AP Psychology Lecture Review

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and theories from psychology as presented in the lecture notes.

Nature vs Nurture

A debate in psychology about whether human behavior is determined by genetics (nature) or environmental factors (nurture).

Epigenetics

The study of how the environment and behaviors change gene expression.

Eugenics

A scientifically erroneous and immoral theory that aimed at 'racial improvement' through controlled breeding.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, controlling bodily functions and actions.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The nervous system outside the CNS, connecting it to the rest of the body through nerves.

Somatic Nervous System

Part of the PNS that controls voluntary movements by relaying information from the CNS to skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

Part of the PNS that controls involuntary actions, such as heartbeat and digestion.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the body's fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system that conserves energy and promotes rest-and-digest activities.

Neuron

The basic unit of the nervous system, responsible for transmitting information through electrical and chemical signals.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty layer that insulates axons, speeding up neural transmission.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses between neurons.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the presynaptic neuron after transmitting a nerve signal.

Action Potential

A neural impulse that carries information along the axon of a neuron.

Agonist

A substance that increases neurotransmitter activity.

Antagonist

A substance that decreases neurotransmitter activity.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune disorder that affects the myelin sheath, impairing nerve signal transmission.

Blood-Brain Barrier

A selective permeability barrier that protects the brain from harmful substances in the bloodstream.

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

A class of drugs used to treat depression that works by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.

Circadian Rhythm

The biological clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles over a roughly 24-hour period.

REM Sleep

A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement and associated with dreaming.

Psychophysics

The study of relationships between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they produce.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

Difference Threshold

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.

Weber's Law

The principle that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

Synesthesia

A condition where stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic experiences in a second sensory pathway.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to support or disprove claims.

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort felt when holding conflicting thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes.

Operational Definition

A clear, precise definition of a variable that allows it to be measured.

Case Study

A research method involving an in-depth investigation of an individual or group.

Natural Observation

A research method that involves observing subjects in their natural environment without interference.

Survey Method

A research method that collects data from a large population by asking questions.

Descriptive Methods

Research methods that describe behaviors without manipulating variables.

Correlational Methods

Research methods that examine relationships between variables, without implying cause and effect.

Experimental Methods

Research methods that manipulate one or more independent variables to determine their effect on a dependent variable.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Personality Inventory

An objective questionnaire designed to assess a wide range of feelings and behaviors.

Big Five Personality Traits

The five broad domains that are used to describe human personality: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.