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Psychology Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Action potential | A brief electrical signal that travels down a neuron. |
| Adrenal glands | Glands above the kidneys that release stress hormones such as adrenaline. |
| Agonists | Substances that activate receptors or increase a neurotransmitter’s effect. |
| All-or-nothing response | A neuron fires completely once its threshold is reached, or it does not fire. |
| Amygdala | A brain structure involved in processing emotions, especially fear and threat. |
| Antagonists | Substances that block receptors or reduce a neurotransmitter’s effect. |
| Association areas | Parts of the cerebral cortex that combine information and support complex thinking. |
| Autonomic nervous system | The part of the nervous system that controls automatic functions like heartbeat and digestion. |
| Axon (Day 1 end) | The long part of a neuron that carries signals away from the cell body. |
| Behavior genetics | The study of how genes and environment influence behavior. |
| Brainstem | The lower brain area that controls basic functions such as breathing and heart rate. |
| Central nervous system | The brain and spinal cord. |
| Cerebellum | The brain area important for balance, coordination, and movement. |
| Cerebral cortex | The outer layer of the brain involved in perception, thinking, language, and voluntary action. |
| Chromosomes | Structures made of DNA and proteins that carry genes. |
| Cognitive neuroscience | The study of how brain activity relates to thinking and mental processes. |
| Corpus callosum | A bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain’s left and right hemispheres. |
| Dendrites (Day 2 end) | Branch-like parts of a neuron that receive signals from other cells. |
| DNA | The molecule that carries genetic instructions. |
| Dual processing | The brain’s ability to process information consciously and unconsciously at the same time. |
| Endocrine system | The body’s hormone-producing glands and the hormones they release. |
| Endorphins | Natural chemicals that reduce pain and can create feelings of well-being. |
| Frontal lobes | Brain regions involved in planning, judgment, personality, speech, and voluntary movement. |
| Genes | Units of heredity made of DNA that influence traits. |
| Glial cells | Cells that support, protect, nourish, and help insulate neurons. |
| Heritability | A statistic estimating how much variation in a trait within a population is linked to genetic differences. |
| Hormones (Day 3 end) | Chemical messengers released into the bloodstream by endocrine glands. |
| Hypothalamus | A brain structure that helps regulate hunger, thirst, body temperature, hormones, and basic drives. |
| Interneurons | Neurons that connect and communicate between other neurons, especially within the CNS. |
| Lesion | Damage to a part of the brain or other tissue. |
| Limbic system | A group of brain structures involved in emotion, motivation, and memory. |
| Medulla | The brainstem area that controls vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. |
| Motor cortex | The area of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary muscle movements. |
| Motor neuron | A neuron that carries commands from the central nervous system to muscles or glands. |
| Mutation | A change in DNA sequence. |
| Myelin sheath (Day 4 end) | A fatty insulating covering around many axons that speeds neural signals. |
| Nerves | Bundles of axons in the peripheral nervous system. |
| Nervous system | The network of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves that receives information and coordinates responses. |
| Neurogenesis | The formation of new neurons. |
| Neuron | A specialized cell that receives and transmits information. |
| Neurotransmitters | Chemical messengers that cross synapses and affect other cells. |
| Occipital lobes | Brain regions at the back of the head that process visual information. |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | The autonomic division that supports rest, digestion, and energy conservation. |
| Parietal lobes | Brain regions that process body sensations and help with spatial awareness. |
| Peripheral nervous system | All nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. |
| Pituitary gland (Day 5 end) | An endocrine gland that releases hormones and helps regulate other glands. |
| Plasticity | The brain’s ability to change and reorganize through experience or after injury. |
| Reflex | A quick, automatic response to a stimulus. |
| Reticular formation | A brainstem network involved in alertness, arousal, and attention. |
| Reuptake | The reabsorption of neurotransmitters by the neuron that released them. |
| Sensory neuron | A neuron that carries information from sensory receptors toward the central nervous system. |
| Somatic nervous system | The part of the peripheral nervous system involved in voluntary movement and carrying sensory information. |
| Somatosensory cortex | The cortex area that processes touch, pain, temperature, and body position. |
| Split-brain | A condition or research context involving a severed or disconnected corpus callosum. |
| Sympathetic nervous system | The autonomic division that prepares the body for action during stress. |
| Synapse (Day 6 end) | The junction where one neuron communicates with another cell. |
| Temporal lobes | Brain regions involved in hearing, language, and aspects of memory. |
| Thalamus | A brain structure that relays most sensory information to the cerebral cortex. |
| Threshold | The minimum stimulation needed to trigger an action potential. |
| Amphetamines | Stimulant drugs that increase activity in certain brain chemical systems. |
| Alcohol use disorder | A medical condition involving difficulty controlling alcohol use despite harmful effects. |
| Alpha waves | Brain waves often associated with relaxed wakefulness, especially with eyes closed. |
| Barbiturates | Sedative drugs that depress central nervous system activity and can be dangerous in excess. |
| Circadian rhythm | The body’s roughly 24-hour cycle regulating sleep and other biological processes. |
| Cocaine (Day 7 end) | A powerful stimulant that increases certain neurotransmitters, including dopamine, in the brain. |
| Consciousness | Awareness of oneself and the surrounding environment. |
| Delta waves | Slow brain waves common during deep, non-REM sleep. |
| Depressants | Substances that slow central nervous system activity. |
| Dissociation | A disconnection or separation in awareness, memory, identity, or perception. |
| Dream | A series of images, thoughts, and feelings experienced during sleep. |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | A psychoactive drug that affects serotonin and other brain chemical systems. |
| Hallucinations | Perceptions that occur without an outside sensory stimulus causing them. |
| Hallucinogens | Psychoactive substances that can significantly alter perception, mood, and thought. |
| Hypnosis | A state of focused attention and increased responsiveness to suggestion. |
| Insomnia (Day 8 end) | Ongoing difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep. |
| Latent content | In Freud’s theory, the hidden meaning believed to underlie a dream. |
| LSD | A powerful hallucinogenic drug that alters perception, mood, and thought. |
| Manifest content | In Freud’s theory, the remembered storyline and events of a dream. |
| Methamphetamine | A powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. |
| Narcolepsy | A sleep disorder involving excessive daytime sleepiness and sometimes sudden sleep episodes. |
| Near-death experience | A reported experience occurring during a life-threatening event, often involving unusual perceptions or feelings. |
| Nicotine | An addictive stimulant found in tobacco and many vaping products. |
| Night terrors | Episodes of intense fear and arousal during sleep, usually with limited recall afterward. |
| NREM sleep | Non-rapid-eye-movement sleep, including lighter and deeper stages of sleep. |
| Opiates | Drugs derived from opium or related substances that relieve pain and can cause dependence. |
| Psychoactive drug | A substance that changes mood, perception, thinking, or behavior by affecting the brain. |
| REM rebound | An increase in REM sleep after a period of REM sleep deprivation. |
| REM sleep | A sleep stage with rapid eye movements, vivid dreaming, and brain activity similar to wakefulness. |
| Sleep | A recurring state of reduced awareness that supports restoration, learning, and health. |
| Sleep apnea | A disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep. |
| Stimulants | Substances that increase central nervous system activity and alertness. |
| Substance use disorder | A condition involving impaired control over substance use despite harmful consequences. |
| Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) | A hypothalamus region that acts as the brain’s main circadian clock. |
| THC | The main intoxicating compound in cannabis that affects perception, mood, and memory. |
| Tolerance | Needing more of a substance to get the same effect, or getting less effect from the same amount. |
| Withdrawal | Physical or psychological symptoms that can occur when reducing or stopping a substance after repeated use. |
Created by:
madelyngm2027