Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psych > Unit One > Flashcards

Unit One Flashcards

1
Q

spinal cord

A

long bundle of neurons that carries information to and away from the brain; helps control pain response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

made of the nerves and neurons not contained in the brain and spinal cord
allows the brain and spinal cord to communicate with the sensory systems and to control the muscles and glands of the body
divided into somatic and autonomic nervous systems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

somatic nervous system

A

controls the voluntary muscles of the body

involves the sensory pathway and the motor pathway

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

controls automatic functions of the body (organs, glands, involuntary muscles)
has sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

sensory pathway

A

sensory neurons carrying information to spinal cord and/or brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

motor pathway

A

nerves that carry information to voluntary skeletal muscles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

sympathetic division

A

fight or flight functions—reacts to stressful events and bodily arousal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

parasympathetic division

A

eat drink and rest functions—restores body to normal functioning after arousal and is responsible for day-to-day functioning of glands and organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

endocrine glands

A

secrete chemicals called hormones into bloodstream
affect behavior and emotions by influencing the activity of the brain and by controlling muscles and organs such as the heart, pancreas, and sex organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

spinal cord reflexes

A

involve sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons

enable fast, often lifesaving, actions that do not require conscious thought

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

pancreas

A

controls level of blood sugar in body by secreting insulin and glucagon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

diabetes vs hypoglycemia

A

too little insulin is diabetes

too much insulin is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, hungry)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

gonads

A

secrete hormones that regulate sexual behavior and reproduction
ovaries in female and testes in male

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

ovaries

A

female gonads

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

testes

A

male gonads

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

adrenal glands

A

everyone has two, on top of each kidney
has two sections
stress stuff

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

adrenal medulla

A

releases epinephrine and norepinephrine when people are under stress
aids in sympathetic arousal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

adrenal cortex

A

produces corticoids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

corticoids

A

adrenal cortex produces over 30 different hormones called corticoids
also called steroids
regulate salt intake, help initiate and control stress reactions, and provide source of sex hormones

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

cortisol

A

most important adrenal hormone
released when body experiences physical and psychological stress
important in release of glucose during stress (gives brain energy) and release of fatty acids (gives muscles energy)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

neuroscience

A

the field of study that deals with the structure of the brain and components of the nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

neuron

A

specialized cell in nervous system
send and receive messages within that system
have specialized components
have an electrical charge at rest (resting potential)
are affected by neurotransmitters, chemicals that have an effect on neurons
are separated by a gap called the synapse, when nerve impulse reaches axon terminals, neurotransmitter is released into synaptic space

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

glial cells

A

provide physical and metabolic support to neurons
communicate with other cells
specific types have stem cell like properties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

myelin

A

insulates axons and speeds up transmission of neural message

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

oligodencrocytes

A

produce myelin in the central nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

schwann cells

A

produce myelin in the peripheral nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

how does a neuron work

A

neuron at rest negatively charged inside and positively charged outside
action potential occurs when positive sodium ions enter into cell, causing a reversal of the electrical charge from negative to positive
as action potential moves down axon toward axons terminals, cell areas behind action potential return to resting state of a negative charge as positive sodium ion are pumped to outside of cell, positive potassium ions rapidly leave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

all or none fashion

A

neurons are either firing at full strength or not firing at all

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

synaptic vesicles

A

sac like structures in presynaptic terminal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

neurotransmitters

A

inside a neuron, transmit messages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

synapse

A

fluid filled space between axon terminal and dendrite of another neuron

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

synaptic gap

A

fluid filled space between axon terminal and dendrite of another neuron

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

receptor sites

A

proteins that allow only particular molecules of a certain shape to fit into it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

excitatory synapses

A

neurotransmitters that turn cells on

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

inhibitory synapses

A

neurotransmitters that turn cells off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

ACh

A

first neurotransmitter identified
acetylcholine
at synapses between neurons and muscle cells
stimulates skeletal muscles to contract, slows contractions in heart muscle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

curare

A

a drug used by south american indians on their blow darts, antagonist for ACh

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

antagonist

A

a chemical substance that blocks or reduces the effects of a neurotransmitter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

agonist

A

a chemical substance that mimics or enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

dopamine

A

neurotransmitter found in brain

can have different effects ex parkinson’s and schizophrenia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

seratonin

A

neurotransmitter in lower brain
excitatory or inhibitory effect
associated with sleep, mood, anxiety, and appetite

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

glutamate

A

nervous system’s major excitatory neurotransmitter
role in learning and memory
don’t want too much

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

gamma-aminobutyric acid

A

neurotransmitter
GABA
most common neurotransmitter producing inhibition in the brain
alcohol is agonist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

neuropeptides

A

can serve as neurotransmitters, hormones, or influence the action of other neurotransmitters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

endorphins

A

pain controlling chemicals in the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

reuptake

A

neurotransmitters end up back in synaptic vesicles through reuptake, where chemicals are sucked back up into vesicles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

enzymatic degradation

A

enzyme specifically designed to break apart ACh clears the synaptic gap very quickly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

controls life sustaining functions of body as well as thought, emotion, and behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

afferent (sensory) neurons

A

carry messages from senses to spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

efferent (motor) neurons

A

carry messages from spinal cord to muscles and glands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

interneurons

A

connect afferent neurons to motor neurons

make up inside of spinal cord and much of brain itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

reflex arc

A

afferent neuron sends pain message up to spinal column where it enters into central area of spinal cord
interneuron in that central area receives message and sends response along efferent neuron
doesn’t need to go to brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

neuroplasticity

A

the ability to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in the brain in response to experience and even trauma
brain has a great deal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

stem cells

A

can become any cell in the body

can repair damaged or diseased tissue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

made of the nerves and neurons not contained in the brain and spinal cord
allows the brain and spinal cord to communicate with the sensory systems and to control the muscles and glands of the body
divided into somatic and autonomic nervous systems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

hormones

A

chemicals secreted by endocrine glands

affect behavior and emotions by stimulating muscles, organs, or other glands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

pituitary gland

A

in brain below hypothalamus
master gland
controls or influences all of other endocrine glands
controls pregnancy, water levels, activity of other glands, important part of feedback system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

oxytocin

A

hormone that controls aspects of pregnancy
involved in reproduction and parental behavior
stimulates contractions of the uterus in childbirth, used to speed up labor and delivery, responsible for milk letdown reflex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

milk letdown reflex

A

contraction of mammary gland cells to release milk for nursing infant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

vasopressin

A

hormone that controls levels of water in our body

helps body conserve water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

growth hormone

A

controls and regulates the increase in size as children grow from infancy to adulthood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

pineal gland

A

in brain, role in biological rhythms

secretes melatonin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

melatonin

A

pineal gland secretes this
helps track day length and seasons
influences seasonal behaviors and sleep-wake cycle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

thyroid gland

A

in neck
secretes hormones that regulate growth and metabolism
secretes thyroxin (regulates metabolism)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

psychology

A

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

behavior

A

all of our outward or overt actions and reactions

67
Q

mental processes

A

all of the internal, covert activity of our minds

68
Q

scientific method

A

how scientists study psychology

69
Q

description

A

observing a behavior and noting everything about it: what is happening, where it happens, to whom it happens, and under what circumstances it seems to happen

70
Q

explanation

A

understand or give a reason to

71
Q

theory

A

a general explanation of a set of observations or facts

72
Q

prediction

A

determining what will happen in the future

73
Q

wundt

A

came up with objective introspection

74
Q

objective introspection

A

the process of objectively examining and measuring one’s own mental thoughts and mental activities

75
Q

titchener

A

came up with structuralism

76
Q

structuralism

A

focus of study was the structure of the mind
every experience broken down into individual emotions and sensations
objective introspection can be used on thoughts as well as on physical sensations

77
Q

james

A

came up with functionalism

78
Q

functionalism

A

how the mind allows people to function in real world—how people work, play, and adapt to their surroundings
influenced by natural selection

79
Q

educational psychology

A

studying the application of psychological concepts to education

80
Q

industrial/organizational psychology

A

studying the application of psychological concepts to businesses, organizations, and industry

81
Q

wertheimer

A

came up with gestalt psychology

82
Q

gestalt psychology

A

focus on studying whole patterns rather than small pieces of them
today part of cognitive psychology
influential in therapy (gestalt therapy)

83
Q

freud

A

proposed there is unconscious mind in which humans repress all of threatening urges and desires
repressed urges, in trying to surface, create nervous disorders in patients
childhood very important

84
Q

psychoanalysis

A

therapy based on freud’s ideas, basis of modern psychotherapy

85
Q

psychotherapy

A

process in which a trained psychologist helps a person gain insight into and change their behavior

86
Q

pavlov

A

showed that reflex could be caused to occur in response to a formerly unrelated stimulus
dogs salivate at metronome
conditioning: learned or reflexive response, creating this by constant exposure

