AP Psych Unit 2

Hemisphere

The brain has two hemispheres, left and right, controlling opposite sides of the body.

Corpus Callosum

Bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain hemispheres, facilitating communication.

Frontal Lobe

Brain area linked to reasoning, motor skills, cognition, and expressive language.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer brain layer crucial for higher thought, language, and consciousness.

Limbic System

Brain network managing emotions, drives, and memory formation.

Neuroplasticity

Brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally in response to experiences.

Neuron

Specialized nerve cell transmitting messages in the nervous system.

Synapse

Junction between neurons where neurotransmitters pass signals.

Endocrine System

System of glands producing hormones like oxytocin, epinephrine, and cortisol.

Nature vs

Debate on the influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on human traits.

Genes

Segments of DNA molecules that are the functional units of heredity and make up the body's blueprint.

Epigenetics

The study of heritable changes in gene expression, including active versus inactive genes, due to non-genetic factors.

Methylation

The process by which genes are turned off due to protein interactions.

Sensitive Period

A specific time in life when a particular environment is crucial for genetic information to be expressed for certain behaviors or physical characteristics.

Monozygotic Twins

Twins that result from a single fertilized egg splitting into two, making them genetically identical.

Dizygotic Twins

Twins that develop from two separate zygotes and share 50% of their DNA, known as fraternal twins.

Heritability

The extent to which differences in the appearance of a trait among individuals can be attributed to variances in their genes, applicable to groups rather than individuals.

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of how natural selection favored behaviors contributing to survival and the spread of genes, potentially influencing human behavior today.

Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection

The concept that heritable characteristics providing a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to be passed on.

Psychological Adaptations

Changes or developments in mental mechanisms that have evolved to address specific challenges.