AP PSYCH Unit 1-B

What might happen if someone had degeneration of the myelin sheath?

Multiple Sclerosis

What is the neural impulse as an all-or-none response?

A neural impulse is an all-or-none response, meaning a neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all once the threshold is reached.

How does the myelin sheath affect neural impulses?

The myelin sheath speeds up the transmission of neural impulses along the axon.

What is the effect of a drug that is an agonist?

Agonist molecules may bind to a neurotransmitter's receptor and mimic its effects, producing a temporary 'high'.

What is the effect of a drug that is an antagonist?

Antagonists bind to receptors and block a neurotransmitter's functioning.

Which endocrine gland is considered the most influential?

Pituitary gland

Which part of the brain serves as a sensory switchboard?

The thalamus

Which lobe of the brain is responsible for vision?

Occipital lobe

What evidence is there that a blind patient can still process visual information?

Their behavior indicates visual processing despite no visual awareness.

What is the absolute threshold?

The minimum stimulation necessary to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

What is the absolute threshold for vision?

The minimum amount of light a person can detect in a completely dark environment.

What is the difference threshold or just noticeable difference (JND)?

The minimum difference a person can detect between two stimuli half the time.

How can a person demonstrate the just noticeable difference in sweetness?

They would barely detect that one drink is sweeter than the other.

What does Weber's Law state?

For an average person to perceive a difference, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

How does Weber's Law affect the difference threshold for weight comparison?

A small additional weight is noticeable for light objects but not for heavy objects.

What is sensory adaptation?

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

How does sensory adaptation apply to smell?

Olfactory receptors become less sensitive to a constant or repeated odor over time.

Which wavelengths are perceived as red?

Long wavelengths with low frequency and low energy.

Which wavelengths are perceived as blue?

Short wavelengths with high frequency and high energy.

Which wavelengths are perceived as green?

Medium wavelengths, small amplitude.

What part of the eye helps maintain focus?

The lens.

What is the function of rods in the eye?

Rods detect dim light and motion, enabling night and peripheral vision.

What is the function of cones in the eye?

Cones detect bright light and color, allowing detailed vision.

Where are cones mostly concentrated?

In and around the fovea.

What is the function of ganglion cells?

They carry action potentials out of the eye toward the brain.

What causes the blind spot in human vision?

The axons of ganglion cells exit the eye in the same place, creating an area without rods or cones.

How do our brains compensate for the blind spot?

The brain fills in the blind spot with information from around it.

What are supercell clusters in the brain responsible for?

They help us recognize human faces.

What is prosopagnosia?

The inability to recognize familiar faces.

What is the Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory?

The retina contains three different color receptors-one sensitive to red, another to green, and one to blue, which can produce the perception of any color when stimulated in combination.

What is dichromatism?

A condition where a person is born without one of the three types of cones, such as missing red-sensitive cones.

What is monochromatism?

A condition where a person has only one type of cone, resulting in color-deficient vision where everything appears in shades of black, white, and gray.

What is the opponent-process theory?

The theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision, where some cells are stimulated by one color and inhibited by another.

What happens when one color in an opposing pair is stimulated according to the opponent-process theory?

The other color in the pair is inhibited.

Which theory explains why we see a green afterimage after staring at a red object?

Opponent-Process theory.

How is a sound with a short wavelength perceived?

As high pitched due to its high frequency and faster vibrations.

How is a sound with a high amplitude perceived?

As loud; higher amplitude causes more intense vibrations and stronger signals sent to the brain.

Where are the sensory receptors for hearing located?

In the basilar membrane inside the cochlea, known as 'hair cells'.

What causes sensorineural hearing loss?

Damage to the hair cells of the cochlea due to disease, genes, aging, or exposure to loud noises.

What is the place theory of pitch perception?

It presumes we hear different pitches because sound waves trigger activity at different places along the cochlea's basilar membrane.

What range of pitches does place theory help us perceive?

High pitched sounds.

What is frequency theory?

It suggests the brain reads pitch by monitoring the frequency of neural impulses traveling up the auditory nerve.

What range of pitches does frequency theory help us perceive?

Low pitched sounds.

What is the volley principle?

Neural cells can alternate firing, allowing combined frequencies above 1000 waves per second, best explaining intermediate range pitches.

What is sound localization?

How the brain combines timing, intensity, and other auditory cues from both ears to pinpoint the source of a sound.

What are the four basic skin sensations?

Pressure, warmth, cold, and pain.

How can we feel sensations like tickle or wetness without specific receptors?

Stroking adjacent pressure spots creates a tickle; touching adjacent cold and pressure spots triggers a sense of wetness.

What is the gate-control theory?

The theory that the spinal cord contains a 'gate' that blocks or allows pain signals to pass to the brain.

What is the role of the neurotransmitter substance P?

Involved in pain perception by transmitting pain signals from sensory neurons to the spinal cord and brain.

What is our sense of taste (gustation)?

A chemical sense involving six basic sensations: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, and oleogustus.

Where are the receptor cells for taste located?

In taste buds that contain pores catching food chemicals.

What determines if someone is a supertaster, medium taster, or nontaster?

The number of taste receptor cells on their tongue and their sensitivity to tastes.

What is kinesthesia?

Our sense of our body parts' positions and movement.

Where are the receptors for kinesthesia located?

In muscles, tendons, and joints throughout the body.

What is the vestibular sense?

It monitors the position and movement of the head.

Where are the receptors for the vestibular sense?

In the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which are filled with fluid.

What is sensory interaction?

Sensory interaction occurs when one sense influences another, such as how smell, texture, and taste combine to create flavor.

What happens to our sense of taste if we temporarily reduce our sense of smell?

Without our sense of smell, food loses most of its taste.

What is synesthesia?

Synesthesia is the blending of the senses, where stimulation of one sense leads to experiences in another sense.

How effective is hypnosis in reducing pain and stress?

Research has shown that hypnosis is effective at reducing a patient's pain and stress.

Is hypnosis effective for treating addictions or recovering forgotten memories?

Research has shown that hypnosis is NOT effective for treating addictions or recovering forgotten memories.

What is circadian rhythm?

Circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock that synchronizes our bodies with the 24-hour cycle of day and night.

How long is a complete sleep cycle through all four sleep stages?

A complete sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes.

What are the EEG brain wave patterns for NREM-1, NREM-2, and NREM-3?

NREM-1: Theta waves, light and irregular; NREM-2: Theta waves with sleep spindles, slightly deeper; NREM-3: Delta waves, slowest and most rhythmic.

Why is REM sleep called paradoxical sleep?

REM sleep is called paradoxical sleep because the brain is aroused while the body appears calm.

What happens during REM sleep?

During REM sleep, brain waves are similar to Stage 1, heart rate rises, breathing becomes rapid and irregular, and eyes dart around while closed.

What effect does bright morning light have on the circadian clock?

Bright morning light stimulates cells in the hypothalamus to reduce melatonin release.

What happens to melatonin production in low light?

In low light, the SCN sends fewer signals to suppress melatonin, leading to increased melatonin production.

What is the effect of sleep on memory consolidation?

Sleep helps consolidate memories, improving recall of tasks learned after sleep compared to being awake.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is recurring problems in falling asleep or staying asleep, often with patients overestimating the issue.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks, often leading to lapses directly into REM sleep.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated awakenings.

What is sleepwalking (somnambulism)?

Sleepwalking is a disorder where a person walks or performs actions while still in deep, non-REM sleep.

What is REM sleep behavior disorder?

REM sleep behavior disorder involves acting out vivid dreams, often violently, with the patient recalling the details upon waking.

What is the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming?

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that during REM sleep, the brain synthesizes meaning from random neural activity.

What is the information-processing theory of dreaming?

The information-processing theory posits that dreams help sift, sort, and fix the day's experiences in memory.

What is REM rebound?

REM rebound occurs when individuals deprived of REM sleep return quickly to REM sleep after being allowed to sleep undisturbed.

What is tolerance in the context of drug use?

Tolerance is the diminishing effect of a drug with regular use.

How do psychoactive drugs affect neurotransmitters?

Psychoactive drugs may act as agonists, antagonists, or reuptake inhibitors, blocking neurotransmitter reabsorption.

How do cocaine and crack act as stimulants?

Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, intensifying their mood-altering effects.

What are some stimulant drugs?

Stimulant drugs include caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, crack, and amphetamines.