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AP Pscyh unit 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nature-nurture issue | Debate over whether genetics or environment shapes who we are. |
| Natural selection | Survival of the fittest |
| Evolutionary psychology | How evolutionary principles explain human behavior and mind survival. |
| Behavior genetics | Studying how genes and environment combined influence our traits. |
| Mutation | Random genetic mistake that causes a variation in DNA. |
| Environment | Every external condition and influence that surrounds and affects us. |
| Heredity | Passing genetic traits down from parents to their offspring. |
| Genes | Small segments of DNA that act as instruction manuals. |
| genome | The complete set of genetic instructions inside an organism. |
| Identical twins | Twins from one split egg sharing identical DNA. |
| Fraternal twins | Twins from two separate eggs sharing half their genes. |
| interaction | When gene effects depend entirely on environmental conditions. |
| Epigenetics | Study of how environment turns genes on or off. |
| Nervous system | Body's fast-acting electrical communication and control network. |
| CNS | The brain and spinal cord running the main body operations. |
| PNS | All nerves connecting the brain and body parts together. |
| Nerves | Bundled neuron cables transmitting messages back and forth. |
| Sensory neurons | Cells carrying incoming sensory info to the brain. |
| Motor neurons | Cells carrying movement commands out to your muscles. |
| Interneurons | Brain and spinal cells processing internal information. |
| Somatic nervous system | PNS part controlling voluntary movement of skeletal muscles. |
| ANS | PNS part controlling automatic body functions like heartbeat. |
| Sympathetic nervous system | ANS branch triggering your fight-or-flight stress response. |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | ANS branch calming you down to rest and digest. |
| Reflex | Automatic, instant response to sensory input without thinking. |
| Neurons | Individual nerve cells sending signals through the body. |
| Cell body | Neuron’s life-support center housing the cell nucleus. |
| dendrites | Branching ends of a neuron that receive incoming messages. |
| axon | Long fiber carrying electrical signals to other neurons. |
| myelin sheath | Fatty coating speeding up messages traveling along axons. |
| glial cells | Support cells feeding and protecting neurons in the brain. |
| action potential | Brief electrical charge traveling down a neuron's axon. |
| threshold | Minimum stimulation level required to fire a neural impulse. |
| refractory period | Brief pause after firing before a neuron fires again. |
| all or none response | Neuron fires completely or doesn't fire at all. |
| synapse | Microscopic gap between neurons where chemical messages cross. |
| neurotransmitter | Chemical message sent across the synapse between neurons. |
| reuptake | Sending neuron reabsorbing its leftover neurotransmitters from gaps. |
| endorphins | Natural chemical painkillers linked to pleasure and exercise. |
| agonist | Molecule that mimics a neurotransmitter to trigger responses. |
| antagonist | Molecule that blocks neurotransmitter receptors from working. |
| endocrine system | Slow chemical communication system sending hormones through blood. |
| hormones | Chemical messengers made by glands traveling through blood. |
| psychoactive drug | Chemical substance altering perceptions, mood, or mental state. |
| substance use disorder | Continued drug craving and use despite major life disruption. |
| depressant | Drug reducing neural activity and slowing down body functions. |
| tolerance | Needing larger drug doses to get the same effect. |
| addiction | Compulsive craving and drug use despite harmful consequences. |
| withdrawal | Discomfort and distress following stopping an addictive drug. |
| barbiturates | Depressant drugs that reduce anxiety but impair memory. |
| opioids | Pain-relieving drugs that temporarily numb pain and anxiety. |
| stimulants | Drugs speeding up neural activity and body functions |
| hallucinogens | Psychedelic drugs distorting perceptions and evoking sensory images. |
| biopsychosocial approach | Analyzing issues using biological, psychological, and social lenses. |
| levels of analysis | Differing complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon. |
| neuroplasiticity | Brain's ability to adapt and rewire itself after damage. |
| lesion | Naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue. |
| EEG | Recording brain wave electrical activity across the scalp. |
| MEG | Brain imaging measuring magnetic fields from electrical activity. |
| CT | X-ray photos taken from angles creating brain cross-sections. |
| PET | Visual brain display showing where radioactive glucose goes. |
| MRI | Uses magnetic fields to produce detailed brain anatomy pictures. |
| fMRI | tracks brain blood flow to reveal real-time brain activity. |
| hindbrain | Lower brain region managing basic survival functions like breathing. |
| midbrain | Small middle region coordinating simple movements with sensory information. |
| forebrain | Largest top region handling complex thoughts, emotions, and memory. |
| brainstem | Oldest brain core controlling automatic survival functions like heartbeat. |
| medulla | Base of brainstem controlling heartbeat and breathing automatically. |
| thalamus | Brain's sensory router directing messages to cortex areas. |
| reticular formation | Nerve network inside brainstem controlling alertness and arousal. |
| cerebellum | managing balance, coordination, and implicit memories. |
| limbic system | Neural system associated with emotions and basic drives. |
| amygdala | Twin limbic structures linked directly to fear and aggression. |
| hypothalamus | Limbic structure regulating hunger, thirst, temperature, and hormones. |
| hippocampus | Limbic structure helping process explicit memories for storage. |
| cerebral cortex | Brain's outer wrinkled layer handling ultimate control and processing. |
| frontal lobes | Cortex region involved in speaking, planning, and judgment. |
| parietal lobes | Cortex region processing sensory input for touch and position. |
| occipital lobe | Cortex region at back head handling visual information. |
| temporal lobes | Cortex region above ears processing auditory information and language. |
| motor cortex | Back-frontal lobe area controlling voluntary muscle movements. |
| somatosensory cortex | Front-parietal lobe area registering touch and movement sensations. |
| association areas | Cortex areas involved in higher mental functions like learning. |
| neurogenesis | Process of forming brand-new neurons inside the brain. |
| corpus callosum | Large band of neural fibers connecting both brain hemispheres. |
| split brain | Condition resulting from surgically cutting the corpus callosum band. |
Created by:
jschaffnit27