AP Psychology Unit 1 Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the biological basis of behavior, brain structures, nervous system functions, neurotransmitters, sleep, and sensory processes for AP Psychology Unit 1.

Nature

Refers to heredity and the passing on of different physical and mental traits from one generation to another.

Nurture

Refers to environmental factors such as family life, social groups, education, or societal influences.

Evolutionary Approach

A psychological perspective based on Darwin's theory of evolution, focusing on how heredity and environment impact an individual.

Natural Selection

The process by which individual traits that are beneficial to a species survive and are passed on, while undesirable traits die off.

Eugenics

The belief in improving the genetic quality of the human population by selectively breeding for desirable traits.

Epigenetics

Studies how the environment and behavior affect how the body reads a $DNA$ sequence without changing the sequence itself, often turning genes on or off.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experiences, involving the strengthening or weakening of neural connections.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The system made up of the brain and spinal cord that sends out orders to the rest of the body.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Consists of nerves branching off from the brain and spine, connecting the $CNS$ to the body's organs and muscles.

Afferent Neurons

Also known as sensory neurons, these send signals from sensory receptors to the $CNS$ by approaching the brain.

Efferent Neurons

Also known as motor neurons, these send signals from the $CNS$ to the peripheral nervous system by exiting the brain.

Somatic Nervous System

Also known as the skeletal nervous system, it includes the five senses and conscious, voluntary skeletal muscle movements.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary activities such as the heartbeat, digestion, and breathing.

Sympathetic Division

The part of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body for action, known as the fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic Division

Relaxes the body, slows heart rate, increases digestion, and helps with saving energy, known as rest and digest.

Glial Cells

The most abundant cells in the nervous system that provide structure, insulation, nutrients, and waste transportation but do not process information.

Neurons

The basic functional unit of the nervous system that uses electrical impulses and chemical signals to communicate.

Reflex Arc

A nerve pathway involving sensory, motor, and interneurons that allows the body to respond to a stimulus without thinking.

Interneurons

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and connect sensory neurons to motor neurons.

Action Potential

A neural impulse consisting of a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

Resting Potential

The state of a neuron when it is not sending a signal, characterized by more negative ions on the inside than the outside.

Threshold

The intensity level an outside stimulus must meet to cause a neuron to fire an action potential.

Refractory Period

A time period during repolarization when a cell cannot fire and must wait to return to its resting state.

Synapse

The small pocket of space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another where signals are sent.

Reuptake

The process by which the sending neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters left in the synaptic gap.

Multiple Sclerosis

A neurological disorder occurring when the myelin sheath is damaged, disrupting the transmission of electrical signals.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder where antibodies block or destroy acetylcholine receptors, causing muscle weakness.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and assists with memory.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter that helps with movement, learning, attention, and emotions.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that impacts hunger, sleep, arousal, and mood.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that help with pain control and impact an individual's pain tolerance.

Endocrine System

A slow-moving system that sends hormones through the blood to target large areas of the body to regulate biological processes.

Pituitary Gland

Known as the master gland, it produces hormones that regulate many bodily functions and controls other endocrine glands.

Agonist Drugs

Substances that increase the effectiveness of a neurotransmitter by mimicking it or blocking reuptake.

Antagonist Drugs

Substances that decrease the effectiveness of a neurotransmitter by blocking release or binding to receptors to block the neurotransmitter.

Brain Stem

Located at the base of the brain, it includes the medulla, pons, and midbrain and controls autonomic functions.

Medulla Oblongata

Part of the brain stem that helps regulate the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Cerebellum

Also called the little brain, it coordinates voluntary movements, posture, balance, and motor skills.

Cerebral Cortex

The thin outer layer of billions of nerve cells covering the brain, responsible for complex thought.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres, allowing them to communicate.

Frontal Lobe

Located behind the forehead, it deals with higher-level thinking, judgment, and voluntary movement.

Broca's Area

Located in the left hemisphere, it is crucial for language production and controlling muscles involved in speech.

Parietal Lobe

Processes sensory information such as touch, pain, temperature, and spatial orientation.

Temporal Lobe

Located above the ears, it is involved in processing auditory information, recognizing faces, and memory.

Hippocampus

A brain structure that helps animals and humans learn and form new memories.

Amygdala

Two round clusters responsible for emotional reactions like fear, anxiety, and aggression.

Wernicke's Area

Usually located in the left temporal lobe, it is responsible for creating meaningful speech.

Occipital Lobe

Located at the back of the brain, it is responsible for processing visual information.

Thalamus

Acts as a relay station, receiving sensory information (except smell) and sending it to appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.

Hypothalamus

Maintains homeostasis and controls drives such as thirst, hunger, temperature, and sex.

Brain Lateralization

The division of labor between the left and right hemispheres, where each has specialized functions.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change, modify itself, and repair itself throughout life.

EEG

Uses electrodes on the scalp to record electrical signals from firing neurons, often used in sleep research.

fMRI

An imaging technique that shows metabolic functions and detailed brain activity by measuring blood flow.

Circadian Rhythm

The biological clock following a $24-hour$ cycle that regulates sleep-wake cycles, temperature, and hormones.

REM Sleep

Rapid Eye Movement sleep, characterized by beta waves and internal activity while external muscles are paralyzed; often called paradoxical sleep.

Insomnia

A sleeping disorder involving persistent trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

Sleep Apnea

A disorder where breathing struggles prevent a good night's sleep, causing the individual to wake up repeatedly.

Sensory Transduction

The process of converting an outside stimulus into a neural impulse that the brain can process.

Absolute Threshold

The smallest amount of stimulation needed to notice a sensation at least $50\%$ of the time.

Sensory Adaptation

A reduction in sensitivity to a stimulus after constant, unchanging exposure.

Habituation

A reduced response to a stimulus after being repeatedly exposed to it over time.

Weber-Fechner Law

The principle that to notice a difference between two stimuli, they must differ by a constant percent rather than a constant amount.

Rods

Visual receptors located in the periphery of the retina that allow for vision in dim light without color.

Cones

Visual receptors located in the fovea that detect fine details and allow for color vision.

Prosopagnosia

Also known as face blindness, a condition where the ability to recognize faces is lost due to brain damage.

Place Theory

Suggests the brain determines pitch by the specific location on the cochlea where hair cells are activated.

Gate Control Theory

The idea that the spinal cord contains a neurological gate that can block or allow pain signals to pass to the brain.

Vestibular Sense

The sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance, controlled by fluid in the semicircular canals.

Kinesthesis

The sense that provides information about the position and movement of individual body parts.