Nervous system vocabulary list Flashcards
1
Q
psychology
A
psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and the mind
2
Q
pseudoscience
A
A Pseudoscience is a fake science that has well-established beliefs that have not changed over the centuries
3
Q
behaviour
A
any observable action made by a living person or animal
4
Q
mind
A
mental processes or experiences that occur within an individual which cannot be directly observed or measured (thoughts, feelings, beliefs)
5
Q
science
A
Science is the systematic, ordered and planned study of the universe based on observations, experiments and the recording and analysis of results
6
Q
scientific method
A
- identify the research topic of interest
- formulate a hypothesis
- select the research method and design the study
- collect the data
- analyse the data
- draw conclusions
- report the findings
7
Q
psychologist
A
a psychologist is someone who practices psychology
- cannot prescribe medication
- works with a broad field
- minimum of 6 years training
8
Q
psychiatrist
A
a psychiatrist is someone who practices psychiatry
- can prescribe medication
- works with a narrow field
- minimum of 9 years training
9
Q
clinical psychology
A
works with people with mental illness or behaviour disorders
10
Q
cognitive psychology
A
looks through memories and perception
11
Q
counselling psychology
A
life issues such as family, school or marriage problems
12
Q
developmental psychology
A
psychological development from conception to death
13
Q
educational psychology
A
teaching and learning in educational settings
14
Q
forensic psychology
A
criminal behaviour in prisons and legal situations
15
Q
health psychology
A
health issues and diseases
16
Q
social psychology
A
social influences on individual behaviour and interactions between groups and individuals
17
Q
industrial and organisational psychology
A
psychological aspects of business and industry work settings
18
Q
sports psychology
A
enhances sporting performance
19
Q
environmental psychology
A
how the physical world affects peoples behaviour and vice versa
20
Q
human nervous system
A
A complex communication system through which info is transmitted continuously around the body
21
Q
central nervous system
A
The central nervous system (CNS) comprises the brain and its extension, the spinal cord
22
Q
brain
A
the primary organ for cognition and coordination of functioning
23
Q
spinal cord
A
The spinal cord is the long, thin bundle of nerve tissue that extends from the base of the brain to the lower back
24
Q
peripheral nervous system
A
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the entire network of nerves located outside the CNS
25
somatic nervous system
The somatic nervous system (SNS) is a network of nerves that carries sensory information to the CNS and motor information from the CNS
26
autonomic nervous system
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a subdivision of the PNS that connects the CNS to the body’s internal organs (such as the heart, stomach and liver) and glands (such as sweat, salivary and adrenal glands), providing feedback to the brain about their activities
27
sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for increasing the activity of most visceral muscles, organs and glands in times of vigorous activity, stress or threat
28
parasympathetic nervous system
The parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for decreasing the activity of most visceral muscles, organs and glands, and restoring body functioning to its normal state
29
fight or flight response
an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening
30
neuron
Neurons transmit messages in the form of an electrical impulse (aka an action potential)
31
dendrite
Contains receptor sites that receive neurotransmitters from
neighbouring neurons
32
soma
determines if the message is strong enough to trigger an impulse down the axon
33
myelin
An insulating layer that covers the axon. It helps keep the electrical
signals inside the cell, allowing faster transmission
34
axon
Transfers electrical impulses from the cell body to the synapse
axons called nerves when together in a bundle
35
axon terminal
Found at the end of the axon and contains neurotransmitters that are
held in vesicles. Neurotransmitters that are released once an electrical
impulse is received
36
motor neuron
transmit neural information from
the CNS to the PNS. This information is designed to initiate a response in the effector which could be muscles, organs or glands
37
sensory neuron
transmit neural information from sensory receptor sites in the PNS to the CNS. The sensory information being transmitted could be from any of your five senses
38
inter neuron
transmit neural information within
the spinal cord and brain. Interneurons connect the sensory and motor neurons and can only be
found in the CNS
39
homunculus
a representation of how much space each body part takes up in the brain according to sensitivity of that part
40
forebrain
the largest area of the brain, located at the top and front of the brain
41
cerebrum
responsible for a range of sophisticated functions
42
thalamus
filters sensory and motor signals
regulates arousal, attention, activity
43
hypothalamus
primarily involved in homeostatic functioning as well as motivated and emotional behaviours
44
midbrain
a part of the brain stem in the centre of the brain
- processes sensory information
- regulates sleep and physiological arousal
- involved in motor movement
45
reticular formation
a net-like structure of neurons extending along the brain stem, connecting various parts of the brain and spinal cord via pathways and projections
- filters information to the brain
- regulating the sleep-wake cycle and consciousness
- regulating physiological arousal and alertness
46
hindbrain
an area at the base of the brain, including the medulla and pons (in the brain stem) and the cerebellum
47
pons
primarily involved in relaying information between different brain areas and regulating the respiratory system
48
cerebellum
primarily involved in skeletal muscle movement and coordination
49
medulla
primarily involved in regulating autonomic functions
50
hemispheric specialisation
Each side of the brain has its own specialised function
51
contralateral
one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body
52
right hemisphere
spatial awareness, creativity and emotional processing
commonly associated with creativity
53
left hemisphere
language and analytical thinking
commonly associated with being logical
54
corpus callosum
The thick band of nerve fibres connecting the left and right brain hemispheres.
