DK

Psycology exam

Module 3: Neural and Hormonal Systems

  1. Parts of the neuron. Know where they are what their functions are:

    1. Dendrites-Receive messages from other cells.

    2. Cell body-Processes information, contains the nucleus 

    3. Axon-Sends messages away from the cell body

    4. Terminal branches of axon-Pass messages to other neurons, muscles or glands

    5. Myelin sheath-Fatty covering that speeds up neural impulses

    6. Synapse -Gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released.

  2. What is an action potential?

The electrical impulse that travels down the axon caused by movement of ions

  1. Neurotransmitters- know what they are and the functions of:

    1. Acetylcholine- Muscle action learning memory.

  1. Dopamine- Movement attention emotion reward/pleasue

  2. Serotonin- Mood hunger sleep arousal

  3. Norepinephrine -Alertness arousal stress response

  4. GABA - Major inhibitory neurotransmitter 

  5. Glutamate-Major excitatory neurotransmitter, memory and learning

  • The nervous system:

    1. What are the main parts of the nervous system?

Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System 

  1. Autonomic vs somatic nervous system (what are the functions of each?)

Autonomic involuntary control (organs, glands) Somatic voluntary movements (skeletal muscles.

  1. Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system (what are the functions of each?)

Sympathetic fight or flight Parasmpathetic rest and digest 

  1. Hint: it may be helpful to study figure 3.5 in the textbook

  1. The endocrine system:

    1. What is it?

The bodies chemical communication system slower than nervous system

  1. Hormones

Chemical messengers released into bloodstream

  1. Pituitary gland 

Master gland that regulates other glands growth and development.

Modules 4-6: The Brain, Behavior, and Brain Damage

  1. The right vs left hemisphere:

    1. Which side of the body does each control?

Left side control math science facts Right side controls Creativity and recognition 

  1. The lobes of the brain:

    1. What are the 4 lobes of the brain?

Frontal lobe: planning decision making movement personality ][ Parietal lobe: Sensory input, touch, body position][ Occipital lobe vision ][ Temporal lobe Hearing memory language comp

  1. Parts of the brain – know the function of each of the following brain structures:

    1. Corpus callosum- Connects the two hemispheres 

    2. Medulla-Controls heartbeat and breathing

    3. Pons-connects the spinal cord to the brain

    4. Cerebellum- Balance coordination motor learning 

    5. Reticular formation- Controls arousal alertness filters sensory input

    6. Midbrain-

    7. Thalamus-Relay staton sensory information

    8. Amygdala- Processes emotions especially fear and aggression

    9. Hippocampus-froms new memories

    10. Hypothalamus-Maintains homeostasis 

    11. Motor cortex-Controls voluntary movement 

    12. Somatosensory cortex-Processes touch and body sensations

  2. What is the cerebral cortex? The outer layer of the brain responsible for 

  3. What structures of the brain make up the limbic system?

  4. What structures of the brain make up the brainstem?

  5. Tools used to study the brain. Know what each of the following are and what they measure:

    1. EEG

    2. MEG

    3. PET scan

    4. MRI 

    5. fMRI

  6. What is neurogenesis?

Module 7: Genetics, Evolutionary Psychology, and Behavior (Nature vs Nurture)

  1. What is behavioral genetics? And what sorts of things might a behavior geneticist study?

  2. What is heritability? 

  3. Nature vs nurture- what does this mean?

  4. Twin and adoption studies:

    1. Why are they used?

    2. What is the difference between identical/monozygotic and fraternal/dizygotic twins?

  5. What is evolutionary psychology?

Module 8: Consciousness

  1. What is consciousness?

  2. States of consciousness- the old vs current view of states of consciousness

  3. What is selective attention?

  4. What is dual processing?

  5. Parallel vs sequential processing

Module 9: Sleep and Dreams

  1. What is circadian rhythm?

  2. What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus?

  3. The stages of sleep:

    1. NREM (stages 1-3) vs REM

    2. What is REM?

    3. When do dreams occur?

  4. Sleep waves:

    1. Know alpha, beta, and delta waves

    2. Know what stage of sleep they’re most likely to occur in

  5. What are the 5 theories we discussed as to why we sleep?

  6. Sleep disorders. Know the descriptions of:

    1. Insomnia

    2. Narcolepsy

    3. Sleep apnea

    4. Sleepwalking and talking

  7. What is REM rebound?

  8. Dreams:

    1. Latent vs manifest content

    2. Know the 5 theories of why we dream (Freud, info processing, neural pathways, activation synthesis, and cognitive development) and the description of each

Module 10: Drugs and Consciousness

  1. What is tolerance?

  2. What is addiction?

  3. What is withdrawal?

  4. The three main psychoactive drug classes:

    1. What are depressants?

    2. What are stimulants?

    3. What are hallucinogens? 

  5. How is the biopsychosocial approach used to study influences on drugs?