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Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 2145) > Chapter 2 Vocab > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

An almond-shaped structure in the limbic system that plays a central role in emotion and in the evaluation of stimuli

A

Amygdala

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2
Q

The outer surface (cortex) of the front most part of the brain (i.e., the front most part of the frontal lobe). The prefrontal cortex has many functions but is crucial for the planning of complex or novel behaviors, so this brain area is often mentioned as one of the main sites underlying the brain’s executive functions.

A

Prefrontal Cortex

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3
Q

One of the three main structures (along with the forebrain and the midbrain) of the brain; the hindbrain sits atop the spinal cord and includes several structures crucial for controlling key life functions.

A

Hindbrain

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4
Q

The largest area of the hindbrain, crucial for the coordination of bodily movements and balance.

A

Cerebellum

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5
Q

One of the three main structures (along with the forebrain and the hindbrain) of the brain; the midbrain plays an important role in coordinating movements, and it contains structures that serve as “relay” stations for information arriving from the sensory organs

A

Midbrain

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6
Q

One of the three main structures (along with the hindbrain and the midbrain) of the brain; the forebrain plays a crucial role in supporting intellectual functioning

A

Forebrain

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7
Q

The outermost surface of an organ in the body; psychologists are most commonly interested in the brain’s cortex and, specifically, the cerebral cortex

A

Cortex

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8
Q

The wrinkles visible in the cerebral cortex that allows the enormous surface area of the human brain to fit into the relatively small volume of the skull

A

Convolutions

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9
Q

The separation dividing the left cerebral hemisphere from the right

A

Longitudinal Fissure

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10
Q

One of the two hemispherical brain structures - one on the left side, one on the right - that constitute the major part of the forebrain in mammals

A

Cerebral Hemisphere

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11
Q

The lobe of the brain in each cerebral hemisphere that includes the prefrontal area and the primary motor projection area

A

Frontal Lobes

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12
Q

The separation dividing the frontal lobes on each side of the brain from the parietal lobes

A

Central Fissure

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13
Q

The lobe in each cerebral hemisphere that lies between the occipital and frontal lobes and that includes some of the primary sensory projection areas, as well as circuits that are crucial for the control of attention

A

Parietal Lobes

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14
Q

The separation dividing the frontal lobes on each side of the brain from the temporal lobes

A

Lateral Fissure

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15
Q

The lobe of the cortex lying inward and down from the temples. The temporal lobe in each cerebral hemisphere includes the primary auditory projection area, Wernicke’s area, and, subcortically, the amygdala and hippocampus

A

Temporal Lobes

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16
Q

The rearmost lobe in each cerebral hemisphere, and the one that includes the primary visual projection area

A

Occipital Lobes

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17
Q

Identified pieces of the brain that are underneath the cortex and therefore are hidden from view in drawings of an intact brain. These structures include the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the various components of the limbic system

A

Subcortical Structures

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18
Q

A port of the lower portion of the forebrain that serves as a major relay and integration center for sensory information

A

Thalamus

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19
Q

A small structure at the base of the forebrain that plays a vital role in the control of motivated behaviors such as eating, drinking, and sexual activity

A

Hypothalamus

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20
Q

A set of brain structures including the amygdala, hippocampus, and parts of the thalamus. The limbic system is believed to be involved in the control of emotional behavior and motivation, and it also plays a key role in learning and memory

A

Limbic System

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21
Q

A structure in the temporal lobe that is involved in the creation of long-term memories and spatial memory

A

Hippocampus

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22
Q

One of the thick bundles of fibers along with information is sent back and forth between the two cerebral hemispheres

A

Commissures

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23
Q

The largest of the commissures linking the left and right cerebral hemispheres

A

Corpus Callosum

24
Q

A specific area of tissue damage

A

Lesion

25
Q

Non-invasive methods for examining either the structure or the activation pattern within a living brain

A

Neuroimaging Techniques

26
Q

A neuroimaging technique that uses X-rays to construct a precise three dimensional image of the brain’s anatomy

A

Computerized Axial Tomography (CT Scans)

27
Q

A neuroimaging technique that determines how much glucose (the brain’s fuel) is being used by specific areas of the brain at a particular moment in time

A

Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scans)

28
Q

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic fields (created by radio waves) to construct a detailed three dimensional representation of brain tissue. Like CT scans, MRI scans reveal the brain’s anatomy, but they are much more precise than CT scans

A

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scans)

29
Q

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic fields to construct a detailed three dimensional representation of the activity levels in different areas of the brain at a particular moment in time

A

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI Scans)

30
Q

A recording of voltage changes occurring at the scalp that reflect activity in the brain underneath

A

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

31
Q

Changes in an EEG in the brief period just before, during, and after an explicitly defined event, usually measured by averaging together many trials in which this event has occured

A

Event Related Potentials

32
Q

A brain area specialized apparently for the perception of faces

A

Fusiform Face Area (FFA)

33
Q

A technique in which a series of strong magnetic pulses as a specific location on the scalp causes temporary disruption in the brain region directly underneath the scalp area

A

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

34
Q

The research endeavor of determining what specific job is performed by a particular region of the brain

A

Localization of Function

35
Q

The strip of tissue, located at the rear of the frontal lobe, that is the departure point for nerve cells that send their signals to lower portions of the brain and the spinal cord, and that ultimately result in muscle movement

A

Primary Motor Projection Areas

36
Q

The main point of arrival in the cortex for information arriving at the eyes, ears, and other sense organs

A

Primary Sensory Projection Areas

37
Q

A pattern in which the left half of the brain controls the right half of the body, and the right half of the brain controls the left half of the body

A

Contralateral Control

38
Q

The traditional name for the portion of the human cortex outside the motor and sensory projection areas

A

Association Cortex

39
Q

A disturbance in the capacity to initiate or organize voluntary action, often caused by brain damage

A

Apraxia

40
Q

A disturbance in a person’s ability to identify familiar objects

A

Agnosia

41
Q

A pattern of symptoms in which affected individuals ignore all inputs coming from one side of space. Individuals with this syndrome put only one of their arms into their jacket, eats food from only half of their plate, read only half of words, and so on

A

Unilateral Neglect Syndrome

42
Q

A disruption of language capacities, often caused by brain damage. See also fluent and non-fluent aphasia

A

Aphasia

43
Q

An individual cell within the nervous system

A

Neurons

44
Q

A type of cell found in the central nervous system. Glial cells have many functions, including the support of neurons, the repairing of neural connections in case of damage, and a key role in guiding the initial development of neural connections. A specialized type of glia also provide electrical insulation for some neurons, allowing much faster transmissions of neuronal signals

A

Glia

45
Q

The area of a biological cell containing the nucleus and the metabolic machinery that sustains the cell

A

Cell Body

46
Q

The part of the neuron that usually detects the incoming signal

A

Dendrites

47
Q

The part of a neuron that typically transmits a signal away from the neuron’s cell body and carries the signal to another location

A

Axon

48
Q

One of the chemicals released by neurons to stimulate adjacent neurons. See also synapse

A

Neurotransmitter

49
Q

The area that includes the presynaptic membrane of one neuron, the postsynaptic membrane of another neuron, and the tiny gap between them. The presynaptic membranes releases a small amount of neurotransmitter that drifts across the gap and stimulates the postsynaptic membrane

A

Synapse

50
Q

The cell membrane of the neuron “sending” information across the synapse

A

Presynaptic Membrane

51
Q

The cell membrane of the neuron “receiving” information across the synapse

A

Postsynaptic Membrane

52
Q

The activity level at which a cell or detector responds, or fires

A

Threshold

53
Q

A brief change in the electrical potential of an axon. The action potential if the physical basis of the signal sent from one end of the neuron to the other; it usually triggers a further (chemical) signal to other neurons

A

Action Potential

54
Q

The layer of tissue, formed by specialized glial cells, that provide insulation around the axons of many neurons. There are however gaps in this insulation, and the neuronal signal essentially has to “jump” from one gap to the next, dramatically increasing the speed of neurotransmission

A

Myelin Sheath

55
Q

The principle stating that a neuron or detector either fires completely or does not fire at all; no immediate responses are possible.

A

All or None Law

56
Q

The system through which one type of information stands for, or represents, a different type of information. In the context of the nervous system, this term refers to the way in which activity in neurons manages to stand for, or represent, particular ideas or thoughts

A

Coding

Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 2145) (3 decks)

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