Psych Quest 1 Flashcards

Psychology, Psych, Chapter 1, Sensory, Consciousness, Behavior

Central nervous system (CNS)

consists of the brain and spinal cord

Spinal cord

coordinates reflexes; carries sensory info to brain and motor signals away from brain

Brain stem

extension of the spinal cord, houses structures that control functions associated with survival, like: Heart rate, Breathing, Swallowing, Vomiting, Excretion, and Orgasm

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

consists of the nerves running throughout the rest of the body

Somatic nervous system

responsible for controlled (i.e., voluntary) bodily processes. Transmits sensory and motor signals between CNS and skin, muscles, and joints.

Autonomic nervous system

responsible for uncontrolled (i.e., automatic) bodily processes; e.g., digestion, heartbeat, (most internal organs) Has two divisions

Sympathetic division

responds to stimuli to prepare the body for action (e.g., fight-or-flight)

Parasympathetic division

responsible for calming the body down, returning it to its resting state once it’s been excited

Neurons

Specialized cells that communicate with one another. Organized into neural networks that send information throughout the brain and body

Dendrites

branchlike extensions that detect signals from neighboring neurons

Cell body

where info is collected and integrated within the cell

Axon

long outgrowth of neuron along which signals travel from cell body to the terminal buttons

Terminal buttons

nodules that release chemical signals into synapse

Synapse

gap between the axon and dendrites of two neighboring neurons, where chemical communication occurs

Action potentials (neural firing)

electrical signals that pass along the axon and cause release of chemicals from the terminal buttons. Determined by the number and frequency of signals the neuron receives

All-or-none principle

once firing threshold (positive charge) is exceeded, neural firing occurs with same potency each time. Stronger stimulation results in higher frequency action potentials

Myelin sheaths

facilitates faster transmission of neural messages (like an insulated casing over a copper wire). Makes the action potential travel more efficiently

Neurotransmitters

chemicals that transmit signals between the presynaptic (sends signal) and postsynaptic (receives signal) neurons. Problems can occur if the body produces too much or too little of these chemicals

Receptors

specialized protein molecules, each of which can be influenced by only one type of neurotransmitter (like a lock and key)

Agonists

drugs that enhance (increase) neurotransmitter activity

Antagonists

drugs that inhibit (reduce) neurotransmitter activity

Phrenology

a primitive but influential pseudoscience based on the (false) notion that skull shape offers clues about brain function and personality.

Forebrain

largest part of human brain

Cerebral cortex

outer layer of brain tissue, which forms the wrinkled, convoluted surface of the brain. Site of all thoughts, perceptions, and complex behaviors. Consists of two main tissue types

Gray matter

neuron cell bodies, dendrites, non-myelinated axons

White matter

myelinated axons

Corpus callosum

massive bridge of millions of axons that connects the hemispheres of the brain and allows info to flow between them.

Occipital lobes

Vision

Parietal lobes

sense of touch and attention to environment

Temporal lobes

processing auditory info, memory, object and face recognition

Frontal lobes

movement and higher-order psychological processes (e.g., attention, working memory, decision making, inhibition) associated with prefrontal cortex

Endocrine system

uses chemical signals called hormones to influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Whereas nervous system uses electrochemical signals)

Hormones

chemicals released by endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream to influence targeted tissues

Pituitary gland

located at base of hypothalamus; responsible for sending hormonal signals to other endocrine glands to regulate secretion of hormones

Consciousness

one’s moment-to-moment subjective experience of the world. All conscious experiences have a basis in the brain and body. Consciousness is usually unified and coherent

Qualia

individual and subjective experiences of consciousness; in other words, each of us experiences consciousness individually

Change blindness

failure to notice large changes in one’s environment.

Filter theory

equates attention to a gate that opens for important info and filters out irrelevant info

Endogenous attention

is directed voluntarily (e.g., picking your friends out of the crowd at the mall)

Exogenous attention

is directed involuntarily towards (i.e., grabbed by) stimuli that signal potential dangers/threats (e.g., a loud crash).

Priming

facilitation in responding to a stimulus due to recent experience with that stimulus or a related stimulus.

Subliminal perception

unconscious processing of info by sensory systems.

Dreams

product of an altered state of consciousness in which images and fantasies are confused with reality.

Circadian rhythm

a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle over a 24-hour period.

Activation-synthesis theory

proposes that dreams are the brain’s way of making sense of random neural firing that occurs during sleep

Comas

states of impaired consciousness that appear to give injured brains time to rest

Stimulants

Increase behavioral and mental activity

Depressants

Decrease behavioral and mental activity

Opioids

Reduce the experience of pain, and bring pleasure

Hallucinogens

Alter thoughts and perceptions

Sensation

detection of external stimuli (via the five senses) and transmission of that info to the brain.

Perception

the processing, organization, and interpretation of sensory signals

Bottom-up processing

perception based on physical (observable) characteristics of stimulus. Putting together the puzzle pieces to understand the whole

Top-down processing

relies on prior knowledge, expectations, and past experiences to interpret sensory info. Recognizing the whole before its parts.

Absolute threshold

minimum intensity of a stimulation that must occur before you experience sensation

Difference threshold

minimum amount of change required in a stimulus for a person to detect a difference

Sensory adaptation

decrease in sensitivity to a constant level of stimulation. When the stimulus stops, we notice its absence more strongly because it seems like a big change.

Retina

thin inner surface of back of eyeball, contains the following receptor cells

Rods

respond to low levels of light and result in black-and-white perception (lightness/darkness)

Cones

respond to higher levels of light and produce color perception

Gestalt

A German word meaning “shape” or “form.” In psychology, the “organized whole” (How our brains sort disparate features of a scene into a coherent picture)

Audition

hearing, the sense of sound perception.

Sound waves

patterns of changes in air pressure. Amplitude (size)  determines loudness, frequency determines its pitch

Eardrum

thin membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves

Vestibular system

receptors in inner ear that produce the perception of balance.

Gustation

sense of taste. shares sensory stimuli (external signals) with sense of smell.

Taste buds

sensory organs in the mouth containing taste receptors. They can taste bitter, sour, sweet, salty, and umami (savory)

Olfaction

sense of smell

Olfactory epithelium

odorants pass into the nose and nasal cavity and contact this thin layer of tissue containing smell receptors.

Olfactory bulb

brain center for processing smells, located below frontal lobes.

Pheromones

chemicals released by animals (likely including humans) that trigger physiological or behavioral reactions in other animals and insects

Haptic sense

sense of touch