Memory, Brain Function, and Ethical Principles in Psychology

A complete set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering memory processes, brain anatomy, neurobiology, and psychological ethics based on the lecture transcript.

Attention

The process that moves sensory memory to short term memory.

Consolidation

The process that moves short term memory to long term memory.

consolidation

A process that moves short term memory to long term memory.

Retrieval

The process that moves long term memory back to short term memory.

Anterograde Amnesia

Following a brain injury, this involves difficulty forming new memories.

Retrograde Amnesia

Following a brain injury, this involves difficulty retrieving old memories.

Observational learning

A type of learning that occurs through watching others.

Classical conditioning

A type of learning that occurs through association.

Operant conditioning

A type of learning that occurs through consequences.

Chunking

A memory strategy involving mentally reformatting a string of information into smaller groups, such as digits into sets.

Semantic memories

Memories that include facts and concepts.

Episodic memories

Memories that include events and experiences.

Procedural memories

Memories that include skills and abilities.

Monism

The philosophical idea that the mind and the brain/body are one in the same.

Interactionism

The idea that nature and nurture interact and create behavior together.

4 Levels of Explanation of Behavior

Biological, basic processes, person, and sociocultural.

Biological level of explanation

Addresses what is happening inside the body during behavior, associated with brain structures, neural circuits, neurotransmitters, and hormones.

Basic processes level of explanation

Addresses general psychological processes involved in behavior, associated with learning, memory, attention, and emotion.

Person level of explanation

Addresses why an individual behaves a certain way in a situation, associated with beliefs, goals, and past experiences.

Sociocultural level of explanation

Addresses how social and cultural contexts shape behavior, associated with social norms and institutions.

Respect for persons

Ethical principle allowing individuals to choose what will or will not happen to them through informed consent.

Beneficence

Ethical principle focused on protecting individuals from harm by maximizing potential benefits and minimizing potential risks.

Justice

Ethical principle ensuring the risks and benefits of research are distributed fairly among different populations.

Reduction

Ethical principle for animal research concerned with using the fewest number possible of animals tested on.

Replacement

Ethical principle for animal research concerned with using alternative subjects to animals when possible.

Refinement

Ethical principle for animal research concerned with minimizing pain and distress.

2 Dimensions of Consciousness

Wakefulness and awareness.

REM sleep

Stage of sleep associated with beta waves.

N1 sleep

Stage of sleep associated with theta waves.

N2 sleep

Stage of sleep associated with theta waves, sleep spindles, and k-complexes.

N3 sleep

Stage of sleep associated with delta waves.

VLPO (Ventrolateral Preoptic Nucleus)

A region that secretes GABA to inhibit arousal-promoting regions of the brain.

Orexin

A neurotransmitter whose secretion tends to support a waking state.

Melatonin Regulation

If light is detected by the SCN, it signals the pineal gland to inhibit release; if no light is detected, it signals to promote release.

Obstructional sleep apnea

A type of apnea that arises due to airway blockage due to anatomy.

Central sleep apnea

A type of apnea that arises when neural control of breathing in the brainstem malfunctions during sleep.

Spinothalamic tract

A pathway for somatosensory info where the second order neuron decussates immediately in the spinal cord.

Dorsal column

A pathway for somatosensory info where the second order neuron travels up the spinal cord before decussating in the brain stem.

Cochlea Base

The outer portion of the cochlea which responds to high frequency sound waves.

Cochlea Apex

The inner portion of the cochlea which responds to low frequency sound waves.

Taste Path Of Travel

1. Gustatory receptors, 2. Cranial nerves 7, 9, and 10, 3. Brainstem, 4. Thalamus, 5. Primary gustatory cortex.

Limbic system

A group of brain structures including the olfactory bulb, amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus involved in emotion and memory.

Primary auditory cortex input

Receives both contralateral and ipsilateral input.

Primary somatosensory cortex input

Receives only contralateral input.

Primary gustatory cortex input

Receives only ipsilateral input.

General adaptation model

A 3-phase stress response model consisting of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Transaction Model of stress

A model suggesting stress depends on a relationship between a potential stressor and the individual's primary and secondary appraisal processes.

Challenge response

Occurs when appraisals of resources are high, leading to increased cardiac output and decreased total peripheral resistance.

Threat response

Occurs when appraisals of resources are low, leading to decreased cardiac output and increased total peripheral resistance.

Amygdala

Limbic structure that evaluates sensory input for emotional significance.

Hippocampus

Limbic structure that links emotion and memory.

Hypothalamus

Limbic structure that regulates homeostatic function and initiates stress response.

Core affect dimensions

Arousal and valence.

Prolonged response

An allostatic load profile where physiological arousal is maintained even after stressor offset.

Negative feedback loop

A process where a change is detected and an effector is activated to induce an antagonistic or opposite effect.

Positive feedback loop

A process where a change is detected and an effector is activated to amplify the effect.

Homeostasis

The process of maintaining a stable internal environment by returning the body to a set point.

Allostasis

The process of temporarily adjusting the body's set point to account for certain conditions.

POA/AH

A brain region that functions as the body's thermostat; its neurons are not thermoregulation effectors.

Muscle Contraction Signal Path

1. Posterior parietal cortex, 2. Premotor cortex and SMA, 3. Primary motor cortex, 4. Upper motor neuron, 5. Lower motor neuron, 6. Neuromuscular junction.

Cerebellum

A brain structure that acts as a real-time error detection and correction system for movement.

Lateral corticospinal tract decussation

The upper motor neuron decussates in the medulla pyramids.

Medial/anterior corticospinal tract decussation

The upper motor neuron decussates in the spinal cord.

Muscle filament behavior during contraction

The actin and myosin stay the same length, while the sarcomere and the distance between Z lines shorten.

Structural plasticity changes

Includes dendritic pruning, neurogenesis, and axonal sprouting.

Synaptic potentiation

Occurs when the presynaptic neuron experiences frequent action potentials, strengthening connections between neurons.

Synaptic depression

The process of weakening connections between neurons.

Synaptic neuroplasticity

Primarily involved in short term nervous system changes.

Structural neuroplasticity

Primarily involved in long term nervous system changes.

Cross Modal Reassignment

Acceptance of sensory input from a brain region previously devoted to processing a different kind of sensory input.

Compensatory Masquerade

The novel allocation of a particular cognitive process to perform a task.

Map Expansion

The enlargement of a functional brain region based on performance.

Homologous Area Adaptation

The assumption of a particular cognitive process by a corresponding region in the opposite hemisphere.

Visual Path Of Travel

1. Cornea, 2. Pupil, 3. Lens, 4. Retina, 5. Optic Nerve, 6. Optic Chiasm, 7. Optic Tract, 8. LGN, 9. Striate Cortex, 10. Extrastriate Cortex.

Dorsal stream

The part of the extrastriate cortex that processes information about where a visual stimulus is located.

Rods

Photoreceptors providing low resolution, achromatic visual information.

Cones

Photoreceptors providing high resolution, color visual information.

Optic Chiasm Routing

Temporal retinas go to the ipsilateral side of the cortex; nasal retinas go to the contralateral side.

Opponent process theory

The theory of color perception that best explains after images.

Akinetopsia

Also known as motion blindness; caused by damage to the dorsal stream of the extrastriate cortex.

Physiological explanation

A biological explanation for what is happening in the body right now.

Ontogenetic explanation

A biological explanation for how a behavior developed over the life span.

Evolutionary explanation

A biological explanation for why a behavior exists at all.

Functional explanation

A biological explanation for what a behavior does.

3 major developmental regions of the brain

Hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain.

Diencephalon

Part of the brain most closely associated with hormone regulation.

Cerebellum function

Part of the brain most closely associated with coordination and balance.

Spinal Cord Roots

Sensory information enters through dorsal roots; motor information exits through ventral roots.

Somatic nervous system

The division of the peripheral nervous system that is not autonomic.

Autonomic nervous system divisions

Sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest).

Frontal lobe

Lobe of the cortex handling higher-order executive function.

Parietal lobe

Lobe of the cortex handling sensory and spatial information.

Temporal lobe

Lobe of the cortex handling speech and auditory processing.

Occipital lobe

Lobe of the cortex handling visual processing.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that work as messengers between neurons and their target cells.

Spatial summation

Synaptic summation from different synapses occurring at the same time.

Voltage-gated calcium ion channels

These open when an action potential arrives at an axon terminal, causing $Ca^{2+}$ to move into the cell.

Direct Agonist

A drug that mimics a neurotransmitter and binds to its receptor.

Diffusion

Passive movement of neurotransmitter molecules out of the synaptic cleft into the general extracellular space.

Reuptake

The process where transporter proteins on the presynaptic neuron move neurotransmitters back into the cell.