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AP Psychology > Unit 4 Flashcards > Flashcards

Unit 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

Biological Psychologist

A

The scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes.

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2
Q

Neuron

A

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

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3
Q

Dendrites

A

The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.

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4
Q

Axon

A

The neuron extension that passes and electrical messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands.

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5
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

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6
Q

Action Potential

A

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

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7
Q

Refractory Period

A

A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.

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8
Q

Threshold

A

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

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9
Q

All-or-nothing response

A

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

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10
Q

Synapse

A

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

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11
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

Chemical messenger that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

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12
Q

Reuptake

A

A neuron transmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron.

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13
Q

Endorphins

A

“morphine wothing”-natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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14
Q

Agonist

A

A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

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15
Q

Antagonist

A

Chemical substances that block or reduce a cell’s response to the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters.

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16
Q

Nervous System

A

The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous
system.

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17
Q

Central nervous system (CNS)

A

The brain and spinal cord.

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18
Q

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

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19
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that from neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and organs

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20
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

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21
Q

motor (efferant) neurons

A

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

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22
Q

Interneurons

A

neurons withing the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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23
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal nervous system

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24
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that
controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs.

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25
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system
that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations (If you get scared)

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26
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system
that calms the body, conserving its energy.

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27
Q

Reflexes

A

Simple, automatic responses to sensory stimuli, such as the knee-jerk response.

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28
Q

Endocrine system

A

the body’s slow chemical communication system

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29
Q

Hormones

A

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other issues

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30
Q

Adrenal glands

A

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

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31
Q

Pituitary gland

A

“THE MASTER GLAND” the endocrine system’s most influential gland under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

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32
Q

Lesion

A

tissue destruction. It can occur naturally or experimentally by the caused distruction/remove of brain tissues

33
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

34
Q

CT (computed tomography) scan

A

a series of x-ray photographs take from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body. Also called a CAT scan.

35
Q

(PET) Positron emission tomography scan

A

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

36
Q

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waces to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissues

37
Q

fMRI (functional MRI)

A

A technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function.

38
Q

Brainstem

A

The oldest part and central core of brain. AKA reticular formation, or reticular activating system. In charge of automotic survival functions.

39
Q

Medualla

A

The base of the brainstem. Controls heartbeat and breathing.

40
Q

Pons

A

sleep and arousal

41
Q

Thalamus

A

the brains ‘sensory switch board’ Located at top of brainstem; directs messages to the sensory areas and transmits them to cerebellum and medulla

42
Q

Reticular Formation

A

Plays an important role in controlling arousal

43
Q

Cerebellum

A

“little brain” at the rear of the brainstem

44
Q

Limbic System

A

A system of neural structures at the border of brainstem. Associated with emotions. Includes the Hippocampus, Amygdala, and hypothalamus.

45
Q

Amygdala

A

Lima bean sized neural clusters in the limbic sustem, linked to emotion. Includes rage and fear.

46
Q

Hippocampus

A

Limbic system. Learning and memory matcher

47
Q

Hypothalamus

A

A neural structure lying below the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities helps govern the endocrine sustem via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

48
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

Fabric of interconnected neurons cell. Higher order thinking. Takes meaning and puts it to focus. The body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.

49
Q

Glial Cells

A

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.

50
Q

Frontal Lobes

A

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forhead; involved in speaking and musclesmovements and in making plans and judgments

51
Q

Parietal Lobes

A

The portion if the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex.

52
Q

Occipital lobes

A

the portion of the cerebral cortext lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, whoch receive visual information from the opposite visual feild

53
Q

Temporal lobes

A

The portion of the cerebral cortext lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which revieves aditory info primarily from the opposite end.

54
Q

motor cortex

A

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

55
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and process body touch and movement sensations

56
Q

Association areas

A

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions: rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

57
Q

Plasticity

A

The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

58
Q

Neurogenesis

A

Formation of new neurons.

59
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

Large band if neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

60
Q

Split Brain

A

A conditioning resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them.

61
Q

Consciousness

A

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

62
Q

Cognitive Neuroscience

A

The interdisciplinary study if the brain activity linked with cognition.

63
Q

Dual processing

A

a phenomenon can occur in two different ways, or as a result of two different processes, The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on seperate conscious and unconscious tracks

64
Q

behavior genetics

A

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

65
Q

Environment

A

every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us. Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

66
Q

Chromosomes

A

treadlike structure made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

67
Q

DNA

A

a complex molecule containing the genetic information thay makes up the chromosomes

68
Q

genes

A

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein

69
Q

genome

A

the complete insteuctions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes

70
Q

identical twins (monozygotic)

A

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

71
Q

fraternal twins (dizygotic)

A

twins who develop from seperate fertilized eggs

72
Q

molecular geneticists

A

subfield of biology that study the molecular structure and function of genes

73
Q

heritability

A

the proportion of variation among individuals taht we can attribute to genes; this may vary depending on population range and the environment being studied

74
Q

Interaction

A

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor

75
Q

Epigenetics

A

The study of the environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change.

76
Q

evolutionary psychologist

A

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

77
Q

Natural selection

A

The principle that, among range of inherited trait variations, those that learnto increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

78
Q

Mutations

A

A random error in gene replication that leads to a change.

AP Psychology (1 decks)

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