Psychology Terms and Concepts

A collection of key vocabulary terms and their definitions from psychology lecture notes.

Epigenetics

The effect of the environment on genes, illustrating how nurture affects nature.

Long Term Potentiation

A process where repeated neural firing strengthens the connection between neurons, enhancing learning.

Heritability

A measure of how much genetic differences account for differences in traits, on a scale from 0 to 1.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that regulates voluntary actions and transmits sensory information.

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulates involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that increase the likelihood of the next neuron firing.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that decrease the likelihood of the next neuron firing.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Glutamate

The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter, important for learning and memory.

GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)

The most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter, associated with anxiety disorders.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward, involved in movement and attention.

Endorphins

Natural painkillers produced by the body, involved in pain reduction.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Narcolepsy

A condition causing uncontrollable sleep attacks during the day.

Trichromatic Theory

Theory that explains color vision through three types of cones sensitive to blue, green, and red.

Transduction

The process of converting sensory input into perception.

Place Theory

Theory that pitch is determined by the location where sound waves strike the basilar membrane.

Opponent Processing Theory

The theory that color perception is controlled by opposing pairs of colors.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain responsible for higher-level functions like thinking and decision-making.

Phineas Gage

A case study in neuroscience described by a man who survived a metal rod penetrating his skull but experienced a major personality change.