Heredity & Environment
This refers to genetic characteristics inherited from parents that influence traits.
What is heredity?
The nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
The body’s internal 24-hour clock regulating sleep and wake cycles.
What is the circadian rhythm?
The brain region responsible for balance and coordination.
What is the cerebellum?
Branch-like structures that receive messages from other neurons.
What are dendrites?
External influences such as parenting, culture, and education that shape behavior.
What is environment?
The nervous system that includes all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
Sleep characterized by vivid dreams and rapid eye movement.
What is REM sleep?
The lobe responsible for decision-making, planning, and personality.
What is the frontal lobe?
The structure in the ear that converts sound vibrations into neural signals.
What is the cochlea?
This concept explains how genes and environment work together to influence behavior and mental traits.
What is the interaction of heredity and environment?
The division responsible for voluntary muscle movements.
What is the somatic nervous system?
The deepest stage of non-REM sleep.
What is Stage 3 sleep?
The lobe that processes touch and spatial awareness.
What is the parietal lobe?
The principle stating that a neuron fires completely or not at all.
What is the all-or-nothing principle?
This research method compares identical and fraternal twins to understand genetic influence.
What are twin studies?
The division that prepares the body for fight-or-flight responses.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Two common disruptions of circadian rhythm mentioned in psychology.
What are jet lag and night shift work?
The brain structure involved in memory formation.
What is the hippocampus?
The five primary tastes detected by humans.
What are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami?
Two identical twins are separated at birth. Both grow up in different countries but still develop very similar personalities and career interests. Psychologists use findings like this to argue that this factor strongly influences behavior
What is genetics (nature)?
A student is about to give a big presentation. Their heart rate increases, palms sweat, and breathing becomes faster as their body prepares to respond to stress.
What is the sympathetic nervous system activating the fight-or-flight response?
During a sleep study, researchers observe that a person’s brain waves become slow and high in amplitude, known as delta waves, which occur during the deepest and most restorative stage of sleep.
What is Stage 3 NREM sleep (slow-wave sleep)?
After a car accident, a patient survives but their family notices they suddenly make impulsive decisions, struggle with planning, and their personality has drastically changed.
What is the frontal lobe?
A person accidentally touches a hot stove. Within milliseconds, the hand pulls away before the person is even aware of the pain because the signal travels through the spinal cord first.
What is a reflex arc?