Evolutionary Psychology and Behavior Studies

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Questions and Answers

What does the social brain hypothesis suggest about larger brains?

They lead to increased physical strength.

They are needed for complex social interactions. (correct)

They enhance sensory perception.

They are necessary for basic survival.

What does the term ecological niche refer to?

The learned behaviors of an organism in captivity.

The unique set of environmental opportunities and challenges an organism is adapted to. (correct)

The physical features an organism inherits.

The social hierarchy within animal groups.

How does behaviorism define the learner's role in acquiring behavior?

As someone who relies on intrinsic motivation.

As a being that learns solely through observation of peers.

As an active participant shaping their learning.

As a passive entity responding to environmental stimuli. (correct)

What is a primary critique of cognitive ethology?

It is focused on behavior outside of natural conditions. Signup and view all the answers

What is synesthesia and what are its two forms?

A condition causing the mixing of senses, with projective and associative types. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes apoptosis?

A natural programmed cell death process. Signup and view all the answers

What is a misconception about behaviorism's view of reinforcers?

Reinforcers can strengthen behaviors even without direct rewards. Signup and view all the answers

What role do diablo proteins play in the apoptotic process?

They are released to initiate apoptosis. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the cornea in the eye?

To bend light to help focus on the back of the eye Signup and view all the answers

Which structure is specifically responsible for adjusting focus based on distance?

Ciliary muscles Signup and view all the answers

What does the optic disc represent in the structure of the eye?

An area with no photoreceptors Signup and view all the answers

What role do spinal reflexes serve in the body's response to stimuli?

They provide automatic responses bypassing the brain. Signup and view all the answers

Which motor pathway provides direct control over voluntary movements?

Corticospinal tracts Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the basal ganglia in motor control?

Regulating movement and motor control Signup and view all the answers

Which layer behind the retina helps photoreceptors stay alive?

Choroid Signup and view all the answers

What defines the phobia within the eye's anatomy?

Center of sharpest vision Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the extrapyramidal system?

Modulating movement and maintaining muscle tone Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is characterized by the destruction of myelin sheaths?

Multiple sclerosis Signup and view all the answers

Which disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks acetylcholine receptors?

Myasthenia gravis Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining symptom of Parkinson's disease?

Tremors and difficulty initiating movements Signup and view all the answers

What type of paralysis is referred to as complete paralysis of a muscle group?

Plegia Signup and view all the answers

Which genetic disorder is known for causing clumsiness, involuntary movements, and cognitive problems?

Huntington's disease Signup and view all the answers

What chemical is known to be toxic and linked to symptoms of Parkinson's disease when found in contaminated meth?

MPP+ Signup and view all the answers

What therapeutic approach is often used for severe cases of Parkinson's disease?

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key principle of hormone action regarding behavior?

Hormones change the probability or intensity of a behavior. Signup and view all the answers

How do hormones interact with one another?

Hormones can interact with other hormones, changing their effects. Signup and view all the answers

What defines autocrine communication in hormone signaling?

Chemicals acting on the cell that releases them. Signup and view all the answers

Castration is most associated with what type of changes?

Both behavioral and physiological changes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of steroid hormones?

They can alter gene expression. Signup and view all the answers

Which communication method involves the release of hormones affecting cells throughout the body?

Endocrine communication. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of protein hormones?

They are made of amino acid chains. Signup and view all the answers

What role does target cell feedback play in hormone regulation?

It provides negative feedback to inhibit further hormone release. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the HTT gene play in relation to Huntington's disease?

It encodes the huntingtin protein. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of muscle is NOT part of the skeletal system?

Cardiac muscle Signup and view all the answers

What does the size principle refer to in muscle contraction?

Weak contractions activate small, low-threshold neurons. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of proprioception in the human body?

It provides sensory feedback on body position. Signup and view all the answers

The primary motor cortex (M1) is located in which region of the brain?

Precentral gyrus Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about mirror neurons is true?

They are activated when observing an action. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes fast-twitch muscle fibers?

