AP psych unit 2

action potential

brief electrical charge that travels down the axon

threshold

lvl of stimulation required to trigger an impulse (-50mV)

refractory period

occurs imm after action potential; a second stimulus will not excite neuron no matter how strong

reputake

neurotransmitters reabsorption by sending neuron

agonist

type of drug that mimics + increases neurotransmitter activity

antagonist

type of drug that inhibits + decreases neurotransmitter activity

parallel processing

simultaneously processing diff types pf stimuli

ex; driving car while talking to passengers while looking out for hazards

sequential processing

processing one aspect of a problem at a time; generally used to process new info

dual processing

info is simultaneously processed on separated conscious & unconscious tracks

ex; taking notes while listening to teacher

split brain

surgery that isolates the brains two hemispheres by severing corpus callosum; usually to reduce seizures

plasticity

brains ability to adapt to change as a result of learning, experience, memory formation, or damage

limbic system

contains thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, & amygdala; associated w emotion + drives

reticular formation

controls arousal and attention

fMRI

shows brain structure and function by revealing bloodflow

MRI

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce imgs of soft tissue

PET

display of brain activity that detects where radioactive glucose goes when performing a task

CT

series of x-rays taken from diff angles and combined to make a representation of a slice of the brain

MEG

map brain function and identify location of seizures by measuring magnetic fields from brains electrical activity

EEG

detects abnormalities in brain waves by placing electrodes on scalp

afferent neurons (sensory)

carry info from receptors to CNS (brain & spinal cord)

efferent neurons (motor)

send msgs from CNS to muscles & glands throughout the body

interneurons

processes sensory info in CNS

epigenetics

study of environmental influences on gene expression

social script

culturally modeled guide on how to act in certain situations

ex; waiting to be seated at a resteraunt, tipping, etc.

paul broca

• discovery of speech production area

• brocas area 🤯

carl wernicke

• discovery of language comprehension area

• wernickes area 🤯

roger sperry

• divded cats and monkeys brain in half

michael gazzaniga

• research on splitting corpus callosum (split brain)

blindsight

condition where person can respond to visual stimulus w/o conciously experiencing it

circadian rythm

biological clock; sleep schedule, why we get tired at night

ex; kramer in 5×5

REM sleep

rapid eye movement; reccuring sleep stage during which vivid dreams occur

alpha waves

relatively slow brain waves of relaxed aware state

ex; daydreaming, meditating

NREM sleep

non rapid eye movement; all sleep stages except REM. (no dreaming)

hypnagogic sensations

feeling of falling when asleep

delta waves

large, slow brain waves ass

superchiasmatic nucleus

cell cluster in hypothalamus that controls circadian rythm

manifest content

symbolic remembered story of dream

latent content

underlying meaning of a dream

REM rebound

tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep depravation

barbituates

drugs that depress CNS, reduces anxiety but impaired memory and judgement

opiates

depress neural activity, temporarily lessens pain and anxiety

stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

posthypnotic suggestion

suggestion made during hypnosis session, to be carried out after being hypnotized

dissociation

split conciousness allowing some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously

ex; zoning out