87
Q

watson

A

came up with behaviorism
focus on observable behavior
did little albert experiment, taught him to fear a white rat

88
Q

behaviorism

A

ignore whole consciousness issue and focus only on observable behavior—something that could be directly seen and measured
conditioning basis of this

89
Q

jones

A

repeated little albert experiment on little peter, counterconditioning too: made him not afraid after making him afraid

90
Q

psychodynamic perspective

A

our behavior is a result of our childhood and a drive to fulfill our unconscious desires

91
Q

behavioral perspective

A

our behavior is the result of rewards; we stop acting in ways that are punished

92
Q

humanistic perspective

A

our behavior is the result of our efforts to fulfill our needs in the best way we can

93
Q

cognitive perspective

A

our behavior is the result of our mental processes, thoughts, beliefs, perceptions

94
Q

sociocultural perspective

A

our behavior is the result of our environment and culture

all the small layers of culture too

95
Q

biological perspective

A

our behavior is due to our brain structure, body chemistry, hormones, genetics

96
Q

evolutionary perspective

A

our behavior is the result of natural selection and adaptation

97
Q

biopsychosocial perspective

A

engel, combines biology, psychology, and social factors to help explain the person

98
Q

operant conditioning

A

skinner, explain how voluntary behavior is learned, behavioral responses that are followed by pleasurable consequences are strengthened or reinforced

99
Q

self-actualization

A

humans have free will and want to achieve their full potential, humanistic

100
Q

cognitive neuroscience

A

includes study of physical workings of brain and nervous system when engaged in memory, thinking, and other cognitive processes

101
Q

social and cultural psychology

A

study of groups social roles and rules of social actions relationships
study of cultural norms values and expectations

102
Q

diffusion of responsibility

A

tendency to feel that someone else is responsible for taking action when others are present
bystander effect

103
Q

psychologist

A

no medical training but has a doctorate degree
works with humans and animals in a variety of different settings
doesn’t prescribe medications

104
Q

psychiatrist

A

medical doctor who specializes in diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders
can prescribe medication

105
Q

psychiatric social worker

A

has training in an area of social work and often has a professional license to practice

106
Q

nervous system

A

a network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body

107
Q

neuroscience

A

a branch of the life sciences that deals with the structure and functioning of the brain and the neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue that form the nervous system

108
Q

biological psychology/behavioral neuroscience

A

branch of neuroscience that focuses on the biological bases of psychological processes, behavior, and learning

109
Q

dendrite

A

parts of neuron that receive messages from other cells`

110
Q

axon

A

fiber attached to the soma

carries messages out to other cells

111
Q

soma

A

neuron cell body

112
Q

axon terminals

A

responsible for communicating with other nerve cells

113
Q

tracts

A

bundles of myelin coated axons in the central nervous system

114
Q

nerves

A

bundles of axons in the peripheral nervous system

115
Q

diffusion

A

ions move from areas of high concentration to low concentration

116
Q

electrostatic pressure

A

relative electrical charge when ions are at rest

117
Q

resting potential

A

when cell is resting and the electrical potential is in a state of rest

118
Q

action potential

A

electrical charge reversal

electrical potential in action rather than at rest

119
Q

axon hillock

A

electrical charge reversal starts at part of axon closest to soma

120
Q

lesioning

A

electrode (thing wire or pride insulated everywhere but at its tip) surgically inserted into bain, electrical current strong enough to kill off target neurons is sent through tip of wire

121
Q

ESB

A

same as lesioning but milder current

electrical stimulation of the brain

122
Q

DBS

A

deep brain stimulation
type of ESB, place electrodes in specific deep brain areas and route electrode wires to pacemaker called impulse generator that is surgically implante under collarbone, sends impulses to implanted electrodes, stimulating brain area of interest

123
Q

TMS

A

magnetic pulses applied to cortex using special copper wire coils positioned over head, magnetic field stimulates neurons in cortex

124
Q

rTMS

A

pulses from TMS in repetitive fashion, longer lasting stimulation

125
Q

tDCS

A

scalp electrodes to pass low amplitude direct current to brain, change excitability of cortical neurons below electrodes

126
Q

CT scan

A

computed tomography scan
series of X-rays of brain, maps slices of brain with a computer
structural imaging

127
Q

MRI

A

magnetic resonance imaging
person in machine that has powerful magnetic field to align hydrogen atoms in brain tissues, radio pulses to make atoms go in particular directions, 3-d image

