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AP Psych > Unit 2 Part 1 > Flashcards

Unit 2 Part 1 Flashcards

Biological Bases

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1
Q

Neuron

A

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

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2
Q

cell body

A

part of neuron containing nucleus; the cell’s life support center

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3
Q

axon

A

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

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4
Q

myelin sheath

A

fatty tissue layer segmental encasing axons of some neurons; enables faster transmission speed as neural impulses travel along axon

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5
Q

glial cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, protect neurons; play role in learning memory and thinking

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6
Q

action potential

A

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge traveling along the axon

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7
Q

threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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8
Q

refractory period

A

brief resting period after neuron has fired, further action potentials cannot occur until axon returns to resting state

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9
Q

all or none response

A

neuron will either fire with full strength or not at all (toilet analogy)

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10
Q

synapse

A

junction between sending neuron and dendrite or cell body of receiving neuron

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11
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross synaptic gap, released from sending neuron, travel to receiving neuron where they bind to receptor sites; influences if neuron generates neural impulse

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12
Q

reuptake

A

neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by sending neuron from synaptic gap

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13
Q

Acetylcholine [ACh]

A

excitatory
enables muscle movement, learning and memory
surplus: muscle spasms
deficit: alzheimers

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14
Q

dopamine

A

inhibitory; influences mood, movement, learning, attention, emotion, arousal, reward; surplus: schizophrenia; deficit: Parkinson’s, ADHD

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15
Q

serotonin

A

inhibitory; sleep, mood, arousal, hunger; surplus: hallucinations; deficit: depression, insomnia

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16
Q

norepinephrine

A

excitatory; arousal, alertness, mood, flight or flight; surplus: anxiety; deficit: depression

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17
Q

glutamate

A

excitatory; basisi of learning and longterm memory; surplus: brain overstimulation, migraines, seizures; deficit: N/A

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18
Q

GABA

A

inhibitory; regulates sleep-wake cycle; surplus: sleep & eating disorders; deficit: anxiety, epilepsy, insomnia

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19
Q

endorphins

A

inhibitory; pain control, stress reduction, positive emotions; surplus: artificial high, false pain perception; deficit: addicition (opiates)

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20
Q

agonist

A

molecule that INCREASES neurotransmitters action (whether inhibitory or excitatory)

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21
Q

antagonist

A

molecule that BLOCKS or INHIBITS neurotransmitters action (whether inhibitory or excitatory)

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22
Q

nervous system

A

body’s electrochemical communication network

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23
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to rest of body -> Autonomic and Somatic

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24
Q

Central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord; in charge of interpretation and decision making

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25
Q

nerves

A

bundles of neural cables connecting CNS with muscles, glands, organs

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26
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

[peripheral nervous system] controls self regulated action of internal organs and glands; -> sympathetic and parasympathetic

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27
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

[peripheral nervous system] controls skeletal muscles -> motor output, and sensory output

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28
Q

afferent neurons

A

sensory neurons carry messages from sensory receptors to brain/spinal cord

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29
Q

efferent neurons

A

ef- like EXIT; motor neurons carry information from brain/spinal cord to muscles and glands

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30
Q

interneurons

A

neurons within brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between sensory input and motor output

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31
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

[Peripheral NS -> Autonomic NS] arouses body, mobilizing energy

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32
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

[peripheral NS -> Autonomic NS] Para- like Parachute to slow fall; calms body, conserving energy

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33
Q

endocrine system

A

body’s “slow” chemical communication of hormones through bloodstream

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34
Q

hormone

A

chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands into bloodstream to affect other tissues

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35
Q

adrenal glands

A

endocrine glands above kidneys that secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) to arouse body in times of stress

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36
Q

pituitary gland

A

most influential gland; influenced by hypothalamus to regulate growth and controls other endocrine glands

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37
Q

brainstem

A

oldest part of brain, central core; responsible for automatic survival functions

38
Q

medulla

A

[brainstem] controls heartrate and breathing

39
Q

pons

A

[brainstem] coordinates movement and sleep

40
Q

thalamus

A

brain’s sensory control center; above brainstem; directs messages to sensory receiving areas in cortex, transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla

41
Q

reticular formation

A

nerves network traveling through brainstem into thalamus; plays role in arousal

42
Q

cerebellum

A

little brain at rear of brainstem; processes sensory input, coordinates movement output & balance, allows nonverbal memory & learning

43
Q

limbic system

A

neural system located below cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives: -> amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, pituitary gland

