AP Psych Unit 1 Workbook Vocab

Evolutionary perspective

uses principles of natural selection to study the evolution of behavior and the mind

natural selection

inherited traits that allow an organism to survive and reproduce will be passed on to future generation, explaining popular traits and tendencies

survival of the fittest

the most successful mutations/genes survive, explaining human tendencies and prominent traits

eugenics

selectively breeding humans to promote certain characteristics, unethical

Central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

responsible for gathering info and for transmitting CNS decisions to other body parts

autonomic nervous system

controls our glands and organ muscles, influences glandular activity, heartbeat, and digestion

parasympathetic nervous system

Conserves energy and slows the heart rate down.

sympathetic nervous system

arouses and expends energy

somatic nervous system

enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles

motor neurons

carry instructions from the CNS outward to the body's muscles and glands

sensory neurons (afferent neurons)

carry messages from the body's tissues and sensory receptors inward to brain and spinal cord

interneurons

where info is processed between sensory input and motor output

reflex arc

composed of a single sensory neuron and a single motor neuron

neuron

dendrite

receive messages from other cells

soma/cell body

cell body that is the control center of the neuron, receiving and integrating signals

axon

passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

axon terminals/terminal buttons

forms junctions with other cells

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

Nodes of Ranvier

gaps in the myelin sheath

schwann cells

myelinate axons to insulate them and speed up signal transmission

glial cells

provide nutrients and insulating myelin guide neural connections and clean up waste after neurons

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

the electrical potential difference across the membrane of a neuron when it's not firing an electrical signal

refractory period

a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired

all-or-nothing principle

a neuron's reaction of either firing or not firing

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

synapse

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

reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

agonists

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action

Antagonists

decrease a neurotransmitter's action by blocking production or release

reuptake inhibitors

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

psychoactive drugs

chemicals that alter the brain, producing changes in perceptions and moods

hallucinogens

distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

depressants

dampen neural activity and slow body functions

stimulants

excite neural activity and speed up body functions

opioids

opium and its derivatives; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

brain stem

central core of the brain, where spinal cord swells as enters the skull; responsible for autonomic survival functions

medulla

hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate

reticular formation

nerve network extending from spinal cord to thalamus; filters stimuli and relays info to brain areas

reticular activation system

governs reticular formation; sensory input of spinal cord

cerebellum

the hindbrain's "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory.

thalamus

the forebrain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

hypothalamus

a limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward.

pituitary gland

controlled by hypothalamus, release growth hormones

hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

amygdala

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

corpus callosum

axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

occipital lobe

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

visual cortex

receives input from eyes

temporal lobe

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

auditory cortex

receives information from the ears

Wernicke's area

region in the back of the temporal lobe that is important for comprehension of speech and processing

parietal lobe

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

somatosensory cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

frontal lobe

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

motor cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

prefrontal cortex

In the forward part of the frontal lobes enables judgement, planning, and processing of new memories

Broca's area

responsible for language production

executive functioning

The ability to set priorities or make decisions.

neuroplasticity

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

aphasia

A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate.

lesion

destroying normal or defective brain cells

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

amplified recording of waves of electrical activity sweeping across brain surface

MRI

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue

functional MRI

reveals blood flow and therefore brain activity by comparing MRIs

stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

Eustress

positive stress

distress

negative stress

adverse childhood experiences

abuse, neglect, and violent experiences that contribute to childhood trauma

alarm

sympathetic nervous system is activated, heart rate increases, blood diverts to skeletal muscles

resistance

temperature, bp, and respiration stay high; endocrine system pumps epinephrine and norepinephrine and you are fully engage

fight-flight-freeze response

as time passes with no relief from stress, the body's reserves dwindle

exhaustion

you become vulnerable to illness or even death

tend and befriend response

under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)

problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

subjective well-being

self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life.

resilience

the personal strength that helps most people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma