Psychology AOS2 Key Terms

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Brain vs Heart Debate

A historical debate as to whether the heart or the brain is responsible for mental processes, such as thought, emotion, and behaviour

Mind-Body Problem

The complex philosophical question as to whether our mind is separate and distinguishable from our body or whether they are one integrated entity

Monism

The belief that the human mind and body are together a singular complete entity

Dualism

The belief that the human mind and body are separate and distinguishable from one another

Phrenology

The study of the shape and size of the human skull to determine personality and mental functioning

Pseudoscience

A theory or method that appears to be based in science, but is actually not.

Consists of practices that claim to be both scientific and factual, but do not follow the scientific method; they are ‘fake’ sciences

Brain Ablation

The surgical removal, destruction, or cutting of a region of brain tissue

Brain Lesioning

The practice of inducing and/or studying the effects of damage to an area of the brain

Cerebral hemispheres

The symmetrical halves of the cerebrum in the brain

Hemispheric Specialisation

The difference in functioning between the left and right hemispheres of the brain when performing a specific behaviour or task

Corpus Collosum

A bundle of nerve fibres that connects the left and right brain hemispheres

Split-Brain Research

Experiments conducted on patients with a severed Corpus Collosum, and therefore their left and right cerebral hemispheres had been separated

Contralateral

Relating to the opposite side of the body

Neuroimaging

A range of techniques used to capture images of the brain’s structure, function, and activities

Structural Neuroimaging Techniques

Produce images of the brain’s structure and composition

Functional Neuroimaging Techniques

Uses images to show the brain’s activity and functions

Computerised Tomography (CT)

A neuroimaging technique that involves taking continuous two-dimensional x-ray images of the brain which are then stacked to create a comprehensive three-dimensional image of the brain _{(structural technique)}

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic and radio fields to take detailed two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the brain _{(structural technique)}

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A neuroimaging technique that uses a scanning device to take coloured images of the brain, showing its functional activity by tracing the levels of a radioactive substance in the brain _{(functional technique)}

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic and radio fields to take two and three-dimensional images of the brain and record its activity levels _{(functional technique)}

Brain

A complex organ contained within the skull that coordinates mental processes and behaviour, and regulates bodily activity

Brainstem

An extension of the spinal cord that is made up of the medulla, pons, and midbrain

Hindbrain

A region at the base of the brain, located around and including some of the brainstem. (Key Structures - Pons, Medulla, Cerebellum)

Responsible for regulation of sleep-wake cycle, regulation of autonomic functions (breathing, heartrate, digestion, etc), coordination of muscle movement.

Midbrain

A region at the centre of the brain, between the hindbrain and forebrain, and is part of the brainstem. (Key Structures - Reticular Formation)

Responsible for relaying messages between hindbrain and forebrain, filtering and directing sensory information, regulating arousal and awareness.

Forebrain

A large and prominent brain region that is located at the top and front of the brain. (Key Structures - Cerebrum, Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Cerebral Cortex)

Responsible for complex mental processes (decision making, problem solving, processing sensory information, initiating voluntary movement, etc), attention, filtering sensory information, maintaining homeostasis.