AP Psych U2 AP Exam

Flashcards for vocabulary review.

EEG (electroencephalogram)

Measures subtle changes in the brain electrical activity through electrodes on the head

CAT (computerized axial tomography)

Cross-sectional pictures of brain using x-rays

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Electromagnetic and radio waves generate 3D structural information about the brain

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Allow scientists to watch brain activity while it is functioning

PET (positron emission tomography)

Moves scientists past the stage of looking at stationary images and look at live changes in brain activity

CNS (central nervous system)

Brain and spinal cord

PNS (peripheral nervous system)

All other nerves in the body

Neurons

Nerve cells, functional unit of the nervous system

Sensory afferent

Sending information to the brain

Motor efferent

Receiving information from brain and conveying it to muscles

Reflex

Quick, involuntary response to environmental stimuli

Somatic nervous system

Subdivision of PNS that is responsible for voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Autonomic nervous system

Subdivision of PNS that is responsible for involuntary movement of smooth muscle and other involuntary functions

Sympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of autonomic nervous system that is responsible for fight or flight response

Parasympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of autonomic nervous system that is responsible for rest and digest response

The Hindbrain

Cerebellum

Controls muscle tone and balance

The Hindbrain

Medulla oblongata

Controls basic life functions

The Hindbrain

RAS (reticular activating system, or reticular formation)

Controls arousal (wakefulness and alertness) → reticular activating system, or reticular formation

The Hindbrain

Pons

“bridge”; passes neural info from one part of brain to another, plays a role in REM sleep

Midbrain

Tectum

Brain’s roof

Midbrain

Tegmentum

Brain’s floor

Forebrain

Limbic system

Seat of emotion in the brain

Thalamus, hippocampus, and hypothalamus

Forebrain

Thalamus

Relays sensory information; receives and directs sensory information from visual and auditory systems

Forebrain

Hippocampus

Involved in processing and integrating memories; damage to hippocampus does not erase memories, but it damages memory formation (memories are stored in the neocortex)

Forebrain

Amygdala

Expression of anger and frustration

Forebrain

Hypothalamus

Controls temperature, water balance, hunger, and sex drive, and activates/controls pituitary gland

Forebrain

Cerebral cortex

Wrinkled outer layer of the brain; receives sensory input and outputs motor information

Forebrain

Broca’s area

Formation of words, ability to speak

Forebrain

Wernicke’s area

Language comprehension and understanding

Forebrain

Frontal lobe

Higher level thought and reasoning, not fully developed in adolescents

Forebrain

Parietal lobe

Handles somatosensory information and is the primary somatosensory cortex

Forebrain

Temporal lobe

Responsible for auditory processing and interpretation of auditory signals

Forebrain

Occipital lobe

Responsible for processing visual information, contains optic chiasm (two optic nerves cross over each other)

Microanatomy

Nerves

Bundles of neurons

Microanatomy

Soma

Body of the neuron

Microanatomy

Dendrite

End of neuron that receives signals

Microanatomy

Axon

Long, tubelike structure that receives signals

Microanatomy

Axon terminal

End of axon where signal transfer occurs

Microanatomy

Myelin sheath

Fatty coating around axon used to speed up electrochemical messaging pathways

Microanatomy

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in myelin sheath’s covering of axon

Microanatomy

Terminal button

Knobs on the branched end of axon, end of axon terminal

Microanatomy

Synapse

The joining of a dendrite and terminal bulb that results in the exchange of information

Microanatomy

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that signal to cells what to do when bound to specific receptors

Microanatomy

Resting potential

The electrical potential across a neuron when at rest (-70 mV)

Microanatomy

Action potential (nerve impulse)

Rapid change in neuron resting potential that results in the transfer of information from one neuron to another

Microanatomy

Excitatory neurotransmitters

Excite cells and cause more cells to go off

Microanatomy

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

Block cell receptors and prevent more cells from firing off

Microanatomy

Reuptake

Presynaptic membrane takes back up neurotransmitters that weren’t transferred

Neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine

Affects memory function as well as muscle contraction, particularly in the heart

Neurotransmitters

Serotonin

Related to arousal, sleep, pain sensitivity and mood and hunger regulation

Neurotransmitters

Dopamine

Associated with movement, attention, and reward (potential role in Parkinson’s and schizophrenia)

Neurotransmitters

GABA

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, inhibitory neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitters

Norepinephrine

Affects levels of alertness (lack of norepinephrine associated with depression)

Neurotransmitters

Endorphine

Body’s natural pain killers

Consciousness

Stream of consciousness

Enables us to evaluate and filter the environment through the mind while being aware of the process (metacognition, thinking about thinking)

Consciousness

Alertness

State of arousal where attention is paid to surroundings

Consciousness

Altered state of consciousness

A state of consciousness characterized by disorientation and dissociation from situation with a lack of consciousness occasionally

Consciousness

Unconscious

Level of consciousness that is characterized by automatic processes

Consciousness

Preconscious

Information that is available to conscious mind but not always present

Consciousness

Controlled processing

Aware of what is happening and are actively thinking about actions

Consciousness

Automatic processing

Actions that are repetitive or do not require continuous attention from the conscious

Sleep and Dreaming

Melatonin

Neurotransmitter associated with sleeping and dreaming, only correlation, no causation

Sleep and Dreaming

Circadian rhythm

Body temperature rises in the morning, drops at night; alertness also follows the same pattern

Sleep and Dreaming

Pineal gland

Responsible for the production of melatonin

Sleep and Dreaming

Alpha waves

Relaxed but still awake produces alpha waves

Sleep and Dreaming

Beta waves

Focused and awake produces beta waves

Sleep and Dreaming

Delta waves

Waves that occur in stage 4 of sleeping (non rapid eye movement sleep → NREM)

Sleep and Dreaming

Theta waves

Most common waves produced when sleeping (stages 2 and 3 of sleep)

Sleep and Dreaming

Rapid eye movement (REM)

Stage of sleep characterized by vigorous movement of the eyes; associated with dreaming; not a deep sleep

Sleep and Dreaming

Activation-synthesis

Dreams are the products of stray neural activity caused by sensory input during sleep

Sleep and Dreaming

Problem-solving

Dreams provide a way for the mind to solve issues in more representative ways while sleeping → neural repair, protein synthesis, and consolidation of memories

Sleep and Dreaming

Insomnia

Most common sleep disorder; inability to fall asleep

Sleep and Dreaming

Narcolepsy

The inability to stay awake

Sleep and Dreaming

Sleep apnea

Breathing stops during sleep which can be lethal or force person to wake up, disturbing sleep

Sleep and Dreaming

Somnambulism

Sleepwalking

Sleep and Dreaming

Night terrors

Actual screaming/crying/jerking while sleeping caused by dreams

Sleep and Dreaming

Hypnosis

Altered state of consciousness where person is relaxed and suggestible

Sleep and Dreaming

Hilgard’s theory of the hidden observer

Hypnosis causes dissociation of patient into two persons

Sleep and Dreaming

Posthypnotic suggestion

Suggestions are more effective after hypnotization because the patient is less alert

Drugs and their effects

Alcohol

Depressant; decreases dopamine levels; dizziness, slurred speech, impaired judgment

Drugs and their effects

Barbiturates (seconal, nebutal)

Depressant; inhibits neural arousal centers; decrease anxiety, increase relaxation, addictive

Drugs and their effects

Tranquilizers (xanax, valium, librium)

Depressant; inhibits neural arousal centers; reduce anxiety without inducing sleep

Drugs and their effects

Caffeine

Stimulant; accelerate heart rate, constrict blood vessel; irritability, anxiety, insomnia

Drugs and their effects

Amphetamines (diet pills, ritalin)

Stimulant; increase body temperature and heart rate; addictive, euphoric feeling

Drugs and their effects

Cocaine

Stimulant; stimulate heart rate and blood pressure; addictive, feel heightened sense of mental and social abilities

Drugs and their effects

Nicotine

Stimulant; stimulates acetylcholine transmission; has depressant behavioral effects, can cause euphoria and dizziness

Drugs and their effects

Narcotics (oxycodone, heroin)

Depressant; activate receptors for endorphins; induce relaxation and euphoria, relieves pain, impair cognitive ability, addictive

Drugs and their effects

Hallucinogens (LSD, marijuana)

Distort sensory perception; increases serotonin; sensory synesthesia, multiple senses distort with each other and create new feelings, paranoia, horrific hallucinations

Addiction

Dependence

When someone uses a drug even though they are aware of consequences, they have a physical and psychological need for the drug

Addiction

Tolerance

Larger doses are needed to get same effects

Addiction

Withdrawal

Process of going off of drugs that have a dependency associated

The Hindbrain

Oldest part of the brain to develop

Composed of cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular activating system (RAS), and pons

Midbrain

Tectum and Tegmentum

They govern visual and auditory reflexes together

Forebrain

Roger Sperry

two hemispheres of brain can be independent, shown in split-brain patients (people with a removed corpus callosum, connecting structure of two brain hemispheres)

Forebrain

Contralateral processing

ability to process information in both hemispheres of the brain and integrate the information simultaneously through the corpus callosum