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AP Psychology > Psych Flashcards > Flashcards

Psych Flashcards

1
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system

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2
Q

Central Nervous System

A

The brain and spinal cord

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3
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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4
Q

Endorphin

A

“Morphine Within”- Natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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5
Q

Reuptake

A

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

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6
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. When released by the sending neurons, neurotransmitters travel across the synapses and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

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7
Q

Synapse

A

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

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8
Q

Threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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9
Q

Action Potential

A

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

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10
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

a layer of fatty tissue sentimentally 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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11
Q

Axon

A

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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12
Q

Dendrite

A

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

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13
Q

Interneurons

A

Neuron within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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14
Q

Motor Neurons

A

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

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15
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

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

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16
Q

Neuron

A

A nerve cell; the basic building blocks of the nervous system

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17
Q

Nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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18
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

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

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19
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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20
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body in stressful situations

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21
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

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

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22
Q

Reflex

A

a simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

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23
Q

Endocrine System

A

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream

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24
Q

Hormones

A

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

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25
Q

Adrenal Glands

A

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

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26
Q

Pituitary Glands

A

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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27
Q

Lesion

A

tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or

experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

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28
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

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29
Q

CT(computed tomography) Scan

A

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

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30
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

31
Q

MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) Scan

A

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. Shows brain anatomy

32
Q

fMRI(functional MRI) Scan

A

a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. Shows brain function

33
Q

Brainstem

A

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; is responsible for automatic survival functions

34
Q

Medulla

A

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

35
Q

Reticular Formation

A

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

36
Q

Thalamus

A

the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of
the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory reviving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

37
Q

Cerebellum

A

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

38
Q

Limbic System

A

doughnut-shaped neural system (including the

hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

39
Q

Amygdala

A

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic

system; linked to emotion

40
Q

Hypothalamus

A

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it
directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

41
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural

cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center

42
Q

Glial Cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and

protect neurons

43
Q

Frontal Lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind

the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

44
Q

Parietal Lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of

the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

45
Q

Occipital Lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

46
Q

Temporal Lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly

above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

47
Q

Motor Cortex

A

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

48
Q

Sensory Cortex

A

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

49
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

50
Q

Aphasia

A

impairment of language, usually caused by left

hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impairing understanding).

51
Q

Broca’s Area

A

controls language expression - an area, usually

in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech

52
Q

Wernicke’s Area

A

controls language reception - a brain area

involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobes

53
Q

Plasticity

A

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

54
Q

Neurogenesis

A

the formation of new neurons

55
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

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

56
Q

Split Brain

A

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the

brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum connecting them

57
Q

Consciousness

A

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

58
Q

Cognitive Neuroscience

A

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

59
Q

Dual Processing

A

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

60
Q

Behavior Genetics

A

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

61
Q

Environment

A

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

62
Q

Chromosomes

A

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

63
Q

DNA

A

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

64
Q

Genes

A

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the

chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein

65
Q

Genome

A

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

66
Q

Identical Twins

A

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg

that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

67
Q

Fraternal Twins

A

twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer that brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment

68
Q

Heritability

A

the proportion of variation among individuals that

we can attribute to genes. This may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied

69
Q

Interaction

A

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one

factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)

70
Q

Molecular Genetics

A

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and functions of genes

71
Q

Evolutionary Psychology

A

the study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection

72
Q

Natural Selection

A

the principle that, among the range of inherited variation, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

73
Q

Mutation

A

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

AP Psychology (3 decks)

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