AP psych unit 1 ultimate review

Heredity

The transmission of genetic traits from parents to offspring.

Nature & Nurture

Nature = inherited traits; Nurture = environmental influences.

Eugenics

The false belief that the human population can be improved by controlling who reproduces.

Central Nervous System

The brain and spinal cord; main control center.

Peripheral Nervous System

Nerves outside the CNS that carry info to/from the rest of the body.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls automatic functions (heartbeat, breathing).

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Calms the body after stress; conserves energy.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Arouses the body in response to stress; 'fight or flight.'

Neural Cells

The cells in the nervous system: mainly neurons and glial cells.

Glial Cells

Support neurons by feeding them, protecting them, and cleaning up waste.

Neurons

Cells that transmit electrical and chemical messages in the nervous system.

Reflex Arc

A direct path from sensory to motor neurons via the spinal cord; no brain needed.

Sensory Neurons

Carry messages from body to brain.

Motor Neurons

Carry messages from brain to muscles.

Interneurons

Neurons in the spinal cord and brain that link sensory and motor neurons.

All-or-Nothing Principle

A neuron either fires completely or not at all.

Depolarization

When a neuron fires by letting in positive ions.

Refractory Period

Short rest time after a neuron fires when it can’t fire again.

Resting Potential

The neuron is negatively charged and ready to fire.

Reuptake

Process where leftover neurotransmitters are taken back into the neuron.

Threshold

The minimum amount of stimulation needed for a neuron to fire.

Multiple Sclerosis

A disease where the myelin sheath breaks down, causing slowed signals.

Myasthenia Gravis

A disorder where muscles weaken due to blocked acetylcholine.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that send messages across synapses between neurons.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Increase the chance of the next neuron firing.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Decrease the chance of the next neuron firing.

Action Potential

The electrical impulse sent down a neuron when it fires.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter linked to movement, reward, and attention.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter affecting mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

Norepinephrine

Helps control alertness and arousal.

Glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory.

GABA

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms the brain.

Endorphins

Natural painkillers and mood boosters.

Substance P

A neurotransmitter involved in pain perception.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle movement and learning/memory.

Hormones

Chemical messengers in the bloodstream from endocrine glands.

Adrenaline

Hormone that activates the fight-or-flight response.

Leptin

Hormone that decreases hunger.

Ghrelin

Hormone that increases hunger.

Melatonin

Hormone that regulates sleep.

Oxytocin

Hormone linked to bonding and trust.

Psychoactive Drugs

Substances that alter brain function, mood, or perception.

Agonists

Drugs that mimic or increase a neurotransmitter’s effect.

Antagonists

Drugs that block a neurotransmitter’s effect.

Stimulants

Drugs that increase neural activity and alertness.

Depressants

Drugs that slow down neural activity and body functions.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that distort perception and cause hallucinations.

Opioids

Drugs that relieve pain and can cause euphoria.

The Brain Stem

Oldest brain part; controls survival functions (breathing, heartbeat).

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular Activating System

Controls alertness and arousal.

Cerebellum

Coordinates balance and movement.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer brain layer involved in higher-level thinking.

Limbic System

Controls emotion, motivation, and memory.

Thalamus

The brain’s sensory switchboard; directs signals to correct areas.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and controls the pituitary gland.

Pituitary Gland

Master endocrine gland; releases many hormones.

Hippocampus

Helps form new memories.

Amygdala

Processes emotion, especially fear and aggression.

Corpus Callosum

Connects left and right brain hemispheres.

Occipital Lobe

Processes visual information.

Temporal Lobe

Processes hearing and language.

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch and body position.

Frontal Lobe

Controls thinking, planning, and judgment.

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movements.

Prefrontal Cortex

Involved in decision-making and social behavior.

Somatosensory Cortex

Processes body touch sensations.

Split Brain Research

Studying patients with severed corpus callosum to understand hemisphere functions.

Broca’s Area

Controls speech production.

Wernicke’s Area

Controls language comprehension.

Aphasia

Loss of ability to understand or express language.

Cortex Specialization

Different brain areas have different functions.

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

Left brain controls right side of body, and vice versa.

Brain Plasticity

Brain’s ability to adapt or reorganize after damage.

EEG

Machine that records brain wave activity.

fMRI

Brain scan that shows blood flow and brain activity.

Case Studies

Detailed observations of one individual or group.

Lesioning

Removing or damaging brain tissue to study function.

Consciousness (Sleep & Wakefulness)

Awareness of ourselves and our surroundings.

Sleep/Wake Cycle

24-hour biological pattern of sleeping and waking.

Circadian Rhythm

Internal body clock that controls sleep and wake.

Jet Lag

Disrupted sleep due to travel across time zones.

Stages of Sleep NREM

Non-dream stages of sleep (1–3); deep sleep occurs in stage 3.

Stages of Sleep REM

Stage where dreaming occurs; brain is active but body is paralyzed.

Hypnagogic Sensations

Strange feelings like floating or falling as you fall asleep.

REM Rebound

Increased REM sleep after being deprived of it.

Activation-Synthesis

Dream theory that brain tries to make sense of random neural activity.

Consolidation Theory

Dreams help store and organize memories.

Insomnia

Persistent problems falling or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy

Sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Acting out dreams due to lack of muscle paralysis.

Sleep Apnea

Breathing stops repeatedly during sleep.

Somnambulism

Sleepwalking; usually during deep NREM sleep.

Sensation

Detecting physical energy (like light or sound) from the environment.

Transduction

Converting sensory signals into neural messages.

Absolute Threshold

The smallest amount of stimulus needed to detect it 50% of the time.

Just-Noticeable Difference

The smallest change in stimulus that can be detected.

Weber’s Law

The bigger the stimulus, the more it has to change to notice a difference.

Synesthesia

Mixing of senses (e.g., seeing sounds or hearing colors).