Unit 3 AP Psychology
Mutations
random errors in gene replication that lead to errors
Dendrites
receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Visual cortex
receives written words as visual stimulation
Resting Potential
Axons have positively charged ions outside and negatively charged ions inside, this condition is "normal" and causes no action
Medulla
base of the Brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing
Wernicke's area
controls language reception, usually in the left temporal lobe, involved in comprehension and expression
Identical Twins
develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two (the two eggs are genetically identical)
Fraternal Twins
develop from separate fertilized eggs
Virtual Twin
refers to people who are unrelated but of the same age
Association areas
the areas around your cerebral cortex that correlates with intelligence the bigger it is
Central Nervous System
the brain and spinal cord
Plasticity
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
Terminal Branches of the Axon
the branchlike structures at the end of the Axon that forms junctions with other cells
Sympathetic Nervous System
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
Somatic Nervous System
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles.
Axon
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons
Selective Permeability
the fact that the ion does not allow "just anything" to affect it
Neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
Genotype
the genetic in the cells (DNA)
Pituitary Gland
the most influential endocrine gland (the master gland
Autonomic Nervous System
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. It has a sympathetic and parasympathetic division
Heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes
Peripheral Nervous System
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Behavior Genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
Phrenology
theory developed by Francis Gall that claimed studying bumps on the skull could reveal our mental abilities and our character traits
Chromosomes
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain genes
Lesion
to destroy tissue of the brain either naturally or experimentally
Angular gyrus
transforms visual representations into an auditory code
All or none response
when the neuron fires it either fires
Frontal Lobe
associated with reasoning, planning, speech, emotions, and problem solving
Occipital Lobe
associated with visual processing
Sensory cortex
(parietal cortex) receives information from skin surface and sensory organs
Phineas Gage
-He was packing gunpowder when it ignited and a rod shot up through his left cheek and out the top of his skull -damaged frontal lobes -he was able to sit up, speak, and breathe on his own -the only thing that was different was his personality
MRI
-Magnetic Resonance Imaging -uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of brain tissue
EEG
-amplified recording of electrical waves sweeping across the brain's surface -can be measured by electrodes placed on the scalp
Thalamus
-brain's sensory switchboard -located on top of the Brainstem -regulates all sense EXCEPT smell -directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Glial cells
-cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons -act as "glue cells" to making everything work
CT Scan
-computed tomography -series of X-Rays taken from different angles and combined by a computer into a "slice" through the body
Limbic System
-doughnut shaped system of neural structures at the border of the Brainstem and cerebrum -associated with emotions such as fear, aggression, and drives for food and sex -includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus
Pons
-help coordinate movement -located just above the medulla
Cerebral Cortex
-intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres -the body's ultimate control and information processing center
Cerebellum
-known as the "little brain" -attached to the rear of the Brainstem -helps coordinate voluntary movements and balance such as walking, keeping balance, shaking hands... -enables nonverbal learning and memory
Hypothalamus
-lies below the thalamus -directs several maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, and control of emotions -has important pleasure or reward centers that govern our behavior -also helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland
PET
-positron emission tomography -visual display of brain activity that detects a radioactive form of glucose while the brain performs a given task
Molecular Genetics
-subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and functions of genes -seeks to identify specific genes influencing behavior
Genes
-the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes -segments of DNA capable of synthesizing protein -can either be active (expressed) or inactive
Brainstem
-the oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells and enters the skull -responsible for automatic survival functions
Phenotype
-the visible expression of a trait -influenced by genes as well as environment -ex. hair color, eye color, weight
Neurosurgeons cut the corpus callosum in the brain disrupting communication between the right and left hemispheres to A. prevent the spread of epileptic seizures B. reduce anxiety attacks and phobic reactions C. reduce the incidence of violent behaviors D. treat schizophrenia E. reduce mood swings
A
Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system most frequently results in which the following? A. Acceleration of heart and breathing rates and dilation of pupils B. Stimulation of tearing, salivation, and peristalsis C. Calming of the body D. Contraction of the muscles of the hands and feet E. Raising the perceptual threshold of olfactory and gustatory receptors
A
The brain scans of people with amnesia are most likely to show damage to the A. hippocampus B. hypothalamus C. medulla D. reticular formation E. cerebellum
A
Which of the following is the correct sequence of the neural chain of events set in motion by an environmental stimulus? A. Receptors, afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons, effectors B. Receptors, efferent neurons, interneurons, afferent neurons, effectors C. Interneurons, effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons D. Effectors, interneurons, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons E. Effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons, interneurons
A
A person who has a brain injury is having difficulty seeing and hearing. These symptoms indicate that damage has occurred in the A. Parietal and occipital lobes B. Occipital and temporal lobes C. Frontal and temporal lobes D. Temporal lobe only E. Frontal lobe only
B
Brain damage that leaves a person capable of understanding speech but with an impaired ability to produce speech most likely indicates injury to which of the following? A. The basal ganglia B. Wernicke's area C. The substantia nigra D. Broca's area E. The inferior colliculi
B
The correlations between the IQ scores of identical twins reared apart are lower than those of identical twins reared together. This difference is best explained by which of the following? A. Heredity plays an important role in determining IQ. B. Environment plays an important role in determining IQ. C. Heredity plays no role in determining IQ. D. Environment plays no role in determining IQ. E. Heredity and environment play an equal role in determining IQ.
B
The section of the brain considered most vital to the initiation of feeding behaviors is the A. Hippocampus B. Hypothalamus C. Superior olive D. Suprachiasmatic nucleus E. Substantia nigra
B
Which of the following are most involved in the action potential of a neuron? A. Calcium and sodium B. Sodium and potassium C. Potassium and calcium D. Chloride and calcium E. Chloride and sodium
B
Which of the following systems produces, circulates, and regulates levels of hormones in the body? A. Circulatory system B. Endocrine system C. Limbic system D. Sympathetic nervous system E. Parasympathetic nervous system
B
Neurotransmitters are typically stored in which of the following parts of a neuron? A. The nodes of Ranvier B. The myelin sheath C. The terminal buttons D. The soma E. The axon
C
The human brain differs from the brains of most other animals by the relative amount of brain mass devoted to which of the following? A. The occipital lobe B. The cerebellum C. The cerebral cortex D. The homunculus E. The pituitary gland
C
Computer-generated color images of the brain that provide information about glucose metabolism are produced by which of the following techniques? A. Electroenephalography (EEG) B. Electromyography (EMG) C. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) D. Positron-emission tomography (PET) E. Computerized axial tomography (CAT)
D
The area of the brain stem that is important in controlling breathing is the A. suprachiasmatic nucleus B. cerebellum C. limbic system D. medulla E. hippocampus
D
The sequence of shifts in the electrical charge of a neuron is called A. neural integration B. refraction C. synaptic transmission D. the action potential E. differential conduction
D
Which gland of the endocrine system controls the activity of other glands? A. Pancreas B. Thyroid C. Adrenal D. Pituitary E. Pineal
D
Which of the following neurotransmitters is most directly associated with Alzheimer's disease? A. Dopamine B. Serotonin C. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) D. Acetylcholine (Ach) E. Glutamate
D
Recent Understandings of Biological Psychology
The body communicates electrochemically; Brain systems serve specific functions; We integrate information processed in the different brain systems to construct our experience; Our adaptive brain is wired by experience
Neurons
The body's information system is built from billions of interconnected nerve cells
DNA
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
Synapse
a junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
Neural Impulses (action potential)
a neural impulse consisting of a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon
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
Temperament
a person's stable emotional
Constraint induced therapy
aims to rewire the brain by restraining a fully functional limb and forcing the use of the "bad" limb
Temporal Lobe
associated with perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech
Natural Selection
an evolutionary process through which adaptive traits are passed on to ongoing generations because these traits help animals survive and reproduce
Hormones
are chemicals synthesized by the endocrine glands that are secreted in the bloodstream
Motor cortex
area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements
Parietal Lobe
associated with movement, orientation, recognition, perception of stimuli
Antagonist
blocks neurotransmitters
neurotransmitters
chemicals released from sending neuron, travel across synapse and bind to receptor sites on receiving neuron, influencing receiving neuron to generate action potential
Corpus collosum
connects 2 hemispheres
Nervous System
consists of all the nerve cells. It is the body's "speedy" electrochemical communication system
Amygdala
consists of two lima bean sized neural clusters linked to the emotions of fear, aggression, and anger
Cell body
contains the nucleus and acts as the life support center of the neuron
Broca's area
controls language expression, usually in the left frontal lobe, directs the muscle movement involved in speech
Hypocampus
helps process explicit memories for storage
Dual Consciousness (processing)
information is processed simultaneously on separate conscious and unconscious tracks in the brain -ex: perception, memory, and thinking
Endocrine System
is the body's "slow" chemical communication system
Myelin Sheath
layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons -enables greater transmission speed
Agonist
mimics neurotransmitters
Reticular Formation
nerve network in the Brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
Sensory neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
motor neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between sensory inputs and motor outputs
Lock and Key Mechanism
neurotransmitters bind to receptors of receiving neuron
Reuptake
neurotransmitters that are in synapse that are reabsorbed into the sending neurons
Right Brain vs Left Brain
right: -sense of self (personality) -making inferences -creativity -visual/spatial left: -language -quick literal interpretations -analytical -logical
Split Brain
severed corpus callosum
Gazzaniga
split brain "he" and "art" study
Cognitive Neuroscience
studies the way in which our brain activity is linked with our thoughts
Evolutionary Psychology
studies why we as humans are alike -studies evolution of behavior and mind using principles of natural selection
fMRI
technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans
