AP Psych Unit 3 Terms

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65 Terms

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Refractory period
The minimum length of time after an action potential during which another action potential cannot begin.
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Action potential
A brief change in a neuron's electrical charge.
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Adoption studies
Research studies that assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents
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Afferent nerve fibers
Axons that carry sensory information inward to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body.
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Agonist
A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
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Antagonist
A chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter.
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Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
The system of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands.
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Axon
A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to other neurons, or to muscles or glands.
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Central nervous system (CNS)
The brain and the spinal cord.
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Cerebral cortex
The outer layer of the cerebrum - humans have largest
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Chromosomes
Threadlike strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules that carry genetic information.
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Corpus callosum
The structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres.
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Dendrites
Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.
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Efferent nerve fibers
Axons that carry information outward from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body.
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Electroencephalograph (EEG)
A device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp.
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Endocrine system
A group of glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning.
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Fraternal twins
Twins that result when two eggs are fertilized simultaneously by different sperm cells, forming two separate zygotes. Also called dizygotic twins.
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Glia
Cells found throughout the nervous system that provide various types of support for neurons.
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Hypothalamus
A structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in the regulation of basic biological needs.
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Identical twins
Twins that emerge from one zygote that splits for unknown reasons. Also called monozygotic twins.
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Lesioning
Destroying a piece of the brain.
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Mirror neurons
Neurons that are activated by performing an action or by seeing another monkey or person perform the same action. Frontal lobe
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Neurotransmitters
Chemicals that transmit information from one neuron to another.
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Parasympathetic NS
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that generally conserves bodily resources - calm
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Peripheral nervous system
All those nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord.
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Phenotype
The ways in which a person's genotype is manifested in observable characteristics (hair color, eye color, height, etc)
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Pituitary gland
The master gland of the endocrine system; it releases a great variety of hormones that fan out through the body, stimulating actions in the other endocrine glands.
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Resting potential
The stable, negative charge of a neuron when it is inactive.
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Reuptake
A process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane.
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Soma
The cell body of a neuron; it contains the nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells.
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Somatic NS
The system of nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors.
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Split-brain surgery
A procedure in which the bundle of fibers that connects the cerebral hemispheres (the corpus callosum) is cut to reduce the severity of epileptic seizures.
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Sympathetic NS
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body's resources for emergencies.
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Synapse
A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.
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Terminal buttons
Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters.
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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
A technique that permits scientists to temporarily enhance or depress activity in a specific area of the brain.
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Twin studies
A research design in which hereditary influence is assessed by comparing the resemblance of identical twins and fraternal twins with respect to a trait.
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Dopamine
Excitatory - responsible for pleasure, movement, learning, attention - low levels, Parkinson's
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Serotonin
Inhibitory - Mood, hunger, sleep, arousal - low levels, depression and anxiety
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GABA
Balances excitatory messages - Contributes to regulation of anxiety
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Glutamate
Excitatory - Thinking, memory, learning - strengthening neural connections, high levels - agitation and memory loss
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Norepinephrine
Excitatory - Alertness & arousal Increasing heartbeat, arousal, memory, learning, and eating
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Acetylcholine
Excitatory - Muscle action/contractions; learning/memory - Messenger at every junction between motor neuron & skeletal muscle - low levels, paralysis, Alzheimers
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Endorphins
Inhibitory - "morphine within" - natural opiates, pain control and pleasure
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Frontal Lobe
planning, judgment, memory, reasoning, abstract thinking, movement (motor cortex) *mirror neurons
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Parietal Lobe
Important area governing spatial awareness and navigation - information about touch (sensory cortex), Left hemisphere involved in mathematics, reading, writing and understanding symbols.
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Temporal Lobe
hearing (auditory cortex), Wernicke's for language
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Occipital Lobe
visual information (visual cortex)
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Broca's Aphasia
Damage that makes speech very slow, slurred and labored, no comprehension problems
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Wernicke's Aphasia
Damage where speech is incomprehensible - patients have great difficulty understanding - Speech is NOT slurred
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Lateralization/contralateral control
hemispheres control the opposite sides of the body
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hippocampus
creates, integrates, consolidates memories
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Amygdala
Damage to this region leads to decrease in fear, aggression, and sexual desire
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hypothalamus
Helps to govern endocrine system and controls maintenance functions - eating and drinking
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Cerebellum
enables nonverbal learning, coordinates voluntary movements
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Pons
Helps control/regulate sleep, respiration, swallowing
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Reticular formation
regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal - damage would lead to coma
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Medulla
Controls heartbeat and breathing
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CT Scan
Provides structural imaging using Xrays
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fMRI
Provides functional imaging of active brain areas using magnetic fields
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PET Scan
Functional imaging - injected with radioactive substance and detects movement of blood
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Plasticity
the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, compensate for damage
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General Adaptation Syndrome
Physiological adaptation - alarm, resistance, exhaustion
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Prolonged Stress
Can reduce immune functioning and lead to heart disease
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Problem focused coping
attempting to directly change the stressor or change the way we interact with it