AP Psych: Unit 2 (Nervous system & reflex action)

Two main parts of the nervous system (NS)

Central NS and Peripheral NS

Central NS components

brain and spinal cord

Peripheral NS subdivisons

Autonomic and Somatic

Autonomic

motor neurons that stimulate involuntary processes (heart rate, respiratory rate, etc)

Peripheral NS

carries sensory and motor information away from central NS (think of the nerves that branch through your body)

Somatic NS

motor neurons that stimulate voluntary processes

the autonomic systems composes the _____ and ____

sympathetic and parasympathetic system

sympathetic system

pumps you up, increases HR, dilates pupils, increasing RR, “stops” digestions, decreases saliva

parasympathetic system

calms you down, restores and balances out processes

Afferent neurons (sensory neurons)

carries info from SENSORY receptors TO central NS

Efferent/movement neurons

(*MOVEMENT takes EFFort*)

carries MOTOR info away from central NS to initiate and action