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Psychology 101 (Ethan Neu) > Chapter 2 Psychology > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Psychology Flashcards

(106 cards)

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1
Q

A subcortical structure that plays a key role in allowing new information to be stored in the brains memory banks

A

Hippocampus

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2
Q

A set of brain areas, including the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and other areas, that has long been thought of as being involved in key aspects of emotion and motivation, namely, those underlying fighting, fleeing, feeding, and sex

A

Limbic System

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3
Q

The shifting change in charge that moves down the axon

A

Resting potential

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4
Q

An automatic behavioral response to an event

A

Reflex

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5
Q

The field in which researchers attempt to determine the extent to which the differences among people’s behaviors and psychological characteristics are due to their different genes or to differences in their environments.

A

behavioral genetics

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6
Q

The observable structure and behavior of an organism

A

phenotype

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7
Q

The gyrus immediately in front of the central sulcus; it controls fine movements and is organized by body part. It is also called the primary motor cortex.

A

Motor Strip

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8
Q

The convoluted pinkish-gray outer layer of the brain, where most mental processes arise

A

Cerebral Cortex

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9
Q

The lowest part of the lower brainstem, which plays a central role in the automatic control of breathing, swallowing, and blood circulation

A

medulla

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10
Q

A chemical that is produced by a gland and can act as a neurotransmitter substance

A

A hormone

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11
Q

Brain-scanning techniques that produce a picture of the structure or functioning of regions of the brain

A

Neuroimaging

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12
Q

A chemical that blocks the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin

A

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

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13
Q

A chemical that blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter

A

antagonist

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14
Q

The place where an axon of one neuron sends signals to the membrane (on a dendrite or cell body): includes the sending portions of an axon, the receiving portions of the receiving neuron, and the space between them

A

Synapse

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15
Q

States that if the neuron is sufficiently stimulated, it fires, sending the action potential all the way down the axon and releasing chemicals from the terminal buttons; either the action potential occurs or it doesn’t

A

all-or-none law

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16
Q

A fatty substance that helps impulses efficiently travel down the axon

A

Myelin

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17
Q

A brain structure that sits under the thalamus and plays a central role in controlling eating and drinking and in regulating the body’s temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, sexual behavior, and hormones

A

Hypothalamus

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18
Q

A large structure at the base of the brain that is concerned in part with physical coordination, estimating time, and paying attention

A

Cerebellum

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19
Q

The central part of a neuron (or other cell), which contains the nucleus.

A

Cell Body

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20
Q

A structure at the end of the branch of an axon that can release chemicals into the space between neurons.

A

Terminal Button

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21
Q

Neurotransmitter substances released by the receiving neuron that then influence the activity of the sending neuron.

A

Endogenous Cannabinoids

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22
Q

Bulges between sulci in the cerebral cortex.

A

gyri

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23
Q

The brain’s ability to change as a result of experience.

A

plasticity

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24
Q

Part of the peripheral nervous system that consists of neurons in the sensory organs (such as the eyes and ears) that convey information to the brain as well as neurons that actually trigger muscles and glands.

A

Somatic Nervous system

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25
The system that makes hormones that affect many bodily functions and that also provides the CNS with information.
Neuroendocrine system
26
A technique in which the brain is stimulated from outside by putting a coil on a person’s head and delivering a magnetic pulse (or series of magnetic pulses); the magnetic fields are so strong that they make neurons under the coil fire.
transcranial magnetic stimulation
27
Occurs when the genetically shaped behavioral tendencies of parents or siblings produce an environment that is passively received by the child
Passive Interaction
28
A subcortical structure that receives signals from sensory and motor systems and plays a crucial role in attention, sleep, and other functions critical to daily life; often thought of as a switching center.
Thalamus
29
A hormone produced by the outer layer of the adrenal glands that helps the body cope with the extra energy demands of stress.
Cortisol
30
According to a historical way of organizing brain structures, a unit of the brain that includes the cortex, thalamus, limbic system, and basal ganglia.
Forebrain
31
a hormone that caused girls to develop breasts and is involved in the menstrual cycle
Estrogen
32
A hormone that causes males to develop facial hair and other external sexual characteristics, and to build up muscle volume
Testosterone
33
A chemical that mimics the effects of a neurotransmitter by activating a type of receptor
agonist
34
An atom that has a positive or negative charge
ion
35
The brain lobes under the temples, in front of the ears; among their many functions are processing sound, entering new information into memory, storing visual memories, and comprehending language.
Temporal Lobes
36
A study in which the characteristics of children adopted at birth are compared to those of their adoptive parents or siblings versus their biological parents or siblings.
Adoption study
37
The set of structures at the base of the brain--including the midbrain, medulla, and pons--that feed into and receive information from the spinal cord
Brainstem
38
The large bundle of axons that connects the two halves of the brain.
corpus callosum
39
A stretch of the DNA molecule that produces a specific protein.
Gene
40
A neuron that is connected to other neurons, not to sense organs or muscles.
Interneuron
41
The brain lobes located behind the forehead; critically involved in planning, memory search, motor control, speech control, reasoning, and emotions.
Frontal Lobes
42
The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system.
Peripheral Nervous System
43
A left or right half-brain, shaped roughly like half a sphere
Cerebral Hemisphere
44
the skin that surrounds a cell
cell membrane
45
The brain lobes at the top, rear of the brain; they are involved in attention, arithmetic, touch, and registering spatial location.
Parietal lobes
46
The sending of the neuron; the long, cable-like structure extending from the cell body
Axon
47
A site on a dendrite or cell body where a neurotransmitter molecule attaches itself; like a lock that is opened by one key, a receptor receives only one type of neurotransmitter.
receptor
48
A gene-based characteristic that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce successfully
adaptation
49
The flexible rope of neurons and their connections that runs inside the backbone (spinal column)
Spinal Cord
50
The technique in which tiny probes called micro-electrodes are placed in the brain and used to record neural firing rates
Single-cell recording
51
Sets of operations that work together to carry out a function, such as attention, perception, or memory
Mental processes
52
The gyrus immediately behind the central sulcus; it registers sensations on the body and is organized by body part.
Somatosensory strip
53
The transmission of characteristics by the join action of combinations of genes working together; also called polygenetic inheritance
Complex inheritance
54
The genetic code within an organism
Genotype
55
A chemical that blocks the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIS)
56
The “master gland” that regulates other glands but is itself controlled by the brain, primarily via connections from the hypothalamus.
Pituitary Gland
57
A set of neurons that works together to receive input, operates on it in some way, and produces specific output
Brain circuit
58
A tracing of the changed over time in electrical activity of the brain
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
59
A bridge between the medulla and midbrain, which also connects the upper parts of the brain to the cerebellum
Pons
60
According to a historical way of organizing brain structures, a unit of the brain that includes the medulla, pons, cerebellum, and parts of the reticular formation
Hindbrain
61
From the same egg and having virtually identical genes
monozygotic
62
A technique for assessing brain activity that relies on recording magnetic waved produced by neural activity
Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
63
Three protective layered membraned that cover the brain
meninges
64
Part of the autonomic nervous system that is “next to” the sympathetic nervous system and that tends to counteract its effects.
Parasympathetic nervous system
65
Occurs when genetically influenced characteristics (both behavioral and physical) induce other people to behave in particular ways
Evocative (or reactive) interaction
66
A collection of small structures in the brainstem, organized into two main parts: the reticular activating system and another part that is important in producing autonomic nervous system reactions.
Reticular Formation
67
A subcortical structure that plays a special role in fear and is involved in other types of strong emotions, such as anger
Amygdala
68
A chemical that carries a signal from the terminal button of one neuron to the dendrite of cell body of another; often referred to as a a neurotransmitter.
Neurotransmitter substance
69
A study that compares identical and fraternal twins to determine the relative contribution of genes to the variability in a characteristic or ability.
Twin Study
70
Gene-based changed in the characteristics or abilities of members of a species over successive generations
Evolution
71
The transmission of characteristics by individual elements of inheritance (not known to be genes), each acting seperately
Mendelian inheritance
72
A cause of brain damage that occurs when blood (with its life-giving nutrients and oxygen) fails to reach part of the brain, causing neurons in that area to die.
Stroke
73
A technique that uses magnetic properties of atoms to take sharp pictures of the three-dimensional structure of the brain.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
74
Consists of nerves that are attached to muscles that can be used voluntarily (striated muscles)
Somatic motor system
75
A neuron that sends signals to muscles in order to control movement (and also to bodily organs, such as glands).
motor neuron
76
A set of brain circuits that work together to accomplish a particular task
Brain system
77
From different eggs and sharing only as many genes as any pair of siblings---on average, half
Dizygotic
78
The gap in the synapse between the axon of one neuron and the membrane of another, across which communication occurs
Synaptic Cleft
79
A cells that receives signals from sense organs or other neurons, processes these signals, and sends the signals to muscles, organs, or other neurons; the basic unit of the nervous system.
Neuron
80
Controls the smooth muscles in the body, some glandular functions, and many of the body's self-regulating activities, such as digestion and circulation
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
81
A tree-like part of a neuron that receives messages from the axon of other neurons.
Dendrite
82
The four major parts of each cerebral hemisphere: occipital, temporal, parietal, and frontal; each lobe is present in each hemisphere.
lobes
83
A person whose corpus callosum has been severed for medical reasons, so that neural signals no longer pass from one cerebral hemisphere to the other.
Split-brain patient
84
A person whose corpus callosum has been severed for medical reasons, so that neural signals no longer pass from one cerebral hemisphere to the other.
Split-brain pattern
85
The brain lobes at the back of the head; concerned entirely with different aspects of vision.
occipital lobes
86
A neuroimaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of brain structures using X-rays.
Computer-assisted tomography (CT, formerly CAT)
87
A type of cell that helps neurons to form both synapses and connections when the brain is developing, influences the communication among neurons, and generally helps in the "care and feeding" of neurons.
glial cell
88
A neuroimaging technique that uses small amounts of a radioactive substance to track blood flow or energy consumption in the brain.
Positron emission tomography (PET)
89
A type of magnetic resonance imaging that detects the amount of oxygen being brought to particular places in the brain, which indicated how active those neurons are.
Functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI)
90
A process whereby certain connections among neurons are eliminated.
pruning
91
Parts of the brain located under the cerebral cortex.
subcortical structures.
92
Subcortical structures that play a role in planning, learning new habits, and producing movement.
basal ganglia
93
Part of the autonomic nervous system that readies an animal to fight or to flee by speeding up the heart, increasing the breathing rate to deliver more oxygen, dilating the pupils, producing sweat, decreasing salivation, inhibiting activity in the stomach, and relaxing the bladder.
Sympathetic nervous system
94
A region of impaired brain tissue
lesion
95
The process by which surplus neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft is reabsorbed back into the sending neuron so that the neuron can effectively fire again.
Reuptake
96
Creases in the cerebral cortex
sucli
97
Knowledge, beliefs (including ideas, explanations, and expectations), desires (such as hopes, goals, and needs), and feelings (such as fears, guilts, and attractions).
Mental contents
98
The negative charge within a neuron when it is at rest.
Resting Potential
99
According to a historical way of organizing brain structures, a unit of the brain that includes parts of the reticular formation as well as the brainstem structures that lie between forebrain and hindbrain.
midbrain
100
A machine that records electrical activity in the brain.
electroencephalograph
101
The system of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands that is activated by stress, injury, and injection and that works to fight off infection
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
102
The degree to which the variability of a characteristic or ability in a population is due to genetics--given a specific environment
heritability
103
A neuron that responds to signals from sensory organs and transmits those signals to the brain and spinal cord
sensory neurons
104
Occurs when people choose, partly based on genetic tendencies, to put themselves in specific situations and to avoid others.
active interaction
105
Occurs when individuals with gene-based characteristics that contribute to survival have more offspring, and over time those characteristics come to be widespread in a population
natural selection
106
The spinal cord and the brain
Central nervous system (CNS)

Psychology 101 (Ethan Neu) (3 decks)

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