Psychology of Human Cognition Exam 1

Function of the Frontal Lobe

Higher cognition: Decision making, planning, reasoning, personality, voluntary movement.

Function of the Parietal Lobe

Touch, pain, pressure (somatosensory processing), spatial awareness.

Function of the Occipital Lobe

Vision

Function of the Temporal Lobe

hearing, memory, language comprehension

Function of the Cerebellum

monitor and regulate motor behavior

Function of the Brain stem

automatic control center. basic life functions: breathing, heart rate, arousal

Function of Dendrites

branch like extensions that receive signals (neurotransmitters) from other neurons.

Function of the Soma (cell body)

Contains the nucleus, integrates incoming signals

Function of the Axon Hillock

Determines whether the summed signals reach threshold to fire

Function of the Axon

Long fiber that conducts the action potential away from the cell body

Function of the Myelin Sheath

Fatty insulation that speeds transmission via saltatory conduction

Function of Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in the myelin sheath where the impulse ‘jumps’ from node to node

Function of Axon Terminals

End of the axon; release neurotransmitters into the synapse

Function of the Synapse

The small gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of the next.

Where is the input zone located

dendrites

what is the function of the input zone

receive signals from other neurons

where is the integration zone located

Soma/Axon Hillock

Function of the integration zone

sum incoming singals; decide whether to fire

Function of the conduction zone

carries the action potential down its length

Where is the conduction zone located

Axon

Where is the output zone located

Axon terminals

Function of the output zone

release neurotransmitters to the next cell

What is the voltage of resting potential

-70mV

what happens during resting potential

Neuron is at rest, not firing

What is the voltage for action potential

+40mV

What happens during action potential

Neuron firing; rapid Na+ influx flips the charge

Signal transmission within a neuron

electrical

signal transmission between neurons

chemical

what is the all-or-none principle

once threshold is reached, the action potential fires at full strength no matter how strong the stimulus

what is the refractory period

brief time after firing when a neuron cant fire again

what are some major neurotransmitters

dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine.

who created the neuron doctrine

santiago ramon y cajal

what is the neuron doctrine

neurons are separate, discrete cells with gaps (synapses) between them. this doctrine replaced the incorrect “nerve net”/ reticular theory ( that the nervous system was one continuous web.)

what is CNS and what is included in it

The central nervous system and it includes the brain and spinal cord. it is responsible for receiving sensory information, processing it and coordinating the body’s responses.

what is PNS and what is included in it

The periperal nervous system and includes nerves outside the CNS.

PNS: somatic

voluntary movement

PNS: autonomic

Involuntary functions

PNS: autonomic : Sympathetic

fight or flight

PNS: Autonomic : Parasympathetic

rest and digest

Function of the hippocampus

formation of new memories

Function of the amygdala

emotion, especially fear and threat response

function of the hypothalamus

homeostasis; regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature and other drives.

function of the Thalamus

relay station for sensory information heading to the cortex

function of the corpus callosum

bundle of fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres.

what is the brocas area and where is it located

located in the frontal lobe, in charge of speech production

what is the wenickes area and where is it located

located in the temporal lobe, in charge of language comprehension.

neuropsychology research approach

studies behavioral effects of brain damage (often via case studies) to infer function of damages areas.

Localization of function

the broader concept that specific brain areas are responsible for specific functions

Single neuron recording

measures electrical activity of individual neurons

cognitive neuroscience

studies neural mechanisms of cognition, often using imaging (fMRI, EEG) in healthy and damaged brains.

simple reaction time

one known stimulus → one known response, no decision needed. example: pressing space bar as soon as you see a red circle

choice reaction time

multiple possible stimuli, each requiring a different response. example: press left arrow for red, right arrow for blue

recognition reaction time

must first identify/categorize the stimulus before responding. example: decide if a shape is a letter or number then respond.

simple reaction time speed

~200-250ms. adding decision making or discrimination slows it down.

positive reinforcement example

add candy for an A on an exam

positive punishment example

spray dog with water for jumping on furniture

negative reinforcement example

remove chores for finishing schoolwork on time

negative punishment example

remove dessert for not eating vegetables

what is shaping in relation to behavior

reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior

what is extinction in relation to behavior

behavior decreases when reinforcement stops

primary reinforcers

food and water

secondary/conditioned reinforcers

money, praise

unconditioned stimulus

naturally triggers a response. example: watching favorite tv show

unconditioned response

natural, unlearned response. example: popcorn before pairing

conditioned stimulus

neutral stimulus that now triggers a response after pairing. example: popcorn after repeated pairing

conditioned response

learned response to the CS. example: feeling relaxed from popcorn alone

Acquisition

the initial learning of the association

extinction

CR fades if CS is no longer paired with UCS

spontaneous recovery

reappearance of an extinguished CR after a rest period

Ivan Pavlov

dogs/bell/salivation

John B. Watson

little albert

stimulus generalization

responding to stimuli that are similar (but not identical) to the original CS with the same CR. example: a dog conditioned to salivate at a specific tone also salivates somewhat at similar tones

Stimulus discrimination

learning to respond only to the specific CS and not to similar stimuli often through selective pairing of the CS with the UCS. example: the dog learns to salivate only at the exact original tone, not similar stimuli.

core idea of structuralism and who created it

wundt titchener; break conscious experience into basic elements using introspection.

core idea of functionalism and who created it

william james; focus on the purpose/function of mental processes for adaptation

cognitive revolution

shift back toward studying internal mental processes (memory,decision making) after behaviorism

Gestalt psychology

“the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ -perception as organized wholes.

neuropsychology

study of brain-behavior relationships, often via brain-damaged patients

introspection

training subjects to report their own thoughts/experiences in response to stimuli