Psychology unit 2 Flashcards
biological psychology
a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
Neuron
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
myelin sheath
A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.
motor (efferent) neurons
carry instructions from the CNS to the body’s muscle glands
Cerebellum
coordinates movement, and balance, supports memory and learning.
fraternal (dizygotic) twins
develop from separate fertilized eggs.
Dendrites
Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.
Axon
transmit information to different neurons, muscles, and glands
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
refractory period
a period of time during which a cell is incapable of repeating an action potential.
Synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
Reuptake
a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
Endorphins
neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
Agonist
bind to synaptic receptors and increase the effect of the neurotransmitter.
nervous system
The body’s communication network.
central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
peripheral nervous system
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Nerves
bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
sensory (afferent) neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
Interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
somatic nervous system
controls the body’s skeletal muscles
autonomic nervous system
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
sympathetic nervous system
fight or flight
parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
endocrine system
the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
Hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
lesion
tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp. Record brain activity
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
show the metabolic or biochemical function of your tissues and organs.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
examine your organs, tissues and skeletal system.
Functional MRI (fMRI)
measures the small changes in blood flow that occur with brain activity.
Brainstem
the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
Medulla
controls heartbeat and breathing
Thalamus
relays messages between the lower brain and the cerebral cortex
reticular
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
limbic system
associated with emotions and drives
Amygdala
linked to emotion.
Hypothalamus
it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
cerebral cortex
the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.
glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
frontal lobes
control movements, speech, concentration, problem-solving, and planning
parietal lobe
Touch
occipital lobe
A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information
temporal lobe
hearing and language.
motor cortex
controls voluntary movements
somatosensory cortex
registers body touch and movement sensations
association areas
involved in higher mental functions such as learning remembering thinking speaking and integrating information
Plasticity
the brain’s ability to change
corpus callosum
connects the two hemispheres of the brain
split brain
the removal of the corpus callosum
consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
environment
the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
Chromosomes
threadlike structures made of protein and a single molecule of DNA that serve to carry the genomic information from cell to cell
DNA
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
Genes
DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission.
Genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes
identical twins (monozygotic twins)
develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
molecular genetics
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes; may vary on particular traits, depending on the range of populations/environments studied
interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
Epigenetics
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
Prefrontal cortex
enables judgment, planning, and processing of new memories
Hippocampus
memory
Brocas Area
controls language expression
Wernicke’s Area
controls language reception
Left hemisphere functions
language, calculations (mathematical thinking), logic, reasoning, and linear thinking
Right hemisphere functions
perceptual task, inference making, speech modulation, language meaning, sense of self, artistic sense and abilities, and emotions
unconscious processing
outside of awarness
conscious processing
information of which we are readily aware
Nature
genetics determine behaivor
nurture
environment determines behavior
