AP Psychology Vocab Pages 0-150

Empiricism

The view that knowledge originates from experience and that science should rely on observation and experimentation.

Structuralism

Early school of thought using introspection to reveal the mind's structure.

Functionalism

Early school exploring how mental and behavioral processes enable survival and adaptation.

Independent Variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated to see its effect.

Dependent Variable

The outcome factor that may change in response to manipulations.

Double-Blind Procedure

An experimental procedure where both research participants and staff are blind to placebo versus treatment assignment.

Neuron

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Action Potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross synaptic gaps to influence neurons.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The sensory and motor neurons connecting the CNS to the rest of the body.

Endocrine System

The body's "slow" chemical communication system via hormones secreted into the bloodstream.

Medulla

The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

Cerebellum

The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; processes sensory input, coordinates movement, and balances.

Amygdala

Two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping the brain's surface.

fMRI (Functional MRI)

A technique revealing blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.