Brain Flashcards by Ryan Pazcoguin

What is the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)?

Cognitive Neuroscience

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What is the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

Dual Processing

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This consists of the processes in the mind that occur automatically and are not available to introspection, and include thought processes, memory, affect, and motivation

The Unconscious Mind

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This is the part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience and is common to all humankind, as distinct from the individual’s unconscious

Collective Unconscious - (in Jungian psychology)

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a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it.

Blindsight

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the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions

Parallel processing

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failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere is what?

Inattentional Blindness

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failing to notice changes in the environment.

Change Blindness

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the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

Circadian Rhythm

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What is known as “quiet sleep”?

NREM

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What is known as “active or paradoxical” sleep?

REM

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a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during NREM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered.

Night Tremors

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a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind.

Dream

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continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

Substance use disorder

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a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

Psychoactive drugs

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the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effect.

Tolerance

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drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment.

Barbituates

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drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

depressant

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(popularly known as alcoholism) alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use

alcohol use disorder

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drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes.

Amphetamines

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drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, Ecstasy, and methamphetamine) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Stimulants

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a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

Nicotine

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a powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant; produces temporarily increased alertness and euphoria.

coco

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a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition.

Ecstasy (MDMA)

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a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels.

meth

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide).

LSD

psychedelic (“mind-manifesting”) drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.

Hallucinogens

the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations.

THC

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as through cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations.

Near-death experience

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

Chromosomes

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

Genes

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Evolutionary psychology

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Natural selection

culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations.

Social script

Because of brain plasticity, our neural tissue is ever changing and reorganizing in response to new experiences

New neurons are also born

Parents donate genes to the child

(23 Chromosomes from each)

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.

Culture

an understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe “proper” behavior.

Norm

giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications.

Individualism

giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly.

Collectivism

in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define males and females

Sex

in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define men and women.

Gender

As far as social connections are concerned, men tend to be?

Independent

As far as social connections are concerned, women tend to be?

Interdependent

Biology does not dictate gender, but it can influence it GENETICALLY by?

Males and females having differing sex chromosomes.

Biology does not dictate gender, but it can influence it PHYSIOLOGICALLY by?

Males and females having differing concentrations of sex hormones, which trigger other anatomical differences.

the sex chromosome found in both men and women.

X chromosome

How many X chromosomes do women have?

the sex chromosome found only in males

Y chromosome

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing

Puberty

What are the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible called?

Primary sex characteristics

What are the nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair called?

Secondary sex characteristics

What is first ejaculation (around 14) called?

Spermarche

What is the first menstrual period (around 12 and a half) called?

Menarche

How do you treat a Turner Syndrome patient?

Treatment involves hormone therapy. Fertility treatment may be necessary for women who want to become pregnant.

Short stature, delayed puberty, infertility, heart defects, and certain learning disabilities are symptoms of what disease?

Turner's Syndrome

How is Turner's syndrome diagnosed?

Turner syndrome results from a missing or incomplete sex chromosome.

What is Turner's syndrome?

A chromosomal disorder in which a female is born with only one X chromosome. (only females)

A genetic condition in which a male is born with an extra copy of the X chromosome

What is Klinefelter Syndrome?

How does a patient develop Klinefelter Syndrome?

Occurs only as a result of a random genetic error after conception.

T or F, Klinefelter Syndrome is inherited.

False

Low testosterone and reduced muscle mass, facial hair, and body hair are symptoms of what disease?

Klinefelter Syndrome, most males with this condition produce little or no sperm.

How is a patient treated for Klinefelter Syndrome?

Treatment may include testosterone replacement and fertility treatment.

The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished.

Social Learning Theory

What is the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role called?

Gender Typing

- Shared human genomes - individual genetic variations - prenatal environment - sex-related genes, hormones, and physiology These are all examples of what?

Biological Influences

- Gene-environmental interaction - Neurological effect of early experiences - Responses evoked by our own temperament, gender, etc. - Beliefs, feelings, and expectations All of these are examples of what?

Psychological Influences

- Parental influences - Peer influences - Cultural individualism or collectivism - Cultural gender norms All of these are examples of what?

Socio-cultural Influences

In CONCEPTION, the fertilized egg; as it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo (fewer than ½ survive) is called what?

Zygote

In CONCEPTION, the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month is called what?

Embryo

The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth is called the what?

Fetus

The spine is visible and the arms and legs are beginning to grow during around how many days during conception?

Around 40

(literally, “monster maker”) agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

Teratogens

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

Habituation

Being unable to recall anything from birth to approx. 3 years old.

Infantile amnesia

What are all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating called?

Cognition

What is a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

a Schema

Birth to nearly 2 years is what stage of development?

Sensorimotor stage (1st)

2 to 6-7 years is what stage of development?

Preoperational Stage (2nd)

7-11 years is what stage of development?

Concrete Operational Stage (3rd)

12-adulthood is what stage of development?

Formal Operational Stage (4th)

Experiencing the world through senses and actions is called this stage of DEVELOPMENT.

Sensorimotor

Representing things with words and images; using intuitive rather than logical reasoning is at what stage in DEVELOPMENT?

Preoperational

Thinking about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations happens during what stage of DEVELOPMENT?

Concrete Operational

Abstract reasoning occurs during what stage of DEVELOPMENT?

Formal Operational

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

Conservation

in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.

Egocentrism

The theory of people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.

Theory of mind

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

Autism spectrum disorder

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

Attachment

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life.

Imprinting

parents are coercive. They impose rules and expect obedience: “Don’t interrupt.” “Keep your room clean.” “Don’t stay out late or you’ll be grounded.” “Why? Because I said so.”

Authoritarian

parents are restraining. They make few demands and use little punishment. They may be indifferent, unresponsive, or unwilling to set limits.

Permissive

parents are confrontive. They are both demanding and responsive. They exert control by setting rules, but, especially with older children, they encourage open discussion and allow exceptions.

Authoritative

(Morality) Self-interest, obey rules to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards

Preconventional Morality (before 9)

(Morality) Uphold laws and rues to gain social approval or maintain social order

Conventional Morality (early adolescence)

(Morality) Actions reflect belief in basic rights and self-defined ethical principles.

Postconventional Morality (adulthood)

What is our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles identified as?

Identity

What is the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships?

Social Identity

What is a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults called?

Emerging Adulthood

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines.

Menopause

acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse. In older adults neurocognitive disorders were formerly called dementia

Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs)

a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with an onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities.

Alzheimer’s disease