AP Psychology Unit 2 Vocab Flashcards

Behavior Genetics

Behavior genetics is a field of study in psychology that examines the role of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Biological Psychology

Biological psychology, also known as biopsychology or psychobiology, is a field in psychology that examines the physical basis for behaviors and mental states, looking specifically at the roles of genetics and the brain.

Biopsychosocial Approach

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis for understanding human behavior or health issues.

Body Weight

Body weight refers to the mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is often used as a measure of overall health.

Charles Darwin

A British naturalist who revolutionized biology with his theory of evolution through natural selection; he proposed that species evolve over time by adapting to their environments.

Chromosomes

Chromosomes are thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of animal and plant cells. Each chromosome is made up of protein and a single molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes which carry genes - units of heredity controlling specific traits.

DNA

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule that carries most of the genetic instructions used in development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known living organisms.

Effective Psychological Environment

The effective psychological environment refers to the unique personal experiences and influences that shape an individual's behavior, personality, and mental health.

Environment

In psychology, environment refers to all external conditions and influences affecting the life and development of an organism.

Epigenetic Marks

Epigenetic marks are chemical modifications to DNA that can turn genes on or off. They play a key role in development and heredity.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. These changes may last through cell divisions for the remainder of the cell's life and may also last for multiple generations without any change in the underlying DNA sequence.

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology is an approach in psychology that attempts to explain useful mental and psychological traits as the functional products of natural selection. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations.

Extraversion Traits

Extraversion traits are personality characteristics that involve being outgoing, social, talkative and energetic.

Extroversion

Extroversion is a personality trait characterized by outgoingness, high energy, and sociability. People with this trait tend to enjoy being around others, are often quite talkative, and generally feel energized by social interaction.

Fraternal (Dizygotic) Twins

Fraternal twins are siblings who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They share half their genes just like any other siblings but they share womb environment at the same time.

Gene Expression Blockage

This refers to the process where a gene's information is prevented from being used to create proteins, effectively blocking the gene from functioning.

Genes

Genes are the basic units of heredity that maintain their structural identity from one generation to another. They are made up of DNA and determine individual biological development.

Genome

A genome is the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism. It's like the blueprint for an organism's design and function.

Heritability

Heritability is the proportion of observed differences on a trait among individuals of a population that are due to genetic differences.

Identical (Monozygotic) Twins

Identical twins are two offspring resulting from one zygote that, at an early stage of development, separated into two embryos. They share the same genetic material.

Interaction

In psychology, interaction refers to the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (like heredity).

IQ Correlation

IQ correlation refers to statistical relationships between two sets of IQ scores. It can be used to compare similarities in intelligence among related individuals such as siblings or parents and children.

Methyl Molecules

Methyl molecules are compounds containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms (CH3). In biology, they play a crucial role in DNA methylation, an important process for normal development and associated with several key processes including genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation.

Molecular Genetics

Molecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. It primarily focuses on how genes are transferred from generation to generation.

Molecular Structure and Function of Genes

The molecular structure refers to how genes are built at a molecular level including DNA sequences. The function refers to what these genes do – typically coding for proteins which carry out various functions within cells.

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the genetic material of an organism. They can occur naturally or be induced by environmental factors.

Natural Selection

Natural selection is a process in nature in which organisms possessing certain genotypic characteristics that make them better adjusted to an environment tend to survive, reproduce, increase in number or frequency, and therefore, are able to transmit and perpetuate their essential genotypic qualities to succeeding generations.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

The nature vs. nurture debate involves determining whether human behavior is determined by genetics (nature) or learned through interacting with the environment (nurture).

Physical Similarities

Physical similarities refer to the observable traits or characteristics that are shared among individuals of the same species, such as hair color, eye color, height, etc.

Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation refers to the enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, both genders, neither gender, or another gender.

Thomas Bouchard

Thomas Bouchard is a psychologist known for his research on twins, particularly the Minnesota Twin Study. He studied both identical and fraternal twins who were raised apart to understand the influence of genetics versus environment on individual development.

Twin and Adoption Studies

Twin studies compare identical twins raised together versus those raised apart to determine genetic influence. Adoption studies compare biological relatives with adoptive relatives to understand both genetic and environmental influences.

Variations Between Individuals

Variations between individuals refer to differences in physical and behavioral traits among members of a species due to genetic and environmental factors.

Adrenal Glands

These are small glands located on top of each kidney. They produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential functions.

Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle. They respond primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment.

Endocrine Glands

These are ductless glands that produce and release hormones directly into the bloodstream. They play key roles in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism etc.

Endocrine System

The endocrine system is a network of glands in the body that produce and secrete hormones to regulate various bodily functions such as metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. These changes may last through cell divisions for the remainder of the cell's life and may also last for multiple generations without any change in the underlying DNA sequence.

Flight or Fight Response

The flight or fight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event perceived as stressful or frightening. It prepares the body either to confront or flee from potential harm.

Hormones

Hormones are chemical substances produced in your body that control and regulate the activity of certain cells or organs. They play a crucial role in many major processes, including metabolism, growth and development, mood, sexual function, reproduction.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain that serves as the main control center for autonomic functions. It plays a crucial role in many important functions, including releasing hormones and regulating body temperature.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. It allows cells to take in sugar for energy or storage, depending on what's needed.

Metabolism

Metabolism refers to all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of cells and organisms. It's essentially your body's method of converting food into energy needed for bodily functions.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland that plays a significant role in social bonding, sexual reproduction, childbirth, and the period after childbirth.

