Ap psych Unit 1 Flashcards
1
Q
brain plasticity/neuroplasticity
A
the brains ability to change especially during childhood by reorganizing after damage or buy building new pathways based on experience
- adapting
2
Q
young-helmhaltz trichromatic (three color) theory
A
theory that the retina contains three different color receptions (red, green, and blue) which when stimulated in combination can produce the perception of any color
3
Q
somatosensory cortex
A
(in parietal lobes)
- helps you FEEL textures and temperature and movement sensations
3
Q
hippocampus
A
- in limbic system
- helps process conscious memories like facts and events for storage
4
Q
single detection theory
A
- a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise)
- assumes there is no single absolute threshold and section depends partly on EXPECTATIONS, MOTIVATION, AND ALERTNESS
- you are not trying to focus on everything so you’re absolute threshold differs based on you personally
5
Q
occipital lobe
A
- at the back of the head
- specializes in visual processing
6
Q
kinesthesis
A
- our movement sense: our system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
- millions of position and motion sensors in muscles and tendons and joints all over the body are PROPRIOCEPTORS )give constant feedback to the brain)
7
Q
blindsight
A
a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
8
Q
parallel processing
A
processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously and enables mind to take care of routine business
9
Q
feature detectors
A
nerve cells in brains visual cortex that responds two specific features of the stimulus (shape, angel, movement)
- receives information from individual GANGLION CELLS in the treitna then pass information to other areas where teams of SUPERCELL CLUSTERS respond to more complex patterns
10
Q
fMRI
A
- reveals blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans
- shows brain structure and function
11
Q
MRI
A
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer germinated images of soft tissue and shows brains anatomy
12
Q
PET
A
positron emissions tomography
- detects brain activity that displays where radioactive forms of glucose goes while Brian preforms a task
13
Q
psychophysis
A
study of relationships between the psychical characteristics of stimuli and our psychological experience of them
14
Q
conduction hearing loss
A
hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to cochlea
- more often biological
15
Q
EEG
A
Electroencephalogram
- amplified recording of the wave of electrical activity sweeping across brain’s surface it measures elicits activity in neurons
16
Q
MEG
A
magnetaencephalography
- brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from brain’s natural electric activity
17
Q
priming
A
activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus PREDISPOSING ones perception, memory, or response
18
Q
hue
A
dimensions of COLOR that is determined by wavelength of LIGHT (blue, green, etc.)
19
Q
transduction
A
conversion of one for of energy to another; in SENSATION, transforming of PHYSICAL energy (sight, sound, etc.) into neural IMPULSES brain can interpret
20
Q
intensity
A
the amount of energy in a light/sound wave, which influences what we perceive as brightness/loudness intensity is determined by waves amplitude (height)
21
Q
CT
A
computed tomography
- a series of x-ray photograph taken form different angles and combined by computer in to a composite representation of a slice of the brains structure
22
Q
lesion and lesioning
A
tissue destruction
studies either natural or expiementally damaged tissue of the brain is used to study portions of the brain
23
Q
forea
A
central focal point in retina around which eye CONES CLUSTER
- direct connections preserve cones
23
frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time (per second) [hertz]
24
pitch
a tones experienced highness/lowness
- depends on frequency
- long waves = low frequency = low pitch
- short waves= high frequency = high pitch
25
supaxchiasmatic nucleus (SNC)
a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that control circadian rhythms
- in repose to light the SNC adjusts melatonin production
26
sequential processing
processing one aspect of stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new information or solve difficult problems
26
sensory interaction
principle that one sense can influence another
- if tow of our sense disagree over something then our brain blends the senses together
27
top-down processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes )contrasting perceptions)
28
N1
- hallucinations
- hypnotic sensations: "jerking", "falling"
- easy to wake up and short
28
n2
20 minutes
- sleep spindles- bursts of rapid rhythmic brain wave activity that aid memory processing
- con be awakened early but clearly are sleeping
29
n3
30 minutes
- deep sleep
- delta waves
-hard to wake up
30
lens
- hits here after passing through the pupil
- transparent strict behind pupil that canes shape that helps focus images on the retina
31
wernicke's area
responsible for SPEECH COMPREHENSION
- aphasia-- word salad
31
reticular activating system (RAS)
controls sleep/wake cycles, alertness, and voluntary movements - without it you soundly be able to stay awake
32
delta waves
large slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
33
cerebral cortex
the brains outermost layer, responsible for higher level thinking and complex task
- divided into lobs-- frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal
- motor and somatosenory cortex
34
alpha waves
relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed awake state
34
REM sleep
10 minutes
- recurring sleep stage during which dreams occur
- muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active
- paralysis
35
insomnia
recurring problems in falling/staying asleep
36
sleep apnea
temporary cessation of breathing during sleep and related momentary awakenings
37
narcolepsy
uncontrollable REM sleep attacks
38
cerebellum
"little brain"
- functions include processing sensory input, coordination movement output and balance, enabling nonverbal learning, and memory
39
embodied cognition
influence of bodily sensations and gestures on cognitive preferences and judgments
40
bottom up processing
information processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information
41
absolute threshold
the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time
42
amygdala
(limbic system)
- two lima bean diced neural clusters linked to emotions (fear and aggression)
43
brain stem
central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skill
- responsible for automatic survival functions
43
limbis system
neural system below cerebral hemispheres that include amygdala, hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus, and pituitary glands
- controls emotions, drives, and memories
44
optic nerve
nerve that carries neural impulses from eye to brain )thalamus to visual cortex)
45
corpus callosum
large band of neural fibers connection the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
46
brocas area
responsible for speech production
47
thalamus
(sits atop the brain stem)
- brains "relay station" it sends sensory information to the right areas of the brain for porcessing (minus smell)
47
hypothalamus
(limbic system) (below thalamus)
- directs several maintenance activities, helps govern endocrine system
- homeostasis
48
difference threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time ; we experience this as JUST A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE
- ex: knowing a friends voice in a hallway among other voices
49
pituitary gland
(limbic system)
- brains master gland it releases hormones that regulate growth and other essential processes
49
sensory adaptation
diminished sensitive as a consequence of constant stimulation
49
opponent-processing theory
opposing retinal process (red- green, blue-yellow, -white- black_ enable color vision
- when you keep seeing one color the cones of the opposite color are used
- being in a yellow room then leaving and seeing a slight blue haze even if there is not one
50
retina
-light comes here after lens
- light sensitive back inner surface of eye containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visuals information
51
wavelength
distance from the peak of one light wave or sound wave to the peak of the next
52
parallel processing
processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously (step before recognition)
52
audition
the sene or act of hearing
53
middle ear
- hearing process begins with eardrum then comes here
DEF.
- chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window
53
cochlea
a coiled, bony, and fluid filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger neural impulses
54
inner ear
the innermost part of the ear, containing the chortle, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
55
parietal lobe`
(back crown of your head)
- responsible for processing sensory information like touch and body position
56
temporal lobe
(sides of brain)
- processes auditory information and handle language comprehension
57
sensorineural hearing loss
most common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to cochlear (hair cells) receptor cells or auditory nerve (nerve deafness)
58
gustation
our sense of taste
- sweet: energy source
- salty: sodium essential to physiological process
- sour: maybe toxic acid
- bitter: maybe poisonous
- unami: (meaty taste) for proteins
- olegustus: fats
58
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (thinking, knowing, communicating, and remembering)
59
accommodation
process by which eyes lens change shape to focus images of near/far objects on retina
60
sensation
process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system relieve and represents stimulus energies form out environment
61
rods
- retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray
- sensitive to movement
- necessary for peripheral vision when cones do not respond
- faint light and peripheral motion
62
pupil
the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
62
cornea
the eye's clear, protective outer layering, covering the pupil and iris (bends light to help provide focus)
63
cochlear implants
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
64
circadian rhythm
- our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle
65
weber's law
principle that to be perceived as different to stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
- high intensity requires a large just noticeable difference
- low intensity requires a small just noticeable difference t
66
frequency theory
the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve
- matches frequency of tone , thus enabling us to sense LOW pitch
67
gate control theory
theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks/allows pain signals to the brain
- the "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up the small nerve fibers
- and is closed by activity in large server fibers or by information coming from the brain
68
sensory receptors
sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli
69
place theory
links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated, this allows us to detect HIGH pitch
69
perception
process by which our brain organized and interprets sensory information enabling us to recognize objects and events as meaningful
69
dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks (two minds)
- human brain can convert conscious into unconscious knowledge
70
vestibular sense
our balance sense
- our sense of bad movements position that enable or sense of balance
- being able to put ourselves back into the right positions
71
apahsia
language disorder that impairs someones ability to communicate
71
olfaction
our sense of smell which is a chemical sense
71
vision process steps
1. scene
2. retinal process: receptor rods and cones -> ganglion cells (their axons intertwine to form optic nerve)
3. feature detection: brains detection cells respond to specific features (like edges, angles, and lines)
4. parallel processing: Brians cell team process combine information
5. recognition
71
hearing process
1. ear drum
2. middle ear
3. cochlea
4.inner ear
incoming vibrations trigger cochleas membrane cover opening (oval window) to vibrate THEN motion ripples in basilar membrane bending hair cells THEN hair cells trigger impulse in adjacent nerve cells who's icon makes the auditory nerdy THEN the thalamus THEN auditory cortex
71
iris
a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil
- controls site of the pupil opening
71
frontal lobe
(behind forehead)
- responsible for higher order thinking, decision making, and executive function
- more specifically strong in the prefrontal
72
cones
-retinal receptors that are concentrated near the center of retina and that fiction in daylight/well-lit conditions
- detect fine details and give rise to color sensation
- detail and color
73
motor cortex
(at the back of the frontal lobes)
- controls muscle movements
73
blindspot
paint at which the optic nerve leaves the eyes which creates a 'blindspot' because no receptors cells are located there
- brain fills in the "holes"
74
medulla
the brain stems BASE ; controls heartbeat and breathing (manages vital functions)
- without it you wouldn't survive
75
consciousness
or subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment
75
dopamine
neurotransmitter
- involved in reward and motivation
- and influences moves, learning, attention, and emotion
76
depolarization
when neurons charge becomes less negative leading to firing
- when the outside of a neuron and the inside of the neuron mixx charges
76
motor and sensory neurons: where to find them and definition
both are in PNS (peripheral nervous system)
-Motor-- from brain tissue and organs throughout the body allowing movement
- sensory-- get information from environment and send them to brain
77
Nicotine-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Stimulant
"GOOD"
- arousal and relaxation, sense of well-being
BAD
- herat disorders or cancer
77
methamphetamine-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
stimulant
'GOOD'
- euphoria and alertness and energy
BAD
- irritability, incoming, seizures, and hyper tense
78
caffeine-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Stimulant
"GOOD"
- high alertness and awakens
BAD
- anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia in high doses
79
cocaine-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
stimulant
"GOOD"
- rush of euphoria, increased confidence and energy
BAD
- cardiovascular stress, suspiciousness, depressive crash
80
ecstasy aka MDMA-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Stimulant and MILD Hallucinogen
"GOOD"
- emotional elevation and disinhibition
BAD
- dehydration, overheating, depressed mood, poor cognitive and immune system
81
heroine-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Depressant
"GOOD"
- rush of euphoria, relief from pain
BAD
- loss of natural endorphins
81
alcohol-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Depresant
"GOOD"
- initial high then relaxation and disinhibition
BAD
- depression, memory loss, organ damage, impaired reactions and motor skills
82
LSD-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Hallucinogen
"GOOD"
- visual "trip"
BAD
- rich of panic
83
opioids-- type
Depressant
- depresses neural activity temporarily lessening pain and anxiety
- if abused the brain stops producing endorphins
84
marijuana-- type, pleasure, and bad effect
Halluciongen
"GOOD"
- enhanced sensory, pain relied, distorted time, and relaxation
BAD
- impaired learning and memory, risk of phycological disorder
84
evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind using principles of natural selection
85
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environment influence on behavior
86
epigenetic
hour our environment influences genetics expression without changing DNA itself (something turning a gene on and off)
87
norepinephrine
neurotransmitter
- arouses alertness and energy
88
GABA
neurotransmitter
- calms down nervous system
89
glutamate
neurotransmitter
- most common excitatory neurotransmitter linked to learning and memory
90
reuptake
a neurotransmitter reabsorption by the sending neuron
- whatever the receiving neuron does not use gets sucked back by the sending neuron
91
hallucinogens-- def., examples, and effect
DEF.
- alters perception and can cause visual and auditory hallucinations
EXAMPLES
-LSD
- Marijuana
EFFECT
-affects serotonin which leads to distorted reality and or mood shifts
92
depressants-- def., examples, and effect
DEF
Slows body functions and neural activity
EXAMPLES
- alc
-barbiturates
EFFECT
- enhances GABA, reducing anxiety BUT impairing motor skills
93
genome
the complete set of genetic instruction for an organism
94
leptin
hormone
- regulates hunger and fat storage
95
melatonin
hormone
- regulates sleep-wake cycles
96
endocrine system and hormones
E.S-- slower communication system that uses hormones instead of neurotransmitters
H-- chemical messengers that rebel through the bloodstream and effect MOOD and BEHAVIOR
brain TO pituitary gland TO other glands TO hormones TO body and brain
97
reuptake inhibitors
drugs that prevent the reabsorption of neurotransmitters which increases their activity
98
psychoactive drugs
substances that effect brain acting and lead to chained in perception, mood, or consciousness
99
genes
basic units of heredity
99
refractory period
ofter bring the neuron needs time to reset before firing again
100
all-or-nothing principle
a neuron either fires or it doesn't
101
multiple sclerosis (MS)
the myelin sheath is damaged
-slowing down or blocking signals
102
substance P
neurotransmitter
- involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain
- related by sensory neurons in response to injury or stress
103
serotonin
neurotransmitter
- regulates mood and sleep and hunger and arousal
104
stimulants-- def., examples, and effect
DEF
- speeds up body functions and enhances energy
EXMAPLES
- caffeine, cocaine, ecstasy, meth
EFFECT
- boosts norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin levels which leads to heightened alertness and energy
105
agonists
drugs that mimic neurotransmitters or enhance their action
105
myasthenia gravis
an autoimmune disorder where ACH receipts are attacked which leads to muscle weakness
106
eugenics
controversial idea of imposing human population through selective breeding
106
substance use disorder
when drug use becomes uncontrollable and interfere with daily life
107
neurotransmitter effects
psychoactive drugs change how neurotransmitters operate by either enhancing or inhibiting their function
108
heredity
the genetic transfer of characteristic from parent to offspring
108
oxytocin
hormone
- influences bonding and social behaviors
108
interneurons--- where they are and definition
in the CNS
- process information and control actions form within
109
endorphins
neurotransmitter
- natural painkillers
110
mutation
random error in gene replication that leads to a change
111
inhibitory neurotransmitters-- three examples
neurotransmitters that prevent neurons from firing
- serotonin, GABA, and endorphins
112
excitatory neurotransmitter- three examples
neurotransmitters that encourage neurons to fire
- dopamine, norepinephrine, glutatame
112
adrenaline
hormone
- increases heat rate and energy
113
synapse
gap between neurons where communication occurs, transfer signals using neurotransmitters between neurons
- allows Brian to process complex information
113
action potential and threshold
A.P-- a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon
- it is triggered when the neuron reaches a threshold (the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse)
114
antagonists
drugs that block neurotransmitters activity
114
glial cells-- def, function, and action
the brains "support staff"
- function-- protect, nourish, and clean uo after neurons
-action-- maintains environment for neurons to function properly
115
acetylcholine (Ach)
enables muscle action, learning, and memory
- needed for EVERY muscle to move
116
neurons
specialized cells that transmit electrical signals between brain body and back
117
gherlin
hormone
-stimulates hunger
