psych unit 1

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for regulating bodily functions when at rest. It promotes relaxation, digestion, and energy conservation.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for stressful situations, often referred to as the "fight or flight" response.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for voluntary movements and reflexes by controlling skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary actions such as heartbeat and digestion, divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Central Nervous System

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, responsible for processing information and coordinating responses throughout the body.

Peripheral Nervous System

The division of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body, comprising all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

Excitatory

Neurotransmitters that promote next AP

Inhibitory

Neurotransmitters that decrease the chance of the next AP

4 Lobes and their functions

Frontal lobe (involved in reasoning, planning, and motor functions), Parietal lobe (sensory processing), Occipital lobe (vision), and temporal lobe (sound/hearing).

Restorative theory

The theory suggesting that sleep is essential for physical and mental recovery, allowing the body to repair and restore itself.

Adaptive theory

The theory proposing that sleep evolved as an adaptive behavior to enhance survival by reducing energy expenditure and keeping organisms safe from predators during the night.

Activation-synthesis theory

The theory that dreams are the brain's way of making sense of random neural activity during sleep, essentially synthesizing a narrative from these impulses.

Memory consolidation theory

The theory that suggests sleep plays a crucial role in stabilizing and integrating new memories, helping to transfer information from short-term to long-term memory.

Rods

Photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for vision in low-light conditions, enabling dim light and peripheral vision.

Cones

Photoreceptor cells in the retina that are responsible for color vision and function best in bright light conditions.

Place Theory

An auditory theory suggesting that different frequencies of sound are detected by different locations in the cochlea.

Frequency theory

An auditory theory proposing that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, allowing us to perceive pitch.

Volley theory

An extension of frequency theory stating that groups of auditory nerve fibers fire in a coordinated manner, allowing for the perception of higher frequencies.

Process of vision

Lens (Light enters and accommodation) → Retina (turned into neural signals) → Fovea (Sharpens vision) → Visual Nerve (Signals processed to brain)

Weber’s law

The principle stating that the change in a stimulus that will be just noticeable is a constant ratio of the original stimulus

Hypothalamus

hunger, thirst, endocrine

Thalamus

Senses (except smell)

Amygdala

Volatile emotions (anger/fear)

Hippocampus

Memory

Medulla

Vital life functions (breathing, heartbeat)

Cerebellum

Movement coordination and balance