Nature vs. Nurture
This refers to the genetic influences on behavior.
Nature / Heredity
This approach says your body, brain, genes, and hormones influence behavior.
Biological Approach
The brain and spinal cord make up this system.
Central Nervous System
This autonomic division is known as “fight or flight.”
Sympathetic Division
These nervous system cells transmit information.
Neurons
This refers to environmental influences such as culture, experiences, nutrition, and upbringing.
Nurture / Environment
This approach focuses on learned behavior and experiences.
Behavioral Approach
All nerves outside the brain and spinal cord make up this system.
Peripheral Nervous System
This autonomic division is known as “rest and digest.”
Parasympathetic Division
These cells support, insulate, protect, and clean up around neurons.
Glial Cells
This perspective argues that some behaviors exist because they helped our ancestors survive and reproduce.
Evolutionary Perspective
This approach focuses on how we process, store, and use information.
Cognitive Approach
This division of the PNS controls voluntary skeletal muscles.
Somatic Nervous System
These neurons carry information toward the CNS.
Afferent Neurons
This type of neuron carries information from your senses toward the CNS.
Sensory Neuron
This is the mathematical measure of how much variation in a trait within a population is related to genetic differences.
Heritability
This approach focuses on culture, social groups, norms, and religion.
Sociocultural Approach
This division controls automatic functions such as heart rate, sweating, and digestion.
Autonomic Nervous System
These neurons carry information away from the CNS toward muscles.
Efferent Neurons
This is the electrical signal that travels down a neuron after it reaches threshold.
Action Potential
Diet, stress, pollution, and trauma affecting how genes are expressed is an example of this.
Gene-environment interaction / Epigenetics
This approach focuses on unconscious thoughts, internal conflicts, and past experiences.
Psychodynamic Approach
You are relaxing after eating a large meal. Which division is most active?
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Your heart rate rises during danger, then later returns to normal. The return to internal balance is called this.
Homeostasis
A neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all. This rule is called what?
All-or-Nothing Principle