Cards for next test Flashcards
(190 cards)
1
Q
phrenology
A
studying bumps on the skull; can reveal a persons mental abilities and character traits
2
Q
localization of function
A
the idea that various brain regions have particular functions
3
Q
biological psychologists
A
the scientific study of how biology and psychology are related
4
Q
what do nerve cells do
A
conduct electricity and “talk” to one another by sending chemical messages across a tiny gap that separates them
5
Q
what does each part of the brain do
A
specific brain systems serve specific functions
6
Q
what do we do with the information processed from the different brain systems
A
integrate the information to construct our experiences of sights, sounds, meanings, and memories, pain and passion
7
Q
how is our adaptive brain wired
A
by our experience
8
Q
biopsychosocial systems
A
are used to understand our behavior, culture, and community; how everything is made up of each other and helps for other things in our body
9
Q
how do our brains relate to those of animals
A
depends on the animal, but for the most part they all follow the same principles
10
Q
what is a neuron
A
a nerve cell that acts as a building block for our body’s neural information system
11
Q
what does a neuron consist of
A
a cell body and its branching fibers
12
Q
what is a dendrite and what does it do
A
the neurons branching extensions; receive information and conduct toward the cell body
13
Q
what is an axon and what does it do
A
the lengthy part; passes that message through its terminal branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
14
Q
what is the saying for dendrites and axons
A
dendrites listen; axons speak
15
Q
terminal branches of axon
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form junctions with other cells
16
Q
cell body
A
the cell’s life support center
17
Q
what is the myelin sheath
A
a layer of fatty tissue; covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
18
Q
what happens if the myelin sheath is damaged
A
multiple sclerosis results
19
Q
what is multiple sclerosis
A
communication to muscles slows, with eventual loss of muscle control
20
Q
when do neurons transmit messages
A
when stimulated by signals from our senses or when triggered by chemical signals from other neurons
21
Q
what is action potential
A
an impulse that a neuron fires; a brief electrical charge that travels down its axon
22
Q
how do neurons generate electricity
A
from chemical events
23
Q
what is an ion
A
electrically charged atoms
24
Q
what does the fluid outside an axons membrane have in regards to ions
A
mostly positively charged ions
25
what does a resting axons's fluid interior have in regards to ions
mostly negatively charged ions
26
what is resting potential
the positive outside/negative inside state
27
selectively permeable
when the axons surface is very selective about what it allows through its gates
28
what happens when a neuron fires
first section opens its gates, and positively charged sodium ions flood through the cell membrane
29
what happens when the first sections opens its gate and does all that fun stuff when a neuron fires
causes another exon channel to open; the process will continue
30
depolarize
what happens when the neurons fire
31
refractory period
a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
32
what happens during a refractory period
the neuron pumps the positively charged sodium ions back outside; it can then fire again
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excitatory
somewhat like pushing a neurons accelerator
34
inhibitory
more like pushing its brake
35
how is action potential triggered
when excitatory signals exceed inhibitory signals then it can happen
36
what happens to the action potential
travels down the axon, which branches into junctions with other neurons and other stuff
37
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
38
what is the neurons reaction
all or none response
39
what is an all or none response
when a neuron either fires or doesn't fire; there is no in-between
40
how do we distinguish a gentle touch from a big hug?
a strong stimulus can trigger more neurons to fire, and to fire more often; but it does not affect the action potential's strength or speed/
squeezing a trigger harder won't make the bullet go faster
41
synapse
the junction between the axon tip and the dendrite
42
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers
43
what does the neurotransmitter do
its molecules cross the synaptic gap and bind to the side of the receiving neuron (like a key fitting a lock); when it does this ions flow in, allowing it to know that the neuron is ready to fire
44
what happens to the excess neurotransmitters
reabsorbed; called reuptake
45
what is acetylcholine (ACh)
one of the best understood neurotransmitters; plays a role in learning and memory
46
what is acetylcholine the messenger of
junction between motor neurons and skeletal muscles
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what happens when ACh is released to our muscle cell receptors
the muscle contracts
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how do we become paralyzed
if ACh transmission is blocked, the muscles cannot contract
49
what is morphine
opiate drug that elevates mood and eases pain
50
endorphins
natural opiate-like neurotransmitter linked to pain control and to pleasure; "morphine within"; like the runners high
51
dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
52
dopamine malfunctions
oversupply linked to schizophrenia; undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in parkinson's disease
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serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
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serotonin malfunctions
undersupply linked to depression (some drugs are sued to raise it)
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norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
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norepinephrine malfunctions
undersupply can depress moods
57
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter
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GABA malfunctions
undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia
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glutamate
a major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
60
glutamate malfunctions
oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures
61
if drugs make us feel so good, why not always take them
because once the brain is flooded with whatever it is, it may stop producing its own natural opiates; so when the drug is removed the brain may be deprived of its opiates, causing extreme discomfort
62
what is an agonist
a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response
63
explain an agonist
it is similar enough to a neurotransmitter that it can mimics its effects and create a "high";/
it can also bind to it because it is similar, but instead block its function
64
nervous system
the body's speedy; electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
65
central nervous system
the body's decision maker; brain and spinal cord
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peripheral nervous system
responsible for gathering information and for transmitting CNS decisions to other body parts
67
nerves
electrical cables formed of bundles and axons; link the CNS with the body's sensory receptors, muscles, and glands
68
how many neurons does the nervous system information travel through
three
69
what are the three ways
sensory, motor, inter neurons
70
sensory neurons
carry messages from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
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motor neurons
carry instructions form the central nervous system out to the body's muscles and glands
72
interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
73
what nervous system is sympathetic (arousing)
peripheral
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what nervous system is parasympathetic (calming)
central
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two components of the nervous system
somatic and autonomic
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somatic
enables voluntary control of our skeletal muscles
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autonomic
control our glands and the muscles of our internal organs, influencing things like glandular activity, heartbeat, and digestion
78
sympathetic nervous system
arouses and expands energy; this can accelerate your heartbeat, raise blood pressure, slow digestion, things like that to make you ready and alert
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parasympathetic nervous system
(when all that stuff is over) produces opposite effects, conserving energy as it calms you by decreasing heartbeat and so on
80
neural networks
the brains neurons cluster into work groups called this
81
spinal cord
a two-way information highway connecting the peripheral nervous system and the brain
82
what do other groups of cells do together
connect with other cells in the neural networks next layer; things like learning an instrument or language occurs as experience strengthens connections (neurons that fire together wire together)
83
describe what goes on with the spinal cord
ascending neural fibers send up sensory information, and descending fibers send back motor control information
84
what illustrates the spinal cords work
the neural pathways governing our reflexes
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reflexes
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
86
how does information travel to and from the brain
by way of the spinal cord
87
endocrine system
a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
88
hormones
chemical messengers; which travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues including the brain; when they act they can affect our interest in sex, food, and aggression
89
how fast does the endocrine system work
takes a few seconds for things to happen, whereas the the nervous system takes barely any time at all
90
is it good or bad that the endocrine system takes longers
can be good because because the messages outlast the effects of neural messages
91
adrenal glands
pair of endocrine glands that sit above the kidneys and the epinephrine and norepinephrine that helps arouse the body in times of stress (adrenaline or no adrenaline) (fight or flight)
92
pituitary gland
under control of the hypothalamus, regulates growth and control other endocrine glands
93
oxytocin
a hormone that the pituitary gland releases; enables contractions associated with birthing, milk flow during nursing, and orgasm/; also related to trust
94
why is the pituitary gland considered the "master gland"
responds to signals from the hypothalamus, and then releases hormones that trigger other endocrine glands to secrete hormones that in turn influence the brain and behavior
95
lesion
to destroy; what scientists are able to safely do to tiny clusters of brain cells, leaving surrounding areas unharmed
96
how are scientists able to stimulate various parts of the brain and note the effect
electrically, chemically, or magnetically
97
electroencephalogram (EEG)
an amplified readout of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface; are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp (it is like studying a car engine by listening to it)
98
computed tomography scans (CT)
examine the brain by taking x-ray photos that can reveal brain damage
99
positon emission tomography (PET)
depicts brain activity by showing each brain area's consumption of its chemical fuel, the sugar glucose (once taken it can show up on these scans and provide hot spots while providing different tasks
100
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue
101
ventricles
fluid-filled brain areas
102
functional MRI
can revel that brains functioning as well as its structure
103
what is the brains oldest and innermost region
the brainstem
104
where does the brainstem begin
where the spinal cord sweeps as it enters the skull; it is responsible for automatic survival functions (breathing, heart rate, blood pressure)
105
what is that slight swelling called and what is its function
medulla; controls heartbeat and breathing
106
what sits above the medulla
the pons
107
what is the pons
helped coordinate movements
108
thalamus
egg shaped structures that act as the brains sensory control center; all senses except smell
109
reticular formation
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal
110
cerebellum
processes sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory/;
judge time, modulate our emotions, and discriminate sounds and textures
111
cerebral hemispheres
the two halves of the brain
112
limbic system
associated with emotions and drives
113
what consists of the limbic system
amygdala, hypothalamus, hypocampus
114
what does the hippocampus process
conscious memories
115
amygdala
linked to aggression and fear; is also related to the processing of emotional memories
116
hypothalamus
```
an important link the command chain governing bodily maintenance/
maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward/can secrete hormones
```
117
cerebral cortex
ultimate control and information processing center
118
glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; can also play a role in leaning and thinking
119
what is each hemispheres cortex subdivided into
four lobes, separated by prominent fissures
120
fissures
folds
121
frontal lobes (behind forehead)
speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
122
parietal lobes (at the top and to the rear)
receives sensory input for touch and body position
123
occipital lobes (back of your head)
includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
124
temporal lobes (above the ears)
auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
125
motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
126
somatosensory cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
127
association areas
involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
128
prefrontal cortex
enables judgement, planning, and processing of new memories
129
what can damage to frontal lobes do
can alter personality and remove a persons inhibitions; with frontal lobes ruptured, people moral compass seems to disconnect from their behavior
130
what would happen with damage to the underside of the right temporal lobe
would still be able to describe faces (as its function is) but won't be able to directly identify someone with a name
131
broca's area
speaking
132
wernicke's area
understanding
133
plasticity
ability to modify itself after damage
134
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
135
corpus callosum
large band that connects and carries messages between the left and right hemispheres
136
spit brain
isolates the brains two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callous) connecting them
137
what hemisphere is seeing
right
138
what hemisphere is language and speaking
left
139
what happens during split brain
the left hemisphere is dominant for verbal processing, so they will be able to say what they see on the right side; the right hemisphere cannot share information with the left so the patient is unable to say what he sees, but can draw it
140
left hemisphere
speech and calculations
141
right hemisphere
things involved with creativity
142
how is the right hemisphere good
excels in making inferences, helps us modulate our speech, helps orchestrate our sense of self
143
consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
144
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
145
dual processing idea
that we are consciously aware of little more than whats on our screen of consciousness; much of the brain works offstage, out of sight
146
dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
147
blind sight
acting as if you can see; cannot consciously see an object that is there, but yet you still know its there and can move around it or things like that
148
visual perception track
enables us "to think about the world"-to recognize things and plan future actions
149
visual action track
guides our moment to moment movements
150
mind processes on two separate tracks...
one operating at an explicit , conscious level/
| the other at an implicit, unconscious level; both affect our perception, memory, attitudes, and other cognitions
151
when do we start fearing human
about 8 months old
152
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
153
environment
every external influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
154
chromosomes
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
155
how many chromosomes do we get from each of our parents
23 each
156
what is DNA
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
157
genes
small segments go the giant DNA molecules/
| biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
158
what do environmental events do to genes
"turn on"; when turned on they provide the code for creating protein molecules
159
protein molecules
the boys building blocks
160
genome
the complete instructions got making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
161
what do our genetic predispositions do
help explain both our shared human nature and our human diversity
162
genetic predispositions
our genetically influenced traits
163
identical twins
develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two
164
facts about identical twins
although they may have the same genes, they may not have the same number of copies of those genes, meaning one twin may be more at risk for a disease than another/
most identical twins share a placenta but if they don't then that explains why some can be different because one placenta can offer more nourishment than the other which alters different things
165
fraternal twins
develop from separate fertilized eggs; genetically no more similar than ordinary brothers and sisters
166
what twins are more similar in regards to extraversion (outgoingness) and neuroticism (emotional instability)
identical twins
167
divorce thing with twins
if you have a fraternal twin who has divorced, you are 1.6 more times likely to become divorced as well;/
if you have an identical twin who has divorced then you are 5.5 more times likely to become divorced too
168
similarities after being separated at birth for twins
identical twins will continue to be very much alike; while fraternal twins, although alike, do not exhibit similarities comparable to those of separated identical twins
169
genetic relatives
biological parents and siblings
170
environmental relatives
adoptive parents and siblings
171
results in regards to environment and adopted children
the environment shared by a family's children has virtually no discernible impact on their personalities
172
molecular genetics
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
173
heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied
174
analogy to remember gene-environment interaction
genes and environment--nature and nurture--work together like two hands clapping
175
interact
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
176
epigenetics
study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without DNA change
177
what effect dies shared family environments play
have little effect on personality, and the stability of personality suggests a genetic predisposition
178
how does environment playa role in genetics
genetic predispositions and our surrounding environments interact which can then trigger gene activity, and genetically influenced traits can evoke responses from others
179
natural selections
the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on two succeeding generations
180
evolutionary psychology
study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
181
mutations
random errors in gene replication
182
how are we predisposed to live
we share a genetic legacy so we are predisposed to behave in ways that promoted our ancestor's surviving and reproducing
183
who tends to have a more recreational view of sexual activity
men; women have a relational view
184
why do men go coo coo for cocoa puffs involving women
mets attraction to multiple healthy, fertile-appearing partners increases their chances of spreading their genes widely
185
what do women look for in men
try to increase their own and their children's chances of survival by searching for mates with eh potential for long term investment in their joint offspring
186
what do critics of evolutionary psychologists say
start with an effect and work backward for an explanation;/
do not recognize social and cultural influences;/
absolve people from taking responsibility for their sexual behavior
187
genome
individual variations; prenatal environment; and sex related genes, hormones, and physiology
188
social culture influences
parental and peer; cultural traditions and values' and cultural gender norms
189
natural selection parts (4)
organisms' varied offspring compete for survival/
certain biological and behavioral variations increase an organism's reproductive and survival chances in a particular environment/
offspring that survive are more likely to pass their genes to ensuing generations/
over time, population characteristics may change
190
major influences on individual development
results from interaction of biological, psychological, and social cultural influences
