PSY 101

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

The elementary components of the nervous system. The body’s speedy electrochemical system.

Question 2

Dendrites

Answer 2

Fibers that receive messages from other cells

Question 3

Axon

Answer 3

Passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Question 4

Myelin Sheath

Answer 4

A covering around some axons that enables faster transmission

Question 5

Soma

Answer 5

The cell body of a neuron

Question 6

Terminal buttons

Answer 6

Structures that form junctions with other cells

Question 7

Action potential of neuron

Answer 7

Brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Question 8

Threshold (of a neuron)

Answer 8

Amount of electricity required to stimulate neural impulse

Question 9

Refractory period (of a neuron)

Answer 9

Resting pause from when the neuron is fired that another impulse may not occur

Question 10

All or nothing response

Answer 10

Neuron response is binary: it either fires or it doesn’t fire

Question 11

Synapse

Answer 11

Junction between axon tip of sending the neuron and dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

Question 12

Synaptic gap (synaptic cleft)

Answer 12

Tiny gap at synapse

Question 13

Neurotransmitter

Answer 13

Chemical messengers that cross syanptic gaps between neurons (does NOT always generate neural impulse)

Question 14

Reuptake

Answer 14

Neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

Question 15

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 15

Part of the peripheral nervous system
Controls internal activity of organs and glands
Stems: sympathetic, parasympathetic

Question 16

Somatic nervous system

Answer 16

Part of the peripheral nervous system

Controls external actions of skin and muscle

Question 17

Sensory (afferent) neurons

Answer 17

Carry messages from tissues and sensory receptors into spinal cord and brain for processing

Question 18

Motor (efferent) neurons

Answer 18

Carry instructions from the central nervous system out to the body’s muscles and glands

Question 19

Interneurons within the brain and spinal cord

Answer 19

Communicate with one another and process information between sensory input and motor output

Question 20

Adrenal gland

Answer 20

A pair of endocrine glands situated above the kidney. Secret epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Question 21

Pituitary gland

Answer 21

Endocrine system’s most influential gland. Controlled by hypothalamus. Regulates growth. Controls other endocrine glands.

Question 22

Inattention Blindness

Answer 22

Type of selective attention. Failure to see visible objects when our attention is somewhere else.

Question 23

Change Blindness

Answer 23

Type of selective attention. Failing to notice changes in our environment.