ch 2 ch 3 vocsab

Central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Neuroplasticity

change in neural connections caused by learning or a response to injury

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

all-or-nothing response

a neuron's reaction of either firing or not firing

Endorphins

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

afferent neurons

sensory neurons

efferent neurons

motor neurons

Interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

PET

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

fMRI

A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.

biological rythms

a series of bodily functions regulated by your internal clock

circadian rythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rythms

alpha waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

delta waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

manifest content

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream

latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

pyschoactive drugs

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Barbiturates

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

opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

Hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

LSD

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid

THC

the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations

William James

Functionalism

Ernest Hilgard

famous for his hypnosis research & the theory that a "hidden observer" theory