AP Psychology 2nd Vocab and Reading Quiz

Neuron

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

Dendrites

neurons’ extensions, receive messages and conduct impulses

Axon

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

Myelin

a fatty tissue layer, segmentally encasing the axons of neurons, enables greater transmission speed

Action potential

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

Refactory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

All-or-none response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing 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. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing the neuron to generate a neural impulse

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

Endorphins

linked to pain, control, and pleasure

Agonist

stimulates response

Antagonist

inhibits or blocks the response

Module 10

Nervous system

the body’s speedy electrochemical communication network, which consists of the nerve cells

Central nervous system

the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central system to the body

Nerves

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

Sensory neurons

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

Motor neurons

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

Internurons

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

Somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles, also called the skeletal system

Autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. Its sympathetic division arouses, its parasympathetic division calms

Sympathetic nervous system

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

Parasympathetic nervous system

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

Reflex

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

The 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 that help arouse the body in times of stress

Pituitary gland

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

Module 11

Lesion

tissue destruction-a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Electroencephalogram- an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface, these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

CT- a series of X ray photographs taken from different angles and combined into a representative image of a brain section

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

MRI- a technique using magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue

fMRI- a technique used to reveal blood flow and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans, shows brain function

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

Thalamus- the brain’s sensory control center, 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.

Reticular formation- a nerve network that travels through the hypothalamus and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Cerebellum- the little brain at the rear of the brainstem, functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

Limbic system- neural system, located below the cerebral hemispheres, associated with emotions and drives

Amygdala- two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system, linked to emotion

Hypothalamus- a neural structure lying below the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

Cerebral cortex- the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres, the body’s ultimate control and information center

Glial cells- cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking

Frontal lobes- portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead, involved in speaking and muscle movements, and in making decisions

Parietal lobes- portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear, receive sensory input for touch and body position

Occipital lobes- position 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

Somatosensory 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 function, 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

Module 13

Corpus callosum-- the large band of nerve 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 connecting them

Consciousness- our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Cognitive neuroscience- the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition

Dual processing- the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

Behavior genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

Environment

every external influence from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

Genes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes, segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

Genome

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes

Molecular genetics

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes

Heritability

the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.

Interaction

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor

Epigenetics

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

Module 15

Evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Natural selection

the principle that among the range of inherited traits variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will succeed

Module 16

Sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimuli energies from our environment

Perception

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

Bottom-up processing

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information

Top-down processing

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions based on our experience and expectations

Selective attention

the focusing of conscious attention on a particular stimulus

Inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Change blindness

failing to notice changes in an environment

Transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another, in sensation, that transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brain can interpret

Psychophysics

the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them

Absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needs to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

Signal detection theory

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background noise assumes that there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness

Subliminal

below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

Priming

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory or reply

Difference threshold

the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time, we experience the difference between as a just

Weber’s Law

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

Sensory adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Module 25

Substance use disorder

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and physical risk

Psychoactive drug

a chemical substance that alters moods and perceptions

Tolerance

with regular use- causes larger amounts of dosages

Addiction

craving of drugs and behavior

Withdrawal

the discomfort following quitting a drug behavior

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions