MCAT Biology and Behavior Course Revision Questions and Answers 2024/2025

Franz Gall - AnsPhrenology if a trait is well developed then the part of the brain responsible for that trait would expand Pierre Flourens - AnsStudied the functions of the major sections of the brain by extirpation on rabbits and pigeons. Extirpation - AnsSurgically removing various parts of the brain and observing the behavioral consequences Williams James - AnsFather of Psychology. Functionalism; studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments John Dewy - AnsCriticized the reflex arc. Felt that organisms should be studied as a whole Paul Broca - AnsStudied functional impairments and brain lesions Hermann von Helmholtz - AnsMeasured the speed of a nerve impulse Sir Charles Sherrington - AnsInferred the existence of synapses. Stating it was electrical but we now know it's chemical What are the nerves found in the nervous system? - AnsSensory neurons Motor neurons Interneurons Sensory neurons - AnsAfferent neurons; transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain Motor neurons - AnsEfferent neurons; transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands Sensation - AnsPhysical Perception - AnsProcessing of information to make sense of it's significance Nociceptors - AnsRespond to painful or noxious stimuli (somatosensation) Osmoreceptors - AnsRespond to the osmolarity of the blood (water homeostasis) Threshold - AnsThe minimum amount of stimulus that renders a difference in perception. There are three types. Absolute Threshold - AnsThe minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system. So how bright, loud, or intense a stimulus must be before it is sensed. Threshold of Conscious Perception - AnsA stimulus that arrives at the CNS but does NOT reach the higher order brain regions that controls attention and consciousness Limina or subliminal perception - AnsThe perception of a stimulus below a given threshold Difference Threshold - AnsOr just noticeable difference (jnd) refers to the minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive this difference Webers law - AnsThere is constant ratio between the change in stimulus magnitude needed to produce a jnd and the magnitude of the original stimulus (.68% or 6.8 Hz which if 3 Hz divided by 440 Hz) weber's law isn't accurate for sensory modalities that are at the extremely high and low ends. Signal Detection Theory - AnsChanges in perception due to memory, motives, and expectations Catch trials - AnsSignal presented Noise trials - AnsSignal not presented Outcomes for trials - AnsHit Miss False alarms Correct negatives False alarms - AnsThe subject seems to perceiv