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AP Psychology Flashcards for Mr. Grimes, Made by Daniel Zhang P5
Cerebral Cortex 70
Definition: The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.
Application: The cerebral cortex plays a key role in memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, consciousness and functions related to your senses.
Frontal Lobes 71
Definition: The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. They enable linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher-order thinking, and executive functioning.
Application: The frontal lobes control how you move, remember, talk, behave, and think.
Parietal Lobes 71
Definition: 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.
Application: The parietal lobe helps with your sense of direction. It allows you to tell left from right. It also helps you orient yourself and parts of your body.
Occipital Lobes 71
Definition: The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; it includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.
Application: The occipital lobes are responsible for visual perception, color, form, and motion. Damage to this part of your brain would make it hard to locate objects.
Temporal Lobes 71
Definition: The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; it includes the auditory areas, each of which receives information primarily from the opposite ear. They also enable language processing.
Application: Temporal lobes help manage your emotions, process information, store and retrieve memories and understand language.
Motor Cortex 71
Definition: A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
Application: The motor cortex helps you with planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements. It also helps you master skills, especially physical ones.
Somatosensory Cortex 74
Definition: A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
Application: The primary function of the somatosensory cortex is to detect sensory information from the body regarding temperature, proprioception, touch, texture, and pain.
Association Areas 75
Definition: Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.
Application: Association areas integrate information from different receptors or sensory areas and relate the information to past experiences.
Neurogenesis 81
Definition: The formation of new neurons.
Application: Surgeons hope to one day use stem cells to rebuild neuron connection, becoming replacements for lost brain cells.
Corpus Callosum 81
Definition: The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
Application: The corpus callosum allows your brain’s left and right hemispheres to communicate. It helps you think, remember, and coordinate your movements.
Split Brains 82
Definition: A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.
Application: Split brains was used as a solution to people who were suffering from seizures.
Nature-Nurture Issue 4
Definition: The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science view traits and behaviors as arising from the interaction of nature and nurture.
Application: Is a high academic achievement the result of someone’s genes or their environment?
Natural Selection 5
Definition: The principle that the inherited traits enabling an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
Application: Taller giraffes will live on, passing on the tall gene because taller giraffes can reach taller trees, increasing their chances for survival.
Evolutionary Psychology 5
Definition: The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
Application: The ability to recognize poisonous snakes was passed down through generations, evolutionary psychology says that our brains adapted to include instinctual fear and caution around snakes.
Behavior Genetics 5
Definition: The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.
Application: Seeing the differences in twins who were separated at birth and grown up in different environments.
Mutations 6
Definition: A random error in gene replication that leads to a change.
Application: Variations in skin color, health, height, can all be due to mutations.
Environment 8
Definition: Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to our experiences of the people and things around us.
Application: The people you are friends with, the ones you interact with are all part of your environment.
Heredity 8
Definition: The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring.
Application: Heredity includes but isn’t limited to your hair, eye, skin color, height, facial structure, and intelligence.
Genes 9
Definition: The biochemical units of heredity.
Application: Some personality traits and disorders like extroversion, neuroticism, depression, anxiety, aggression can be due to genes.
Genome 9
Definition: The complete instructions for making an organism.
Application: All humans have a common DNA sequence that separates us from other organisms like moneys or flowers.
Identical (monozygotic) Twins 11
Definition: Individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.
Application: Identical Twins typically also have the same birth date and cultural history.
Fraternal (Dizygotic) Twins 11
Definition: Individuals who developed from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary siblings but they share a prenatural environment.
Application: Fraternal siblings only share about 50% of their DNA.
Interact 15
Definition: The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).
Application: Scott Kelly and Mark Kelly, even though they were identical twins, Scott’s body showed a immune system in overdrive because he had spent a year on the ISS.
Epigenetics 16
Definition: “Above” or “in addition to” (epi) genetics; the study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change).
Application: An African butterfly that is green in summer turns brown in the fall, due to a temperature controlled switch.
Psychoactive Drugs 40
Definition: A chemical substance that alters the brain, causing changes in perception and moods.
Application: Some psychoactive drugs include alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
Substance Use Disorder 40
Definition: A disorder characterized by continued substance use despite significant life disruption.
Application: Using drugs or alcohol even with continued relationship problems cause by use. Giving up or reducing activities because of drug/alcohol use. Taking risks, like driving under the influence.
Depressants 41
Definition: Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.
Application: Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates (tranquilizers), and opioids.
