Definitions 


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  • Heredity

    • The transmission of genetic information from biological parents to offspring.

    • Heritability in psychology helps us figure out how much of our traits come from our genes and how much comes from our environment.

  • Nature “Genes”

    •  are the inherent biological and genetic factors that influence an individual's psychological development, traits, behaviors, and cognitive abilities. 

  • Nurture “Environment”

    •  The environmental influences and experiences that shape an individual's psychological development, behaviors, and cognitive processes.

  • Genetic Predisposition

    •  The inherited likelihood of developing specific traits or conditions due to genetic factors from biological parents. Having a predisposition does not automatically mean that genes will be turned ‘on’ or expressed. 

  • Epigenetics 

    • The study of how environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change).

    • Genes react to their environment and can be turned ‘on’ or ‘off’ depending on environmental triggers. 

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  • Central Nervous System (CNS)

    • The CNS is the body's command center, responsible for processing information, coordinating responses, and regulating bodily functions.

  • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

    • It serves as a communication network that transmits sensory information from the body to the central nervous system (CNS).

  • Somatic Nervous System

    • Division of the peripheral nervous system responsible for controlling voluntary movements and relaying sensory information from the body to the central nervous system.

  • Autonomic Nervous System

    • Division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary bodily functions. It operates automatically, without conscious control.

  • Sympathetic Nervous System

    • Increases heart rate, dilates airways, and redirects blood flow to essential organs, preparing the body to respond to perceived threats.

  • Parasympathetic Nervous System

    • It slows heart rate, constricts airways, and enhances digestion, allowing the body to conserve energy and recover from stressors.

  • Neurons

    • specialized cell that serves as the building block of the nervous system, transmitting electrical and chemical signals throughout the body.

    • It consists of three main parts: the cell body (soma), dendrites, and axon.

  • Glial Cells

    • The "support cells" of the nervous system, providing structural support, insulation, and nourishment to neurons.

    • Glial cells play essential roles in maintaining brain health and supporting neuronal function.

  • Neurons

    • allow the body to process information, experience sensations, and produce actions, making them fundamental to thoughts, behaviors, and reflexes. There are 3 types:

      • Sensory neurons

      • Interneurons

      • Motor neurons

  • Sensory Neurons

    • are message receivers that transmit sensory information from sensory receptors, such as those in the skin, muscles, and organs, to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

    • Detect various stimuli, including touch, temperature, and environmental changes, and convert these stimuli into electrical signals that can be processed by the brain.

  • Interneurons

    • are message-processing nerve cells that connect within the central nervous system, relaying signals between sensory neurons and motor neurons.

  • Motor Neurons

    • are message senders that transmit signals from the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to muscles, glands, and organs, initiating and controlling voluntary and involuntary movements.

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  • Reflex Arc

    • neural pathway that controls reflex actions, allowing for rapid, automatic responses to sensory stimuli without conscious thought (primitive reflexes). They protect the body and enable quick reactions to potential dangers.

  • Neural Transmission

    • the process by which neurons communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals enabling thought, sensation, movement, and behavior.

  • Resting Potential

    • the stable, negative electrical charge that exists across the cell membrane of a neuron when it is not actively transmitting signals.

    • It is maintained by the unequal distribution of ions, with more sodium ions outside the cell and more potassium ions inside.



  • Threshold

    • the level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential in a neuron. It is the minimum amount of stimulation necessary to produce a response

  • Action Potential

    • brief electrical impulse that travels along the axon of a neuron.

  • All-or-Nothing Principle

    • states that once a neuron reaches its threshold of excitation, it will fire an action potential at full strength.

  • Depolarization

    • phase of action potential where the inside of the neuron becomes less negative compared to the outside due to the influx of positively charged ions, such as sodium ions, through ion channels in the cell membrane.

  • Refractory Period

    • brief period following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to generate another action potential.

  • Multiple Sclerosis “MS”

    • chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.

    • It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective myelin sheath, a fatty substance that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers, causing inflammation and damage.