Biological Basis of Behavior Quiz

Biological Basis of Behavior

• Neurons have dendrites, axons, and synaptic terminals.
• Synaptic communication is the process of communication between neurons.
• An action potential involves ions, depolarization, and maintaining a resting potential with the sodium-potassium pump.
• Threshold is the level that must be reached to trigger an action potential.
• Neurotransmitters like GABA (inhibitory) and glutamate (excitatory) affect neuronal activity.
• The central nervous system is distinct from the peripheral nervous system.
• Brain lobes (with functions) are key parts; Broca's and Wernicke's areas are associated with language, and aphasia relates to language impairment.
• The corpus callosum connects hemispheres in the brain.
• The limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus) and main structures (thalamus, hypothalamus) play important roles.
• The hindbrain (with cerebellum, pons, medulla, and reticular formation), midbrain, and the overall brain structures have defined roles.

Sensation and Perception

• Sensation describes receiving sensory input, while perception is interpreting it.
• Transduction converts sensory stimuli into neural signals.
• Sensory systems each use specific sensory cells for transduction. (e.g. light energy).
• Visual systems use rods and cones in the retina and have complex processes.
• The mechanisms are described regarding hyperpolarization and synaptic responses (no need to know all transduction details for synaptic potentials).
• Information processing (bottom-up vs top-down processing) is crucial.
• Several Gestalt principles explain how our brains perceive patterns and figures.

Memory and Attention

• Memory involves encoding, consolidation, and retrieval processes.
• Long-term potentiation (LTP) and sleep are critical phases in consolidation.
• The amygdala plays a role in processing emotional memories; hippocampus in forming explicit memories.

Abnormal Psychology

• Primary features of disorders like OCD, anxiety, depression, and psychosis are presented as key factors.
• Specific phobia and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) are differentiated.
• Types of depressive disorders (unipolar, bipolar I, and bipolar II) are identified and differentiated based on symptoms and biological theories.
• Schizophrenia, with its positive and negative symptoms, is described. A biological theory of dopamine is included as part of the biological description of the disorder.
• Therapy factors including common factors are presented to offer an overview of psychological therapies.

Trauma and Resilience

• HPA axis, amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal/posterior cingulate cortices are linked in trauma response and resilience.
• Symptoms and definitions, including PTSD criteria are present.
• Brain network involvement in PTSD is noted (including specific changes in the hippocampus.)
• Epigenetics (alterations in gene function without changes to DNA) is discussed.
• Methylation (adding a methyl group to DNA in epigenetic modifications) is mentioned.
• Trauma, characteristics of victims and social support are considered.
• Resilience is described as a concept related to trauma and its outcomes.

Evolutionary Psychology (PSY102 – 6X section only)

• Natural selection and sexual selection are differentiated in evolutionary contexts.
• K and R species are distinguished.
• Examples of intrasexual and intersexual competition are presented using relevant examples.
• Individual selection, kin selection, and reciprocal altruism are differentiated.
• A comparative analysis of pair bonding species and tournament species is presented.
• Biological purpose of emotions and the concept of trade-offs are briefly discussed.
• Human mating strategies (for both men and women) are introduced in an evolutionary context.