Biological Basis of Behavior Master
the Exam – Comprehensive Study
Guide with Practice Questions and
Verified Answers
Biological Psychology -answer ✅✅The scientific study of the links between biological
(genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes.
Neuron -answer ✅✅A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Dendrites -answer ✅✅A neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages
and conduct messages toward the cell body.
Axon -answer ✅✅The neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to
other neurons or to muscles or glands.
Myelin Sheath -answer ✅✅A fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some
neurons; speeds neural transmission.
Action Potential -answer ✅✅A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels
down an axon.
Refractory Period -answer ✅✅A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
Threshold -answer ✅✅The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
All-or-none response -answer ✅✅A neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full strength
response) or not firing.
Synapse -answer ✅✅The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the
dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.
Neurotransmitters -answer ✅✅Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons.
,Reuptake -answer ✅✅A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Endorphins -answer ✅✅A natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control
and pleasure; "morphine within".
Agonist -answer ✅✅A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a
response.
Antagonist -answer ✅✅A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks
a response.
Nervous system -answer ✅✅The body's speedy, electrochemical communication
network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system.
Central Nervous System (CNS) -answer ✅✅The brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) -answer ✅✅The sensory and motor neurons that
connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.
Nerves -answer ✅✅Bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central
nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
Sensory (afferent) neurons -answer ✅✅Neurons that carry incoming information from
the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
Motor (efferent) neurons -answer ✅✅Neurons that carry outgoing information from the
brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
Interneurons -answer ✅✅Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate
internally and intervene between sensory inputs and motor outputs.
Somatic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the peripheral nervous system
that controls the body's skeletal muscles.
Autonomic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The part of the peripheral nervous system that
controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its
sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
Sympathetic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the autonomic nervous
system that arouses the body; mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
Parasympathetic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
, Reflex -answer ✅✅A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the
knee-jerk response.
Endocrine System -answer ✅✅The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a
set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
Hormones -answer ✅✅Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine
glands travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues.
Adrenal glands -answer ✅✅A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys
and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in
times of stress.
Pituitary gland -answer ✅✅The endocrine system's most influential gland. This
regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands and is influenced by the
hypothalamus.
Lesion -answer ✅✅A naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
Brainstem -answer ✅✅The oldest part and central core of the brain, bringing where the
spinal cord swells s it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions.
Medulla -answer ✅✅The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.
Thalamus -answer ✅✅The brain's sensory control center, located at the top of the
brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and
transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
Cerebellum -answer ✅✅The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; funding include
processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling
nonverbal learning and memory.
Limbic System -answer ✅✅Neural system (indulging the hippocampus, amygdala, and
hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated withe emotions and
drives.
Amygdala -answer ✅✅Two lima-bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked
to emotion.
Hypothalamus -answer ✅✅A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs
several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature); helps govern the
endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
the Exam – Comprehensive Study
Guide with Practice Questions and
Verified Answers
Biological Psychology -answer ✅✅The scientific study of the links between biological
(genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes.
Neuron -answer ✅✅A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Dendrites -answer ✅✅A neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages
and conduct messages toward the cell body.
Axon -answer ✅✅The neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to
other neurons or to muscles or glands.
Myelin Sheath -answer ✅✅A fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some
neurons; speeds neural transmission.
Action Potential -answer ✅✅A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels
down an axon.
Refractory Period -answer ✅✅A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
Threshold -answer ✅✅The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
All-or-none response -answer ✅✅A neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full strength
response) or not firing.
Synapse -answer ✅✅The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the
dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.
Neurotransmitters -answer ✅✅Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons.
,Reuptake -answer ✅✅A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Endorphins -answer ✅✅A natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control
and pleasure; "morphine within".
Agonist -answer ✅✅A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a
response.
Antagonist -answer ✅✅A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks
a response.
Nervous system -answer ✅✅The body's speedy, electrochemical communication
network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system.
Central Nervous System (CNS) -answer ✅✅The brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) -answer ✅✅The sensory and motor neurons that
connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.
Nerves -answer ✅✅Bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central
nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
Sensory (afferent) neurons -answer ✅✅Neurons that carry incoming information from
the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
Motor (efferent) neurons -answer ✅✅Neurons that carry outgoing information from the
brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
Interneurons -answer ✅✅Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate
internally and intervene between sensory inputs and motor outputs.
Somatic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the peripheral nervous system
that controls the body's skeletal muscles.
Autonomic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The part of the peripheral nervous system that
controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its
sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
Sympathetic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the autonomic nervous
system that arouses the body; mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
Parasympathetic Nervous System -answer ✅✅The division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
, Reflex -answer ✅✅A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the
knee-jerk response.
Endocrine System -answer ✅✅The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a
set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
Hormones -answer ✅✅Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine
glands travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues.
Adrenal glands -answer ✅✅A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys
and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in
times of stress.
Pituitary gland -answer ✅✅The endocrine system's most influential gland. This
regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands and is influenced by the
hypothalamus.
Lesion -answer ✅✅A naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
Brainstem -answer ✅✅The oldest part and central core of the brain, bringing where the
spinal cord swells s it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions.
Medulla -answer ✅✅The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.
Thalamus -answer ✅✅The brain's sensory control center, located at the top of the
brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and
transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
Cerebellum -answer ✅✅The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; funding include
processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling
nonverbal learning and memory.
Limbic System -answer ✅✅Neural system (indulging the hippocampus, amygdala, and
hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated withe emotions and
drives.
Amygdala -answer ✅✅Two lima-bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked
to emotion.
Hypothalamus -answer ✅✅A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs
several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature); helps govern the
endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
