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AP Psych Unit 3
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| phrenology | Franz Gall’s belief that studying the bumps of a skull could reveal a person’s mental ability |
| biological psychologist | a psychologist that studies the basis of biological behavior, thoughts, and emotions |
| neurons | the building blocks of the nervous system that receive, carry, and send information to other neurons |
| dendrites | the parts of the neuron that receive messages from other neurons |
| soma | the cell body of a neuron |
| axon | the part of the neuron that carries messages away from the cell body |
| axon hillock | the part of the neuron that connects the soma and the axon |
| axon terminals | the parts of the neuron that pass messages on to other neurons |
| nodes of ranvier | the parts of the neuron between the myelin sheath bundles where ions pass in and out of the axon |
| myelin sheath | the part of the neuron that protects the axon and helps speed neural impulses |
| action potential | a neural impulse involving a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon |
| depolarization | positive ions enter the neuron through the axon, making it more susceptible to firing action potential |
| hyperpolarization | negative ions enter the neuron, causing it to return to its negative-inside/positive-outside state |
| refractory period | the charging phase after a neuron fires an action potential |
| sodium potassium pump | pumps positive ions out of the neuron during the refractory period in order to prepare it for another action potential |
| excitatory effect | it becomes more likely that an action potential will fire |
| inhibitory effect | it becomes less likely that an action potential will fire |
| threshold | the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse |
| all or none response | a neuron either fires with full strength or does not fire at all |
| synapse | the junction between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites of another |
| neurotransmitter | a chemical messenger housed in the axon terminal that travels across the synapse from one neuron to the next |
| reuptake | neurotransmitters that don’t lock on to a new neuron are reabsorbed by the sending neuron |
| acetylcholine | a neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory |
| dopamine | a neurotransmitter that influences learning, movement, attention, and emotion |
| serotonin | a neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal |
| GABA | a major inhibitory neurotransmitter |
| glutamate | a major excitatory neurotransmitter that is also involved in memory |
| epinephrine | a neurotransmitter and hormone that activates the body’s fight or flight response |
| norepinephrine | a neurotransmitter and hormone that helps control and regulate arousal |
| nervous system | the system of neurons across the body that controls everything you do |
| central nervous system | the brain and spinal cord |
| peripheral nervous system | the sensory and motor nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body |
| nerves | fibers that transmit messages across the nervous system |
| receptor cells | specialized cells that can turn other kinds of energy into action potentials that the brain can process |
| sensory neurons | nerves that carry sensory information to the brain and spinal cord |
| motor neurons | nerves that carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands |
| interneurons | nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that process information |
| somatic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles |
| autonomic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of internal organs |
| sympathetic nervous system | the part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body to deal with perceived threats |
| parasympathetic nervous system | the part of the autonomic nervous system that helps relax the body after a stressful event |
| neural networks | circuits of biological neurons |
| reflex | involuntary automatic response to stimuli |
| spinal reflex arc | pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain that controls the endocrine system |
| endocrine system | a set of glands that produce hormones |
| hormones | chemical messengers similar to neurotransmitters that circulate in the blood |
| pituitary gland | pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain that controls the endocrine system and is responsible for the production of growth hormones |
| hypothalamus | the region of the brain that controls the pituitary gland and directs hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sex drive |
| thyroid gland | gland that regulates metabolic rate |
| parathyroids | glands that help regulate the level of calcium in the blood |
| adrenal glands | glands that secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine during stress response |
| fight or flight response | an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening |
| pancreas | produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream to regulate the body’s blood sugar levels |
| ovaries | sex glands in females that influence emotion and physical development |
| testes | sex glands in males that influence emotion and physical development |
| brain lesion | an experimental or natural destruction of brain tissue |
| EEG | an amplified recording of the electrical waves sweeping across the brain’s surface |
| CT scan | a series of xray images taken from different angles to record the image of internal bones, organs, and soft tissue |
| PET scat | a visual display of brain activity that detects a radioactive form of glucose while the brain performs a given task |
| MRI | uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of brain tissue |
| fMRI | uses a quick succession of MRI images to detect functioning in certain brain regions by detecting blood flow to certain areas |
| brainstem | responsible for automatic survival functions |
| medulla | the base of the brainstem that controls your breathing and heartbeat |
| pons | the part of the brainstem that helps coordinate movement |
| thalamus | the “sensory switchboard” that directs messages to the sensory areas (except smell) in the cortex |
| reticular formation | a complex network of brainstem nuclei and neurons that serve as a major integration and relay center for many vital brain systems to coordinate functions necessary for survival |
| cerebellum | controls balance and coordination, and helps us judge time |
| limbic system | controls balance and coordination, and helps us judge time |
| hippocampus | processes new memories into permanent memory storage |
| amygdala | made up of two neural clusters linked to the emotions of fear, anger, and aggression |
| reward center | associated with addiction because it releases a dopamine rush when certain actions are completed |
| reward deficiency syndrome | a brain reward genetic dissatisfaction or impairment that results in aberrant pleasure seeking behavior |
| cerebrum | the neural network that makes up the hemispheres of the brain and is responsible for controlling voluntary muscular movements |
| cerebral cortex | the fabric of neural cells that make up the outer layer of the cerebrum and allow information to be processed |
| glial cells | glue cells that protect, nourish, and support neurons in the brain |
| longitudinal fissure | the long crevice that divides the cerebral cortex into left and right hemispheres |
| central and lateral fissures | the fissures that divide the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes |
| frontal lobe | the portion of the cerebral cortex that include the motor cortex and the prefrontal cortex |
| parietal lobe | the portion of the cerebral cortex that is used for mathematical and spatial reasoning |
| occipital lobe | the portion of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for processing vision |
| temporal lobe | the portion of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for processing auditory information |
| motor cortex | the strip of brain tissue located at the rear of the frontal lobes that is responsible for voluntary movement |
| somatosensory cortex | the strip of brain tissue located in front of the parietal lobe that processes touch sensory information |
| association areas | sections of the cerebral cortex that are connected to the function of a primary part of the cerebral cortex |
| prefrontal cortex | the part of the frontal lobe that is involved in planning, judgements, and decision making |
| aphasia | language impairment caused by damage to one of the language centers of the brain |
| Broca's area | the language center that is located in the left frontal lobe and directs the muscle movements necessary for speech |
| Wernicke's area | the language center that is located in the left temporal lobe and is involved in language comprehension |
| neuroplasticity | the brain’s ability to modify itself |
| lateralization | the organization of the brain into two hemispheres |
| corpus callosum | the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two brain hemispheres |
| split brain procedure | a surgical procedure in which the fibers of the corpus callosum are cut to help treat severe epilepsy |
| consciousness | the awareness of internal and external existence |
| cognitive neuroscience | the study of how neurons in the brain communicate to form complex thoughts and actions |
| behavior genetics | the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior |
| environment | includes every external (non-genetic) influence from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us |
| chromosome | threadlike structures made up of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), our master code |
| DNA | a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms that is the main constituent of chromosomes and carries genetic information |
| genes | unit of heredity that makes up chromosomes; makes proteins to determine our development |
| genome | the set of complete instructions for making an organism |
| genotype | your genetic “blueprint” |
| phenotype | outward, physical manifestation of genes |
| dominant trait | these traits trump recessive traits even if there is only one allele |
| recessive trait | these traits require an allele from both parents in order to be expressed |
| autosomal dominant | abnormal traits that only one parent must possess in order to pass it on to their offspring |
| autosomal recessive | abnormal traits that both parents must possess in order to pass it on to their offspring |
| mutations | a random error in gene replication that leads to a change |
| identical twins | twins that are monozygotic, meaning they are genetically the same |
| fraternal twins | twins that are dizygotic, meaning that they come from two different eggs and are genetically different |
| Minnesota twin studies | studies of identical twins raised separately from birth and found to have many similar personality traits and interests |
| adoption studies | studies that test nature vs. nurture and create a behavioral comparison between the adoptee’s genetic relatives and environmental relatives |
| temperament | the emotional excitability, which is evident from the womb, although it stabilizes over time, which is indicative of a genetic basis |
| molecular genetics | a sub-field of biology that addresses how differences in the structures or expression of DNA molecules manifests as variation among organisms |
| heritability | refers to the extent to which the differences among people are attributable to genes |
| nature and nurture interaction | traits are liable to change in response to environmental experience |
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TessaMeyers
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