Psychology flash cards 1B PDF

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1

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Neuron

2 Extensions of the nerve cell body that receive messages from other neurons and conduct impulses towards the cell body.

Dendrites 3

Extension of the nerve cell body that send messages to other neurons.

Axons 4 An electrical impulse that travels down the axon. Action potential 5 The junction between the axon terminals of the sending neuron and the dendrites of the receiving neuron.

Synapse 6

The level of stimulation required to trigger a nerve impulse (action potential).

Threshold 7 A neuron’s reaction of either firing with full strength, or not firing at all.

All-or-none response 8

Neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or

cells.

Neurotransmitters

9 Chemicals, such as opium, morphine, and heroin, that depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Opiates 10 “Morphine within” – natural, opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Endorphins 11 The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system.

Nervous system 12

TThe brain and spinal cord.

Central nervous system 13 The sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) 14 Bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

Nerves

15Neurons that carry incoming information from the senses to the central nervous system.

Sensory neurons 16 and glands.

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles

Motor neurons 17 Neurons that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs. Interneurons 18 The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.

Somatic nervous system 19 The division 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.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) 20

The division of the ANS that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.

Sympathetic nervous system 21

The division of the ANS that calms the body, conserving its energy.

Parasympathetic nervous system 22 Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.

Hormones 23 Recording apparatus, using electrodes placed on the scalp, that records waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. (The tracing of those brain waves is an electroencephalogram)

EEG (electroencephalograph) 24 A view of brain activity showing where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

PET (positron emission tomography) scan 25 A technique that sues magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) 26 A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function.

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) 27 Area at the top of the brainstem; directs sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Thalamus 28

A neural network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Reticular formation 29 Sometimes called the “little brain.” Located at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.

Cerebellum 30 Neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdale, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

Limbic system 31 Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; function is linked to emotions such as anger and fear.

Amygdale 32 A neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, reproductive behaviors, body temperature); helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion.

Hypothalamus 33 Thin layer of interconnected neurons covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.

Cerebral cortex 34 Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Parietal lobes 35 Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the brain; includes areas that receive information from the eyes.

Occipital lobes 36 Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive information from the ears.

Temporal lobes 37 Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Sensory cortex 38

Area at the rear of the frontal lobe; controls voluntary movements.

Motor cortex 39 Potion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking, voluntary movements, and in making plans and judgments.

Frontal lobes

40 False sensory experiences, such as hearing something in the absence of an external auditory stimulus.

Hallucinations 41 Areas of the cerebral cortex that are primarily involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Association areas 42 An area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech; controls language expression.

Broca’s area 43 A brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, involved in language comprehension and expression; controls language reception.

Wernicke’s area 44 The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

Plasticity 45 A large band of neural fibers (axons) connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Corpus callosum 46 A condition in which the brain’s two hemispheres are isolated by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.

Split brain 47 A subfield of psychology that studies the connections between our brain activity and the processes of thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Cognitive neuroscience

48

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Consciousness

49

Focusing conscious awareness of a particular stimulus.

Elective attention 50

Failure to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere.

Inattentional blindness 51 The biological clock; regular body rhythms (for example of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.

Circadian rhythm 52 Recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches), but other body systems are active.

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep 53

Relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.

Alpha waves 54 Periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness-as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation.

Sleep 55

Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

Insomnia

56 A sleep disorder in which a person has uncontrollable sleep attacks, sometimes lapsing directly into REM sleep

Narcolepsy 57 A sleep disorder in which a sleeping person repeatedly strops breathing until blood oxygen is so low it awakens the person just long enough to draw a breath.

Sleep apnea 58

A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind.

Dream

59

According to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream.

Manifest content 60

According to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream.

Latent content 61 The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation (created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)

REM rebound...