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Psychology UNIT 3 and 4 > UNIT 3 AOS1 > Flashcards

UNIT 3 AOS1 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 main roles of the Nervous System?

A

Reception
Processing
Response

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2
Q

Reception.

A

Receives sensory stimuli. Internal and external. eg heart rate.

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3
Q

Process

A

Making sense or interpretation.

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4
Q

Respond

A

Physical action. eg using skeletal muscle - internal muscle.
eg. sweat.

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5
Q

Central Nervous System.

A
  • Brain
  • Spinal cord ( Spinal Reflex )
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6
Q

Peripheral Nervous System.

A

Contains all of the neurons/nerves outside of the CNS. Carries information to the spinal cord, and then from the spinal cord to connect the brain with voluntary muscles, sensory receptors, and involuntary muscles.

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7
Q

Somatic.

A

Voluntary skeletal muscles.

Sensory and Motor neurons.

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8
Q

Sensory

A

Afferent, towards the CNS.

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9
Q

Motor

A

Efferent, away CNS.

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10
Q

Autonomic.

A

Involuntry.

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic.

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11
Q

Sympathetic.

A

Prepares the body for action, responding to a threat.
Flight or Fight.
eg. Dilated pupils, increased heart rate, bladder relaxes, digestion stops.

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12
Q

Parasympathetic

A

Homeostasis. A level of calm.
eg. Heart rate decreases, temperature decreases.

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13
Q

Fight or Flight

A

Response for survival when under threat.

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14
Q

Interneurons

A

Afferent and Efferent, in the CNS.

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15
Q

Effector.

A

Muscle - whatever is having the effect.

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16
Q

Receptor.

A

Detects the stimulus.

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17
Q

Spinal Reflex.

A

Involuntry, unconscious. Somatic.

Response to certain potentially damaging stimuli without the involvement of the brain. It is automatically reflected back from the spinal cord.

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18
Q

Dendrites

A

Receive messages from other cells - receptors, other neurons.
Receive information using receptor sites.
The information exits in the form of neurotransmitters which are chemicals.

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19
Q

Cell body (soma)

A

Converts the chemical neurotransmitter message to an electrical message known as an action potential.

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20
Q

Axon

A

Carries the action potential (electrical message).

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21
Q

Axon terminal

A

Receives electrical messages and releases stored neurotransmitter chemicals.

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22
Q

Types of neurochemicals

A

Neurotransmitters
Neuromodulators

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23
Q

Neurotransmitters

A
  • used at a single synapse.
  • ONE post-synaptic neuron responds.
    Glutamate + GABA.
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24
Q

Neuromodulator

A
  • at any multiple synapses.
  • MANY post-synaptic neurons respond.
    Dopamine + Serotonin.
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25
Q

Glutamate

A

Memory - Neurotransmitter (Excitatory)

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26
Q

Dopamine

A

Pleasure - Neuromodulator (Excitatory)

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27
Q

Serotonin

A

Mood - Neuromodulator (Inhibitory).

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28
Q

GABA

A

Calming - Neurotransmitter (Inhibitory)

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29
Q

Excitatory

A

Increased chance of action potential/release electrical impulse/fire.

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30
Q

Inhibitory

A

Decreased chance of action potential/release electrical impulse/fire.

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31
Q

Threshold

A

Excitatory: Once over the threshold, the post synaptic neuron has reached action potential.
Inhibitory: Decreases until resting.

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32
Q

Neurotransmitters’ effects on postsynaptic neuron….

A

Excitatory & Inhibitory.

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33
Q

Neuromodulators affect neurotransmitters in 2 ways…

A
  1. Changes responsiveness of receptor sites, enhancing the excitatory or inhibitory effects of a transmitter.
  2. Changes the release pattern of a neurotransmitter from the pre-synaptic neuron.
34
Q

Neural plasticity

A

Changes to the neuron.
-Learning.
-Brain Damage.
-Less frequent use.

35
Q

Sprouting

A

Neurons develop new branches on dendrites or axons. (due to damage)
- Dendrites become bushier when used more frequently.
- Axon terminal appendages increase in number.

36
Q

Rerouting

A

-New connections between neurons.
-Injury and damage response.

37
Q

Pruning.

A

Undamaged neurons forming new connections with one another.

Reduction in connections when stimulation of a synapse is repeatedly weakened over time.

38
Q

Long-term potentiation. LTP

A

Strengthening of synapses, more neurotransmitters, and receptor sites increase OVER TIME.
Communication is strengthened because the neuron can reach the threshold more quickly.
More stimulation because a higher number of neurotransmitters and receptors are binding.

39
Q

Long-term depression. LTD

A

Repeated, WEAKENED stimulation signals to the pre synaptic neuron, to reduce the number of neurotransmitters and to the post synaptic neuron to reduce the number of receptor sites OVER TIME.

40
Q

Stress

A

An individual experiences in response to an event.
A psychobiological process.
Subjective.

41
Q

Stress - Biological.

A

Involuntry - Fight or Flight.

42
Q

Stress - Psychological.

A

Emotional + Cognitive.

43
Q

2 different types of Stressors

A

Internal + External.

44
Q

Internal Stressor

A
  • Body (within)
    eg. a memory.
45
Q

External Stressor

A
  • Outside of body.
    eg. assignment.
46
Q

Acute

A

Short term.
Occurs quickly
Fight/Flight - Sympathetic.
Freeze - Parasympathetic.
Adrenaline.

47
Q

Chronic

A

Long term.
Builds up over time.
Ongoing, cumulative.
Cortisol - a stress hormone.

48
Q

Eustress

A

a POSITIVE perception of a stressor.

49
Q

Distress

A

a NEGATIVE perception of stress.

50
Q

Role of Cortisol

A
  • Released in Chronic Stress + FFF.
  • Maintains arousal allowing the body to deal with stress for a longer period of time.
  • Turns off unnecessary body systems at the time.
  • Excessive Cortisol over a prolonged period of time inhibits the immune system.
51
Q

Seyles General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)

A

Resistance to stress.
1. Alarm Reaction Stage.
2. Resistance Stage.
3. Exhaustion Stage.

52
Q

Alarm Reaction Stage.

A

Consists of:
Shock and Countershock.

53
Q

Shock (Alarm)

A

Parasympathetic - Freeze Response.

54
Q

Shock (Alarm) symptoms/effects.

A
  • Heart rate decreases.
  • Temperature drops.
  • Breathing rate decreases.
    Preparing for Fight/Flight.
55
Q

Countershock (Alarm)

A

Sympathetic - Fight/Flight.
Adrenaline and Noradrenaline Hormones.

56
Q

Countershock (Alarm) symptoms/effects.

A
  • Heart rate increases.
  • Breathing rate increases.
  • Temperature rises.
    Acute response to deal with stressors.
57
Q

Resistance Stage.

A

Release of cortisol, energies the body to resist stressors.
- As resistance continues cortisol suppresses the immune system.

58
Q

Resistance Stage symptoms and effects.

A
  • More energy; if stress is chronic; ongoing, cumulative and/or severe.
  • As resistance continues, frequent infections can occur (eg. Colds).
59
Q

Exhaustion stage.

A

Bodies resources are depleted.

60
Q

Exhaustion stage symptoms/effects.

A
  • Severe fatigue.
  • Diabetes, type II –> lifestyle (increased chance).
  • Severe weight loss/gain.
61
Q

GAS Limitations.

A
  • Research not conducted on humans.
  • Does not account for individual differences and psychological factors.
62
Q

GAS Strengths.

A
  • Measures a predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals.
  • If stress is not prolonged, stages are still experienced. Therefore tracks biological patterns in different types of stress.
  • Greater the intensity of the stressor the greater the physiological response.
63
Q

Lazarus + Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping.

A

Stressor —-> Benign/Irrelevant
|
v
Stressful.
- Primary Appraisal -> unconscious evaluation.
Threat ( Future ).
Harm/Loss (Past)
Challenge ( Eustress ) -> benefit.

Secondary Appraisal -> Conscious decision.
“Are there sufficient recourses to cope?”
YES –> Reappraised as NOT stressful.
NO –> Distress is experienced.

64
Q

Strategies to cope with stress.

A
  • Approach + Avoidant
65
Q

Approach Strategy.

A

A strategy that reduces/eliminates stress. It is a DIRECT strategy.

66
Q

Avoidant Strategy.

A

Reduces the stress response, but the stressor is not affected.
An appropriate strategy if no way to directly combat the stressor.
It’s Maladaptive meaning it makes the stressor worse.

67
Q

approach + avoidant example.

A

You have a psychology SAC, on Friday that you want to pass.

Approach: Revise in Advance.
Avoidant: Go out with friends to distract yourself. Procrastination.

68
Q

Context-specific effectiveness

A

Selection of a coping strategy that is appropriate for the stressor. THE RIGHT ONE TO DEAL WITH THE STRESSOR.

69
Q

Coping Flexibility.

A

Recognising that a coping strategy isn’t working, and changing the coping strategy so it does.
NOT THE RIGHT ONE ANYMORE - HAVING TO CHANGE.

70
Q

Gut-Brain axis.

A

Gut to the brain.
Brain to the gut.

71
Q

Enteric Nervous System

A

Nerve pathways within the GI ( gastro intestinal) track link to the brain.

72
Q

Gut microbiota

A

all of the microorganisms that live in the gut

73
Q

Gut microbiome

A
  • Microbiota.
    collective term for a population of microbiota in a defined environment (includes the genes of microbes)
74
Q

Gut-Brain Axis (GBA)

A

the bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central nervous systems

75
Q

Vagus nerve

A

the longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain, enabling them to communicate

76
Q

Good for your gut health. :)

A
  • Fermented food.
    —> Miso Soup.
    —> Kimchi.

Microbiota is good gut bacteria.

77
Q

Bad for your gut health. :(

A
  • Antibiotics.
  • Poor food choices.
    —> High-fat diets.
    —> Sugar (high).
78
Q

Good microbiota health controls some stress hormone levels.

A

Communicates with the brain via. the vagus nerve to control neurotransmitter release in the brain.

79
Q

HPA axis

A

hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

80
Q

difference and similarity between neurotransmitters and neuromodulators.

A

Difference: Neurotransmitters have an effect on one or two synapses, whilst neuromodulators have an effect on multiple synapses.
Similarity: Both must bind to a specific receptor site to have an effect.

Psychology UNIT 3 and 4 (8 decks)

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