VCE Psychology AoS1

Central Nervous System

A major division of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord, which receives neural messages from and transmits neural messages to the peripheral nervous system

Brain

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

Spinal cord

A cable of nerve tissue that extends from the brain, connecting it to the peripheral nervous system

Peripheral Nervous System

A major division of the nervous system comprising every neuron in the body outside the central nervous system

Somatic Nervous System

A division of the peripheral nervous system that transmits neural messages related to voluntary motor movement

Skeletal muscles

Muscles connected to the skeleton that carry out voluntary motor movements

Autonomic Nervous System

A division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, and transmits neural messages to the central nervous system about their activity

Visceral muscles, organs, and glands

Muscles, organs, and glands not connected to the skeleton that are predominantly self-regulating and do not require conscious control

Sympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system that activates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, preparing the body to respond to a threat or stressor

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system that maintains the optimal and balanced functioning of visceral muscles, organs, and glands

Neuron

A nerve cell that receives and transmits neural information

Motor (efferent) neurons

Neurons that transmit neural messages about motor movement from the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous system

Sensory (afferent) neurons

Neurons that transmit neural messages about bodily sensations from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system

Interneurons

Neurons that transfer neural messages between sensory neurons and motor neurons

Conscious response

A deliberate and voluntary action that is initiated by the brain and performed intentionally by the body

Sensory receptor

A nerve ending that detects internal sensations in the body and external sensations from the environment

Unconscious response

An automatic and involuntary action that is performed by the body independently of the brain

Spinal reflex

An unconscious response to sensory stimuli that is initiated by interneurons in the spinal cord independently of the brain

Reflex arc

The path along which the neural signal is transmitted as part of the spinal reflex

Neural synapse

The region that includes the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic gap, and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron

Presynaptic neuron

The neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse

Axon terminal

The end of a neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse

Synaptic gap

The space between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron

Postsynaptic neuron

The neuron that receives neurochemicals from the neural synapse

Dendrite

A branched extension of a neuron on which receptor sites are located

Receptor site

A protein molecule on the dendrites of a neuron that receives neurochemicals

Neurochemical

A chemical substance that transmits neural information within the nervous system

Synaptic transmission

The chemical conveyance of neural information between two neurons across a neural synapse

Neurotransmitter

A chemical molecule that has an effect on one or two postsynaptic neurons

Action potential

An electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron

Excitatory effect

When the neurotransmitter increases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing an action potential

Glutamate

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system

Inhibitory effect

When the neurotransmitter decreases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing an action potential

GABA

The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system

Neuromodulator

A chemical molecule that has an effect on multiple postsynaptic neurons

Dopamine

A neuromodulator primarily responsible for voluntary motor movement, the experience of pleasure, and reward-based learning

Serotonin

a neuromodulator primarily responsible for the regulation of mood and sleep

Synaptic plasticity

The ability of synaptic connections to change over time in response to activity or experience

Sprouting

The ability of dendrites or axons to develop new extensions or branches

Rerouting

The ability of a neuron that is connected to a damaged neuron to create an alternative synaptic connection with an undamaged neuron

Pruning

The elimination of synaptic connections that are not adequately activated

Learning

The process of acquiring knowledge, skills, or behaviours through experience

Memory

The process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information that has been previously encountered

Long-term potentiation

The long-lasting and experience-dependent strengthening of synaptic connections that are regularly coactivated

Long-term depression

The long-lasting and experience-dependent weakening of synaptic connections between neurons that are not regularly coactivated

Stress

A psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope

Stressor

A stimulus (internal or external) that prompts the stress response

Internal stressor

A stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response

External stressor

A stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response

Distress

A form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state

Eustress

A form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state

Acute stress

A form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration

Fight-flight-freeze response

An involuntary and automatic response to a threat that takes the form of either escaping it, confronting it, or freezing in the face of it

Chronic stress

A form of stress that endures for several months or longer

Cortisol

A hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal

General Adaption Syndrome

A biological model involving three stages of physiological reactions that a person experiences in response to a persistent stressor

Alarm reaction

The first stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving the initial decrease and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor

Shock

The first substage of the alarm reaction stage involving decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following the initial exposure to a stressor

Countershock

The second substage of the alarm reaction stage in which sympathetic nervous system responses occur that mobilise the body to respond to the stressor

Resistance

The second stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to a persistent stressor

Exhaustion

The third stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving the depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor

Subjective

Something which is based on or influenced by personal feelings or preferences

Appraisal

An assessment or evaluation of stimuli

Primary appraisal

The initial process of evaluating the nature of an incoming stressor, specifically the kind of stress it might cause

Benign-positive

An initial appraisal of a stimulus as neutral or good that does not cause stress for the individual

Irrelevant

An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a non-issue for the individual

Stressful

An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a source of worry or emotional significance for the individual

Harm/loss

A further appraisal of a stressor as having caused some damage to the individual

Threat

A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially causing damage to the individual in the future

Challenge

A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially providing a positive opportunity for growth or change for the individual

Secondary appraisal

The process of evaluating the resources required and available in order to cope with a stressor

Coping

The process of dealing with a stressor

Emotion-focused coping

The use of coping strategies that target the emotional components of a stressor, dealing with it indirectly rather than confronting its source

Problem-focused coping

The use of coping strategies that directly target the source of the stressor, aiming to reduce it in a practical way

Gut

The long flexible tube from mouth to anus that is the passageway involved in digestion

Gut microbiota

All of the microorganisms that live in the gut

Gut microbiome

All of the genes of the microorganisms that live in the gut

Gut-brain axis

The bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central nervous systems

Enteric nervous system

The network of nerves in the gut and is a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system

Vagus nerve

The longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain, enabling them to communicate

Coping

The process of dealing with stress

Mental wellbeing

An individual’s current state of mind, including their ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions

Context-specific effectiveness

When the coping strategy or mechanism used is appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor

Coping flexibility

An individual’s ability to adjust or change their coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor

Approach strategies

Coping strategies that directly confront the source of the stress

Avoidance strategies

Coping strategies that evade the stressor, seeking to indirectly reduce stress