AP PSYCH Mock Exam vocabs

Nature vs Nurture?

The relative contributions that genes and experiences make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors

What ideas came from Darwin’s Origin of Species?

Evolutionary psychology, natural selection, behavior genetics

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Natural selection

The inherited traits enabling an organism to survive and reproduce in an environment will most likely be passed onto future generations

Behavior Genetics

The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

How do evolutionary psychologists use natural selection to explain behavior tendencies?

To describe and explain the origins of adaptive cognitive and psychological traits

Adaption

The process of changing to better suit a new environment

Mutation

A random error in gene replication that leads to a change

How do behavior geneticists explain our individual differences

By studying how both nature and nurture interact to shape who we are

Heredity

The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

Genome

The complete instructions for making an organism

Genes

The biochemical units of heredity

How are twin and adoption studies used in psychology?

To understand how much of our behavior and traits come from heredity and how much comes from environment. (Identical twins are more alike in personality, etc, than fraternal twins, -> genes play a stronger role vs. if adopted children are more similar to their biological, genes are stronger & if they resemble their adoptive parents, environment is stronger)

Monozygotic twins

Develop from single fertilized egg that splits, thus, genetically identical organisms

Dizygotic twins

Develop from to separate fertilized eggs, genetically no closer than ordinary siblings but share a prenatal environment

How does heredity and environment work together?

By constantly interacting to shape who we are

Epignetics

The study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression

NS

Body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network

CNS

Brain & Spinal cord

PNS

Sensory, Motor neurons that connect the central NS to the rest of the body

Autonomic NS

Part of PNS, controls the glands and the muscles, involuntary movement (heartbeat)

Somatic NS

Second part of PNS, controls the body’s skeletal muscles, voluntary movement

Sympathetic NS

Part of Autonomic, arouses the body, mobilizing its energy

Parasympathetic NS

Part of Autonomic, calms the body, conserving its energy

Afferent Neurons

(SAme), neurons carrying INCOMING info from the body’s tissues to the brain and spinal cord

Efferent Neurons (saME):

neurons carrying OUTCOMING info from the brain and spinal cord out to the muscles and glands

Interneurons

Communicate within the brain and spinal cord out to the muscles and glands

Reflexes

Simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus

Eye pupil for sympa & parasympa

Dilate vs. contracts

Heart for sympa & parasympa

Accelerates heartbeat vs. slows heartbeat

Digestion for sympa & parasympa

Inhibits vs. stimulates digestion

Bladder for sympa & parasympa

Relaxes vs. contracts

Genitals for sympa & parasympa

Stimulates ejaculation vs. allows blood flow

Neuron

A nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system

Dendrite

Extensions that receive and integrate messages

Soma

Another word for cell body

Axon

The segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its brander to other neurons or to other muscles/glands

Axon Terminal

Forms junctions with other cells

Myelin sheath

A fatty tissue layer that protects the axon of some neurons + helps speed neural impulses

Nodes of Ranvier

A gap in the myelin sheath of a nerve, allowing for the rapid conduction of electrical signals

Schwann cells

Type of glial cell in PNS, forming the myelin sheath

Glial cells

Cells in NS that support neurons (Neurons are like queen bees, they do no work, while glial cells are worker bees because they have to babysit those neurons)

How does info pass through the neuron

As an electrical signal that travels from the dendrites through the cell body and down the axon

Threshold

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse (min is 50%)

Action potential

A neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon

Resting potential

State of a neuron when it is not sending a signal + during this time, fluid outside the axon has mostly positive ions while inside has “mostly negative ions

Refractory period

A brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired + subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

All-or-none response

A neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons, when released, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron

Synapse

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

Reuptake

A neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

Depolarization

Rising phase where positive ions rush into the cell, making the membrane potential less negative (1)

Repolarization

Falling phase where sodium channels close and positive potassium ions flow out of the cell, bringing the membrane potential back down (2)

Hyperpolarization

“undershoot” where the membrane potential briefly becomes even more negative than its resting state due to the potassium channels staying open a little too long (3)

Acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning and memory (can malfunction with Alzheimer’s disease

Dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention and emotion (oversupply linked to schizophrenia)

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal (under supply linked to depression)

Norepinephrine

Helps control alertness and arousal

GABA

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure

Substance P

Involved in pain perception and immune response

How do drugs and other chemicals alter neurotransmitters?

By changing how they act in the brain. Drugs and other chemicals disrupt the brain’s chemical balancing act, leading to stop producing its natural opioids

Agonist

A molecule that INCREASES/STIMULATES a neurotransmitter’s actions

Antagonist

A molecule that INHIBITS/BLOCKS a neurotransmitter’s action

Endocrine

The body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Hormone

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

How does the endocrine system transmit information and interact with the NS?

By using hormones, a form of chemical messengers, traveling through the bloodstream and affect other tissues, including the brain. Overtime, it influences growth, metabolism, mood and other functions

Adrenaline

The autonomic NS orders the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys to release, increases heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar, providing energy to power our flight or fight response

Oxytocin

Pituitary gland releases, a growth hormone, stimulates physical development, enables orgasm, social bonding, reproduction, and stress regulation

Cortisol

Stressful events triggers your hypothalamus to instruct your pituitary gland to release cortisol, increases blood sugar (stress hormone)

What are psychoactive drugs

A chemical substance that alters the brain, causing charges in perception and moods

Substance use disorder

A disorder characterized by continued substance use despite resulting life disruption

Hallucinogens

Psychedelic drugs that distorts perception and evoke sensory images

Depressants

Drugs that reduce neural activity and slows bodily functions

Stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up bodily functions

Near-death experience

An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (cardiac arrest, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel)

Tolerance

The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger portions before the drug’s effects hit.

Withdrawal

The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior

When does drug use become an addiction

When a person develops a compulsive craving/desire and continued use of substance knowing the consequences

Potential consequences of excessive drug use

harms mind, body, daily life, difficulty recovering. (Body

Biopsychosocial approach

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological and social-cultural levels of analysis

How do biology and experience influence the brain

Through a process called neuroplasticity, (BIO -> provides the foundation for our brain’s structure and growth vs. EXPERIENCE -> continually shape and reshape it)

Neurogenesis

the process by which the brain creates new neurons

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to change

Ways to study the brain

CT, MRI, EEG, MEG, PET, fMRI (CT & MRI = takes pictures, EEG & MEG = listens to your brain activity, PET & fMRI = watches your brain in action)

CT

X- ray pictures of your brain in different angles

MRI

(M for magnetic) Uses a big magnet and radio waves to take super clear pictures of brain

PET

shows which parts of your brain are active by tracking glucose

EEG

(E for electricity) measures electricity in your brain using little sensors on your head (AIB when Ryuji’s female student wears the thingys when she he kills her)

MEG (M for magnetic):

measures tiny magnetic fields your brain makes when working

fMRI

(better version of MRI) showing which parts of your brain are working by watching where BLOOD flows when you think or move

Hindbrain

Consists of medulla, pons and cerebellum, directs essential survival functions (breathing, sleeping and wakefulness)

Midbrain

Found atop of the brain stem, connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement and transmits auditory and visual information

forebrain

Consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus and hypothalamus, manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions and voluntary motor activities

Brainstem

The central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions

Thalamus

Relays sensory information (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) from the body to the cerebral cortex,transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla

Reticular formation

Filters info and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

Coordinates movement and controls sleep