AP Psychology Unit 1.1 and 1.2 Vocabulary

Behavioral Genetics

explore the genetic and environmental roots of human experiences

Evolutionary Psychologists

A type of psychologist that focuses on what makes us alike as humans, primarily by exploring the principles established by Charles Darwin

Natural Selection

survival of the fittest/the belief that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce will likely be passed through generations

Adaptation

the process by which a species becomes fitted to its environment through natural selection

Mutation

a random error in gene replication that leads to gradual change.

Heredity

the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

Environment

every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes (humans have 23 pairs)

DNA

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes

Genes

biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes(segments) of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

Genome

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in the organism’s chromosomes

Molecular Genetics

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and functions of genes

Heriditability

the proportion of variation among individuals in a group that can be attributed to genes

Monozygotic (identical) Twins

develop from a single fertilized egg that splits, meaning all the genes are the same.

Dizygotic (fraternal) Twins

develop from different eggs that were fertilized simultaneously, so they share the same genes as siblings but are not identical.

Nervous system

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network that consists of all nerve cells and is divided into several smaller systems based on functions

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The body’s decision maker, the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Sensory and motor neurons that connect to the spinal cord. Responsible for gathering information and transmitting CNS decisions to other body parts

Nerves

electrical cables formed from bundles of axons that link the CNS with the body’s sensory receptors, muscles, and glands

Autonomic Nervous System

controls involuntary functions such as heartbeat, digestion, breathing, etc .

sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight response; automatically accelerates heart rate, breathing, dilates pupils, slows down digestions

parasympathetic nervous system

rest and digest; slows down body after a stressful event

Somatic Nervous System

controls voluntary actions of skeletal muscles

Afferent nerves

sensory neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the spinal chord + brain

Efferent nerves

motor neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain + spinal chord to the muscles and glands

Interneurons

neurons in the brain and spinal chord that serve as an intermediary between sensory and motor neurons; carry information around the brain for processing

Reflexes

automatic responses to stimuli/sensory neurons that take information up through the spine to the brain (some reactions occur when sensory neurons reach just the spinal chord)

The reflex arc

a simple spinal reflex pathway composed of a single sensory neuron and a single motor neuron

Enteric Nervous System

directly controls the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and gallbladder; contains efferent, afferent, and interneurons.

neural networks

when the brain’s individual neurons cluster together in groups, connecting for a moment and promoting learning

Spinal Chord

a two-way information highway connecting the peripheral nervous system and the brain

interaction

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)

Epigenetics

the study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change)