Ou Psychology Exam #1 Part 2

Front 1

Reductionism

Back 1

The attempt to explain a phenomena by reducing them to combinations of simpler components

Front 2

Neuron

Back 2

cell specialized to receive, process and/or transmit information to other cells within the body.

Front 3

Glia

Back 3

holds neurons in place, insulates them and removes waste products.

Front 4

Sensory Neurons (afferent)

Back 4

carries information from sense organs to the central nervous system

Front 5

Interneurons

Back 5

communicates only with other neurons

Front 6

Motor Neurons (efferent)

Back 6

carry messages away from the CNS towards muscles and glands

Front 7

Resting Potential

Back 7

the difference in electrical charges between the inside and outside of a neuron's cell membrane

Front 8

Dendrites

Back 8

receive transmissions from other neurons

Front 9

Axon

Back 9

transmits impulses

Front 10

Inhibitory Impulses

Back 10

prevents further sensation of pain

Front 11

Threshold

Back 11

a level of stimulation required for the activation of a neuron

Front 12

Action Potential

Back 12

an electrical current that travels along the axon of a neuron initiated by the reversal of the polarization of the cell membrane.

Front 13

All-Or-None

Back 13

A neuron (like a gun) either fires at full strength or not at all

Front 14

Refractory Period

Back 14

the time needed for a neuron to recover after it fires, during this period an action potential will not occur

Front 15

Synapse or (Synaptic Cleft)

Back 15

a small place between the axon terminal of a neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the next neuron

Front 16

Neurotransmitter

Back 16

a chemical substance such as acetylcholine or dopamine that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse

Front 17

Re-uptake

Back 17

after binding with receptors, neurotransmitter are recaptured by the releasing neuron

Front 18

Acetylcholine

Back 18

important for learning, memory, muscle movement

Front 19

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

Back 19

linked to the experience of anxiety, alcohol abuse, seizures and sleep disorders

Front 20

Serotonin

Back 20

influences mood and regulates food intake

Front 21

Dopamine

Back 21

important to movement and to frontal lobe activity. Important to the feeling of pleasure and reward

Front 22

Norepinephrine

Back 22

maintains alertness and wakefulness, increases heart rate, respiration, sweating and dilation of pupils

Front 23

Endorphins

Back 23

regulates firing of pain neurons

Front 24

Psychopharmacology

Back 24

the study of how drugs affect behavior

Front 25

Agonistic Drug

Back 25

Mimics or facilitates action of neurotransmitter

e.g. Nicotine binds to receptors and mimics the effect of this neurotransmitter by producing stimulant effects

Front 26

Antagonistic Drug

Back 26

interferes with the release of neurotransmitters

e.g. Cobra snake venom stops neurotransmitters from firing and seizes muscles

Front 27

Nervous System Two Main Parts

Back 27

Central Nervous System

and

Peripheral Nervous System

Front 28

Nerves

Back 28

bundle of neuron fibers or (axons) that are routed together in the PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)

Front 29

Autonomic Nervous System

Back 29

controls automatic, involuntary functions

Front 30

Fight or Flight

Back 30

psychological reaction to a threat by preparing to fight or flee

Front 31

Sympathetic Division

Back 31

sends signals to adrenal glands, triggering the release of hormones

Front 32

Parasympathetic Division

Back 32

generally inhibits (e.g. slows heart rate, reduce blood pressure and promote digestion)

Front 33

Brain and Spinal Cord

Back 33

serve as main processing system for information

Front 34

Brain

Back 34

control center

Front 35

Spinal Cord

Back 35

relays information from the sensory muscle glands

Front 36

Brain's Three Major Regions

Back 36

Hindbrain

Midbrain

Forebrain

Front 37

Limbic System

Back 37

emotions, memory and learning.

Front 38

Cerebrum

Back 38

Largest most complex part of the human brain

Front 39

Lobes of the brain

Back 39

Temporal Lobe

Occipital Lobe

Frontal Lobe

Front 40

Temporal Lobe

Back 40

Auditory perception, essential for social interaction

Front 41

Occipital Lobe

Back 41

contains the visual cortex responsible for visual stimuli

Front 42

Frontal Lobe

Back 42

"star" of the brain. Controls speech production, thinking, planning, reasoning and motivation

Front 43

Sensory Cortex

Back 43

parts of the cerebral cortex that receives stimulus information from senses

Front 44

Motor Cortex

Back 44

controls voluntary movements in specific parts of the body. Located in the Frontal Lobe

Front 45

Association Cortex

Back 45

receives information from more than one sense or combine sensory and motor information to perform complex cognitive tasks

Front 46

Split-Brain Experiment

Back 46

Terry's experiment, showing objects to one side of the subject's brain and seeing if they can name it and pick it up with hand etc.