Psych (Chapter 2)
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Created by:
bloobrrypi on October 20, 2011
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study for chapter 2 psych test
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70 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 evolutionary psychology | studies how adaptation and natural selection are connected with mental processes and behavior |
| instinct | stereotyped pattern of behavior triggered in a specific situation |
| heredity | transmission of traits from parents to offspring by means of genes |
| gene | basic unit of heredity, found on a chromosome |
| polygenic | traits influenced by a combination of genes |
| genotype | full genetic potential, made up of nucleotides A, C, G, and T |
| nature | inborn, innate character of an organism |
| nurture | environmental influences |
| sex chromosomes | 23rd pair of chromosomes, determine sex |
| closest genetic relative | chimpanzee |
| Down Syndrome | caused by extra chromosome on 21st pair |
| monozygotic twins | develop from a single fertilized ovum |
| dizygotic twins | develop from two fertilized ova |
| neurons | nerve cells |
| glial cells | nourish and insulate neurons, direct their growth, and remove waste product from nrevous system |
| dendrites | receive incoming messages |
| myelin sheath | fatty coating that conducts impulses more efficiently |
| afferent neurons | sensory neurons |
| efferent neurons | motor neurons |
| neural impulses | electromagnetic discharge of a neuron |
| fired | neural impulse has occurred |
| depolarization | large numbers of positive ions pass through the wall of axons in large numbers |
| refractory period | phase following firing where a neuron is less sensitive to messages from other neurons and will not fire |
| synapse | junction between the axon terminals of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another |
| three major components of the synapse | axon terminal, synaptic cleft, dendrite of succeeding neuron |
| synaptic vesicles | contain neurotransmitters |
| excitatory | neurotransmitter that acts to excite others and cause to fire |
| inhibitory | neurotransmitter that acts to prevent neurons from firing |
| dopamine | inhibitory |
| dopamine | neurotransmitter involved in Parkinson's Disease and plays a role in schizophrenia |
| acetylcholine | neurotransmitter that controls muscle contractions |
| norepinephrine | acts as a neurotransmitter and hormone, speeds up heartbeat and other body processes |
| serotonin | neurotransmitter that is involved in emotional arousal and sleep |
| GABA | inhibitory neurotransmitter that may lessen anxiety |
| endorphins | inhibitory neurotransmitter |
| peripheral nervous system | consists of somatic and autonomic nervous system |
| somatic nervous system | contains afferent and efferent neurons extending to muscles |
| autonomic nervous system | all efferent neurons extending to internal organs and glands |
| sympathetic division | fight or flight response |
| parasympathetic division | rest and digest response |
| spinal cord | column of nerves that transmits messages from sensory receptors to brain and so on |
| spinal reflexes | unlearned response to a stimulus that may involve only 2 neurons |
| hindbrain | oldest part of brain |
| medulla | hindbrain, regulation of breathing heart rate and blood pressure |
| pons | hindbrain, sleep wake cycle |
| cerebellum | muscle coordination and balance |
| midbrain | spinal cord extension |
| thalamus | forebrain, relays sensory information to the cortex, all except smell |
| hypothalamus | regulates emotion and motivational activity |
| limbic system | consists of hypothalamus, hippocampus and amygdala |
| limbic system | emotion |
| amygdala | facilitates stereotypical aggressive responses |
| frontal lobe | personality |
| occipital lobe | visual messages |
| temporal lobe | auditory messages |
| parietal lobe | tactile messages |
| Wernicke's area | part of temporal lobe, involved in speech comprehension |
| Broca's area | part of occipital lobe, involved in speech production |
| reticular formation | network of neurons that works to filter the important from the unimportant |
| corpus callosum | connection between the two hemispheres of the brain |
| Roger Sperry | severed corpus callosum in epileptics to control the spread of seizures from one hemisphere to the other |
| left hemisphere | analyzes, logical |
| right hemisphere | synthesizes, creates |
| endocrine system | contains glands that exert their influence internally through hormones in the blood stream |
| thyroid gland | secretes thyroxin which controls metabolism |
| pancreas | releases insulin to regulate blood sugar |
| hypoglycemia | sudden rush of insulin that can cause blood sugar to drop |
| adrenals | above kidneys, release adrenaline, involved in reaction to stress and fight or flight |
| master gland | pituitary gland |
| master of the master gland | hypothalamus |
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