PSC 001 Midterm 2

Flashcards

Dendrites

Receive messages from other neurons → transmits to the rest of the neuron

Axon

Responsible for transmitting messages received by dendrites to other neurons from terminal branches

Receptor sites

Sites on the surface of dendrites sensitive to specific chemicals called neurotransmitters

Myelin Sheath

Fatty substance around the axon for the purpose of quickening the speed of communication

Axon terminal

Branches at the end of the axon that connects to other neurons

Synaptic resicles

Sacs in the terminal branches that contain the neurotransmitters that are released into the synapse

Action Potential

Brief electrical charge that occurs when a neuron is stimulated by another neuron (or our senses) (How neurons communicate)

3 types of neurons

sensory, motor, inter

Sensory neuron

Detects information from senses

Motor neuron

Sends commands to muscles/glands

Inter neuron

Connects neurons with Central Nervous System

CNS (Central nervous system)

Brain + spinal cord, controls reflexes

Dopamine associates

Reward, pleasure, movement

PNS (Peripheral nervous system)

All of the nerves that reach organs, muscles, and glands

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movements

Autonomic nervous system

Self regulated and controls our glands and internal organ muscles to maintain homeostasis

Function of acetylcholine

Memory and muscle movement

EEG

Measures electrical brain activity with excellent temporal resolution

tMRI

Measures blood oxygenation, changes with excellent spatial resolution

Sympathetic nervous system

Activates fight or flight response

Hippocampus

Converts short-term memories to long-term memories

Hindbrain

Functions occur without any conscious effort, processes most information outside of awareness

The brainstem

Oldest and innermost region, medulla: controls heartrate and breathing, pons: coordinate movement and sleep

Reticular formation

Contributes to alertness, filters incoming stimuli to relay important info to other brain areas

Cerebellum

Coordinates voluntary movement and balance, enables nonverbal learning and skill memory

Thalamus

Sits on top of brain stem, routes sensory information to the higher brain regions

Amygdala

Linked to emotions and “fight or flight” response

Hypothalamus

Directs endocrine system in order to regulate homeostasis, ex: hunger, body temp, blood pressure

Purpose of hormones

Regulate and control metabolism, reproduction, growth, etc

Grey and white matter

Grey: cell bodies & cortex

White: Myelinated axons, long distance wires connecting different regions, travel in bundles

Frontal lobe

Contains the motor cortex associated with planning and coordinating movement, ex: decision making, planning, personality

Broca’s area

Associated with language production

Pariental lobe

Processes touch, temperature, pain, determines location of bodily sensations

Temporal lobe

Auditory perception, language, and learning

Wernicke’s area → meaning of language

Occipital lobe

Processes vision

Nature vs Nurture

Nature = genetics

Nurture = environment

3 laws of behavioral genetics

1) all human behavioral traits are heritable

2) effect of being raised in the same family is smaller than effect of genes

3) a substantial portion of the variation in complex human behavioral traits is not accounted for by the effects of genes or families

Dynamic systems theory

Development emerges from consistent interactions between a person and their cultural and environment contexts

Cross sectional

compare people at a single time point

Longitudinal

compare people to themselves (and others) over time

Jean Piget

first person to demonstrate that the way children think is different than adults

Sensorimotor stage

Ages 0-2, children gain knowledge through their senses and motor movements

Preoperational stage

Ages 2-7, children begin to think symbolically

Centeration: child’s tendency to focus on one aspect of an object or problem

Egocentrism: Lack’s theory of mind

Concrete operational stage

Ages 7-11, can manipulate concepts of time, space, and numbers, has a theory of mind

Formal operational stage

Ages 12 and up, children begin to think abstractly and can form hypothetical ideas

Attachment

A strong, intimate, emotional, connection between people that persists over time across circumstances

3 attachment styles

1) Secure: caregiver is loving and consistent

2) Insecure/avoidant: caregiver is emotionally cold and distant

3) Insecure/ambivalent: caregiver is inconsistent

Authoritative parenting

Warm but still sets rules, best outcomes

Authoritarian parenting

Strict and cold parenting style

Permissive parenting

Warm with few rules/limits

Barnum effect

When individuals believe that generic info, which can apply to anyone, applies specifically to themselves

5 personality traits

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism

Openess

Broadest factor, includes traits like creativity, appreciation of art, curiosity, and unconventionality

Conscientiousness

Following the rules and being self disciplined

Extroversion

Includes traits like talkativeness socialbility, assertiveness, gregariousness, enthusiasm, and excitement

Agreeableness

The tendency to be cooperative, friendly, and compassionate

Neuroticism

Tendency to experience a variety of distressing emotions. Includes traits like anxiety and self doubt, impulsivity, anger, and hostility