Exam 2: The Biological Basis of Behavior

The subfield of psychology concerned with the roots of behaviors and mental processes is ________.

R. Rosenzweig examined rats by studying the ________.

The sympathetic division carries messages to the body which tell it to prepare for an emergency.

Another term for a neural impulse is a(n) ________ potential.

After an industrial accident in which George fell from a scaffold and hit his head, he has had trouble following directions or completing his normal work tasks. He is also apathetic, although he has periods of boastfulness and silliness. The damaged part of his brain is probably the ________ lobes.

The brain of the average human being contains approximately 86 billion __________.

If an incoming message is not strong enough to cause a neuron to fire, it may cause a shift in the electrical charge of just a tiny area of the neuron. This shift, which quickly fades away, is called a(n) ________.

Amy has suffered damage to Wernicke's area in her brain. She is most likely to exhibit ________ aphasia.

The action potential causes neurotransmitters to be released into the ________.

The main ingredient of genes and chromosomes is glucagon.

"Split brain" patients are patients who have had ________.

Define neuron, axon, dendrite, cell body, and myelin sheath. In your definitions, be sure to describe the specific functions of each item.

Fraternal twins are ________ similar genetically than are other brothers and sisters.

You're walking all alone down a dark street when suddenly you hear a scream and then footsteps coming closer and closer. Your heart begins to pound, you're scared stiff, and you feel like running. Which part of the nervous system causes your body's reaction?

The part of the brain responsible for emotional behavior such as experiencing rage, terror, or pleasure is the ________.

Messages from the sense receptors are registered in those areas of the brain called the ________.

Allan gingerly puts his fingertips on the hot handle of the skillet in which he's cooking supper, but he instantly pulls his hand away. His reaction is due to the functioning of the ________.

The axon of a neuron is often surrounded by a fatty covering called the myelin sheath.

Structural imaging techniques are used to ________.

Research on human brain tissue has found that human brains are ________.