Behavior Sciences Questions and Answers
Absolute threshold - ANSWER-the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular
stimulus 50 percent of the time
Acetylcholine - ANSWER-Voluntary muscle movement, PNS, attention, alertness
found in CNS and PNS. In PNS it is used to transmit nerve impulse to the muscles. In
the CNS it is linked to attention and arousal
achieved status - ANSWER-status that is gained as a result of ones efforts or choices
such as being a doctor
actual self - ANSWER-how we see ourselves at the current moment
adaptive value - ANSWER-any trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce
under a given set of environmental conditions
admiration stereotypes - ANSWER-group is viewed with pride and other positive
feelings
adoption studies - ANSWER-compare similarities between biologicla relatives and
adopted child
Adrenal glands - ANSWER--located on top of kidneys
-2 parts:
adrenal medulla: releases epinephrine and norepinephrine as part of sympathetic
nervous system
adrenal cortex: produces corticosteroids and stress hormone cortisol and sex hormones
ageism - ANSWER-Discrimination based on age
agents of socialization - ANSWER-people or groups that affect our self concept,
attitudes, behaviors, or other orientations toward life
Ex. religion, media, work, school, etc
Agnosia - ANSWER-loss of ability to recognize objects, people, or sounds
agoraphobia - ANSWER-fear of being in places or in situations where it might be hard
for an individual to escape
algorithm problem solving - ANSWER-using a formula or procedure for solving a certain
type of problem
,altruism - ANSWER-unselfish regard for the welfare of others. helping someone at the
cost of themself
Alzheimer's disease - ANSWER-organic condition that results in the progressive
destruction of brain cells
Alzheimers disease - ANSWER-thought to be linked to loss of acetylcholine in neurons
that link to the hippocampus
-loss of recent memories before distant memories
Amacrine and horizontal cells - ANSWER-receive input from multiple retinal cells in the
same area before the information is passed on to ganglion cells
Accentuate slight differences between the visual information in each bipolar cell and
important for edge detection since increase contrast perception
ambivalent attachment - ANSWER-Pattern in which an infant becomes anxious before
the primary caregiver leaves, is extremely upset during his or her absence, and both
seeks and resists contact on his or her return. happens when the caregiver is
inconsistent with responses
Amygdala - ANSWER-A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion,
particularly fear and aggression.
amygdala - ANSWER-part of the brain responsible for associating stimuli and their
corresponding rewards or punishment. basically deciding if something is a threat
androgyny and undifferentiated - ANSWER-state of being simultaneously very
masculine and very feminine and then the opposite so very low
anhedonia - ANSWER-loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
anomie - ANSWER-lack of social norms, or the breakdown of social bonds between an
individual and society
anterograde amnesia vs retrograde amnesia - ANSWER--anterograde amnesia:
memory loss for information since the accident
-retrograde amnesia: memory loss for information before the damage occurred
anticipatory socialization - ANSWER-process by which one prepares for future changes
in occupations, living situations or relationships
antinormative behavior - ANSWER-behavior against the norm
,antisocial personality disorder - ANSWER-A personality disorder in which the person
(usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and
family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist.
arousal symptoms - ANSWER-increased startle response, irritability, anxiety, self-
destructive or reckless behavior, and sleep disturbances
ascribed status - ANSWER-status given involuntarily due to such factors as race,
ethnicity, gender, and family background
Associative learning - ANSWER-creation of a pairing or association between two stimuli
or between a behavior and a response
2 types:
-classical
-operant
attitude and the three components of attitude - ANSWER--expression of positive or
negative feelings toward a person, place, thing or scenario
1.) affective: the way a person feels toward something and is the emotional component
2.) behavioral: how they respond
3.) cognitive: their thoughts and justification towards them
attribute substitution - ANSWER-occurs when individuals must make judgments that are
complex but instead they substitute a simpler solution or apply heuristic
attribution theory - ANSWER-consistent behaviors tend to have dispositional rather than
situational explanations
attribution theory - ANSWER-the theory that we explain someone's behavior by
crediting either the situation or the person's disposition
Auditory pathways - ANSWER-most sound information goes through vestibulocochlear
nerve to brainstem to thalamus. It is then projected to the auditory cortex in temporal
lobe for sound processing
authentic self - ANSWER-who the person actually is (positive and negative attributes)
automatic processing - ANSWER-unconscious encoding of incidental information such
as taking in information while walking
autonomic nervous system - ANSWER-the part of the peripheral nervous system that
controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heartbeat,
digestion, temperature control). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic
division calms.
, avoidance learning - ANSWER-meant to prevent the unpleasantness of something that
hasn't happened yet
avoidance symptoms - ANSWER-Deliberate attempts to avoid the memories, people,
places, activities, and objects associated with the trauma
avoidant attachment - ANSWER-infants who seem unresponsive to the parent when
they are present, are usually not distressed when she leaves, and avoid the parent
when they return. happens when the caregiver has little or no response to a distressed
child
avoidant personality disorder - ANSWER-A personality disorder characterized by
consistent discomfort and restraint in social situations. stay in same job, life situation,
etc even though want change
avolition - ANSWER-lack of motivation
B.F. Skinner - ANSWER-father of behaviorism, the theory that all behaviors are
conditioned
Basal Ganglia - ANSWER-coordinate muscle movement as they receive information
from the cortex and relay this information to the brain and spinal cord. It helps keep our
movements smooth and posture steady
- the extrapyramidal system gathers information about body position and carries this
information to the CNS but doesn't directly work with motor neurons
basic model of emotional expression - ANSWER-emotional expression involved: facial
expressions, behaviors, postures, vocal changes, and physiological changes;
expression is consistent with theories on evolution and should be similar across
cultures; there are a number of basic human emotions that are universally experienced
and that are universally recognized
behaviorist perspective - ANSWER-BF skinner and based heavily on concept of operant
conditioning and behavior is due to reinforcement over time
biological characteristic of parkinson's disease - ANSWER-decreased dopamine
production in the substantia nigra (area that is meant to produce dopamine to permit
proper function of the basal ganglia)
biological perspective - ANSWER-personality can be explained as result of genetic
expression in the brain due to genes and brain anatomy
biomedical approach - ANSWER-Focuses narrowly on the physical aspects of illness.
Absolute threshold - ANSWER-the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular
stimulus 50 percent of the time
Acetylcholine - ANSWER-Voluntary muscle movement, PNS, attention, alertness
found in CNS and PNS. In PNS it is used to transmit nerve impulse to the muscles. In
the CNS it is linked to attention and arousal
achieved status - ANSWER-status that is gained as a result of ones efforts or choices
such as being a doctor
actual self - ANSWER-how we see ourselves at the current moment
adaptive value - ANSWER-any trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce
under a given set of environmental conditions
admiration stereotypes - ANSWER-group is viewed with pride and other positive
feelings
adoption studies - ANSWER-compare similarities between biologicla relatives and
adopted child
Adrenal glands - ANSWER--located on top of kidneys
-2 parts:
adrenal medulla: releases epinephrine and norepinephrine as part of sympathetic
nervous system
adrenal cortex: produces corticosteroids and stress hormone cortisol and sex hormones
ageism - ANSWER-Discrimination based on age
agents of socialization - ANSWER-people or groups that affect our self concept,
attitudes, behaviors, or other orientations toward life
Ex. religion, media, work, school, etc
Agnosia - ANSWER-loss of ability to recognize objects, people, or sounds
agoraphobia - ANSWER-fear of being in places or in situations where it might be hard
for an individual to escape
algorithm problem solving - ANSWER-using a formula or procedure for solving a certain
type of problem
,altruism - ANSWER-unselfish regard for the welfare of others. helping someone at the
cost of themself
Alzheimer's disease - ANSWER-organic condition that results in the progressive
destruction of brain cells
Alzheimers disease - ANSWER-thought to be linked to loss of acetylcholine in neurons
that link to the hippocampus
-loss of recent memories before distant memories
Amacrine and horizontal cells - ANSWER-receive input from multiple retinal cells in the
same area before the information is passed on to ganglion cells
Accentuate slight differences between the visual information in each bipolar cell and
important for edge detection since increase contrast perception
ambivalent attachment - ANSWER-Pattern in which an infant becomes anxious before
the primary caregiver leaves, is extremely upset during his or her absence, and both
seeks and resists contact on his or her return. happens when the caregiver is
inconsistent with responses
Amygdala - ANSWER-A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion,
particularly fear and aggression.
amygdala - ANSWER-part of the brain responsible for associating stimuli and their
corresponding rewards or punishment. basically deciding if something is a threat
androgyny and undifferentiated - ANSWER-state of being simultaneously very
masculine and very feminine and then the opposite so very low
anhedonia - ANSWER-loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
anomie - ANSWER-lack of social norms, or the breakdown of social bonds between an
individual and society
anterograde amnesia vs retrograde amnesia - ANSWER--anterograde amnesia:
memory loss for information since the accident
-retrograde amnesia: memory loss for information before the damage occurred
anticipatory socialization - ANSWER-process by which one prepares for future changes
in occupations, living situations or relationships
antinormative behavior - ANSWER-behavior against the norm
,antisocial personality disorder - ANSWER-A personality disorder in which the person
(usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and
family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist.
arousal symptoms - ANSWER-increased startle response, irritability, anxiety, self-
destructive or reckless behavior, and sleep disturbances
ascribed status - ANSWER-status given involuntarily due to such factors as race,
ethnicity, gender, and family background
Associative learning - ANSWER-creation of a pairing or association between two stimuli
or between a behavior and a response
2 types:
-classical
-operant
attitude and the three components of attitude - ANSWER--expression of positive or
negative feelings toward a person, place, thing or scenario
1.) affective: the way a person feels toward something and is the emotional component
2.) behavioral: how they respond
3.) cognitive: their thoughts and justification towards them
attribute substitution - ANSWER-occurs when individuals must make judgments that are
complex but instead they substitute a simpler solution or apply heuristic
attribution theory - ANSWER-consistent behaviors tend to have dispositional rather than
situational explanations
attribution theory - ANSWER-the theory that we explain someone's behavior by
crediting either the situation or the person's disposition
Auditory pathways - ANSWER-most sound information goes through vestibulocochlear
nerve to brainstem to thalamus. It is then projected to the auditory cortex in temporal
lobe for sound processing
authentic self - ANSWER-who the person actually is (positive and negative attributes)
automatic processing - ANSWER-unconscious encoding of incidental information such
as taking in information while walking
autonomic nervous system - ANSWER-the part of the peripheral nervous system that
controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heartbeat,
digestion, temperature control). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic
division calms.
, avoidance learning - ANSWER-meant to prevent the unpleasantness of something that
hasn't happened yet
avoidance symptoms - ANSWER-Deliberate attempts to avoid the memories, people,
places, activities, and objects associated with the trauma
avoidant attachment - ANSWER-infants who seem unresponsive to the parent when
they are present, are usually not distressed when she leaves, and avoid the parent
when they return. happens when the caregiver has little or no response to a distressed
child
avoidant personality disorder - ANSWER-A personality disorder characterized by
consistent discomfort and restraint in social situations. stay in same job, life situation,
etc even though want change
avolition - ANSWER-lack of motivation
B.F. Skinner - ANSWER-father of behaviorism, the theory that all behaviors are
conditioned
Basal Ganglia - ANSWER-coordinate muscle movement as they receive information
from the cortex and relay this information to the brain and spinal cord. It helps keep our
movements smooth and posture steady
- the extrapyramidal system gathers information about body position and carries this
information to the CNS but doesn't directly work with motor neurons
basic model of emotional expression - ANSWER-emotional expression involved: facial
expressions, behaviors, postures, vocal changes, and physiological changes;
expression is consistent with theories on evolution and should be similar across
cultures; there are a number of basic human emotions that are universally experienced
and that are universally recognized
behaviorist perspective - ANSWER-BF skinner and based heavily on concept of operant
conditioning and behavior is due to reinforcement over time
biological characteristic of parkinson's disease - ANSWER-decreased dopamine
production in the substantia nigra (area that is meant to produce dopamine to permit
proper function of the basal ganglia)
biological perspective - ANSWER-personality can be explained as result of genetic
expression in the brain due to genes and brain anatomy
biomedical approach - ANSWER-Focuses narrowly on the physical aspects of illness.
