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AP Psychology > Unit 4 Flashcards > Flashcards

Unit 4 Flashcards

(78 cards)

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1
Q

Biological Psychologist

A

The scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes.

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2
Q

Neuron

A

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

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3
Q

Dendrites

A

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

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4
Q

Axon

A

The neuron extension that passes and electrical messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands.

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5
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally 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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6
Q

Action Potential

A

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

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7
Q

Refractory Period

A

A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.

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8
Q

Threshold

A

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

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9
Q

All-or-nothing response

A

A neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing.

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10
Q

Synapse

A

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

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11
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

Chemical messenger that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

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12
Q

Reuptake

A

A neuron transmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron.

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13
Q

Endorphins

A

“morphine wothing”-natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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14
Q

Agonist

A

A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

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15
Q

Antagonist

A

Chemical substances that block or reduce a cell’s response to the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters.

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16
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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17
Q

Central nervous system (CNS)

A

The brain and spinal cord.

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18
Q

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

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19
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that from neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and organs

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20
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

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

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21
Q

motor (efferant) neurons

A

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

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22
Q

Interneurons

A

neurons withing the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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23
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

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

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24
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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25
Sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations (If you get scared)
26
Parasympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
27
Reflexes
Simple, automatic responses to sensory stimuli, such as the knee-jerk response.
28
Endocrine system
the body’s slow chemical communication system
29
Hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other issues
30
Adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress
31
Pituitary gland
“THE MASTER GLAND” the endocrine system’s most influential gland under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
32
Lesion
tissue destruction. It can occur naturally or experimentally by the caused distruction/remove of brain tissues
33
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
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.
34
CT (computed tomography) scan
a series of x-ray photographs take from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body. Also called a CAT scan.
35
(PET) Positron emission tomography scan
A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
36
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waces to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissues
37
fMRI (functional MRI)
A technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function.
38
Brainstem
The oldest part and central core of brain. AKA reticular formation, or reticular activating system. In charge of automotic survival functions.
39
Medualla
The base of the brainstem. Controls heartbeat and breathing.
40
Pons
sleep and arousal
41
Thalamus
the brains ‘sensory switch board’ Located at top of brainstem; directs messages to the sensory areas and transmits them to cerebellum and medulla
42
Reticular Formation
Plays an important role in controlling arousal
43
Cerebellum
“little brain” at the rear of the brainstem
44
Limbic System
A system of neural structures at the border of brainstem. Associated with emotions. Includes the Hippocampus, Amygdala, and hypothalamus.
45
Amygdala
Lima bean sized neural clusters in the limbic sustem, linked to emotion. Includes rage and fear.
46
Hippocampus
Limbic system. Learning and memory matcher
47
Hypothalamus
A neural structure lying below the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities helps govern the endocrine sustem via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
48
Cerebral Cortex
Fabric of interconnected neurons cell. Higher order thinking. Takes meaning and puts it to focus. The body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.
49
Glial Cells
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
50
Frontal Lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forhead; involved in speaking and musclesmovements and in making plans and judgments
51
Parietal Lobes
The portion if the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex.
52
Occipital lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortext lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, whoch receive visual information from the opposite visual feild
53
Temporal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortext lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which revieves aditory info primarily from the opposite end.
54
motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
55
somatosensory cortex
the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and process body touch and movement sensations
56
Association areas
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
57
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
58
Neurogenesis
Formation of new neurons.
59
Corpus Callosum
Large band if neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
60
Split Brain
A conditioning resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them.
61
Consciousness
Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.
62
Cognitive Neuroscience
The interdisciplinary study if the brain activity linked with cognition.
63
Dual processing
a phenomenon can occur in two different ways, or as a result of two different processes, The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on seperate conscious and unconscious tracks
64
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
65
Environment
every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us. Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
66
Chromosomes
treadlike structure made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
67
DNA
a complex molecule containing the genetic information thay makes up the chromosomes
68
genes
the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
69
genome
the complete insteuctions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes
70
identical twins (monozygotic)
twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
71
fraternal twins (dizygotic)
twins who develop from seperate fertilized eggs
72
molecular geneticists
subfield of biology that study the molecular structure and function of genes
73
heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals taht we can attribute to genes; this may vary depending on population range and the environment being studied
74
Interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor
75
Epigenetics
The study of the environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change.
76
evolutionary psychologist
The study of the evolutiono behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
77
Natural selection
The principle that, among range of inherited trait variations, those that learnto increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
78
Mutations
A random error in gene replication that leads to a change.

AP Psychology (1 decks)

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