Psych Unit 1

Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Nature v. Nurture

the debate of weather you are shaped by your environment or genes

Evolutionary Psychology

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

Natural Selection

A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.

Behavior Genetics

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

adaptation

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce

mutation

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change

heredity

Passing of traits from parents to offspring

genome

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

genes

Chemical factors that determine traits

identical twins

Monozygotic twins who develop from a single zygote that later divides to form two genetically identical individuals.

fraternal twins

(dizygotic twins) twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

Epigenetics

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

nervous system

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

central nervous system

Brian and spinal cord, decision maker

peripheral nervous system

gathers information and transmits central nervous system decisions to other body parts

autonomic nervous system

• controls our glands and internal organ muscles

• influences glandular activity, heartbeat and digestion

• autonomic means "self-regulating"

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)

fight or flight

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy (rest and digest)

neurons

Individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information.

(sensory) afferent neurons

neurons that take information from the senses to the brain and spinal cord

(motor) efferent neurons

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

interneurons

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

reflexes

simple, automatic responses to sensory stimuli, such as the knee-jerk response

Dendrite

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

Soma

cell body of a neuron

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

axon terminals (terminal buttons)

transmit signals to the dendrites

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

Nodes of Ranvier

gaps in the myelin sheath that facilitates rapid conduction of nerve impulses

Schwann cells

Supporting cells of the peripheral nervous system responsible for the formation of myelin sheath on axons outside of the brain

Glial cells

glue cells; cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

How does information pass through the neuron?

Information is passed through the axon to other neurons, muscles, and glands.

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Action potential

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

Resting potential

positive-outside/negative-inside state

Refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

all-or-none response

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

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers

Synapse

meeting point between neurons

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

Acetylcholine (ACh)

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Serotinin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

endorphins

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

substance p

A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of pain messages to the brain.

Agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action

Antagonist

decrease a neurotransmitters action by blocking production or release

Hormones

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

psychoactive drugs

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

substances use disorder

disorder characterized by continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates [tranquilizers] and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Barbiturates (tranquilizers)

drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

opioids

depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

biological psychologists

explore the links between brain and mind

biopsychosocial approach

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

Neuroplasticity

the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

lesion

tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp with a shower cap like hat

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

technique that measures brain activity by detecting tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain (sitting under a head coil that resembles a salon hair dryer)

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

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

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

brain-imaging method using radio waves and magnetic fields of the body to produce detailed images of the brain

Functional MRI (fMRI)

special application of MRI that reveals the brain's functioning and structure

computed tomography (CT)

examines the brain by taking X-ray photographs that can reveal brain damage

hindbrain

contains the medulla, pons, cerebellum, direct functions like breathing, sleeping, arousalm, coordination, and balance

Midbrain

Region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight.

forebrain

largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures, controls voluntary motor functions

brainstem

The oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions, base is the medulla

thalamus

egg-shaped structures that act as the brain's sensory control center, receive information from all the senses except smell

reticular formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

pons

sleep and arousal

Cerebellum

Balance and coordination

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Amygdala

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

Hippocampus

memory

corpus callous

Pathways that allow for communication between cerebral hemispheres.

pituitary gland

produce + release hormones that help growth, metabolism, reproduction

pineal gland

produces melatonin

cerebral cortex

has 2 hemispheres and each hemisphere has 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

frontal lobes

voluntary movement, thinking, personality, emotion, memory

motor cortex

controls voluntary movements

broca's area

speech production

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

somatosensory cortex

registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

temporal lobes

manages emotions, processes auditory info

auditory cortex

the area of the temporal lobe responsible for processing sound information

wernicke's area

language comprehension

occipital lobes

vision

visual cortex

The visual processing areas of cortex in the occipital and temporal lobes.

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

dual processing

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