Key Terms for AP Psych- Unit One
Terms
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- Ablation
- surgical removal of tissue
- Acetylcholine
- The neurotransmitter released by neurons to activate muscles
- Action Potential
- The nerve impulse, which is a rapid change in electrical charge across the cell membrane
- Adrenal Glands`
- Endocrine glands whose hormones arouse the body, regulate salt balance, adjust the body to stress, and affect sexual functioning
- Adrenaline
- A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that tens, in general, to arouse the body.
- Agnosia
- A disturbance in the ability to percieve the meaning of stimuli, such as words, objects, or pictures
- All-or-nothing event
- Classifying objects or events as absolutely right or wrong, good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable
- Aphasia
- A speech disturbance resulting from damage to language areas on the temporal lobes of the brain
- Association Cortex
- All areas of the cerebral cortex that are not specifically sensory or motor in function
- Autonomic
- Self Governing
- Autonomic system
- The neural system that connects the brain with the internal organs and glands
- Axon
- A thin fiber that conducts information away from the cell body of a neuron
- Axon Terminals
- branching fibers at the end of axons
- