Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Psych unit 1 pt1
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Nature-Nurture Issue | The long standing controversy over relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of phsycological traits and behaivor. |
| Natural Selection | Principle that the inheareted traits enabling an organism to best survive and reproduce in a particular enviornment will most likely be passed on succeeding generations. |
| Evolutionary Psychology | the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind using natural selection principles. |
| Behavior Genetics | Study of relative power and limits of genetic and enviornmental influences on behaivor |
| Mutation | a random error in gene replication that leads to change |
| Environment | every nongenetic influence from prenatal nutrition to our experiences of the people and things around us. |
| Heredity | genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring |
| Genes | biochemical units of heredity |
| Geneome | the complete instructions for making an organism |
| Identical (monozygotic) twins | individuals who developed from single fertilized egg that split into 2, creating 2 genetically identical organisms. |
| Fraternal (Dizygotic) twins | individuals who developed from 2 seperate fertilized eggs, they are genetically no closer than ordinary siblings. |
| interaction | the interplay that occurs when the effects of 1 factor depends on another factor |
| epigenetics | the study of the molecular mechinisms by which environments can influence genetic expression |
| nervous system | the bodys speedy, electrochemical communication network consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems. |
| central nervous system (CNS) | Brain and spinal cord |
| peripheral nervous system (PNS) | sensory and motor neurons that connect nervous system to rest of body |
| Nerves | bundled axons that form nerve cables connecting central nervous system muscles, glands and sensory organs. |
| Sensory (afferent) neurons | neurons that carry incoming information from the bodys tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord |
| Motor (efferent) neurons | neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands. |
| interneurons | neurons within the brain and spinal cord. they communicate internally and process informaton between the sensory inputs and motor ouputs. |
| somatic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system. |
| autonomic nervous system | the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms. |
| Sympathetic nervous system | the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy. |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. |
| reflex | A simple automatic response to sensory stimulus such as the knee jerk reflex. |
| neuron | nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system |
| cell body | the part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, the cells life support center |
| dendrites | a neurons often bushy branching extensions that receive and intergrate messages conducting impulses towards the cell body |
| axon | segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands. |
| myelin shealth | fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons it enables vastly greater transmission speed as a neural impulses hop from 1 node to next node |
| glial cells | cells in the nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons, they also play a role in learning thinking and memory. |
| 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. |
| refractory period | in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired. |
| all or none response | a neurons reaction of either firing (full strength response) or not firing. |
| synapse | junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of receiving neuron. tiny gap is called synaptic gap or cleft. |
| neurotransmitters | chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. when released neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the recieveing neruons. there by influence wether a neuron will generate a nueral impulse. |
| reuptake | a neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron |
| endorphins | "morphine within" natural opioid like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure. |
| agonist | a molecule that increases a neurotransmitters actions |
| antagonist | a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitters actions |
| endocrine system | the bodies slow chemical communication system, a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. |
| hormones | chemical messangers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissue. |
| psychoactive drug | a chemical substance that alters the brain causing changes in perception and mood. |
| substance use disorder | a disorder characterized by continued substance use despite life disruption |
| depressants | drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions |
| tolerance | the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of drug, requiring the use to take larger and larger doses before experincing the drugs effect |
| addiction | everyday term for composite substance abuse despite harmful consequences |
| withdrawl | discomfort and distress that follows discontinuing an active drug or behaivor. |
| barbituates | drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but imparing memory and judgement |
| opioids | opium and its derivitives, they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. |
| stimulants | Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions |
| hallucinogens | psychedelic (mind manipulating) drugs distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory |
| near death experience | an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death(such as cardiac arrest) often simular to drug induced hallucinations |
| biological psychology | scientific study of the links between biological (genetic,neural,hormonal) and psychological processes |
| biopsychosocial approach | intergrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological and social-cultural levels of analysis |
| levels of analysis | differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social cultural for analyzing any given phenomenon |
| neuroplasticity | the brains ability to change especially during childhood by organizing after damage. or by building new pathways based on experience. |
| lesion | tissue destruction. brain lesions use the brains neuroplasticity especially during childhood by reorganizing after damage or rebuilding new pathways based on experience |
| EEG (electroencephalogram) | an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface. these waves are measured by electrodotes placed on the scalp. |
| MEG (magnetoencephalography) | brains imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brains natural activity |
| CT (computed tomography scan) | series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into composite representation of slice of the brains structures |
| PET (position emission tomograpgy) | technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain preforms a given task. |
| MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) | Technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy |
| FMRI (functional MRI) | technique for revealing blood flow and there fore brain activity by comparing succesive MRI scans. FMRI scans show brain function and structure. |
| Hindbrain | consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum. directs essential survival functions such as breathing ,sleeping and wakefulness as well as coordination and balance. |
| Midbrain | found atop the brainstem , connects hindbrain to forebrain. controls some motor movement and transmits auditory and visual information |
| Forebrain | consists of cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus. manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions and voluntary movements. |
| Brainstem | the central core of the brain beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull. the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions |
| Medulla | the hindbrain structure that is the brainstems base. controls heartbeat, breathing, chewing and silivating |
| Thalamus | The forebrains sensory control center. located atop of the brainstem and directs messages to the sensory recieving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. |
| Reticular formation | a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus. it filters information and plays a role in controlling arousal |
| cerebellum | the hind brains "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem. its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, enabiling nonverbal learning and memory. |
| Limbic system | neural system located mostly in the forebrain below cerebral hemispheres that includes amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus associated with emotions and drives |
| amygdala | two lima bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion |
| hypothalamus | a limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus. it directs several maintaneance activities (eating,drinking,body temp) helps govern the endocrine system and is linked to emotion and reward |
| hippocampus | a neural center in limbic system that helps process explicit (concious) memories of facts and events for storage |
| cerebral cortex | the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center. |
| Frontal Lobes | the portion of the cerebral cortex lying behind the forehead. it is involved in speaking speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements |
| Parietal lobes | the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear. it receives sensory input for touch and body position |
| Occipital lobes | the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head. includes areas that revieve information from the visual fields |
| Temporal lobes | the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears. it includes auditory areas each of which revieves information primarily from opposite ear. |
| Motor cortex | a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements |
| Somatosensory cortex | a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations |
| Association areas | areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions but rather are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, speaking and thinking. |
| Neurogenesis | the formation of new neurons |
| corpus callosum | the large band of neural fibers connecting the 2 brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. |
| Split Brain | a condition resulting from surgery that seperates the brains 2 hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of corpus callosum) connecting them. |
Created by:
hoffemil