AP Psychology Unit 1 - 1.4 Vocabulary

biological psychology

The scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes

biopsychpsocial approach

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

Levels of analysis

The differing complementary views from biological to psychological to social-cultural for analyzing any given phenomenon

brain plasticity (neuroplasticity)

The brains ability to change, especially during childhood by re-organizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

EEG

electrodes placed on the scalp to produce images

MEG

Picks up signals from neuronal oscillation by magnetic pulse to produce an image

MRI

Magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images

CT

Converts brain radio waves into three dimensional picture of any part of the body

PET

Injection in bloodstream of a radioactive marker to produce images

fMRI

stimuli and tasks are down, brain is scanned to produce an image

lesions

tissue destruction; may occur naturally during surgery or experimentally

brain stem

Connects your brain to your spinal cord; helps regulate vital body functions that you don’t have to think about like breathing in your heart rate

hindbrain

Consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum; direct, essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping and wakefulness, as well as coordination and balance

midbrain

Found a top of the brain stem; connects to 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

medulla oblongata

The hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing

reticular activating system (reticular formation)

A nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal

cerebellum

The hind brains “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; it’s functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the brain surface, located on top of the cerebrum

limbic system

Neural system located mostly in the forebrain-below the cerebral hemisphere-that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus and pituitary gland; associated with emotions

thalamus

The forebrain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brain stem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

hypothalamus

A limbic system neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion in reward

pituitary gland

Secretes hormones, which carry messages around the body via the bloodstream

hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit (conscious) memories-of facts and events-for storage

amygdala

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

corpus callosum

The large band of neural fibers, connecting the two brain, hemispheres and caring messages between them

split brain

A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brains two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

broca’s area

A frontal lobe brain area usually in the left hemisphere, that helps control language expression by directing the muscle movements involved in speech

wernickie’s area

A brain area usually in the left temporal lobe involved in language, comprehension, and expression

cortex specialization

The idea that different parts of the brain are responsible for specific, cognitive, perpetual, or motor processes

contralateral hemispheric organization

How each side of the brain controls the opposing side of the body

Aphasia

Impairment of language usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to broca’s area or to Wernickies area

occipital lobe

The part of the brain that processes visual information

Temporal lobe

The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; it includes the auditory areas each of which receives information primarily from the opposite ear. They also enable language processing.

parietal lobe

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

Association areas

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor sensory function; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions, such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Somatosensory cortex

A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes, body touch and move sensations

Frontal lobes

The portion of the cerebral cortex line just behind the forehead. They enable linguistic processing muscle movements, higher order, thinking, and executive functioning, such as making plans and judgments.

Prefrontal cortex

Personality center; cortical region that makes us uniquely human

Motor cortex

A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements