Ap Psychology Terms

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Functionalism

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theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function within its environment

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Psychodynamic Pyschology

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theory that behavior results from pyshchological dynamics that interact within the individual, often outside conscious awareness

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Behaviorism

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school of psychology that studies only observable and measurable behavior

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Gestalt Psychology

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school of psychology that studies how people perceive and experience objects as whole patterns

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Existential Psychology

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school of psychology that focuses on the meaninglessness and alientation of modern life, and how these factors leads to apathy and psychological problems

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Humanistic Psychology

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school of psychology that emphasizes nonverbal experience and altered states of consciousness as means of realzing one's full human potentail

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Cognitive Psychology

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school of psychology devoted to the study of mental processes in the broadest sense

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Evolutionary Psychology

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concerned with the evolutionary origins of behaviors and mental process, their adaptive value, and the purposes they continue to serve

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Correlational Research

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research technique based on the naturally occurring relationship between two or more variables

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Independent Variable

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the variable that is manipulated to test its effects on the other, dependent variables

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Dependent Variable

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the variable that is measured to see how it is changed by manipulations in the independent variable

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Experimenter Bias

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Expectations by the experimenter that might influence the results of an experiment

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Nervous System

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the brain, spinal cord, and the network of nerve cells that transmit messages throughout the body

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Endocrine System

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internal network of glands that release horomones directly into the bloodstream to regulate bodily functions

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Neurons

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individual cells that are smallest units of the nervous system

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Dendrites

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short fibers that branch out from the cell body and pick ip incoming messages

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Axon

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single long fiber extending from the cell body; it carries outgoing messages

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Nerve or Tract

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group of axons bundled together

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Myelin Sheath

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white fatty covering found on some axons

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Sensory (afferent) Neurons

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neurons that carry messages from sense organs to the spinal cord or brain

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Motor (efferent) Neurons

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neurons that carry messages from the spinal cord or brain to muscles or glands

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Interneurons

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neurons that carry messages from one neuron to another

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Glial Cells

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cells that form the Myelin Sheath

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Ions

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electrically charged particles found both inside or outside the neuron

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Resting Potential

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electrical charge across a neuron membrane due to excess positive ions concentrated on the outside and excess negative ions on the inside

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Polarization

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the condition of a neuron when the inside is negatively charged relative to the outside; when the neuron is at rest

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Neural Impulse
(Action Potential)

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the firing of a nerve cell

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Graded Potential

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a shift in the electrical charge in a tiny area of a neuron

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Threshold of Excitation

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the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire

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Absolute Refractory Period

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a period after firing when a neuron will not fire again no matter how strong the incoming messages may be

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Relative Refractory Period

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a period after firing when a neuron is returning to its normal polarized state and will fire again only if the incoming message is much stronger than usual

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All-or-None Law

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principle that the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; the neuron either fires at full strength or it does not fire at all

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Terminal Button
(Synaptic Knob)

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structure at the end of an axon terminal branch

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Synaptic Space (Cleft)

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tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron

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Synapse

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area composed of the axon terminal of one neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrite or cell body of the next neuron

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Synaptic Vesicles

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tiny sacs in a terminal button that release chemicals into the synapse

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Neurotransmitters

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chemicals released by the synaptic space and affect adjacent neurons

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Acetylcholine (ACh)

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(excitatory) effects arousal, attention, memory, motivation, movement. Too much causes spasms & tremors. Too little causes parlysis, torpor.

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Dopamine

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(inhibitory) inhibits wite range of behavior and emotions, including pleasure. Implicated in Parkison's Disease.

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Serotonin

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(inhibitory) Inhibits virtually all activites. Important for sleep onset, mood, eating behavior.

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Norepinephrine

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(excitatory) effects arousal, wakefulness, learning, memory, mood.

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Endorphins

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(inhibitory) inhibts tramission of pain messages.

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Receptor Site

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a location on a receptor neuron into which a specific neurotransmitter fits like a key into a lock

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Plasticity

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the ability of the brain to change in response to experience

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Central Nervous System

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division of the nervous system that consists of the brain and the spinal cord

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Peripheral Nervous System

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division of the nervous system that connets the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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Hindbrain

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area containing the medulla, pons, and cerrebellum

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Medulla

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part of the hindbrain that controls such functions as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure

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Pons

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part of the hindbrain that connects the cerebral cortex at the top of the brain to the cerrebellum

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Cerrebellum

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structure in the hindbrain that control certain reflexes and coordinate the body's movements

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Brain Stem

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the top of the spinal column; it widens out to form the hindbrain and midbrain

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Midbrain

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region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight, and it is one of several places in the brain where pain is registered

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Forebrain

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top part of the brain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex

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Thalamus

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forebrain region that relays and translates incoming messages from the sense receptors, except those for smell

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Hypothalamus

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forebrain region that governs motivation and emotional responses

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Cerebral Cortex

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the outer surface of the two cerebral hemispheres that regulate most complex behavior

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Occipital Lobe

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part of the cerebral hemisphere that receives and interperts visual information

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Temporal Lobe

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part of the cerebral hemisphere that helps regulate hearing, balance and equilibrium, and certain emotions and motivations

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Parietal Lobe

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part of the cerebral cortex that receives sensory information from throughout the body

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Frontal Lobe

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part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for voluntary movement; it is also important for attention, goal directed behavior, and appropriate emotional experiences

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Motor Projection Areas

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areas of the cerebral cortex where response messages from the brain to the muscles and glands begin

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Corpus Callosum

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a thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral cortex

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What 3 parts make up the hindbran?

