AP Psychology Unit 1

The smallest units of the nervous system are known as

Neurons

Chemicals that inhibit the use of neurotransmitters are called

Antagonists

Chemicals that mimic the function of neurotransmitters are called

Agonists

The time interval when dendrites are transmitting more electrical signals to axons

Refractory period

Which field of psychology focuses on unconscious drives of behavior?

Psycho-dynamic

Which approach of psychology would research the connection between brain chemistry & human behavior?

Biological

A specification of how a researcher measures a research variable is known as a (n)

Operational definition

Which descriptive research method is typically used to examine one participant in depth?

Case Study

This perspective applies Darwinian theory to human behavior

Evolutionary

The chemical messages that neurons send through the synapse are called

Neurotransmitters

The pathway of a message being sent through a neuron is

Dendrites to terminal buttons

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment is known as

Consciousness

The minimum amount of stimulation a neuron needs in order to send the incoming message is called

Absolute threshold

When neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the terminal buttons that released it

Reuptake

During REM, our nervous system is highly active, while our muscles are not, this is called?

Paradoxical sleep

Which neurotransmitter would you have to block the re-absorption of if you were suffering from depression?

Serotonin

Alzheimers disease is sometimes caused by a deficient amount of which neurotransmitter?

Ach

What sleep disorder is marked by a cessation of breathing while asleep?

Sleep apnea

What are the two main divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System?

Autonomic & Somatic

Which dream theory suggests that dreams are mental responses to random bursts of neural stimulation?

Activation-synthesis

Which brain scanning technique monitors the brains electrical messages?

EEG

Which part of the brain controls heart rate, breathing, & blood pressure?

Medulla

What part of the brain is responsible for our sense of balance and voluntary movements?

Cerebellum

The chemical messengers of the endocrine system are called

Hormones

Withdrawl symptoms are a result of

Physical dependence

Which part of the brain is associated with aggression and intense emotion?

Amygdala

Which part of the brain is associated with memory formation?

Hippocampus

Which hemisphere specializes in logical thinking and language?

Left

Which category of drugs includes cocaine and amphetamines?

Stimulants

Which category of drugs includes alcohol?

Depressants

Which lobe of the brain makes us “human” and allows us to problem solve?

Frontal lobe

Which lobe of the brain processes auditory information?

Temporal lobe

Which lobe of the brain processes visual information?

Occipital lobe

Which lobe of the brain processes sensory information

Parietal lobe

Which area of the brain controls language expression?

Broca’s

Which area of the brain controls language comprehension?

Wernicke’s

What is the term for the brain being able to adapt to injury

Plasticity

What ethical guidelines requires researchers to eliminate identifying characteristics of their subjects

Confidentiality

Which division of the autonomic nervous system increases heart rate and slows digestion when alerted?

Sympathetic

Which division of the nervous system contains the brain and spinal cord?

Central

A correlation between 2 variables might be misleading because something unexpected may be affecting results

Third variable

Drugs that block the reabsorption of the neurotransmitters in the synapse

Reuptake inhibitors

Which condition is due to a depletion of the myelin sheath

Multiple sclerosis

Which is the proper order of sleep stages?

1,2,3,2,REM

Who once wisely stated that “Love is like a feeling you have, for someone you have feelings about.”?

Milo