AP Psychology: Unit 2

Biological Psychologists

study the links between biological and psychological processes

Neuron

a nerve cell

Synapse

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

Multiple Sclerosis

an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of the myelin sheath

Action Potential

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

Threshold

the minimum level of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Acetylcholine (ACh)

memory and movement

Endorphins

pain reliever

Substance P

pain messenger

Dopamine

Movement and attention and pleasure

Glutamate

excitatory

Serotonin

mood regulator

Norepinephrine

fight or flight

GABA

inhibitory

Resting Potential

the stable, negative-charge state of a neuron when it is not actively sending a signal; ready for future communication

Depolarization

a neuron's cell membrane becomes more positive internally, allowing it to generate an action potential or nerve impulse

Selective permeability

the property of a cell membrane that allows only certain substances to pass through while blocking others

Refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorbtion by the sending neuron

Parkinson's disease

a neurodegenerative disorder that impairs motor function and affects cognitive and emotional well-being due to a loss of neurons producing dopamine

Agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response.

Antagonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response

Inhibitory neurotranmitters

reduce the likelihood of a neuron firing

Excitatory neurotransmitters

increase the likelihood of a neuron firing

evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind

natural selection

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

mutation

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

culture

shared beliefs, customs, practices, values, traditions, and behaviors that characterize a particular group of people within a society

norm

the standards or expectations that guide behavior within a specific group or society

gender role

how people are expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct themselves based upon their assigned sex

gender identity

each person's internal and individual experience of gender which may differ from what they were assigned at birth

gender typing

the process by which children acquire the behaviors, attitudes, and skills considered appropriate for their gender by their culture

chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

DNA

the molecule that holds the genetic instructions for an organism's development, function, and reproduction

genes

the biochemical units of hereditary that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA molecules capable of synthesizing proteins

mutation

a permanent change in the genetic material of an organism, which can occur spontaneously or be induced by environmental factors

behavior genetics

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

molecular genetics

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes

identical twins

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

fraternal twins

twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment

heritability

the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes.

interaction

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor

eugenics

the study of how to arrange reproduction within a human population to increase the occurrence of characteristics regarded as desirable

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

split brains

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

right brain functions

creativity, artistry, intuition, imagination

left brain functions

logic, science, sense of time, language

lateralization

the tendency for some neural functions or cognitive processes to be specialized to one hemisphere of the brain or the other

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

cognitive neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

dual processing

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

Michael Gazzaniga and Roger Sperry

they conducted extensive experiments on an epileptic patient who had had his corpus collosum split so that the connection was severed

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking

frontal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

parietal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

temporal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

sensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

association areas

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

aphasia

a neurological disorder that effects the ability to communicate effectively

Broca’s area

a region of the brain located in the left frontal lobe, near the inferior frontal gyrus. It plays a crucial role in language production and comprehension

Wernicke’s area

a region of the brain located in the posterior portion of the left temporal lobe. It plays a crucial role in language comprehension and processing

angular gyrus

the part of the brain associated with complex language functions (reading, writing, interpretation of written language)

plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

lesion

tissue destruction

EEG

a recording of brain activity

PET Scan

a visual display of brain activity

MRI

shows brain anatomy

fMRI

shows brain function and structure

Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain; responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Thalamus

the brain's sensory control center

Cerebellum

"little brain"; processes sensory input, coordinates movement output and balance, enables nonverbal learning and memory

Limbic system

neural system associated with emotions and drives

Amygdala

two neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion

Hypothalamus

a neural structure that directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

Phineas Gage

Suffered significant personality and behavior changes after a metal rod was driven through his skull and brain

Reticular formation

a network of nerve cells that act as the brain's alert system

Hippocampus

shaped like a seahorse; primarily associated with memory

Endocrine system

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Hormone

Chemical messengers manufactured by the endocrine glands which travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

Pituitary gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands under the influence of the hypothalamus.

Thyroid

an endocrine gland in the neck that produces hormones regulating metabolism, growth, and development

Adrenaline

a hormone released by the adrenal glands during stressful or dangerous situations to trigger the "fight-or-flight" response

Estrogen

Female sex hormone

Testosterone

Male sex hormone

Pancreas

produces hormones which regulate the body's blood sugar levels

Testes

the primary male reproductive organs

Ovaries

The primary female reproductive organs

Nervous system

the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

Central Nervous System (CNS)

the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

Somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

Sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy