ch3 ap psychology

biological psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes

neuron

a nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system

dendrites

a neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

• receives messages from other cells and moves that information to the axon

axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles/glands

myelin sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the other

• covers the axon but ends with the nodes of raniver

nodes of ranvier

the spaces between the myelin sheaths

• these gaps keep the charge moving through the axon

action potiential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

• empty period where nothing happens

threshold

a level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

all-or-none response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing

• everything or nothing

synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

• the gap is called the synaptic gap

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

• travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the recieving neuron

reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

endorphins

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

• “morphine with”

agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

• response goes through

antagonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response

• “villian in a story” blocks what needs to happen

nervous system

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral an central nervous systems

central nervous system

the brain and the spinal cord

• main part

peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

nerves

bundled axons that form neural ‘cables’ connecting the CNS with the muscles, glads, and sense organs

sensory (afferent) neurons

neurons that carry incoming information form the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

• comes in

motor (efferent) neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

• leaves

interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system

the part of the PNS that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the ANS that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body conserving its energy

reflex

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

endocrine system

the body’s ‘slow’ chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

pituitary gland

regulates growth and controls the other endocrine glads under the influence of the hypothalamus

phrenology

the study of the skulls readings

• Franz Gull

sympathetic is …

arousing, full alert

parasympathetic is..

calming, returning to resting heart rate

afferent

affected by sensory input

efferent

the effect of outgoing response

autonomic is…

self-regulated actions of internal organs (breathing)

somatic is…

voluntary movements of the skeletal muscles

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

split brain

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers, connecting them

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

cognitive neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked w/ cognition

dual processing

the principal that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

lesion

tissue destruction; naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

EEG

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface

CT scan

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into composite representation of the brain’s structure

• have to be doing something

PET scan

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

MRI

a technique that uses magnetic fields and raio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue (show brain anatomy)

fMRI

a technique revealing bloodflow and brain activity;

• show function and structure

brainstem

begings where the spinal cord swells and enters the skull, is responsible for automatic survival functions

thalamus

the brain’s sensory control center, located on the top of the brain stem

• it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies

medulla

the base of the brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing

• activation of the brain

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus; plays an important role in controlling arousal

pons

coordinate movement

cerebellum

found at the rear of the brainstem; processing sensory inputs, oordinating movement output and balance, and nonverbale learning/memeory

limbic system

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres, associated with the emotions and drives

amygdala

neural clusters in the limbic system that are linked to emotion and fear

hypothalamus

directs activties such as body temperature, hunger, thirstyness,

hippocampus

linked to memory

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; can also play a role in learning and thinking

frontal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking, muscle movements, and in making plans/judgements

parietal lobes

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

occipital lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receives information from the visual fields

temporal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information from the other ear

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

somatosensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movements sensations

association areas

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

plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways on experience

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

• from past damage

behavior genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

environment

every external influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

chromosome

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

DNA

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes

genes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

genome

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes

identical twins

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

fraternal twins

twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs, but they share a fetal environment

molecular genetics

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes

heritability

the proportion of variation among individuals that we attribute to genes; the trait may vary depending on the range of populations and environments studied

interaction

the inter that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor

• how something effects another thing

epigenetics

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

• focus on what makes us so alike

natural selection

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

mutation

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

individual development

biological, psychological, and social cultural