44
Q

amygdala

A

[limbic system] neural clusters linked to emotion (anger & fear)

45
Q

hypothalamus

A

[limbic system] neural structure lying below thalamus; directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp); linked to emotion & reward, controls endocrine system with pituitary gland

46
Q

hippocampus

A

[limbic system] neural center for storing memories of favts & events longterm

47
Q

spinal cord

A

pathway of neural fibers to and from brain; controls simple reflexes

48
Q

cerebral cortex

A

intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells coveting cerebral hemispheres; body’s control & info processing center

49
Q

frontal lobes

A

speaking, muscle movements, planning & judgement

50
Q

parietal lobes

A

receives sensory input for touch and body position

51
Q

occipital lobes

A

receive information from visual fields

52
Q

temporal lobes

A

auditory areas

53
Q

motor cortex

A

rear of frontal cortex; controls voluntary movements

54
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

front of parietal lobes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

55
Q

association areas

A

areas in cerebral cortex not directly involved in motor or sensory functions; higher mental processing, thinking, remembering and speaking

56
Q

plasticity

A

brains ability to change

57
Q

neurogenesis

A

formation of new neurons

58
Q

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

A

electrodes placed on scalp measure electrical ACTIVITY in neurons; for sleep research

59
Q

CT/CAT (Computerized (Axial) Tomography)

A

sophisticated x-ray; x-ray cameras rotate around head to create 3D picture of brain structure; detects tumors or brain demage ; patients lie in scanning ring

60
Q

MRI

A

Magnetic Resonance Imaging; uses magnetic fields of radio waves to make computer genterated images of brain; measures structure, location, density

61
Q

PET

A

Positron Emission Tomography; produces visual display of brain ACTIVITY by tracking temporarily radioactive glucose as its consumed in brain for energy

62
Q

fMRI

A

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; patient lies in chamber that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to provide map of brain structure and track blood flow in brain

63
Q

MEG

A

Magnetoencephalography; head coil records magnetic fields from brains natural electric currents from brain ACTIVITY

64
Q

corpus callosum

A

large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

65
Q

split brain

A

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the two hemispheres by cutting fibers connecting them

66
Q

consciousness

A

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

67
Q

cognitive neuroscience

A

interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked with cognition (perception

68
Q

dual processing

A

principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

69
Q

blindsight

A

condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

70
Q

parallel processing

A

unconscious; processing many aspects of a problem simultaneously; ised to process well-learned information or to sdolve easy problems, usually for rutine business

71
Q

sequential processing

A

conscious; processing one aspect of a problem at a time; used to process new info or to solve difficult problems; for focused attention on one thing at a time

72
Q

behavior genetics

A

study of relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

73
Q

heredity

A

genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

74
Q

heritability

A

proportion of variation among individuals in a group that can be attributed to genes; in same environment = heritability is 100%, if environmental differences DECREASE, heritability INCEASES

75
Q

environment

A

every nongenetic influence (prenatal nutrition, people, events)

76
Q

genome

A

complete instructions for making an organism, all genetic material

77
Q

chromosomes

A

threadless structures made of DNA molecules that contain genes

78
Q

DNA

A

deoxyribonucleic acid; a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up chromosomes

79
Q

genes

A

biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; SEGMENTS of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

80
Q

epigenetics

A

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change; life experiences leave epigenetic marks of methyl molecules that affect expression of DNA

81
Q

interaction

A

interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (like environement) depends on another factor (like heredity)

82
Q

molecular behavior genetics

A

study of how structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior

83
Q

evolutionary psychology

A

study of evolution of behavior and the mind

84
Q

natural selection

A

principle that inherited traits that better enable organisms’ survival and reproduction in a particular environment are more likely to be passed on to future generations

85
Q

mutation

A

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

86
Q

social script

A

a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

87
Q

biological influences on development

A

shared human genome, individual genetic variations, sex related genes, hormones, physiology

88
Q

psychological influences on development

A

gene-environment interaction, neurological effect of early experiences, responses evoked by our own temperament, gender, etc, beliefs, feelings, expectations

89
Q

social-cultural influences on development

A

parental influences, peer influences, cultural individualism or collectivism, cultural gender norms

90
Q

critique of evolutionary psychology (on human sexuality)

A
  1. starts with effect and works backward 2. overlooks socialization and cultural influences 3. men use it to rationalize inappropriate behavior
91
Q

dendrites

A

neurons’ bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

AP Psych (12 decks)

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