A Psych Unit 2

0.0(0)
studied byStudied by 1 person
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/117

encourage image

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

118 Terms

1
New cards
Phrenology (Franz Gall)
theory that the bumps on the skull could reveal our mental abilities and character traits
2
New cards
Know parts of nueron
\
\
3
New cards
know image

4
New cards
Dendrites
Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.
5
New cards
soma (cell body of neuron)
Contain nucleus and all structures necessary for cell functioning
6
New cards
axon
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
7
New cards
Myelin Sheath
A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.
8
New cards
terminal branches
Branched endings of an axon that transmit messages to other neurons
9
New cards
Vescicles
Provides temporary storage of food, enzymes and waste products
10
New cards
Receptor sites
holes in the surface of the dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neurotransmitters
11
New cards
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
12
New cards
resting potential
The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neuron's cell membrane
13
New cards
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
14
New cards
refractory period
a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
15
New cards
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
16
New cards
Synapse (synaptic gap)
microscopic fluid-filled space between the synaptic knob of one cell and the dendrites or surface of the next cell
17
New cards
Neurotransmitter
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
18
New cards
Reuptake
a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
19
New cards
Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction
20
New cards
Dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
21
New cards
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
22
New cards
Norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
23
New cards
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter - known for producing a calming effect.
24
New cards
Glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
25
New cards
Endorphins
"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
26
New cards
Agonist
a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response
27
New cards
Antagonist
An antagonist is a chemical or drug that binds to receptors in the brain and prevents an agonist from having a reaction. An inverse antagonist not only prevents an agonist from having a reaction on a receptor but causes the opposite response to occur.
28
New cards
The nervous system has two main parts: The central nervous system and The peripheral nervous system

29
New cards
central nervous system
consists of the brain and spinal cord
30
New cards
peripheral nervous system
consists of the nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord- the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
31
New cards
Sensory (afferent) neuron
transmits impulse into brain or spinal cord from receptors
32
New cards
Motor (efferent) neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
33
New cards
Neural networks
interconnected neural cells. With experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results. Computer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning.
34
New cards
Interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
35
New cards
Reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
36
New cards
Endocrine system
the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
37
New cards
Hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
38
New cards
pituitary gland
The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
39
New cards
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
40
New cards
Epinephrine
adrenaline
41
New cards
Norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
42
New cards
Lesion
tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
43
New cards
Electroencephalogram
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
44
New cards
CT scan
a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
45
New cards
PET scan
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
46
New cards
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain
47
New cards
fMRI
A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.
48
New cards
Brain stem
Connects the brain and spinal cord
49
New cards
Medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
50
New cards
Pons
A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain
51
New cards
Reticular formation
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
52
New cards
Cerebellum
A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.
53
New cards
Limbic System
neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
54
New cards
Amygdala
two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.
55
New cards
Hippocampus
A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.
56
New cards
Thalamus
the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
57
New cards
Hypothalamus
A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
58
New cards
Nucleus accumbens
a subcortical structure that participates in reward and addiction
59
New cards
corpus callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
60
New cards
Pituitary
at the base of the brain; stimulates growth and controls functions of other glands
61
New cards
Cerebral Cortex
The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.
62
New cards
Glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
63
New cards
frontal lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
64
New cards
Parietal lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
65
New cards
occipital lobe
vision
66
New cards
temporal lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
67
New cards
Motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
68
New cards
somatosensory cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
69
New cards
Association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
70
New cards
Plasticity
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
71
New cards
Neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
72
New cards
corpus callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
73
New cards
Split brain
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them
74
New cards
Michael Gazzaniga
split-brain research; understanding of functional lateralization in the brain; how the cerebral hemispheres communicate
75
New cards
Consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
76
New cards
Cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
77
New cards
Dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
78
New cards
Behavior geneticist
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
79
New cards
Chromosome
a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
80
New cards
DNA
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
81
New cards
Genes
DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission.
82
New cards
Genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
83
New cards
Identical twins (monozygotic)
twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
84
New cards
Fraternal twins (dizygotic)
twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs; no genetically closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment
85
New cards
Separated twins - what we know (nature v. nurture)
The studies of reared-apart twins have shown that in general, half the differences in personality and religiosity are genetically determined, but for a trait like I.Q., about 75 percent of the variation, on average, is genetic, with only 25 percent influenced by the environment.
86
New cards
Molecular genetics
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
87
New cards
Heritability
The proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.
88
New cards
Interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
89
New cards
Epigenetics
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
90
New cards
Evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
91
New cards
natural selection
A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
92
New cards
Mutation
A change in a gene or chromosome.
93
New cards
Circadian rhythm
the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle
94
New cards
Stages of sleep
1. Lightest Sleep (NREM) 2. Slightly Deeper Sleep (NREM) 3. Deeper Sleep (NREM) 4. Delta Waves are omitted but there is not much difference between this stage and stage 3 (NREM) 5. REM
95
New cards
Alpha waves
the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state
96
New cards
Hypnagogic sensations
bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep
97
New cards
Sleep spindles
short bursts of brain waves detected in stage 2 sleep
98
New cards
Delta waves
the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
99
New cards
Sleep paralysis
the experience of waking up unable to move
100
New cards
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm. In response to light, the SCN causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness