Unit 1 AP Psych

Nature

Genetic or predisposed characteristics that influence physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes.

Nurture

External factors that one experiences, such as family interactions or education.

nature - nurture issue

controversy over the development of psychological traits and behaviors from genes and experiences

Evolutionary Psychology

study of the evolution of behavior and the mind using principles of natural selection

behavior genetics

power and limits of genetic and environmental influences of behavior

mutations

random error in gene replication that leads to a change

environment

every non-genetic influence (from prenatal nutrition to experiences of peoples/things around you)

heredity

genetic transfer of characteristics from parent to offspring

Genes

the biochemical units of heredity

genome

complete instructions for making an organism

natural selection

traits/behaviors that increase an organisms chances of survival and reproduction are more likely to be passed down to future generations

identical (monozygotic) twins

developed form a single fertilized egg that split into 2

fraternal (dizygotic) tiwns

developed from seperate fertilized egg

interact

when the effect of one factor depends on another (ex: environmental depending on heredity)

epigenetics

study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without changing DNA sequences

nervous system

body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network (consists of all nerve cells of the peripheral and CNS)

CNS

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

nerves

bundled axons that form numeral cables, connecting the CNS with muscles,glands, and sensory organs

sensory neurons

neurons that carry incoming info from body’s issue and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

motor neurons

neurons that carry outgoing info from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

internuerons

nuerons within the brain and spinal cord (they communicate internally and process info between sensory inputs and motor outputs)

somatic NS

division of peripheral NS that controls the body's skeletal muscles (Skeletal NS)

autonomic NS

part of the peripheral NS that controls glands and muscles of the internal organs

sympathetic NS

arouses body, mobilizing energy (fight or flight)

parasympathetic NS

calms body, conserves energy

relfexes

simple, automatic response to a sensory stimuli

nuerons

a nerve cell, basic building block of the NS

cell body

part of neuron that contains the nucleus

dendrites

neurons bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

axon

segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons, muscles, or glands

myelin sheath

fatty tissue layer encasing the axon of some neurons (enables greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one rod to the next)

glail cells

cells in neurons system that support, nourish, and protect neurons (play roles in thinking, learning, and memory)

action potential

a neural impulse (brief electrical charge that travels down on axon)

threshold

a level of simulation required to trigger a neural impulse

refractory period

in neural processing a brief pause occurs after a neuron has fired (action potential can’t occur until axon recharges and returns to resting state)

all-or-none response

a neurons reaction of either firing or not

synapse

the junction between the axon tip of sending neuron and dendrite of receiving neuron.

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross synaptic gaps between neurons (travel across synapse and bind to receptor sites on receiving neuron thereby influencing If the neuron will generate a neural impulse)

Re-uptake

neurotransmitters resorption by the sending neuron

endorphins

natural, opioid-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure

agonist

molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action (enhancer)

antagonist

molecule that inhibits/blocks a neurotransmitters action

endocrine system

bodys slow chemical communication system (set of glands, fat tissue) that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemical messenger that are manufactured by the endocrine glands (travels through the bloodstream and effects other glands)

psychoactive drugs

chemical substance that alters the brain causing changes in perception and moods

substance use disorder

continued substance use despite significant life disruptions

depresent

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions (ex: alcohol)

barbiturate

drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement

opioids

opium and its derivatives (depress neural activity temporarily lessening pain and anxiety)

stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions (reduces appetite and increases heart rate) (ex: caffeine, nicotine, cocaine)

hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs that distort perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input (ex: LSD)

near death experience

altered state of consciousness reported after a close death experience

addiction

compulsive substance use that continues despite harmful consequences

tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug requiring the user to take larger doeses becofre experiencing the same effect.

withdrawal

discomfort and distress that follow after discontinuing an addictive drug

Acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal

Norepinhephrine 

Helps control alterness and arousal

GABA

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter (helps with sleep, movement, and slows nervous system)

Glutamate

a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved with memory

endorphins

neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain and pleasure

Substance P

involved in pain perception and immune response 

Thalamus

sensory switchboard, processes every sense other than smell

Medulla

controls heartbeat and breathing

Brainstem

 oldest part of the brain, newer parts are built on top of this, automatic survival functions

Reticular Formation

controls arousal

Cerebellum

Processes coordinates voluntary movement and balance

Amygdala

 fear and aggression

Hippocampus

learning and memory

Hypothalamus

reward center, hunger, thirst, sexual arousal

Pituitary Gland

Master gland, works with hypothalamus

Cerebral Cortex

Outside of the brain, control and information-processing center of the brain

Cerebrum

 beefy portion of brain

Frontal

higher order thinking (what makes us human)

Parietal

receives sensory input for touch/body position

Occipital

receives visual information

Temporal Lobe

receives auditory information

Motor Cortex

left hemisphere section controls movement of the right side of the body and right hemisphere section controls movement of left side of the body

Sensory Cortex

area at front of parietal lobe that registers and processes the senses

Association Areas

not included in primary motor or sensory function, but involved in higher mental functions

Wernicke’s Area

Language comprehension

Broca’s Area

controls speech

Plasticity

brain's ability to reorganize itself, higher in younger people to overcompensate for damage

Corpus Callosum

connects left and right brain hemispheres

• Not on the top of the brain

  • Hemispheres are not connected until you get down to the corpus callosum in middle of brain

• You might have your corpus callosum severed because you get frequent seizures (epilepsy)

Opposite hemispheres control opposite sides of the body 

• Right side/Right visual field → left hemisphere

• Left Side/Left Visual Field → Right hemisphere

Left Hemisphere

• Analytical thoughts

• Math/Science

• Language/Speech

• Controls more important functions than the right hemisphere

Right Hemisphere

• Emotion

• Artsy

Biological psychologist 

scientific study of links between biological and psychological processes 

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

levels of analysis

differing complementary views from biological to psychological to social-cultural for analyzing any given phenomenon

nueroplasticity

brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or building new pathways based on experience

lesion

tissue destruction (brain lesions may occur naturally (disease/trauma), during surgery, or experimentally by electrodes destroying brain cells 

EEG

amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity, sweeping across brain’s surface (waves measured via electrodes placed on the scalp) 

MEG

a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from brains natural electrical activity 

CT scan

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles & combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain’s structure  

PET

technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task 

MRI

technique that uses magnetic fields & radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissues (MRI scan shows the brain anatomy)

fMRI

a technique for revealing blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans (shows brains function + structure)