Tolerance NA
Definition: A person’s diminished response to a drug that is the result of repeated use. They usually need more of that drug to receive the effects that someone who is new to the drug got.
Application: Some people can drink more before getting drunk, especially more experienced drinkers.
Addiction NA
Definition: A chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences.
Application: People can easily get addicted to marijuana, nicotine, opioid, and other drugs.
Withdrawal NA
Definition: A term used to describe the physical and mental symptoms that a person has when they suddenly stop or cut back the use of an addictive substance.
Application: John, who recently quit opiates, feels a strong need to get the drug again, because he doesn’t feel so happy anymore.
Barbiturate 44
Definition: Drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement.
Application: Some barbiturates like Nembutal, Seconal, and Amytal are sometimes prescribed to induce sleep or reduce anxiety.
Opioids 44
Definition: Opium and its derivatives, they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety.
Application: Some opioids include morphine, heroin, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.
Stimulants 45
Definition: Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
Application: Stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, and others.
Hallucinogens 50
Definition: Psychedelic (“mind-manifesting”) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.
Application: As hallucinogens peak, people may feel separated from their bodies and experience dreamlike scenes.
Near-Death Experience 50
Definition: An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as cardiac arrest), often similar to drug-induced hallucinations.
Application: People with near-death experiences sometimes see a tunnel and also geometric shapes, as well as pass memories.
Consciousness 87
Definition: Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment.
Application: Flipping a coin is conscious.
Cognitive Neuroscience 88
Definition: The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition.
Application: How memories form at the level of neurons is an example of cognitive neuroscience.
Dual Processing 90
Definition: The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.
Application: Some kids may feel that they know a word simply because it sounds familiar. Other kids may judge based on if they knew its meaning.
Blindsight 90
Definition: A condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it.
Application: The ability of people who are cortically blind to respond to visual stimuli that they don’t consciously see.
Parallel Processing 91
Definition: Processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously.
Application: When driving a car, we’re able to simultaneously listen to music or carry on a conversation.
Sequential Processing 91
Definition: Processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve difficult problems.
Application: Following steps in a recipe, not skipping any or doing them simultaneously.
Sleep 93
Definition: A periodic, natural loss of consciousness- as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation.
Application: Sleep is like you “charging” up your battery while being awake runs that battery.
Circadian Rhythm 94
Definition: Our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature, and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.
Application: People feel most alert at the height of our circadian rhythm, temperature rises as well.
REM Sleep 94
Definition: Rapid eye movement sleep; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active.
Application: When woken during this period, you can recall your dreams easily.
Alpha Waves 95
Definition: The relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.
Application: Alpha waves are the ones going on while we lay awake trying to sleep.
NREM Sleep 95
Definition: Non-rapid eye movement; encompasses all sleep stages except for REM sleep.
Application: People analyzing your brain waves can tell the exact moment when you fall asleep, because the waves become more disorganized and shorter.
Hallucinations 95
Definition: False sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus.
Application: You may feel that you are falling or floating during this time period.
Hypnagogic Sensations 95
Definition: Bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep. (Also known as hypnic sensations).
Application: People who claim aliens captured them typically recall being pinned down or floating off.
Delta Waves 96
Definition: The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.
Application: During delta sleep, it is very hard to wake someone up, and you typically don’t sense many things.
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus 97
Definition: A pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm. In response to light, the SCN adjusts melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness.
Application: When there isn’t much light, the SCN makes melatonin, making us sleepy.
Insomnia 107
Definition: Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.
Application: Effects of insomnia include chronic tiredness, increased risk of depression, obesity, hypertension, and arthritic and fibromyalgia pain.
Narcolepsy 107
Definition: A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The affected person may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.
Application: Effects of narcolepsy include risk of falling asleep at any moment, typically last around 5 minutes but can be at the worst or most emotional times, and activities like driving need lots of caution.
Sleep Apnea 107
Definition: A sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings.
Application: Effects of sleep apnea include fatigue and depression, and typically associated with obesity.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder 107
Definition: A sleep disorder in which normal REM paralysis does not occur, instead, twitching, talking, or even kicking or punching may occur, often acting out one’s dream.
Application: Some effects of this include risk of accidental injury to yourself or to your partner.
Dreams 109
Definition: A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts, passing through a sleeping person’s mind.
Application: Dreams typically don’t make any logical sense, as one may be dreaming of a void when there isn’t one.
REM Rebound 112
Definition: The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.
Application: When awoken constantly during REM sleep, we get into the REM stage faster and faster.
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