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Medulla
Pons
Cerebellum

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What is the purpose of the midbrain?

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controls hearing, vision relay point, and registers pain

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What 3 parts make up the forebrain?

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Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Cerebral Hemispheres

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What 4 lobes make up the cerebral hemispheres?

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Occipital
Temporal
Parietal
Frontal

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Reticular Formation

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network of neurons in the hindbrain, the midbrain, and part of the forebrain whose primary function is to alert and arouse the higer parts of the brain

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Limbic System

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ring of structures that play a role in learning and emotional behavior

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Spinal Cord

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complex cable of neurons that runs down the spine, connectiong the brain to most of the rest of the body

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Somatic Nervous System

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages from the senses to the central nervous system and between the central nervous system and the skeletal muscles

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Autonomic Nervous System

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages between the central nervous system and the internal organs

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Sympathetic Division

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branch of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for quick action in an emergency

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Parasympathetic Division

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branch of the autonomic nervous system; it calms and relaxes the body

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Endocrine Glands

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glands of the endocrine system that release horomones into the bloodstream

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Thyriod Gland

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endocrine gland located below the voice box; produces thyroxin

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Parathyriods

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four tiny glands embedded in the thyroid; they secrete parathormone

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Pineal Gland

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a gland located roughly in the center of the brain that appears to regulate activity levels over the course of the day

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Pancreas

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organ lying between the stomach and small intestine; it secretes insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar levels

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Pituitary Gland

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gland located on the underside of the brain; produces the largest # of body's horomones

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Posterior Pituitary Gland

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affects thirst, sexual behavior, paternal and maternal behavior

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Anterior Pituitary Gland

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"master gland", produces numerous horomones that trigger action of other glands; it regulates body growth and also affects motivation and emotions

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Gonads

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the reproductive glands

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Adrenal Glands

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two endocrine glands located just above the kidneys

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Adrenal Cortex

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outer covering of the adrenal glands; releases horomones important for dealing with stress

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Adrenal Medulla

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inner core of the glands that also deal stress horomones

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Beta Endorphin

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a natural painkiller released by the body

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Sensation

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the experience of sensory stimulation

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Perception

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process of creating meaningful patterns from raw sensory information

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Receptor Cell

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a specialized cell that responds to a particular type of energy

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Absolute Threshold

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the least amount of energy that can be detected as a stimulation 50 percent of the time

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Adaptation

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an adjustment of the senses to the level of stimulation they are receiving

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Difference Threshold
(just noticeable difference)

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the smallest change in stimulation that can be detected 50 percent of the time

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Cornea

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the transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye

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Pupil

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a small opening in the iris through which light enters the eye

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Iris

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the colored part of the eye

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Lens

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the transparent part of the eye inside the pupil that focuses light onto the retina

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Retina

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the lining of the eye containing receptor cells that are sensitive to light

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Fovea

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the area of the retina that is center of the visual field

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Light

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the small segment of the electromagnetic spectrum to which our eyes are sensitive

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Wavelengths

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the different energies represented in the electromagnetic spectrum

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Rods

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receptor cells in the retina repsonsible for night vision and perception of brightness

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Cones

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receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision

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Bipolar Cells

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neurons that have only one axon and one dendrite; in the eye, these neurons connect the receptors on the retina to the ganglion cells

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Afterimage

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sense experience that occurs after a visual stimulus has been removed

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Ganglion Cells

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neurons that connect the bipolar cells in the eyes to the brain

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Structuralism

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stresses the basic elements of experience

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Functionalism

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concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities in its enviroment

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A single nerve cell is also known as...

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a neuron

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A group of axons bundled together is called...

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a nerve

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Carries outgoing messages away from the nerve cell...

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axon

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Receives incoming messages from surrounding neurons...

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dendrite

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When a neuron is in a polarized state, there are mostly _______ ions on the outside of the cell membrane and mostly ________ ions on the inside.

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positive; negative

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During the ________ period, the neuron will fire only if the incoming message is considerably stronger than usual.

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relative refractory period

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True/False: A very strong incoming signal will cause a neuron to fire more strongly than before and in turn cause neighboring neurons to fire more strongly.

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False

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When a neural impulse reaches the end of the axon, it is transferred to the next neuron chemically through the release of...

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neurotransmitters

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Which drug increases the release of neurotransmitter?

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Amphetamines

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Which drug occupies or blocks receptor sites?

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Curare, LSD, Atropine

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Which drug interferes with the reabsorption of neurotransmitter?

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Antidepressents

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The _______ nervous system connects the central nervous system to all parts of the body beyond the brain and spinal cord?

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Peripheral

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Which brain structure is the center for such important biological functions as temperature control, eating, drinking, and sexual behavior?

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hypothalamus