Pancreas

The pancreas is an organ in the body that plays a vital role in converting the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. It has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar.

Parathyroids

The parathyroids are four tiny glands, located in the neck, that produce the parathyroid hormone. This hormone regulates the body's calcium levels.

Pineal Gland

A small, pea-shaped gland in the brain. Its function isn't fully understood. Researchers do know that it produces and regulates some hormones, including melatonin.

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is a small pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain. It's often referred to as "the master gland" because it controls other glands in your body making it a key player in regulating vital bodily functions and general wellbeing.

Testis and Ovaries

These are primary reproductive organs; testes in males produce sperm and testosterone while ovaries in females produce eggs (ova) and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is an organ located in the front of your neck that releases hormones that control metabolism (the way your body uses energy), breathing, heart rate, nervous system functions among others.

Action Potential

Action potential is an electrical charge that travels along an axon when a neuron transmits information.

Arousal System

The arousal system refers to physiological responses that prepare us for action or alertness, often in response to stimuli such as stress or excitement.

Automatic Response

An automatic response is a bodily reaction that occurs without conscious thought, often in response to a specific stimulus.

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal.

Axon of a Neuron

The axon is the long, slender projection of a neuron that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. It's one of the principal vital signs that health professionals measure to assess a person's physical health.

Central Nervous System

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for processing information received from all parts of the body.

Chemical Synapse

A chemical synapse is a type of synapse that uses neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers, to transmit signals from one neuron (nerve cell) to another.

Communication Process

The communication process in psychology refers to the exchange of information, ideas, thoughts, and emotions between individuals or groups. It involves a sender transmitting an idea to a receiver.

Dendrites

Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.

Depolarization Process

The depolarization process refers to the change in a cell’s membrane potential, making it more positive and initiating an action potential.

Electrical Synapse

An electrical synapse is a type of synapse in which electrical current freely flows from one cell into another through structures called gap junctions.

Fight-or-Flight Responses

This is an automatic physiological reaction to stressful or threatening situations. It prepares the body for physical action - either fighting off danger or fleeing from it.

Heart Rate

The number of times your heart beats per minute.

Interneurons

Interneurons are neurons located entirely within the central nervous system that act as intermediaries between sensory neurons and motor neurons.

Motor (Efferent) Neurons

Motor neurons, also known as efferent neurons, carry information from the central nervous system to muscles and glands causing them to contract or secrete substances respectively.

Nerves

Nerves are bundles of fibers that transmit impulses between different areas within our bodies. They act as communication lines connecting various regions with our brain or spinal cord.

Nervous System

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals between different parts of the body. It's divided into two main parts the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Neural Networks

Neural networks are interconnected groups of neurons that form complex pathways in the brain, allowing for advanced processing and transmission of information.

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron (nerve cell) to another 'target' neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Sometimes called the rest and digest system, it conserves energy as it slows heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in gastrointestinal tract.

Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the part of the nervous system that consists of the nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord.

Reflex

A reflex is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus.

Rest and Digest State

The rest and digest state is when our bodies are calm and relaxed, focusing on maintenance tasks like digestion and growth.

Sensory (afferent) neurons

These are nerve cells within the nervous system responsible for converting external stimuli from the organism's environment into internal electrical impulses.

Sensory Information

Sensory information refers to the data received through our senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing) that is then transmitted to the brain for processing.

Somatic Nervous System

The somatic nervous system is a part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long bundle of nervous tissue that extends from the base of your brain down your back. It carries messages between your brain and body.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The sympathetic nervous system is part of autonomic nervous system responsible for initiating "fight or flight" response during stressful situations.

Synapse

A synapse is a tiny gap at which nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across this small space.

Synaptic gaps

The synaptic gap, also known as synaptic cleft, is a tiny space between two neurons where communication occurs through the exchange of neurotransmitters.

Terminal Branches of a Neuron

Terminal branches are the ends of axons that form junctions with other cells and transmit messages to those cells.

Threshold Stimulation

Threshold stimulation is the minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron, leading to an action potential or nerve impulse.

Voluntary Movements

These are movements that individuals consciously control, such as walking, talking, or picking up an object.

Addiction

Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain.

Alcohol Use Disorder

A chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol, causing significant distress or harm to the individual.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are a group of synthetic psychoactive drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, energy levels, alertness while decreasing appetite.

Barbiturates

Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants and can produce effects from mild sedation to total anesthesia.

Central Nervous System

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for processing information received from all parts of the body.

Cocaine

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that increases levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and movement, in the brain's reward circuit.

Depressants

Depressants are drugs that reduce arousal and stimulation in certain areas of the brain by slowing down bodily functions and neural activity.

Ecstasy (MDMA)

Ecstasy is a synthetic psychoactive drug known for its ability to induce feelings of euphoria, increased energy, emotional warmth towards others, and distortions in sensory perception.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that distort perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input; also known as psychedelic drugs.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is an extremely potent stimulant drug that increases activity in the central nervous system causing increased heart rate, decreased appetite along with heightened focus & energy levels.

Near-Death Experience

Near-death experience refers to personal experiences associated with impending death encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution; and the presence of a light.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant found in tobacco that triggers complex biochemical reactions in the brain, leading to feelings of pleasure and reduced stress.

Opiates

Opiates are a group of drugs used for treating pain because they contain opium-like compounds. They work by binding to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract.

Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive drugs are substances that can alter perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior by changing the brain's neurochemistry.

Stimulants

Substances that increase activity in the body and brain, enhancing alertness and energy levels.

Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders occur when the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically significant impairment including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school or home.