Psych Exam Module 3

biological psychology

Study that links biological and psychological processes.

Behavioral neuroscientists

neuropsychologists

behavior geneticists

physiological psychologists

biopsychologists

neuron

a nevre cell. the building block of the nervous system

dendrite

the bushy part of the neuron that receives information

axon

extension of neuron that sends information. forms junctions with other neurons, muscles, glands

action potential

a neural impulse or electrical charge that travels on the axon

threshold

the level required to stimulate an impulse in the neuron

synapse

gap between sending and receiving neurons

between axon of one and dendrite of another

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers who go across the synaptic gap. bind to receptor sites on other neurons to trigger an impulse

endorphins

opiate like neurotransmitter

pain control and pleasure

nervous system

electrochemical communication network.

central and peripheral

receives information from the outside world and responds to it

central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal chord

body’s decision maker

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

all other body parts gather information and send it to CNS

nerves

bundled axons that form what are essentially cables that connect CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs

sensory neurons

take info from sensory to spinal chord and brain

PNS to CNS

motor neurons

take info from brain and spinal chord to muscles and glands

CNS to PNS

interneurons

neurons within brain and spinal chord that communicate internally

somatic nervous system

voluntary movements of our skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system

controls glands and internal organs

things you don’t have to think about doing

breathing, heartbeat

sympathetic nervous system

arouses and used the bodies energy

heart rate up, pupils dilate, lose control of bladder

fight or flight response

parasympathetic nervous system

conserves energy and calms body

contracts pupils, slows heart rate, slows breathing, stimulates digestion

endocrine system

slow chemical communication system

set of glands that secrete hormones

hormones

chemical messengers made by the glands of the endocrine system

travel through the blood stream

adrenal gland

glands that sit above kidneys

makes epinephrine and norepinephrine that helps with fight or flight response

pituitary gland

growth regulation and controls other endocrine glands

controlled by the hypothalamus

thyroid gland

metabolism

testis/ovary

secretes sex hormones in males/females

pancreas

regulates blood sugar