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Biological Basis of Behavior Flashcards

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  1. The hypothalamus plays a critical role in regulating all of the following EXCEPT:

    Answer: Voluntary skeletal movement

    Voluntary skeletal movement is controlled by the motor cortex and basal ganglia, not the hypothalamus, which regulates homeostatic drives and autonomic functions.

  2. Identical (monozygotic) twins are used in behavioral genetics research primarily because they:

    Answer: Share 100% of their genetic material, allowing researchers to isolate environmental effects

    Monozygotic twins share nearly 100% of their DNA, making any phenotypic differences between them attributable to environmental influences.

  3. Which neurotransmitter is most critically involved in Alzheimer's disease pathology?

    Answer: Acetylcholine

    Alzheimer's disease involves significant loss of cholinergic neurons, and the degeneration of acetylcholine-producing cells in the basal forebrain contributes to memory deficits.

  4. The 'refractory period' following an action potential refers to the time during which:

    Answer: A second action potential cannot be initiated or requires an unusually strong stimulus

    During the absolute refractory period, no stimulus can trigger another action potential; the relative refractory period requires a stronger-than-normal stimulus.

  5. Research on pheromones in humans suggests that:

    Answer: Evidence for pheromone-mediated behavioral effects in humans is limited and debated

    While some studies suggest human body odors influence attraction and immune compatibility preferences, robust evidence for classic pheromone effects on behavior in humans is lacking.

  6. Which of the following best describes a gene-environment interaction (G×E)?

    Answer: The effect of a genotype on a phenotype depends on the specific environment, and vice versa

    G×E interaction means that individuals with different genotypes respond differently to the same environment, making genetic risk context-dependent.

  7. The limbic system structure most critically involved in forming new declarative memories is the:

    Answer: Hippocampus

    The hippocampus is essential for encoding new declarative (explicit) memories; bilateral hippocampal damage causes anterograde amnesia, as famously seen in patient H.M.