128
Q

gray matter vs white matter

A

gray matter is the outer areas of the brain consisting largely of neurons with unmyelinated axons
white matter is the fiber tracts consisting of myelinated axons

129
Q

EEG

A

electroencephalogram
records electrical activity of cortex just below skull using electroencephalograph
small metal disks on scalp, conduct signals
determines which areas of brain active at different tasks

130
Q

ERPs

A

event related potentials
allow study of different cognitive stages of processing
multiple EEGs
multiple presentations of stimulus are measured during EEG

131
Q

MEG

A

magnetoencephalography
helmet
magnetic fields

132
Q

PET

A

positron emission tomography
person injected with radioactive glucose, computer detects activity of brain by looking at which cells are using the glucose

133
Q

functional MRI

A

fMRI
computer tracks changes in oxygen levels of blood
can identify which areas of brain are most active during different tasks

134
Q

medulla

A

part of hindbrain, controls heartbeat, breathing, and swallowing

135
Q

pons

A

part of hindbrain, relays messages between cerebellum and cortex

136
Q

reticular formation

A

system of nerves running from hindbrain and through midbrain to cerebral cortex, controlling arousal and attention

137
Q

cerebellum

A

part of hindbrain that controls balance and maintains muscle coordination

138
Q

hindbrain

A

medulla, pons, reticular formation, cerebellum

139
Q

limbic system

A

thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate cortex
involved in motivation, emotions, memory, and learning

140
Q

thalamus

A

part of forebrain, relays information from sensory organs to cerebral cortex

141
Q

hypothalamus

A

part of forebrain, regulates amount of fear, thirst, sexual drive, and aggression we feel

142
Q

hippocampus

A

role in learning, memory, and ability to compare sensory information to expectations

143
Q

amygdala

A

influences motivation, emotional control, fear response, and interpretations of nonverbal emotional expressions

144
Q

cingulate cortex

A

primary cortical component of limbic system, involved in emotional and cognitive processing

145
Q

cortex

A

cerebral hemispheres, corpus callosum, parietal lobes, frontal lobes, temporal lobes, occipital lobes

146
Q

cortex

A

outermost part of brain

147
Q

cerebral hemispheres

A

cortex divided into two, left and right

148
Q

corpus callosum

A

thick tough band of neural fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain

149
Q

contralateral organization; ipsilaterally; bilaterally

A

left brain controls right side of body and vice versa
information transmitted only to one side of brain
information transmitted to both sides of brain

150
Q

occipital lobe

A

processes visual information from eyes in primary visual cortex

151
Q

visual association cortex

A

in occipital lobe, identifies and makes sense of visual information from eyes

152
Q

parietal lobes

A

processes information from skin and internal body receptors for touch, temperature, and body position

153
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

area of neurons in parietal lobe, upside down, touch, temperature, and body position

154
Q

temporal lobes

A

contain primary auditory cortex and auditory association area
learning, language, memory, visual information

155
Q

frontal lobes

A

higher mental functions—planning, personality, memory storage, complex decision making, language

156
Q

motor cortex

A

in frontal lobes

control movements of body’s nervous system

157
Q

mirror neurons

A

in frontal lobes, fire when animal performs an action or when animal observes same action being done by another

158
Q

association areas

A

neurons in cortex that help people make sense of incoming sensory input

159
Q

broca’s area

A

area devoted to speech in frontal lobe
allows person to speak smoothly and fluently
broca’s aphasia: person can’t get words out in a smooth, connected fashion

160
Q

wernicke’s area

A

left temporal lobe
involved in understanding meaning of words
wernicke’s aphasia: speak fluently and pronounce words correctly but wrong words

161
Q

spatial neglect

A

person with damage to right parietal and occipital lobes of cortex ignores everything in left visual field

162
Q

cerebrum

A

upper part of brain consisting of the two hemispheres and the structures connecting them

163
Q

split brain

A

find that left hemisphere controls right hand, spoken language, written language, math, logical thought, analysis, reading
right hemisphere controls left hand, nonverbal, visual spatial perception, music and art, emotions, processes whole, pattern and facial recognition

164
Q

Procedural memories
Short term memories
Semantic and episodic memories
Formation of new declarative long term memories

A

Cerebellum
Prefrontal cortex and temporal lobe
Frontal and temporal lobe (different places than short term memories)
Hippocampus

Psych (56 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions