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Psychology > RPI Psych Quiz 2 Vocab > Flashcards

RPI Psych Quiz 2 Vocab Flashcards

Let's Ace This Test!!! All information taken from: Psychology: The Science of Behavior 7th Ed.

1
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

The brain and the spinal cord.

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2
Q

Spinal Cord

A

A long, thin collection of neural cells attached to the base of the brain and running the length of the spinal column.

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3
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

The cranial and spinal nerves; that part of the nervous system peripheral to the brain and spinal cord.

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4
Q

Nerve

A

A bundle of nerve fibers that transmit information between the central nervous system and the body’s sense organs, muscles, and glands.

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5
Q

Cranial Nerve

A

A bundle of nerve fibers attached to the base of the brain; conveys sensory information from the face and head and carries messages to muscles and glands.

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6
Q

Spinal Nerve

A

A bundle of nerve fibers attached to the spinal cord; conveys sensory information from the body and carries messages to muscles and glands.

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7
Q

Vertebra (pl. Vertebrae)

A

One of the bones that encases the spinal cord and constitutes the vertebral column.

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8
Q

Meninges

A

The three-layered set of membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord.

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9
Q

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A

The liquid in which the brain and spinal cord float; provides a shock-absorbing cushion.

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10
Q

Cerebral Ventricle

A

One of the hollow spaces within the brain, filed with cerebrospinal fluid.

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11
Q

Blood-brain Barrier

A

A barrier between the blood and the brain produced by the cells in the walls of the brain’s capillaries; prevents some substances from passing from the blood into the brain.

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12
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

The outer layer of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, approximately 3mm thick.

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13
Q

Gray Matter

A

The portions of the central nervous system that are abundant in cell bodies of neurons rather than axons. The color appears gray relative to white matter.

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14
Q

White Matter

A

The portions of the central nervous system that are abundant in axons rather than cell bodies of neurons. The color derives from the presence of the axons’ myelin sheaths.

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15
Q

Dendrite

A

A treelike part of a neuron on which other neurons form synapses.

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16
Q

Soma

A

A cell body; the largest part of a neuron.

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17
Q

Axon

A

A long, thin part of a neuron attached to the soma; divides into a few or many branches, ending in terminal buttons.

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18
Q

Terminal Button

A

The rounded swelling at the end of the axon of a neuron; releases a neurotransmitter.

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19
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

A chemical released by the terminal buttons that causes the postsynaptic neuron to be excited or inhibited.

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20
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

The insulating material that encases most large axons.

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21
Q

Action Potential

A

A brief electrochemical event that is carried by an axon from the soma of the neuron to its terminal buttons; causes the release of a neurotransmitter.

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22
Q

Resting Potential

A

The membrane potential of a neuron when it is not producing an action potential.

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23
Q

Synapse

A

The junction between the terminal button of one neuron and the membrane of a muscle fiber, a gland, or another neuron.

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24
Q

Presynaptic Neuron

A

A neuron whose terminal buttons form synapses with and excite or inhibit another neuron.

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25
Q

Postsynaptic Neuron

A

A neuron with which the terminal buttons of another neuron form synapses and that is excited or inhibited by that neuron.

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26
Q

Synaptic Vesicle

A

A small, hollow, beadlike structure found in terminal buttons; contains molecules of a neurotransmitter.

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27
Q

Synaptic Cleft

A

A fluid-filled gap between the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes; the terminal button releases a neurotransmitter into this space.

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28
Q

Neurotransmitter Receptor

A

A special protein molecule located in the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron that responds to molecules of the neurotransmitter.

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29
Q

Brain Stem

A

The “stem” of the brain, including the medulla, pons, and midbrain.

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30
Q

Cerebellum

A

A pair of hemispheres resembling the cerebral hemispheres but much smaller and lying beneath and in back of them; controls posture and movements, especially rapid ones.

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31
Q

Cerebral Hemisphere

A

The largest part of the brain; covered by the cerebral cortex and containing parts of the brain that evolved most recently.

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32
Q

Neuron

A

A neural cell; consists of a cell body with dendrites and an axon whose branches end in terminal buttons that synapse with muscle fibers, gland cells, or other neurons.

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33
Q

Glia

A

Cells of the central nervous system that provide support for neurons and supply them with some essential chemicals.

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34
Q

Ion

A

A positively or negatively charged particle; produced when many substances dissolve in water.

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35
Q

Ion Channel

A

A special protein molecule located in the membrane of a cell; controls the entry or exit of particular ions.

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36
Q

Ion Transporter

A

A special protein molecule located in the membrane of a cell; actively transports ions into or out of the cell.

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37
Q

All-or-None Law

A

The principle that once an action potential is triggered in an axon, it is propagated, without becoming smaller, to the end of the axon.

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38
Q

Sensory Neuron

A

A neuron that detects changes in the external or internal environment and sends information about these changes to the central nervous system.

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39
Q

Motor Neuron

A

A neuron whose terminal buttons form synapses with muscle fibers. When an action potential travels down its axon, the associated muscle fibers will twitch.

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40
Q

Reuptake

A

The process by which a terminal button retrieves the molecules of a neurotransmitter that it has just released; terminates the effect of the neurotransmitter on the receptors of the postsynaptic neuron.

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41
Q

Glutamate

A

The most important excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord.

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42
Q

GABA

A

The most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

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43
Q

Barbiturate

A

A drug that causes sedation; one of several derivatives of barbituric acid.

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44
Q

Antianxiety Drug

A

A “tranquilizer” which reduces anxiety.

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45
Q

Benzodiazepine

A

A class of drug having anxiolytic (“tranquilizing”) effects, such as diazepam (Valium).

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46
Q

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A

A neurotransmitter found in the brain, spinal cord, and parts of the peripheral nervous system; responsible for muscular contraction.

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47
Q

Botulinum Toxin

A

A drug that prevents the release of acetylcholine by terminal buttons.

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48
Q

Black Widow Spider Venom

A

A drug that stimulates the release of acetylcholine by terminal buttons.

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49
Q

Neostigmine

A

A drug that enhances the effects of acetylcholine by blocking the enzyme that destroys it.

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50
Q

Nicotine

A

A drug that binds with and stimulates acetylcholine receptors, mimicking the effects of this neurotransmitter.

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51
Q

Curare

A

A drug that binds with and blocks acetylcholine receptors, preventing the neurotransmitter to exert its effects.

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52
Q

Monoamine

A

A category of neurotransmitters that includes dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

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53
Q

Dopamine (DA)

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in control of brain mechanisms of movement and reinforcement.

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54
Q

Parkinson’s Disease

A

A neurological disorder characterized by tremors, rigidity of the limbs, poor balance, and difficulty in initiating movements; caused by degeneration of a system of dopamine-secreting neurons.

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55
Q

Norepinephrine (NE)

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in alertness and vigilance and control of REM sleep.

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56
Q

Serotonin

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood; in the control of eating, sleep, and arousal; and in the regulation of pain.

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57
Q

LSD

A

Lysergic acid diethylamide; a hallucinogenic drug that blocks a category of serotonin receptors.

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58
Q

Neuromodulator

A

A substance secreted in the brain that modulates the activity of neurons that contain the appropriate receptors.

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59
Q

Peptide

A

A category of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that consist of two or more amino acids, linked by peptide bonds.

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60
Q

Endogenous Opioid

A

A neuromodulator whose action is mimicked by a natural or synthetic opiate, such as opium, morphine, or heroin.

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61
Q

Naloxone

A

A drug that binds with and blocks opioid receptors, preventing opiate drugs or endogenous opioids from exerting their effects.

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62
Q

Endogenous Cannabinoid

A

A neuromodulator whose action is mimicked by THC and other drugs present in marijuana.

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63
Q

Anandamide

A

The most important endogenous cannabinoid.

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64
Q

Brain Lesion

A

Damage to a particular region of the brain.

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65
Q

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A

A technique with a device that uses the interaction between radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce images of slices of the interior of the body.

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66
Q

Microelectrode

A

A thin electrode made of wire or glass that can measure the electrical activity of a single neuron.

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67
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

An electrical brain potential recorded by placing electrodes on the scalp.

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68
Q

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

A

A method of brain study that measures the changes in magnetic fields that accompany action potentials in the cerebral cortex.

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69
Q

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A

The use of a device that reveals the localization of a radioactive tracer in a living brain.

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70
Q

Functional MRI (fMRI)

A

A modification of the MRI procedure that permits the measurement of regional metabolism in the brain.

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71
Q

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A

Direct stimulation of the cerebral cortex induced by magnetic fields generated outside the skull.

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72
Q

Targeted Mutaiton

A

A mutated gene (also called a “knockout gene”) produced in the laboratory and inserted into the chromosomes of mice; abolishes the normal effects of the gene.

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73
Q

Neural Plasticity

A

The production of changes in the structure and functions of the nervous system, induced by environmental events.

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74
Q

Ventricular Zone

A

A layer of cells that line the inside of the neural tube; contains founder cells that divide and give rise to cells of the central nervous system.

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75
Q

Stem Cell

A

An undifferentiated cell that can divide and produce any one of a variety of differentiated cells.

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76
Q

Apoptosis

A

Death of a cell caused by a chemical signal that activates a genetic mechanism inside the cell.

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77
Q

Neurogenesis

A

The process responsible for the production of a new neuron.

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78
Q

Central Fissure

A

The fissure that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

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79
Q

Frontal Lobe

A

The front portion of the cerebral cortex, including the prefrontal cortex and the motor cortex; damage impairs movement, planning, and flexibility in behavioral strategies.

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80
Q

Parietal Lobe

A

The region of the cerebral cortex behind the frontal lobe and above the temporal lobe; contains the somatosensory cortex; is involved in spatial perception and memory.

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81
Q

Temporal Lobe

A

The portion of the cerebral cortex below the frontal and parietal lobes; contains the auditory cortex.

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82
Q

Occipital Lobe

A

The rearmost portion of the cerebral cortex; contains the primary visual cortex.

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83
Q

Primary Visual Cortex

A

The region of the cerebral cortex that receives information directly from the visual system; located in the occipital lobes.

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84
Q

Primary Auditory Cortex

A

The region of the cerebral cortex that receives information directly from the auditory system; located in the temporal lobes.

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85
Q

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

A

The region of the cerebral cortex that receives information directly from the somatosensory system (touch, pressure, vibration, pain, and temperature); located in the front part of the parietal lobes.

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86
Q

Contralateral

A

Residing in the side of the body opposite the reference point.

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87
Q

Ipsilateral

A

Residing in the same side of the body as the reference point.

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88
Q

Primary Motor Cortex

A

The region of the cerebral cortex that directly controls the movements of the body; located in the posterior part of the frontal lobes.

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89
Q

Sensory Association Cortex

A

Those regions of cerebral cortex that receive information from the primary sensory areas.

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90
Q

Prefrontal Cortex

A

The anterior part of the frontal lobe; contains the motor association cortex.

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91
Q

Motor Association Cortex

A

Those regions of the cerebral cortex that control the primary motor cortex; involved in planning and executing behaviors.

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92
Q

Thalamus

A

A region of the brain near the center of the cerebral hemispheres. All sensory information except that of olfaction is sent to the thalamus and then relayed to the cerebral cortex.

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93
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

A group of nuclei in the brain interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and brain stem; involved in control of slow movements and movements of large muscles.

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94
Q

Limbic System

A

A set of interconnected structures of the brain important in emotional and species-typical behavior; includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and limbic cortex.

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95
Q

Limbic Cortex

A

The cerebral cortex located around the edges of the cerebral hemispheres where they join with the brain stem; part of the limbic system.

96
Q

Hippocampus

A

A part of the limbic system of the brain, located in the temporal lobe; plays important roles in episodic memory and spatial memory.

97
Q

Amygdala

A

A part of the limbic system of the brain located deep in the temporal lobe; damage causes changes in emotional and aggressive behavior.

98
Q

Homeostasis

A

The process by which important physiological characteristics (such as body temperature and blood pressure) are regulated so that they remain at their optimal levels.

99
Q

Species-Typical Behavior

A

A behavior seen in all or most members of a species, such as nest building, special food-getting behaviors, or reproductive behaviors.

100
Q

Medulla

A

The part of the brain stem closest to the spinal cord; controls vital functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

101
Q

Pons

A

The part of the brain stem just anterior to the medulla; involved in control of sleep.

102
Q

Midbrain

A

The part of the brain stem just anterior to the pons; involved in control of fighting and sexual behavior and in decreased sensitivity to pain during these behaviors.

103
Q

Hypothalamus

A

A region of the brain located just above the pituitary gland; controls the autonomic nervous system and many behaviors related to regulation and survival, such as eating, drinking, fighting, shivering, and sweating.

104
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

An endocrine gland attached to the hypothalamus at the base of the brain.

105
Q

Endocrine Gland

A

A gland that secretes a hormone.

106
Q

Hormone

A

A chemical substance secreted by an endocrine gland that has physiological effects on target cells in other organs.

107
Q

Target Cell

A

A cell whose physiological processes are affected by a particular hormone; contains special receptors that respond to the presence of the hormone.

108
Q

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

A

The portion of the peripheral nervous system that controls the functions of the glands and internal organs.

109
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

The portion of the peripheral nervous system that transmits information from sense organs to the central nervous system and from the central nervous system to the muscles.

110
Q

Stereotaxic Apparatus

A

A device used to insert an electrode into a particular part of the brain for the purpose of recording electrical activity, stimulating the brain electrically, or producing localized damage.

111
Q

CT Scanner

A

A device that uses a special x-ray machine and a computer to produce images of the brain that appear as slices taken parallel to the top of the skull.

112
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

A large bundle of axons (“white matter”) that connects the cortex of the two cerebral hemispheres.

113
Q

Sympathetic Branch

A

The portion of the autonomic nervous system that activates functions that accompany arousal and expenditure of energy.

114
Q

Parasympathetic Branch

A

The portion of the autonomic nervous system that activates functions that occur during a relaxed state.

115
Q

Learning

A

Long-lasting changes in the environmental guidance of behavior as a result of experience.

116
Q

Eliciting Stimulus

A

Stimulus that evokes behavior, commonly as a result of natural selection.

117
Q

Emitted Response

A

Response permitted by the environment with no specific controlling stimulus.

118
Q

Classical Procedure

A

Conditioning procedure in which a neutral stimulus precedes an eliciting stimulus with the result that the neutral stimulus evokes a learned response resembling the elicited response.

119
Q

Operant Procedure

A

Conditioning procedure in which a response (the operant) precedes an eliciting stimulus.

120
Q

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A

Neutral stimulus that evokes a conditional response (CR) through pairing with a US in a classical procedure.

121
Q

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A

Stimulus, such as food, that elicits a reflexive response, such as salivation, in a classical procedure.

122
Q

Unconditioned Response (UR)

A

Response that is elicited by the US in a classical procedure.

123
Q

Conditioned Response (CR)

A

Response that is acquired by the CS in a classical procedure after the CS has been paired with the US.

124
Q

Conditioning

A

Process that produces learning (change in the environmental guidance of behavior) in classical and operant procedures.

125
Q

Reinforcement Stimulus (Reinforcer)

A

Stimulus that strengthens responding in either the classical or operant procedures, often called simply a reinforcer.

126
Q

Temporal Contiguity

A

Relation between two events that occur close together in time.

127
Q

Schedules of Reinforcement

A

Procedures that manipulate the temporal relation between stimuli, responses, and reinforcers.

128
Q

Ratio Schedules

A

Procedures in which a reinforcer is dependent on the occurrence of a number of responses; may be either fixed or variable.

129
Q

Interval Schedules

A

Procedures in which a reinforcer is dependent on the passage of time before the response is effective; may be either fixed or variable.

130
Q

Blocking Design

A

Two-phase procedure in which behavior is first conditioned to one stimulus, and then a second stimulus is introduced, and conditioning continues. Behavior does not become conditioned to the second stimulus even though it is temporally contiguous with the reinforcing stimulus.

131
Q

Acquisition

A

Increase in the environmental guidance of behavior as the result of either a classical- or operant- conditioning procedure.

132
Q

Habituation

A

Decrease in responding to a stimulus after that stimulus is repeatedly presented without an important consequence.

133
Q

Orienting Response

A

Response that facilitates detecting a stimulus (for example, turning toward the source of a sound).

134
Q

Shaping

A

Procedure in which successively closer approximations to a target behavior are reinforced; commonly used when acquiring complex behavior.

135
Q

Reinforcement

A

Process by which a reinforcer increases the environmental guidance of behavior.

136
Q

Taste Aversion

A

Conditioning in which a distinctive taste (or smell) is paired with an ingested food that produces nausea, effective even with long intervals between the taste and nausea.

137
Q

Conditional (Secondary) Reinforcer

A

Stimulus that can function as a reinforcer after it has been paired with another stimulus that can already function as a reinforcer.

138
Q

Automatic Reinforcement

A

Process in which a behavior inherently produces stimuli that function as reinforcers for that same behavior; especially important in language acquisition.

139
Q

Extinction

A

Decrease in a learned behavior when the behavior is no longer followed by a reinforcer.

140
Q

Intermittent (Partial) Reinforcement

A

Procedures in which not every occurrence of a behavior is followed by a reinforcer; increases resistance to the effects of extinction.

141
Q

Spontaneous Recovery

A

Increase in a previously extinguished response after the passage of time.

142
Q

Stimulus Generalization

A

Process by which behavior occurs in an environment in which it has not been reinforced, but which is similar to that environment.

143
Q

Stimulus Discrimination

A

Process by which the environmental guidance of behavior is restricted to the environment in which the behavior was reinforced; can be produced by extinguishing the response in other environments.

144
Q

Differential Conditioning Procedure

A

Procedure in which behavior has different consequences as the environment changes.

145
Q

Discriminative Stimulus

A

Stimulus that controls behavior as the result of a differential conditioning procedure.

146
Q

Contextual Discrimination

A

Discrimination procedure in which the stimulus in whose presence the behavior is reinforced varies with the value of another stimulus, the stimulus context.

147
Q

Equivalence Class

A

A set of physically unrelated stimuli that all control the appropriate behavior without direct training after the stimuli have appeared in multiple contextual discriminations.

148
Q

Matching Principle

A

In a choice situation, the proportion of responses occurring during a stimulus is the same as the proportion of reinforcers received during that stimulus.

149
Q

Punishing Stimulus (Punisher)

A

Stimulus that evokes escape and withdrawal responses that interfere with the behavior that produced it.

150
Q

Punishment

A

Process by which a stimulus decreases the strength of behavior by conditioning responses that interfere with the operant.

151
Q

Escape or Withdrawal Response

A

Response that terminates or reduces contact with an aversive stimulus; the aversive stimulus may be either conditioned or unconditioned.

152
Q

Conditioned Emotional Response (CER), or Conditioned Suppression

A

Procedure in which an operant response is decreased by a stimulus that has been paired with an aversive stimulus.

153
Q

Dopamine

A

Neuromodulator that increases synaptic efficacy between interconnected neurons that are active at the same time; important in reinforcement.

154
Q

AMPA Receptor

A

Type of receptor for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, rapidly facilitates firing of the neuron.

155
Q

NMDA Receptor

A

Type of glutamate receptor that plays an important role in learning through changing synaptic efficacies.

156
Q

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A

Increase in the ease of firing a postsynaptic neuron by electrical stimulation of a presynaptic neuron; thought to be the neural basis of learning.

157
Q

Perceptual Learning

A

Process by which combinations of environmental stimuli acquire control of behavior.

158
Q

Latent Learning

A

Facilitation of learning after the stimuli that guide behavior have been experienced but without the behavior being reinforced in their presence.

159
Q

Instructional Control

A

Guidance of behavior by discriminative stimuli, especially verbal stimuli such as directions; also known as rule-governed behavior.

160
Q

Observational Learning

A

Changes in the behavior of an observer after seeing another learner behave in that same situation.

161
Q

Imitation

A

Observational learning in which the behavior of an observer is similar to the behavior of the one being observed.

162
Q

Sensation

A

The detection of the elementary properties of a stimulus.

163
Q

Perception

A

The detection of the more-complex properties of a stimulus, including its location and nature; involves learning.

164
Q

Transduction

A

The conversion of physical stimuli into changes in the activity of receptor cells of sensory organs.

165
Q

Receptor Cells

A

A neuron that directly responds to a physical stimulus, such as light, vibrations, or aromatic molecules.

166
Q

Anatomical Coding

A

A means by which the nervous system represents information; different features are coded by the activity of different neurons.

167
Q

Temporal Coding

A

A means by which the nervous system represents information; different features are coded by the pattern of activity of neurons.

168
Q

Psychophysics

A

A branch of psychology that measures the quantitative relation between physical stimuli and perceptual experience.

169
Q

Just-Noticeable Difference (JND)

A

The smallest difference between two similar stimuli that can be distinguished. Also called difference threshold.

170
Q

Weber Fraction

A

The ratio between a just-noticeable difference and the magnitude of a stimulus; reasonably constant over the middle range of most stimulus intensities.

171
Q

Threshold

A

The point at which a stimulus, or change in the value of a stimulus, can just be detected.

172
Q

Difference Threshold

A

An alternate name for just-noticeable difference (JND).

173
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

The minimum value of a stimulus that can be detected.

174
Q

Signal-Detection Theory

A

A mathematical theory of the detection of stimuli, which involves discriminating a signal from the noise in which it is embedded and which takes into account subjects’ willingness to report detecting the signal.

175
Q

Receiver-Operating-Characteristic Curve (ROC curve)

A

A graph of hits and false alarms of subjects under different motivational conditions; indicates people’s ability to detect a particular stimulus.

176
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance between adjacent waves of radiant energy; in vision most closely associated with the perceptual dimension of hue.

177
Q

Cornea

A

The transparent tissue covering the front of the eye.

178
Q

Sclera

A

The tough outer layer of the eye; the “white” of the eye.

179
Q

Iris

A

The pigmented muscle of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

180
Q

Lens

A

The transparent organ situated behind the iris of the eye; helps focus an image on the retina.

181
Q

Retina

A

The tissue at the back inside surface of the eye that contains the photoreceptors and associated neurons.

182
Q

Accommodation

A

Changes in the thickness of the lens of the eye that focus images of near or distant objects on the retina.

183
Q

Photoreceptor

A

A receptive cell for vision in the retina; a rod or a cone.

184
Q

Optic Disk

A

A circular structure located at the exit point from the retina of the axons of the ganglion cells that form the optic nerve.

185
Q

Bipolar Cell

A

A neuron in the retina that receives information from photoreceptors and passes it on to the ganglion cells, from which axons proceed through the optic nerves to the brain.

186
Q

Ganglion Cell

A

A neuron in the retina that receives information from photoreceptors by means of bipolar cells, and from which axons proceed through the optic nerves to the brain.

187
Q

Rod

A

A photoreceptor that is very sensitive to light but cannot detect changes in hue.

188
Q

Cone

A

A photoreceptor that is responsible for acute daytime vision and for color perception.

189
Q

Fovea

A

A small pit near the center of the retina containing densely packed cones; responsible for the most acute and detailed vision.

190
Q

Photopigment

A

A complex molecule found in photoreceptors; when struck by light, it splits apart and stimulates the membrane of the photoreceptor in which it resides.

191
Q

Rhodopsin

A

The photopigment contained by rods.

192
Q

Dark Adaptation

A

The process by which the eye becomes capable of distinguishing dimly illuminated objects after going from a bright region to a dark one.

193
Q

Saccadic Movement

A

The rapid movement of the eyes that is used in scanning a visual scene, as opposed to the smooth pursuit movements used to follow a moving object.

194
Q

Vergence Movement

A

The cooperative movement of the eyes, which ensures that the image of an object falls on identical portions of both retinas.

195
Q

Pursuit Movement

A

The movement that the eyes make to maintain an image upon the fovea.

196
Q

Hue

A

A perceptual dimension of color, most closely related to the wavelength of a pure light. The effect of a particular hue is caused by the mixture of lights of various wavelengths.

197
Q

Brightness

A

A perceptual dimension of color, most closely related to the intensity or degree of radiant energy emitted by a visual stimulus.

198
Q

Saturation

A

A perceptual dimension of color, most closely associated with purity of a color.

199
Q

Additive Color Mixing

A

The perception of two or more lights of different wavelengths seen together as light of an intermediate wavelength.

200
Q

Trichromatic Theory

A

The theory that color vision is accomplished by three types of photodetectors, each of which is maximally sensitive to a different wavelength of light.

201
Q

Opponent Process

A

The representation of colors by the rate of firing of two types of neurons: red/green and yellow/blue.

202
Q

Negative Afterimage

A

The image seen after a portion of the retina is exposed to an intense visual stimulus; a negative afterimage consists of colors complementary to those of the physical stimulus.

203
Q

Protanopia

A

A form of hereditary anomalous color vision; caused by defective “red” cones in the retina.

204
Q

Deuteranopia

A

A form of hereditary anomalous color vision; caused by defective “green” cones in the retina.

205
Q

Tritanopia

A

A form of hereditary anomalous color vision; caused by a lack of “blue” cones in the retina.

206
Q

Hertz (Hz)

A

The primary measure of the frequency of vibration of sound waves; cycles per second.

207
Q

Timbre

A

A perceptual dimension of sound that corresponds to its complexity.

208
Q

Ossicle

A

One of the three bones of the middle ear (the hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that transmit acoustical vibrations from the eardrum to the membrane behind the oval window of the cochlea.

209
Q

Cochlea

A

A snail-shaped chamber set in bone in the inner ear, where audition takes place.

210
Q

Oval Window

A

An opening in the bone surrounding the cochlea. The stirrup presses against a membrane behind the oval window and transmits sound vibrations into the fluid within the cochlea.

211
Q

Basilar Membrane

A

A membrane that divides the cochlea of the inner ear into two compartments. The receptive organ for audition resides here.

212
Q

Round Window

A

An opening in the bone surrounding the cochlea. Movements of the membrane behind this opening permit vibrations to be transmitted through the oval window into the cochlea.

213
Q

Auditory Hair Cell

A

The sensory neuron of the auditory system; located on the basilar membrane.

214
Q

Cilium (pl. Cilia)

A

A hairlike appendage of a cell; involved in movement or in transducing sensory information. Cilia are found on the receptors in the auditory and vestibular system.

215
Q

Tectorial Membrane

A

A membrane located above the basilar membrane; serves as a shelf against which the cilia of the auditory hair cells move.

216
Q

Cochlear Implant

A

An electronic device surgically implanted in the inner ear that can enable a deaf person to hear.

217
Q

Fundamental Frequency

A

The lowest, and usually most intense, frequency of a complex sound; most often perceived as the sound’s basic pitch.

218
Q

Overtone

A

A component of a complex tone; one of a series of tones whose frequency is a multiple of the fundamental frequency.

219
Q

Chemosense

A

One of the two sense modalities (gustation and olfaction) that detect the presence of particular molecules present in the environment.

220
Q

Gustation

A

The sense of taste.

221
Q

Papilla

A

A small bump on the tongue that contains a group of taste buds.

222
Q

Taste Bud

A

A small organ on the tongue that contains a group of gustatory receptor cells.

223
Q

Umami

A

The taste sensation produced by glutamate; identifies the presence of amino acids in foods.

224
Q

Olfaction

A

The sense of smell.

225
Q

Olfactory Mucosa

A

The mucous membrane lining the top of the nasal sinuses; contains the cilia of the olfactory receptors.

226
Q

Olfactory Bulb

A

One of the stalk-like structures located at the base of the brain that contain neural circuits that perform the first analysis of olfactory information.

227
Q

Somatosense

A

Bodily sensations; sensitivity to such stimuli as touch, pain, and temperature.

228
Q

Free Nerve Ending

A

An unencapsulated (naked) dendrite of somatosensory neurons.

229
Q

Pacinian Corpuscle

A

A specialized, encapsulated somatosensory nerve ending, which detects mechanical stimuli, especially vibrations.

230
Q

Two-Point Discrimination Threshold

A

The minimum distance between two small points that can be detected as separate stimuli when pressed against a particular region of the skin.

231
Q

Phantom Limb

A

Sensations that appear to originate in a limb that has been amputated.

232
Q

Muscle Spindle

A

A muscle fiber that functions as a stretch receptor; arranged parallel to the muscle fibers responsible for contraction of the muscle, it detects muscle length.

233
Q

Vestibular Apparatus

A

The receptive organs of the inner ear that contribute to balance and perception of head movement.

234
Q

Semicircular Canal

A

One of a set of organs in the inner ear that responds to rotational movements of the head.

235
Q

Vestibular Sac

A

One of two sets of receptor organs in each inner ear that detect changes in the tilt of the head.

Psychology (4 decks)

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