Ap psychology

Nature

focusing more on genetics than environmental influences in behavior and development.

• eyecolor

• bodyshape

• sex

• temperament

Nurture

Focusing more on environmental factors than genetics

• culture

• social groups

• norms

• family

Epigenetics

the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work, without changing your underlying DNA sequence

identical twins

• same sex

• same DNA

• one egg (MONOZYGOTIC)

fraternal twin

• different DNA

• no more genetically similar than a non twin sibling

• might be same or opposite sex

• two eggs (DIZYGOTIC)

Heritability

measurement of the amount of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genetics

Peripheral nervous system

all nerves outside the brain and spine

Central nervous system

nerves of Brain and spine/spinal cord

Somatic nervous system

communicates sensory information into CNS

• motor neurons take info about moving from cns to other muscles

Autonomic nervous system

its automatic

• Ex: heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion

sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight

• increase heart rate/ stress hormones when something threatening happens

• decreases saliva & digestion

Parasympathetic nervous system

Rest and digest

• calms body after fight or flight

• does opposite of fight or flight

Glia cells

helper cells

• send & recieve chemical signals to & from each other & to & from neurons

• more than 10x than neruons

• can communicate with other cells but not electricity

sensory neurons

sensations
- ex measures how loud a noise is

• send afferent signals

• afferent signals arrive at the brain

• responds to non chemical stimulation

motor neurons

reflex

-receive efferent signals

-efferent neurons exit the brain

• ex measures how much a person flinches

• connected to all of our muscles

• the only way thoughts can exist in the real world

neurons

fundamental specialized cell in the nervous system, send & recieves electrical & chemical signals to transmit information through our body.

• building blocks of nervous system

• job: recieve messages, carry messages, send messages (can be done in miliseconds)

dendrites

detect/ recieves messages which then go to the soma

soma

body of the neuron

myelin sheath

messages travel faster with this

• not every axon has them

axon

electrical message comes through here

• can vary greatly in size

axon terminal

terminal buttons

shift in electrical energy which creates an action potential

neurons fire when?

neurotransmitters are released into the synapse

action potential reaches terminal butttons then?

next neuron

neurotransmitters then lock into the dendries of?

excitatory neurotransmitter

makes next neuron more likely to fire

inhibitory neurotransmitter

makes next neuron less likely to fire

all or none law

once at threshold the neurons will fire

( will fire the same intensity everytime even if ur aged 16 or 60)

action potential

electric impulse that travels down the axon

refractory period

a breif period where neurons dont fire again

reuptake

the sending neurons recollects neurotransmitters

glutamate

most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter

• enhances learning & memory by strengthening synaptic connections

GABA

• most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter

• associated with various anxiety related disorders

acetylcholine

• found in both the central and peripheral nervous system

• all movements involve ___

• any movement EX - physical learning or memory

dopamine

• Linked to anticipation of pleasurable or rewarding activities

• involved in movement, attention, and learning

• lack of _____ is associated with Parkinsons

• excess of ______ is associated with schizophrenia

endorphines

• bodys natural painkiller

• can simulate by intense & prolonged exercise creating a euphoric feeling

epinephrine

• both neurotransmitter and hormone

• primary chemical in fight or flight responses

norepinephrine

• arousal, alertness, vigilance (heightened sensitivity to whats happening around you)

• heavily involved in sleep cycle

• low levels associated with depression

serotonin

• neurotransmitter for mood, appetite, sleep, and dreams

• low levels associated with depression

agonist

enhances the action of neurotransmitters

direct agonist

mimics the neurotransmitter & bind the receptor of the next neuron

reuptake inhibitors/indirect agonist

can block reuptake of neurotransmitter these are known as?

heroin

• agonist for endorphine

• cant distinguish ____ for endorphines

• a mimic

nicotine

• agonist for ach / acetylcholine

• stimulates skeletal muscles & causes increased heart rate

• (black widow spiders are also a agonist for acetylcholine)

Prozac

• inhibits the reuptake of seratonin

• this can flood synapse with seratonin

cocaine

• inhibits reuptake (dopamine)

• this can flood synapse with dopamine

antagonist

• inhibits the action of neurotransmitters in various way

• tries to block

Thorazine

• antagonist for dopamine

• block dopamine receptors

psychoactive drugs

• alter mental states

• activate dopamine - producing neurons in the brains reward system

• increase in dopamine is associated with greater reward which can lead to stronger desire to take more

tolerance

needing to increase the amoount of the drug to get the original effects

physical dependence

• with repeated use the person has to keep taking the drugs to prevent withdrawal symptomes

blood brain barrier

allows some chemicals to pass from the blood to the brain but prevents other chemical sturctures from entering

depressants, opioids, stimulants, hallucinogens/psychedelics

what are the 4 categories for psychoactive drugs

depressants

• slows down the CNS

• creates drowsiness, sedation, sleep, relieves anxietym lowers inhibition

• depresses the cental nervous system

• combining them can be deadly

alcohol

• 2nd most widely used drug in the US

• Agonist fopr GABA

• depressing brain centers responsible for judgement & self control

opi