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AP Psychology > Unit 2 Biopsychology > Flashcards

Unit 2 Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Nature and Nurture Issue

A

Genes and experience allow for the development of psychological traits. Personality arises from the interaction of nature AND nurture.

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2
Q

Natural Selection

A

Inherited traits enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will most likely be passed on to the succeeding generations.

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3
Q

Eugenics

A

Selective breeding of humans to promote certain “positive” characteristics and eliminate “negative” characteristics.

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4
Q

Evolutionary Psychology

A

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.

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5
Q

Mutation

A

Random errors in gene replication that leads to a change.

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6
Q

Heredity

A

Genetic or predisposed characteristic that is transferred from parents to offspring, influencing physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes.

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7
Q

Family Studies

A

Search for traits and diseases that tend to be shared by family members.

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8
Q

Twin Studies

A

Assess effects of shared genes and environments in twins.

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9
Q

Adoption Studies

A

Assess the effects of environment in adopted children and their biological parents.

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10
Q

Genetic Predisposition

A
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11
Q

Nervous System

A

Communication network in the body that consists of all the nerve cells of the CNS and PNS.

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12
Q

Central Nervous System

A

Includes brain and spinal cord. “Decision maker.”

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13
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

Gathers information and transmits CNS decisions to other body parts.

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14
Q

Nerves

A

Electrical cables from from bundles of axons. They link the CNS with the body’s sensory receptors, muscles, and glands.

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15
Q

Sensory (Afferent) Neurons

A

Carry incoming information from the skin/tissues and sensor receptors to the brain and spinal cord for processing.

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16
Q

Motor (Efferent) Neurons

A

Cary instructions from the CNS to the body’s muscles and glands to produce a reaction to stimulus.

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17
Q

Interneurons

A

Communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs.

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18
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Part of PNS that enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles.

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19
Q

Automatic Nervous System

A

Part of PNS that controls involuntary movement, such as your heart beating.

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20
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Part of autonomic system that arouses and expends energy. Fight, flight, or freeze.

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21
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Part of autonomic system that calms the body and conserves energy. Breed, feed, rest, digest. Works with sympathetic to maintain homeostasis.

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22
Q

Spinal Cord

A

Bridge between the brain and the PNS.Fibers send up sensory information and then send back motor-control information.

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23
Q

Reflex

A

Automatic responses to stimuli.

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24
Q

Reflex Arc

A

Spinal reflex pathway. Stimulus causes sensory neurons to emit signals to the CNS with inter neurons, and a response is carried out through motor neurons.

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25
Q

Neuron

A

A nerve cell. The basic building block of the nervous system.

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26
Q

Cell Body

A

Part of neuron that contains the nucleus.

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27
Q

Dendrites

A

Busy fibers on neruons that integrate information, conducting impulses toward the cell body.

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28
Q

Axon

A

Segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands.

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29
Q

Terminal Branches

A

At the bottom of the neuron, forms junctions with other cells.

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30
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

Layer of fatty tissue around axons that insulates and speeds up impulses.

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31
Q

Multiple Sclerosis

A
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32
Q

Glial Cells

A

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory.

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33
Q

Action Potential

A

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

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34
Q

Ions

A

Electrically charged atoms.

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35
Q

Resisting Potential

A

Positive-outside/negative-inside state between and axon’s membrane and a resting axon’s fluid interior.

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36
Q

Depolarization

A

Loss of the inside/outside charge difference between an axon’s membrande and fluid.

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37
Q

Excitatory

A

Most neural signals “push a neuron’s accelerator.”

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38
Q

Inhibitory

A

Some neural signals “push a neuron’s brake.”

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39
Q

Threshold

A

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

40
Q

Refractory Period

A

In neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state.

41
Q

All-or-None Response

A

A neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing.

42
Q

Reputake

A

A neurotransmitter’s re-absorption by the sending neuron.

43
Q

Synapse

A

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

44
Q

Synaptic Gap (Cleft)

A

The tiny gap at the synapse.

45
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps. They travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, influencing the response of that neuron.

46
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory.

47
Q

Dopamine

A

Neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion.

48
Q

Serotonin

A

Neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

49
Q

Nonrepinephrine (Noradrenaline)

A

Neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal.

50
Q

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

A

Major inhibitory neurotransmitter.

51
Q

Glutamate

A

Major excitatory neurotransitter; involved in memory.

52
Q

Endorphins

A

Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pressure.

53
Q

Substance P

A

Involved in pain perception and immune response.

54
Q

Myasthenia Gravis

A

Neuromuscular disease in which muscles cannot contract.

55
Q

Agonist

A

Molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action.

56
Q

Antagonist

A

Molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action.

57
Q

Endocrine System

A

Body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

58
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.

59
Q

Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

A

Hormone that increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar, providing energy to power fight or flight response.

60
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

Small structure in the core of the brain, controlled by the hypothalamus. Releases hormones including growth hormones that stimulate physical development, as well as oxytocin.

61
Q

Oxytocin

A
62
Q

Neural Communication

A
63
Q

Reputake Inhibitors

A
64
Q

Psychoactive Drug

A

Chemical substance that alters the brain, causing changes in perceptions and moods.

65
Q

Depressants

A

Drugs like alcohol, tranquilizers, and opioids that calm neural activity and slow body functions.

66
Q

Alcohol

A

Depressant that acts as a disinhibitor to slow brain activity that controls judgement and inhibitions. (Slows sympathetic Nervous system activity).

67
Q

Tolerance

A

Developed through continued use of alcohol or other drugs. Brain chemistry adapts to offset the drug effect.

68
Q

Addiction

A

Caused by increasing doses of many psychoactive drugs, the user craves the drug and struggles to withdraw from it.

69
Q

Opioids

A

Depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety.

70
Q

Withdrawl

A

Unpleasant mental or physical reactions when attempting to end use.

71
Q

Heroin

A

Depressant that causes pain relief, but also depression and a loss of endorphin function.

72
Q

Stimulants

A

Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

73
Q

Cocaine

A

Powerfully addictive stimulant that depletes the brain’s supply of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

74
Q

Hallucinogens

A

Psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.

75
Q

Mirijuana

A

Contains THC and amplifies sensitivity to colors, sounds, tastes, and smells. Effects may linger for over a week.

76
Q

Caffiene

A

Stimulant that increases alertness and wakefulness but may cause anxiety, and insomnia.

77
Q

Biological Psychology

A

Study of the links between biological and psychological processes.

78
Q

Biopsychosocial Approach

A

Integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis.

79
Q

Neuroplasticity

A

Brains ability to change, especially during childhood, by building new pathways based on experience.

80
Q

Lesion

A

Tissue destruction that may occur naturally, during surgery, or experimentally.

81
Q

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

A

Amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. Waves measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

82
Q

fMRI (Functional MRI)

A

Technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function as well as structure.

83
Q

Brainstem

A

Brain’s innermost region, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull. Responsible for automatic survival functions.

84
Q

Medulla

A

Brainstem’s base that controls heartbeat and breathing.

85
Q

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

A

Nerves to and from each side of the brain connect with the body’s opposite side.

86
Q

Thalamus

A

Forebrain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem. Directs messages to the sensory receiving areas and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

87
Q

Reticular Activating System

A

Governs nerve network inside the brain stem. Extends from the spinal cord to the thalamus, filtering incoming stimuli and relaying important information to other brain areas.

88
Q

Cerebellum

A

Extends from the rear of the brainstem, processes sensory input, coordinates movement output and balance, and enables nonverbal learning and memory.

89
Q

Limbic System

A

Located mostly in the forebrain and associated with emotions and drives. Includes amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland.

90
Q

Amygdala

A

Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system, linked to emotion.

91
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Limbic system neural structure lying below the thalamus that directs maintenance activities and helps govern the endocrine system. Linked to emotion and reward.

92
Q

Hippocampus

A

In the limbic system, helps process explicit memories (facts and events) for storage.

93
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

Intricate fabrics of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information processing center.

94
Q

Cortex Specialization

A
95
Q
A

AP Psychology (4 decks)

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