Unit 1 Condensed Flashcards
Attempts to understand why animals and humans have developed the particular psychological aspects that they currently possess. Focused on the evolved functions of our thoughts and feelings.
Functionalism
The interaction between biology and emotions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Biological Approach
Focuses on the idea that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment.
Behaviorism
Focuses on the role of our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories, and our early childhood experiences in determining behavior.
Psychodynamic Approach
The study of mental processes, including perception, thinking, memory, and judgments
Cognitive Approach
Collects information from other cells and sends the information to the soma
Dendrites
Contains the nucleus of the cell and keeps the cell alive.
Cell Body (soma)
Transmits information away from the cell body toward other neurons or to the muscles and glands.
Axon
Change in electrical charge that occurs in a neuron when a nerve impulse is transmitted
Action Potential
The gap between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.
Synapse
Neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Serotonin
Neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
Dopamine
Neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory
Acetylcholine
Oldest part of the brain, it is the first part of the brain to develop; controls autonomic functions
Brainstem
The bottom of the brainstem. It controls the most basic functions such as heartbeat and breathing.
Medulla
Helps coordinate voluntary movements such as playing a sport, balance, and posture.
Cerebellum (“little brain”)
Helps with the emotions of fear and anger.
Amygdala
Directs several maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, and sexual behavior. It helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.
Hypothalamus
Located from the middle to the back of the skull, and responsible primarily for processing information about touch and taste.
Parietal Lobes
Primarily responsible for thinking, planning, memory, and judgment.
Frontal Lobes
Located at the sides of the brain and responsible for hearing, language, and memory. It includes the auditory cortex.
Temporal Lobes
Receives information from the skin’s sensory receptors (pain, warmth, cold, touch) and the senses that pertain to body position and movement.
Somatosensory Cortex
The part of the cortex that controls and executes movements of the body by sending signals to the cerebellum and the spinal cord.
Motor cortex
In the left frontal lobe controls facial movements and the production of language.
Broca’s Area