- Allows for communication between the two hemispheres
55
cerebral cortex
Tissue that forms the outer layer of the upper part of Cerebrum (two hemispheres).
Controls both basic sensory and motor skills as well as higher mental functioning in humans.
i.e. Perception, Language, Memory, Thinking, and Problem Solving.
Approximately 3-5 mm thick.
Contains about ¾ of the Cerebrum’s neurons ~20 billion
56
frontal lobe
speaking
planning
judging
abstract thinking
personality aspects
physical movement
57
occipital lobe
information related to sight
interpreting what is seen
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parietal lobe
sense of touch
body position
59
temporal lobe
comprehension
sound
speech
60
spatial neglect
where the brain blocks out half of the vision.
61
wernicke's aphasia
makes it hard to understand speech and written words. cannot make fluent, comprehensible sentences. can still talk quickly
62
broca's aphasia
affects the way that speech comes out. cannot make big sentences.
63
HM
Henry Molaison was a 27 year old man who had suffered from seizures. September 1 1953, surgeons took out his hippocampus and he could not make new memories.
64
Phineas Gage
65
electrochemical
an electrical signal (action potential) is sent along the neuron and a chemical signal (neurotransmitter) is sent through the synaptic gap
66
action potential
the electrical signal sent along the neuron
67
neurotransmitters
the chemical signal sent through the synaptic gap
68
dopamine
pleasure neurotransmitter
(feeling of pleasure and also addiction, movement and motivation. people repeat behaviours that lead to dopamine release.)
69
acetylcholine
learning neurotransmitter
(involved in thought, learning and memory. activates muscle action in the body. also associated with attention and awakening)
70
serotonin
mood neurotransmitter
(contributes to well being and happiness. helps sleep cycle and digestive system regulation. affected by exercise and light exposure)
71
glutamate
memory neurotransmitter
(most common brain neurotransmitter. involved in learning and memory, regulates development and creation of nerve contacts)
72
synapse
The site where communication occurs between adjacent neurons
73
synaptic gap
the gap between neurons
74
presynaptic neuron
sending side of the synaptic gap
75
postsynaptic neuron
receiving side of the synaptic gap
76
conscious response
an action coordinated by the body that is performed with voluntary control and intention
awareness of the brain
77
unconscious response
an action coordinated by the body that occurs automatically
without awareness of the brain
78
spinal reflex/reflex arc
unconscious, involuntary and automatically occurring response to certain stimuli without any involvement of the brain
79
thoughts
Mental cognitions—our ideas, opinions, and beliefs about ourselves and the world around us
80
feelings
an emotional state
81
behaviour
any observable action made by a living person or animal
82
quadriplegia
Four limbs affected by impaired sensation and movement. If spinal injury is high up the spine, then chest muscles, such as the diaphragm, can also be affected
83
triplegia
Rare incomplete spinal cord injury leads to three limbs (one arm, two legs) affected by impaired sensation and movement
84
paraplegia
Two limbs affected (left and right legs) by impaired sensation and movement
85
aim
a statement outlining the purpose of a study. clear and specific. includes variables
to investigate the effect of (INDEPENDENT VARIABLE) on the (DEPENDENT VARIABLE)
86
hypothesis
a testable prediction of the effect the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE will have on the DEPENDENT VARIABLE
87
variable
a factor or element of an experiment that may be manipulated or measured
88
independent variable
The variable for which quantities are manipulated by the researcher, and the variable that is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable
89
dependent variable
The variable the researcher measures, after selecting the independent variable that is assumed to affect the dependent variable
90
self report
any method which involves asking a participant about their feelings, attitudes or beliefs
91
questionnaire
a structured set of questions designed to gather information from participants about their opinions, behaviours, or characteristics
92
interview
a structured conversation between a psychologist and a client, or a researcher and a participant, used to gather information about thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and experiences
93
rating scale
a set of categories designed to elicit information about a quantitative or qualitative attribute
94
observational study
research in which the experimenter passively observes the behaviour of the participants without any attempt at intervention or manipulation of the behaviours being observed
95
case study
an in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or particular phenomenon (activity, behaviour, event, or problem) that contains a real or hypothetical situation and includes the complexities that would be encountered in the real world
96
cross-sectional study
observational studies that analyze data from a population at a single point in time
97
longitudinal study
researchers repeatedly examine the same individuals to detect any changes that might occur over a period of time
98
experiment
a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact
99
experimental research design
a structured approach to conducting research where one or more variables are manipulated to determine their effect on other variables, aiming to establish a cause-and-effect relationship
100
independent groups design
participants are split into two or more groups; typically and control group and experimental group/s
101
repeated measures design
the same participants are in every condition of the experiment
102
matched participants design
participants are paired based upon relevant characteristics, whereupon one member of the pair is tested in one condition, and the other member is tested in the other
103
control group/condition
a group that is use as a basis for comparison; participants are not exposed the the experimental condition/s (the IV).
Provides baseline data for which the experimental group’s data can be compared
104
experimental group/condition
the group within an experiment that are exposed to the experimental conditions (the IV).
Provides a direct observation of the effectiveness of the IV or treatment condition
105
population
106
sample
107
sampling
108
convenience sampling
109
random sampling
110
stratified sampling
111
allocation
112
random allocation
113
extraneous variables
