Week 6 - Behavioural Neuroscience

Proteins are made with a[blank_start]mino[blank_end] a[blank_start]cids[blank_end].

Amino acids are obtained from:

Each base determines one base of [blank_start]RNA[blank_end].

A triplet of bases determines one [blank_start]amino acid[blank_end].

Formation of proteins by combining [blank_start]amino acids[blank_end].

[blank_start]DNA[blank_end] > ([blank_start]transcription[blank_end]) > [blank_start]RNA[blank_end] > ([blank_start]translation[blank_end]) > [blank_start]Protein[blank_end]

Proteins can become:

[blank_start]Mitosis[blank_end]: cells are directly replicated to produce more cells with the same genetic information [blank_start]Meiosis[blank_end]: particular cells divide their genetic information - ready for recombination with another organism.

Mutations (alterations or deletions) of genetic sequence can sometimes be beneficial.

If an animal imitates a behaviour that has never been performed before & probably would not learn on it's own, is it known as:

Bandura's theory of imitation states that: 1. The learner must pay attention to the appropriate features of the model's behaviour ([blank_start]attentional processes[blank_end]). 2. The learner must retain some of the information gained through observation ([blank_start]retentional processes[blank_end]). 3. The learner must have the appropriate motor skills to imitate the model ([blank_start]motor reproductive processes[blank_end]). 4. The learner will not actually perform the behaviour without an appropriate incentive ([blank_start]incentive & motivational processes[blank_end]).

The main principles of generalised imitation are:

Mirror neurons fire when an animal makes a certain movement but not when the animal observes something else making that movement.

Trowbridge & Cason argued that the following were crucial variables in the acquisition of motor skills: