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Psy Chapt 3
Psychology chapters 3
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| neurons | The basic units of the nervous system; cells that receive, integrate, and transmit information in the nervous system. They operate through electrical impulses, communicate with other neurons through chemical signals, and form neural networks. |
| central nervous system (CNS) | The brain and the spinal cord. |
| peripheral nervous system (PNS) | All nerve cells in the body that are not part of the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes the somatic and autonomic nervous systems. |
| sensory neurons | One of the three types of neurons; these neurons detect information from the physical world and pass that information to the brain. |
| motor neurons | One of the three types of neurons; these neurons direct muscles to contract or relax, thereby producing movement. |
| interneurons | One of the three types of neurons; these neurons communicate within local or short-distance circuits. |
| dendrites | Branchlike extensions of the neuron that detect information from other neurons. |
| cell body or soma | The site in the neuron where information from thousands of other neurons is collected and integrated. |
| axon | A long narrow outgrowth of a neuron by which information is transmitted to other neurons. |
| terminal buttons | At the ends of axons, small nodules that release chemical signals from the neuron into the synapse. |
| synapse | The gap between the axon of a “sending” neuron and the dendrites of a “receiving” neuron; the site at which chemical communication occurs between neurons. |
| resting membrane potential | The electrical charge of a neuron when it is not active. |
| action potential or neural firing | The electrical signal that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of chemicals from the terminal buttons. |
| myelin sheath | A fatty material, made up of glial cells, that insulates some axons to allow for faster movement of electrical impulses along the axon. |
| nodes of Ranvier | Small gaps of exposed axon, between the segments of myelin sheath, where action potentials take place. |
| all-or-none principlet | The principle that when a neuron fires, it fires with the same potency each time; a neuron either fires or not—it cannot partially fire, although the frequency of firing can vary. |
| neurotransmitters | Chemical substances that transmit signals from one neuron to another. |
| receptors | In neurons, specialized protein molecules on the postsynaptic membrane; neurotransmitters bind to these molecules after passing across the synapse. |
| reuptake | The process whereby a neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic terminal buttons, thereby stopping its activity. |
| acetylcholine (ACh) | The neurotransmitter responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; it is also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming. |
| epinephrine | A monoamine neurotransmitter responsible for bursts of energy after an event that is exciting or threatening. |
| norepinephrine | A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in states of arousal and attention. |
| serotonin | A monoamine neurotransmitter important for a wide range of psychological activity, including emotional states, impulse control, and dreaming. |
| dopamine | A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in motivation, reward, and motor control over voluntary movement. |
| GABA | Gamma-aminobutyric acid; the primary inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system. |
| glutamate | The primary excitatory transmitter in the nervous system. |
| endorphins | Neurotransmitters involved in natural pain reduction and reward. |
| Broca’s area | A small portion of the left frontal region of the brain, crucial for the production of language. |
| electroencephalograph (EEG) | A device that measures electrical activity in the brain. |
| positron emission tomography (PET) | A method of brain imaging that assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream. |
| magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | A method of brain imaging that uses a powerful magnetic field to produce high-quality images of the brain. |
| functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) | An imaging technique used to examine changes in the activity of the working human brain by measuring changes in the blood’s oxygen levels. |
| transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) | The use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions. |
| brain stem | An extension of the spinal cord; it houses structures that control functions associated with survival, such as heart rate, breathing, swallowing, vomiting, urination, and orgasm. |
| cerebellum | A large, convoluted protuberance at the back of the brain stem; it is essential for coordinated movement and balance. |
| thalamus | The gateway to the brain; it receives almost all incoming sensory information before that information reaches the cortex. |
| hypothalamus | A brain structure that is involved in the regulation of bodily functions, including body temperature, body rhythms, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels; it also influences our basic motivated behaviors. |
| hippocampus | A brain structure that is associated with the formation of memories. |
| amygdala | A brain structure that serves a vital role in learning to associate things with emotional responses and in processing emotional information. |
| basal ganglia | A system of subcortical structures that are important for the planning and production of movement. |
| cerebral cortex | The outer layer of brain tissue, which forms the convoluted surface of the brain; the site of all thoughts, perceptions, and complex behaviors. |
| occipital lobes | Regions of the cerebral cortex—at the back of the brain—important for vision. |
| parietal lobes | Regions of the cerebral cortex—in front of the occipital lobes and behind the frontal lobes—important for the sense of touch and for attention to the environment. |
| temporal lobes | Regions of the cerebral cortex—below the parietal lobes and in front of the occipital lobes—important for processing auditory information, for memory, and for object and face perception. |
| frontal lobes | Regions of the cerebral cortex—at the front of the brain—important for movement and higher-level psychological processes associated with the prefrontal cortex. |
| prefrontal cortex | The frontmost portion of the frontal lobes, especially prominent in humans; important for attention, working memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality. |
| split brain | A condition that occurs when the corpus callosum is surgically cut and the two hemispheres of the brain do not receive information directly from each other. |
| somatic nervous system (SNS) | A component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the skin, muscles, and joints. |
| autonomic nervous system (ANS ) | A component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the body’s glands and internal organs. |
| sympathetic division | A division of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for action. |
| parasympathetic division | A division of the autonomic nervous system; it returns the body to its resting state. |
| endocrine system | A communication system that uses hormones to influence thoughts, behaviors, and actions. |
| hormones | Chemical substances, released from endocrine glands, that travel through the bloodstream to targeted tissues; the tissues are subsequently influenced by the hormones. |
| gonads | The main endocrine glands involved in sexual behavior: in males, the testes; in females, the ovaries. |
| pituitary gland | A gland located at the base of the hypothalamus; it sends hormonal signals to other endocrine glands, controlling their release of hormones. |
| plasticity | A property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience or injury. |
| gene expression | Whether a particular gene is turned on or off. |
| chromosomes | Structures within the cell body that are made up of DNA, segments of which comprise individual genes. |
| genes | The units of heredity that help determine the characteristics of an organism. |
| dominant gene | A gene that is expressed in the offspring whenever it is present. |
| recessive gene | A gene that is expressed only when it is matched with a similar gene from the other parent. |
| genotype | The genetic constitution of an organism, determined at the moment of conception. |
| phenotype | Observable physical characteristics, which result from both genetic and environmental influences. |
| monozygotic twins | Also called identical twins; twin siblings that result from one zygote splitting in two and therefore share the same genes. |
| dizygotic twins | Also called fraternal twins; twin siblings that result from two separately fertilized eggs and therefore are no more similar genetically than nontwin siblings. |
| heritability | A statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a trait within a population is due to genetics. |
Created by:
Haleyannestes
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