AP Psychology Unit 1 Flashcards (Needed)

Evolutionary perspective

Suggests that human behaviors and mental processes have developed over time to enhance survival and reproductive success.

Natural Selection

the principle that traits which enhance an organism's chances of survival and reproduction are more likely to be passed on to future generations.

Eugenics

the practice or belief in improving the genetic quality of the human population through selective breeding or other methods, often associated with controversial and unethical policies.

Twin studies

involve research on identical and fraternal twins to determine the relative influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on various traits, behaviors, and conditions.

Autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

Central nervous system

the brain and spinal cord

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.

peripheral nervous system

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

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy.

agonist drugs

a substance that activates a receptor in the brain, making it work like a natural chemical.

antagonist drugs

a substance that blocks or reduces the activity of a receptor in the brain, preventing it from responding to a natural chemical.

all-or-nothing principle

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

depolarization

The loss of the inside/outside charge difference

depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.

excitatory neurotransmitter

a chemical in the brain that increases the likelihood of a neuron firing, promoting the transmission of signals between neurons.

inhibitory neurotransmitter

a chemical in the brain that decreases the likelihood of a neuron firing, slowing down or preventing the transmission of signals between neurons.

refractory period

in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state.

resting potential

the state of a neuron when it is not actively firing, characterized by a stable, negative electrical charge inside the neuron compared to the outside.

reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron.

stimulants

substances that increase the activity of the central nervous system, leading to heightened alertness, energy, and focus.

Aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impairing understanding).

brain plasticity

our enormous capacity to learn and adapt

EEG

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

FMRI

a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function as well as structure.

lesioning

refers to the deliberate destruction or damage of brain tissue in specific areas to study the resulting changes in behavior and mental processes.

limbic system

neural system located mostly in the forebrain — below the cerebral hemispheres — that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland; associated with emotions and drives.

pituitary gland

a small, pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain that produces and releases hormones that regulate various bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction.

split brain patient

someone who has had their corpus callosum severed to reduce seizures, resulting in the two brain hemispheres functioning independently.

activation synthesis dream theory

dreams are the brain’s attempt to synthesize random neural activity

circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle)

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

consolidation dream theory

that dreaming helps process and solidify new information and experiences into long-term memory.

hypnagogic sensations

bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep. (Also called hypnic sensations.)

insomnia

a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep, leading to daytime impairment or distress.

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The affected person may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and potential health issues.

somnambulism

or sleepwalking, is a sleep disorder where a person walks or performs other complex behaviors while still asleep.

accommodation

(1) in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus images of near or far objects on the retina. (2) in developmental psychology, adapting our current schemas (understandings) to incorporate new information.

conduction deafness

a less common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea.

frequency theory (pitch perception)

suggests that the rate at which neurons fire action potentials matches the frequency of the sound wave, allowing us to perceive different pitches.

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.

just noticeable difference

is the smallest amount of change in a stimulus that can be detected by a person.

opponent-process color theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, blue-yellow, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green.

place theory (pitch perception)

proposes that different pitches are detected based on the location along the cochlea where sound waves produce the greatest response.

transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of physical energy, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses the brain can interpret.

trichromatic color theory

the theory that the retina contains three different types of color receptors — one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue — which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.

vestibular sense

our balance sense; our sense of body movement and position that enables our sense of balance.