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function.

The ___ is a crossover point where nerves from the left side of the rba

brainstem

Match the description: Motor Neurons a) carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS b) communicate within the CNS and process information between incoming and outgoing messages c) carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands

c) carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands. Think Efferent -> Exit

Match the description: MRI scan a)tracks radioactive glucose to reveal brain activity b) tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function c) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show brain anatomy

c) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show brain anatomy.

Match the description: epigenetics a)study of the relative effects of our genes and our environment on our behavior b) study of how the structure and function of specific genes interact with our environment to influence behavior c) Study of environmental factors that affect how our genes are expressed.

c. Study of environmental factors that affect how our genes are expressed.

Those working in the interdisciplinary field called _____________ _____________ study the brain activity associated with the mental processes of perception, thinking, memory, and language.

cognitive neuroscience

When a neuron fires an action potential, the information travels through the axon, the dendrites, and the cell body, but not in that order. Place these three structures in the correct order: cell body, axon, dendrites

dendrites, cell body, axon

Put the following cell structures in order from smallest to largest: nucleus, gene, chromosome.

gene, chromosome, nucleus

Those studying the heritability of a trait try to determine how much of the person-to-person variation in that trait among members of a specific group is due to their differing _____________.

genes

Serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins are all chemical messengers called ____.

neurotransmitters

Our brain's ___ cortex registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. The ____ cortex controls our voluntary movements

somatosensory motor

How does our nervous system allow us to experience the difference between a slap and a tap on the back?

stronger stimuli (the slap) cause more neurons to fire and to fire more frequently than happens with the weaker stimuli (the tap)

Which area of the human brain is most similar to that of less complex animals? Which part of the human brain distinguishes us most from less complex animals?

the brainstem the cerebral cortex

Electrical stimulation of a cat's amygdala provokes angry reactions. Which autonomic nervous system division is activated by such stimulation?

the sympathetic nervous system