final Flashcards
what is (brain) plasticity?
the brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to experience by reorganizing or growing new neural connections
what is the largest part of the human brain and what does it contain?
the cerebrum containing the cerebral cortex
how is the cerebrum divided?
into 2 hemispheres
how are the hemispheres connected?
the corpus callosum
what is the cerebrum (cerebral cortex) ?
2 separate hemispheres specialized for certain taks
what is the left side of the brain strong in?
analytical
logical
organized
what is the right side of the brain responsible for?
creativity
imaginative
empathetic
what are the 4 lobes in the cerebrum?
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- occipital lobe
- temporal lobe
what is the frontal lobe in charge of?
movement, planning, memory, judgement, abstract thinking
what is the temporal lobe in charge of?
hearing and language
what is the occipital lobe in charge of?
processes visual information
what is the parietal lobe in charge of?
processes information about touch
which cortex is in the frontal lobe?
motor cortex
which cortex is in the parietal?
somatosensory cortex
how did Phineas Gage’s accident help researchers?
helped identify the role of the prefrontal cortex
what is the prefrontal cortex?
1/3 of the human cortex and is responsible for reasoning, decision making, and planning part of the brain
what is the nervous system?
interacting network of neurons that conveys electrochemical information throughout the body
what are the 2 major divisions of the nervous system?
- central nervous system (CNS)
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
what is the central nervous system responsible for?
receives sensory information from external world and processes and coordinates this information to the body
what is the spinal cord?
a bridge between the brain and parts of the body below the neck
what is the peripheral nervous system? (PNS)
handles input and output from the CNS, includes all portions of the nervous system
what is the sympathetic nervous sytem?
fight or flight, prepares the body to expand energy
what is the parasympathetic nervous system?
rest and digest, restores and conserves energy
what are the 2 main components that make up the nervous system?
- neurons
- glial cells
what are neurons?
cells that conduct electrochemical signals; basic unit of the nervous system
what are glial cells?
cells that support, nurture, and insulate neurons
how many neurons are there in the brain?
roughly 100 billion
true or false?
neurons vary in size and shape.
true
what are dendrites?
branch-like fibres that receive information from other neurons and transmit towards cell body
what is the cell body?
keeps neuron alive and plays key role in determining whether neuron will “fire”
what is the axon?
extending fibre that conducts impulse away from cell body and transmits to other cells
what are the branches at the end of an axon called?
axon terminals
what is the myelin sheath?
insulating layer of fatty tissue surrounding axons
what is the purpose of the myelin sheath?
to speed conduction of neural impulses and prevent interference from neighbouring signals
true or false?
neurons use both electrical and chemical signals to communicate.
true
what is the 1st step of electrochemical action?
an electrical signal is conducted inside the neuron, from the dendrites to the cell body, and then down the axon
what is the 2nd step for electrochemical action?
a chemical signal is transmitted from one neuron to another, across the synapse
what do neurons communicate through?
communicate through the synapse through electrical and chemical signals
inflow of sodium ions causes…?
an action potential
synaptic vesicles release chemical called…?
neurotransmitters
what are neurotransmitters?
a chemical substance that is released by a transmitting neuron at the synapse and that alters the activity of a receiving neuron
what are the 4 major neurotransmitters and hormones?
- serotonin
- dopamine
- oxytocin
- endorphins
what is dopamine?
the reward chemical (motivation)
what is serotonin?
the mood stabilizer (happy)
what is endorphin?
the pain killer
what is oxytocin?
the love hormone
what are the 2 types of learning schedules?
- continuous
- intermittent
According to Piaget, what were the 4 stages if cognitive development?
- Sensorimotor
- Pre-operational stage
- Concrete operational stage
- Formal operational stage
what are the 3 categories of attachments?
- secure
- avoidant
- anxious/ambivalent
what is maturation?
the bodies physical changes over time
what is socialization?
children learn the rules and behaviour expected of them by society
what is developmental psychology?
the study of how people change and grow over time, physically, mentally, and socially
what are the 3 key ideas of learning?
learning is based on experience and changes that last over time
what is behaviourism?
observable behaviour and the role of the environment’s infleunce
what is conditioning?
basic kind of learning that involves associations between environmental stimuli and the organism’s responses
what is stimulation generalization?
response to a stimulus that is similar to the one involved in original conditioning
what is stimulus discrimination?
learning to give different CR to different stimuli
what is higher-order conditioning?
neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus with an already-established conditioned stimulus
what is operant conditioning?
the consequences of an organism’s behaviour
determine whether the behaviour will be
repeated in the future
what is reinforcement?
strengthens / increases the response
what is punishment?
weakens / reduces the response
what are the 2 primary types of reinforcements?
- Primary reinforcer
- Secondary reinforcer
what are primary reinforcers?
basic human needs
what are secondary reinforcers?
things society has taught us is important
what are the 2 types of punishments?
- primary punisher
- secondary punisher
what is a primary punisher?
naturally unpleasant
what is secondary punishers?
society has taught us is bad
what is intermittent reinforcement?
given reinforcement only after some correct responses
what is continuous punishment?
given punishment after every correct response (parking tickets)
what is intermittent punishment?
give punishment only after some correct responses (casinos)
what is extinction?
the weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response
what is sensation?
simple stimulation of a sense organ
what is perception?
organization, identification, and interpretation of a sensation
what are sense receptors?
specialized cells that convert physical energy in the environment that can be transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain
true or false?
lady gaga has synesthesia
true
what is transduction?
sensors convert physical signals from the environment into signals sent to the CNS
what is the absolute threshold?
the smallest quantity of physical energy that can be detected
what is difference threshold? AKA JND
smallest difference in stimulation that can be detected when two stimuli are compared
what is signal detection theory?
4 possible outcomes
what is the cornea?
protects eye and bends light towards lens
what is the lens?
focuses on objects
what is the iris?
controls amount of light that gets into eye
what is the pupil?
widens or dilates to let in more light
what is the retina?
neural tissue lining the back of the eyeball containing receptors
what are rods?
night vision
what are cones?
colour vision
what is the blind spot?
the optic nerve leaves the eye at the optic disk
what is the trichromatic theory?
proposes 3 basic types of cones
what is opponent/process theory?
treats pairs of colours as opposing to one another
what is gestalt psychology?
the whole is more than the sum of its parts
what is sentience?
the simplest form of cognition and consciousness
what is the circadian rhythm?
natural 24 hour sleep/wake cycle
what are the 4 types of psychoactive drugs?
- Stimulants
- Depressants
- Opiates
- Psychedelic drugs
