AP Psych final compete

acetylcholine (ACh)

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

BABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, 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 neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

dopemine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

glutamate

a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory

endorphins

"morphine within"—natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pleasure and pain control

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

ventricles

fluid filled spaces in the brain

reticular formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

phrenology

studying bumps on the skull to reveal a persons mental abilities / character traits

localization of function

the idea that various brain regions have particular functions

biological perspective

concerned with the links between biology and behavior

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

dendrites

a neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

glial cells (glia)

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

ions

electrically charged atoms that have gained or lost electrons

resting potential

positive-outside/negative-inside state

selective permeability

condition or quality of allowing some, but not all, materials to cross a barrier or membrane

depolarization

the loss of the inside/outside charge difference

excitatory signal

pushing a neuron's accelerator

inhibitory signal

pushing a neuron's brake

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

all or none response

a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

synapse

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

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons and bind to receptor sites, influencing if that neuron will generate a neural impulse

reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

antagonists

drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter

nervous system

the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

nerves

bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

sensory (afferent) neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

motor (efferent) neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

automatic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

reflex

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

endocrine system

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.

pituitary gland

the endocrine system's most influential gland, which, under the influence of the hypothalamus, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

lesion

tissue destruction

electroencephalogram

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface, measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

PET (positron emission tomograph) scan

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; shows brain anatomy

Functional MRI (fMRI)

technique that uses magnetic fields to visualize brain activity using changes in blood oxygen level; shows brain function as well as structure

brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

pons

sits above the medulla, controlling sleep and arousal

cerebellum

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

limbic system

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

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

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

frontal lobes

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

parietal lobes

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

occipital lobes

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

temporal lobes

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

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

sematosensory cortex

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

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

plasticity

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

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

split brain

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

gazzaniga

split-brain research; understanding of functional lateralization in the brain; how the cerebral hemispheres communicate

theory

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

hypothesis

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

operational definition

a statement of the procedures used to define research variables

replication

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances

descriptive methods

describe behaviors, often by using case studies, surveys, or naturalistic observations

correlational methods

associating different factors

experimental methods

manipulate variables to discover their effects

case study

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

naturalistic observation

a descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

survey

a descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group

population

all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

correlation

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other

correlation coefficient

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)

scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables

illusory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists

regression toward the average

the statistical tendency for extreme scores or extreme behavior to return toward one's average

decline effect

the size of certain psychological findings appears to be shrinking over time

experiment

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process

experimental group

in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable

control group

the group that does not receive the experimental treatment, serving as a comparison for evaluating the effects of treatment

random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups

double-blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo; commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

placebo effect

latin for "i shall please"; experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent

independent variable

in an experiment, the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied