AP Pysch - 1st vocab

Neuron

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

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. released by sending neuron. influence whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

Central Nervous System (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.

Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

Pituitary gland

the endocrine system's most influential gland. hypothalamus influence-the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Endocrine sytem

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex

Cerebellum

coordinates voluntary movement and balance and supports learning and memories of such

Plasticity

the brain's ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Cerebral Cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

Limbic sytem

neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

Absolute Thereshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

Circadian Rhythym

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

Gate Control Theory

the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain.

Sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

Signal Detection Theory

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.

Webers Law

The principle that two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount) to be perceived as different.