Psych 240 - Chapter 8

Front 1

amygdala

Back 1

A tiny brain structure that registers emotions, particularly fear and anxiety.

Front 2

corpus callosum

Back 2

A long, thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain and allows communication between them.

Front 3

hippocampus

Back 3

A brain structure that is a central processor of memory, especially memory for locations.

Front 4

hypothalamus

Back 4

A brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body.

Front 5

impulse control

Back 5

The ability to postpone or deny the immediate response to an idea or behavior.

Front 6

lateralization

Back 6

Literally, sidedness, referring to the specialization in certain functions by each side of the brain, with one side dominant for each activity. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa.

Front 7

myelination

Back 7

The process by which axons become coated with myelin, a fatty substance that speeds the transmission of nerve impulses from neuron to neuron.

Front 8

perseveration

Back 8

The tendency to persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action for a long time.

Front 9

adoption

Back 9

A legal proceeding in which an adult or couple, sometimes a relative, is granted the joys and obligations of being that child's parent(s).

Front 10

child abuse

Back 10

Deliberate action that is harmful to a child's physical, emotional, or sexual well-being.

Front 11

child maltreatment

Back 11

Intentional harm to or avoidable endangerment of anyone under 18 years of age.

Front 12

child neglect

Back 12

Failure to meet a child's basic physical, educational, or emotional needs.

Front 13

foster care

Back 13

A legal, publicly supported system in which a maltreated child is removed from the parents' custody and entrusted to another adult or family, which is reimbursed for expenses incurred in meeting the child's needs.

Front 14

injury control/harm reduction

Back 14

Practices that are aimed at anticipating, controlling, and preventing dangerous activities; these practices reflect the beliefs that accidents are not random and that injuries can be made less harmful if proper controls are in place.

Front 15

kinship care

Back 15

A form of foster care in which a relative of a maltreated child, usually a grandparent, becomes the approved caregiver.

Front 16

permanency planning

Back 16

An effort by child-welfare authorities to find a long-term living situation that will provide stability and support for a maltreated child. A goal is to avoid repeated changes of caregiver or school, which can be particularly harmful to the child.

Front 17

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Back 17

An anxiety disorder that develops as a delayed reaction to having experienced or witnessed a profoundly shocking or frightening event, such as rape, severe beating, war, or natural disaster. Its symptoms may include flashbacks to the event, hyperactivity and hypervigilance, displaced anger, sleeplessness, nightmares, sudden terror or anxiety, and confusion between fantasy and reality.

Front 18

primary prevention

Back 18

Actions that change overall background conditions to prevent some unwanted event or circumstance, such as injury, disease, or abuse.

Front 19

reported maltreatment

Back 19

Harm or endangerment about which someone has notified the authorities.

Front 20

secondary prevention

Back 20

Actions that avert harm in a high-risk situation, such as stopping a car before it hits a pedestrian.

Front 21

substantiated maltreatment

Back 21

Harm or endangerment that has been reported, investigated, and verified.

Front 22

tertiary prevention

Back 22

Actions, such as immediate and effective medical treatment, that are taken after an adverse event (such as illness or injury) and that are aimed at reducing harm or preventing disability.