brain and neuropsychology Flashcards
what does the CNS do
makes decisions about movement, consists of brain and spinal chord
what does the peripheral nervous system do
network of nerve fibers connecting the body with the CNS. Consists of the ANS SNS
two split division of ANS
-The sympathetic division sets off arousal, This is activated when an individual feels “under threat”. begins to prepare for action with the fight or flight response
-The parasympathetic division body storing energy ‘not under threat’
what is the somatic nervous system
nerve fibers through body
passes info from cns to body through neurons
what is fight or flight response and what happens
The autonomic nervous system detects a threat and switches from parasympathetic activity to sympathetic activity during the fight or flight response.
The results:
-we breath more deeply,
-our heart rate increases and the blood carries more oxygen.
-Our eyes also dilate
-we begin to sweat more to cool our muscles
-The digestive system also changes so we metabolize sugar quickly, enabling instant energy.
James-Lange theory of emotion description
-psychological arousal comes first and emotion after.
arouses the sympathetic division of ANS - adrenaline released and creates physiological arousal
-the brain interprets the physiological activity which cause emotion
example-seeing a bear activates sympathetic division-muscles tense so these physiological changes interpreted as fear
-if there is no physical changes = no emotion
James-Lange theory of emotion evaluation
STRENGTH=
-real life examples -evidence that this happens in phobias
-promoted lots of research into importance of ANS in emotion
WEAKNESS=
-challenged by another theory saying we experience emotions at the same time as physiological arousal- so can explain emotional situations that james lang cant
-may be too simple-we need arousal PLUS social cues to label the emotion. –Doesn’t explain how the person decides the emotion they experience
what are neurons
special cells which exchange chemicals to generate small electrical impulses and this is how information is passed around
what are the three types of neurons in the nervous system
1.Sensory neurons carry information from the sense organs to the central nervous system (CNS).
2.Motor neurons stimulate muscles for movement.
(send signals from the brain to the muscles.)
3.Relay neurons pass messages to other neurons within the central nervous system (CNS) and make millions of connections between each other, sensory neurons and motor neurons.
structure of a sensory neuron
They have a cell body, with two stems on either side. One end receives information from the sense organs, and the other passes this on. Each stem ends in small branches called dendrites, which spread out and connect with other cells.
structure of motor neuron
a long axon (or stem), leads to the muscle, where it divides into a spread-out set of dendrites called the motor end plate, which connects with the muscles.
structure of relay neuron
Relay neurons have a cell body surrounded entirely by dendrites.
synaptic transition process
process where neurons pass messages to other neurons or muscles by releasing special chemicals known as neurotransmitters into tiny gaps between dendrites.
These tiny gaps are called synapses. When a neurotransmitter is picked up at a receptor site, it alters the neurons chemistry slightly and back to an electric impulse
description of Hebbs theory of learning and neuronal growth
-if a neuron repeatedly uses the same neuron, it leads to neuronal growth, if we repeatedly do or remember certain things we develop stronger cell assemblies
-synaptic connections in brain become stronger
-brain has ability to change and develop
-brain adapts to new experiences
learning leaves engrams and develops stronger cell assemblies
evaluations of Hebbs theory of learning and neuronal growth
STRENGTH:
it is scientific, applied to education
WEAKNESS:
reductionist theory-reduces to a neuronal level