They react quickly but tire rapidly. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the neuromuscular junction?

It links motor neurons to muscle cells. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Larger brain size is linked to complex social interactions.

Evolutionary Theories

Survival of the Fittest: Individuals best adapted to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully.
Homology: Features shared due to common ancestry.
Segmentation: Body division into similar parts.
Ecological Niche: Unique environmental opportunities and challenges that an organism adapts to.

Learning Theories

Behaviorism: Learners are passive and respond to environmental stimuli.
Cognitive Ethology: Conscious awareness and intention influence animal behavior.
Cognitive Ethologists: Animals in lab settings may be influenced by artificial stimuli, rendering their natural behaviors less relevant.

Human Behavior Studies

Studying animal behavior can provide insights into human behavior.
Observation, measurement, and interpretation are key methods.

Synesthesia

The ability to experience sensations across different senses (e.g., seeing colors when hearing sounds).
Projective synesthesia: See colors, forms, or shapes when stimulated.
Associative synesthesia: Strong and involuntary connection between stimulus and experience.
Types: Grapheme color, chromesthesia, spatial sequence, lexical gustatory, misophonia.

Apoptosis

Natural programmed cell death.
Process:
- Ca2+ ions build up inside cells.
- Ca2+ triggers release of Diablo proteins.
- Synapses wither away if neurons don't fire together.

The Eye

Cornea: Bends light to focus on the back of the eye.
Pupil: Aperture of the eye, controlled by the iris.
Lens: Adjustable, focuses light onto the retina.
Retina: Contains rods and cones (photoreceptors).
Choroid Layer: Nourishes photoreceptors and absorbs excess light.
Sclera: Outer layer of the eye.
Fovea: Center of vision, sharpest visual acuity.
Optic Disc: Contains blood vessels and nerves; lacks photoreceptors (blind spot).

Motor Control

Spinal Reflexes: Automatic responses to sensory stimuli.
Dorsal Root: Sensory nerve fibers entering the spinal cord.
Ventral Root: Motor nerve fibers exiting the spinal cord.
Knee-jerk Reflex: Simple reflex action involving leg extension.
Extrapyramidal Systems: Motor pathways outside the pyramidal tract.
Cerebellum: Coordinates voluntary movements and balance.
Basal Ganglia: Subcortical nuclei regulating movement and motor control.
Reticulospinal Tracts: Pathways from the brainstem influencing spinal cord motor output.
Rubrospinal Tract: Pathway from the red nucleus regulating motor output.
Corticospinal Tracts: Direct pathways controlling voluntary movements.

Motor Output

Motor Output: Signals sent from the brain to muscles.
Amplitude of Movement: Extent of physical movement.
Direction of Movement: Orientation of physical movement.

Brain Control of Motor Output

Pyramidal System: Neurons originate in the motor cortex and directly control movements.
Extrapyramidal System: Modulates movements, prevents erratic movements, and maintains muscle tone (basal ganglia).

Motor Diseases and Injuries

Muscular Dystrophy: Group of disorders causing muscle degeneration.
Multiple Sclerosis: Destruction of the myelin sheath.
Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy: Common, fatal X-linked muscle disorder.
Myasthenia Gravis: Autoimmune disorder causing muscle weakness.
Poliovirus: Virus destroys motoneurons, leading to muscle atrophy.
ALS: Progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motoneurons.
Spinal Cord Injury: Damage to the spinal cord affecting mobility and function.
Stroke: Brain injury causing paralysis or weakness.
Apraxia: Inability to perform movements without muscle weakness.
Plegia: Complete paralysis of a muscle group.
Paresis: Partial weakness of a muscle group.
Spasticity: Increased muscle tone leading to stiffness.
Ideomotor Apraxia: Inability to carry out simple motor activity.
Ideational Apraxia: Impairment in carrying out a sequence of actions.

Parkinson's Disease

Symptoms: Tremors, loss of facial muscle tone, difficulty initiating movements, difficulty with motor activities.
Cause: Loss of dopamine input from the basal ganglia to the striatum.
Treatment: L-dopa, deep brain stimulation.
MPTP: Chemical toxic to dopamine neurons, found in contaminated methamphetamine.

Huntington's Disease

Symptoms: Initial clumsiness and twitches, progressing to constant involuntary movements and cognitive problems.
Cause: Inherited single dominant gene defect (HTT gene).
Effects: Strong impact on the basal ganglia nuclei.
Onset to Death: Approximately 20 years.

Skeletal System

Composed of skeletal muscles, not smooth or cardiac muscle.
EMG (Electromyography): Measures muscle activity by recording action potentials.
Feedforward Control: Interdependence of effectors pre-planned before sensory feedback is used (e.g., gastrocnemius contraction).
Muscle Contraction: Muscles create force only through contraction; relaxation reverses contraction.
Antagonists (Motor): Muscles that oppose each other.
Neuromuscular Junction: Connection between an axon terminal and a muscle cell.
Motor Unit: Motoneuron and all fibers it innervates.
Fast-Twitch Fibers: React quickly and strongly but tire quickly.
Slow-Twitch Fibers: Have a slower response but don't tire as quickly.
Size Principle: Weak contraction activates small, low-threshold neurons, corresponding to slow-twitch fibers.
Proprioception: Sensory system for knowing body position in space.
Muscle Spindle: Contains intrafusal muscle fibers, senses muscle stretch.
Golgi Tendon Organ: Located in tendon, monitors muscle tension, prevents damage.
Spinal Reflexes: Movements controlled at different levels of the nervous system.
Central Pattern Generator: Neural circuit generating rhythmic motor patterns.
Pyramidal Motor System (Corticospinal System): Axons pass through the medulla.
Primary Motor Cortex (M1): Located in the precentral gyrus, highest firing rates for specific movement directions.
Motor Cortex Plasticity: Motor representations can shift (e.g. training).
Supplementary Motor Area (SMA): Crucial for voluntary movement initiation.
Mirror Neurons: Located in the ventral premotor cortex, fire before an action and when observing the same action.

Hormones and their Impact on the Brain and Behavior

Hormones: Chemicals secreted into the bloodstream affecting target cells.
Principles of Hormone Action:
- Gradual effects
- Change probability/intensity of behaviors
- Reciprocal relationship with behavior
- Multiple effects and influence from multiple hormones
- Pulsatile secretion pattern
- Circadian control
- Interactions and altered effects
- Specific receptors needed for action.
Endocrine Glands: Release hormones internally.
Exocrine Glands: Release fluids outside the body via ducts.
Synaptic Communication: Chemical release across a synapse.
Endocrine Communication: Hormone release into the bloodstream.
Autocrine Communication: Chemical acts on the releasing cell.
Paracrine Communication: Chemical diffuses to nearby target cells.
Pheromone Communication: Hormones released for communication between the same species.
Allomone Communication: Chemicals affecting behavior of different species.
Castration: Removal of gonads leads to behavioral and physiological changes.
Neurosecretory Cells: Neurons releasing hormones into the bloodstream.
Target Cell Feedback: Negative feedback loop where biological responses inhibit further hormone release (e.g., insulin).

Communication Types

Neural Communication: Rapid, precise, short distances.
Hormonal Communication: Slower, throughout the body.

Hormone Types

Protein Hormones: Amino acid chains.
Amine Hormones: Modified amino acids.
Steroid Hormones: Cholesterol-based.

Hormone Action

Second Messenger: Molecule activated by hormone-receptor binding.
Genomic Effects: Steroid hormones altering gene expression.
Receptor Isoforms: Different receptors for the same steroid hormone.
Steroid Receptor Cofactors: Proteins necessary for steroid hormone response.

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Description

Explore the connections between evolutionary theories and human behavior. This quiz delves into concepts like the Social Brain Hypothesis, learning theories, and the implications of animal behavior studies on understanding humans. Test your knowledge and insights in this fascinating field of study.