Chapter 2-1st Half Flashcards
Biological psychology
Concerned with the links between biology and behavior
Phrenology
Theory that claimed bumps on the skull could reveal our mental abilities and our character traits
Neuron
A nerve cell, basic building blocks of the nervous system
Dendrite
The bushy, branching extension of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses, “good listener”
Axon
Extension of a neuron, ending in branching fibers through which messages pass to other neurons. “Speak”
Myelin sheath
A layer of fatty tissue around fibers to speed up impulses
Action potential
A neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Threshold
The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Synapse
Junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite/cell body of the receiving neuron “gap”
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messenger that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
Ach
Neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and triggers muscle contraction
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning, attention and emotion
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal “happy”
Endorphins
“Morphine within” natural, transmitter linked to pain control and to pleasure
Nervous system
The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
