AP psych test review

Evolutionary psychology

How are humans alike because of shared biology and evolutionary history.

Behavior genetics

How do humans differ because of different genes and enviorments.

Mutation

A random error in gene code that leads to a change (natural selection)

Environment

Every non genetic influence from prenatal nutrition to experiences of people and things around us

Heredity

The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

Genes

The biochemical units of heredity

Genome

The complete instructions for making an organism

Identiccal twin studies

Control heredity (nature) while varying the home environment (nurture)

Fraternal twin studies

Control the home environment while varying (nature)

Interaction

The interplay that occurs when one factor depends on another

Epigenetics

The mechanisms by which enviorments can trigger or block genetic expression

Central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

The sensory and motor neurons that connect throughout the body

Nerves

Bundled axons that connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sensory organs

Somatic nervous system

Controls the body’s skeletal muscles (voluntary movements) such as running and writing

Autonomic nervous system

Controls the glands and muscles of internal organs (involuntary movements) such as heartbeat and blinking

Sympathetic nervous system

Arouses the body, mobilizes energy, and triggers flight or fight.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Calms the body, reserves energy, rest and digest

Interneuron

Carry information up and down the spinal cord

Neuron

Nerve cells that carry our nervous system’s electrical signals (basic building clocks of the nervous system)

Soma (cell body)

Contains the nucleus (cell’s life-support center)

Dendrites

Branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons

Axon

Send message down the neuron

Myelin sheath

A fatty tissue layer around the axon that speeds up neural transmission

Synapse

The space between two neurons

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory. (People with Alzheimer’s ACh producing nerurons deteriorate.)

Dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. (Oversupply= schizophrenia. Under supply= tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease.)

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. (Undersupply= depression)

Norepinephrine

Helps control alertness and arousal. (Undersupply can depress mood)

GABA

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter. (Decreases brain activity. Undersupply= seizures, tremors, and insomnia)

Glutamate

A major excitatory inhibitor involved in memory. (Increases brain activity. Oversupply= overstimulate the brain, migraines, or seizures)

Endorphins

Influence the perception of pain and pleasure. (Released through excersice. Oversupply with opioid drugs can suppress the body’s natural endorphin supply

Substance P

Pain perception and immune response. (Oversupply can lead to chronic pain)

Agonists

Molecules that increase (excite) a neurotransmitters action

Antagonists

Molecules that block (inhibit) a neurotransmitter’s action)

Action potential

A brief electrical change that travels down the axon.

All-or-none response

A neurons reaction will either fire with full strength or not fire at all

Substance abuse disorder

Occurs when a person continues substance abuse despite it resulting in life disruption

Tolerance

Users require a longer and larger amount of the substance to experience the same effect.

Addiction

Compulsive substance abuse that causes disfunctional behavioral patterns

Withdrawal

A discomfort/distress following drug use

Depressants

Alcohol, barbiturates (tranquilizers), opiates

Alcohol

Memory disruption, reduced self-awareness

Barbiturates (tranquilizers)

Drugs that depress central nervous system activity. They can impair memory, impair judgment , reduce anxiety, can be lethal if combined with alcohol

Opioids

Depress neural activity. (Heroin, codeine, oxycotin) Opioids cause short-term blissful pleasure, very addictive, lessen pain and anxiety temporarily, brain eventually stops producing endorphins

Nicotine

Tabasco products that deliver highly addictive effects, side effects include reduced appetite, depression, alertness

Cocaine

Powerfully addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant. Side effects include, brief intense high followed by an intense crash, rush of serotonin and dopamine, and ag

Methamphetamine

Amphetamins stimulates neural activity and speeds up bodily functions. Side effects include irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, and social isolation

Ectasy (MDMA)

Stimulant and mild hallucinogen that blocks serotonin reproduction and releases dopamine. Side effects include emotional motivation, damages to serotonin receptors in brain, and suppressed immune system.

Hallucinogens

Includes LSD, ecstasy, psilocybin (mushrooms), ayahuasca, and marijuana.

biological psychology

physical health, disabilities, genetics

neuroplasticity

the brain is always changing by building new pathways (greatest in childhood)

lesion

destruction of tiny clusters of normal or defective brain cells, observing any effect of function.

EEG

electrodes placed on the scalp measure electrical activity in neurons

MEG

PA head coli records magnetic fields from the brains natural electrical current

CT

x rays of the head generate images that may locate brain damage

PET

tracks where in the brain a temporary radioactive form of glucose goes while the person given it performs a task

MRI

people sit or lie down in a chamber that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to provide a map of brain structures

fMRI

measures blood flow to brain regions by comparing continuous MRI scans

forebrain

manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities

midbrain

stops the brainstem and connects the hindbrain with the forebrain.

hindbrain

contains brainstem structures that direct survival functions

brainstem

the brains innermost region

medulla

the area of the spinal cord just before it enters the shell

thalamus

a pair of egg-shaped structures that act as the brains sensory control center

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus. (filters information, helps control wakefulness)

cerebellum

processing sensory input, coordinating movement and balance, enabling nonverbal learning and memory

amygdala

controls fear and aggression and triggers fight of flight response

hypothalamus

helps with bodily maintenance. (hunger, thirst. temperature, and the secretion of hormones (endocrine) linked to the feeling of reward.)

hippocampus

curved brain structure that helps with consciousness and explicit memories

thalamus

controls all senses except smell

the pituitary gland

produces hormones that influence growth, metabolism, and reproduction, including growth hormone, prolactin, and adrenocorticotropic hormone. Its activity is regulated by the hypothalamus.

cerebral cortex

thin surface layer of interconnected neural cells

frontal lobe

linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher order thinking

occipital lobe

receives information from the visual fields

parietal lobe

receives sensory input for touch and body position

temporal lobe

receives auditory information from opposite ear and enables language processing

the motor cortex

responsible for planning, controlling, and executing voluntary movements. It is located in the frontal lobe and contains neurons that send signals to muscles throughout the body. Damage to this area can result in motor function impairments.

somatosensory cortex

responsible for receiving and processing sensory information across the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain

association areas

areas not involved in sensory or motor activity, but rather higher mental functions such as speaking, learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

neurogenesis

the production of new neurons

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two hemispheres, carrying messages between the two

Alcohol

Examples: vodka, tequila, beer

Side effects: memory disruption, reduced self awareness

Barbiturates (tranquilizers)

Examples: drugs that depress central nervous system activity

Side effects: impair memory, impair judgement, reduce anxiety

Opioids

Examples: opium and its derivates that depress neural activity

side effects: short term blissful pleasure, lessen pain and anxiety temporarily, brain eventually stops producing endorphins

Nicotine

Examples: tobacco products that deliver highly addictive nicotine

Side effects: alertness, reduced appetite, depression

Cocaine

Example: highly addictive stimulants derived from the coca plant

Side effect: brief intense high followed by a an intense crash, rush of serotonin and dopamine, aggression

Methamphetamine

Side effects: speeds up bodily functions, irritability, insomnia

Ecstasy

Example: MDMA stimulant

Side effects: damages serotonin receptors in the brain, suppressed immune system

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory

Dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention and emotion

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Norepinephrine

Helps control alertness and arousal

GABA

Decreases brain activity

Endorphins

Influences the perception of pain and pleasure (released when excersing)

Substance P

Pain perception and immune response

Frontal lobe

Linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher order thinking

Parietal lobe

Receives sensory input for touch and body position

Temporal lobe

Receives auditory information, language processing

Occipital lobe

Receives information from the visual fields