AP Psychology Vocabulary- Module 4

biological psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes. some biological psychologists call themselves neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopyschologists

neuroplasticity

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

neuron

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

cell body

the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life-support center

dendrites

a neuron’s often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages from axons, conducting impulses toward the cell body

axon

the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons, 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; they also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

action potential

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

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

refractory period

in neural processing, a brief resting period pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

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. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap (or synaptic cleft)

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. when released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptors sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

endorphins

“morphine within“- natural, opioid like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

antagonist

a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action

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)

the 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 sensory organs

sensory (afferent) neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and 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; they communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

somatic nervous system

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

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

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

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 reflex

endocrine system

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

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

adernal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sits just above the kidneys and secretes hormones (epinephrine and norephinephrine) that help arouse the body in terms of stress

pituitary gland

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