Open Stax Psychology Chapter 3 exam

Theory of evolution by natural selection

Organisms that are better suited to their environment will survive and reproduce, while those poorly suited will die

Genotype

Genetic makeup of individual

Phenotype

An individual's inherited physical characteristic

"Most traits are polygenic"

Traits are controlled by more than one gene

Epigenetics

Study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different phenotypes. Seeing how genotypes can be expressed in different ways.

Neurons

Interconnected information processors that are essential for the tasks of the nervous system.

Soma

Cell body

Dendrites

Branch-like extensions of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurons.

Axon

Major extension of the soma

Terminal buttons

Axon terminal containing synaptic vesicles

Synaptic vesicle

Storage site for neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messenger of the nervous system

Myelin sheath

Fatty substance that insulates axons, increasing speed of signal

Synapse

Small gap between two neurons where communication occurs

Receptors

Protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach

neuronal communication

Electricity and chemicals

Reuptake

Neurotransmitter is pumped back into neuron that released it

Neuronal communication is an electrochemical event

Communication between neurons includes electricity and chemicals

biological perspective

View that psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitter systems

Psychotropic medications

Drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance

Dopamine

Involved in mood, sleep, and learning. Effects include increased pleasure, suppressed appetite

Norepinephrine

Involved in heart, intestines, alertness. Effects include increased arousal, suppressed appetite

Serotonin

Involved in mood and sleep. Effects include modulated mood, suppressed appetite

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

Connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs, and senses in the periphery of the body

Somatic nervous system

Relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS

Autonomic nervous system

Controls internal organs and glands

Sympathetic nervous system

Involved in stress related activities and functions

Fight or flight response

Activation of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat of run away to safety

Parasympathetic nervous system

Associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body.

Cerebral cortex

Surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities

Lateralization of the brain hemispheres

Concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions

Corpus callosum

Thick band of neural fibers connecting the brains two hemispheres

Phineas Gage

Man in 1848 who had an iron rod through his skull. People said he changed drastically, and it's because his frontal lobe (part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language) was affected.

Limbic system

Collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory

Amygdala

Structure in limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories

Henry Molaison

Man in 1953 who experienced severe seizures and had his hippocampus and amygdala removed as treatment. The drastic consequences were the inability to learn new facts and new faces. He could learn a new skill or go to an event but would not remember doing either.

Brain imaging

The use of various techniques to either directly or indirectly image the structure, function/pharmacology of the nervous system. It is a relatively new discipline within medicine, neuroscience, and psychology.

CT scan

Imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays if a given area

PET

Involves injecting individuals with a mildly radioactive substance and monitoring changes in blood flow to different regions of the brain

MRI

Magnetic fields used to produce a picture of the tissue being imaged

fMRI

MRI that shows changes in metabolic activity over time

EEG

Recording the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp.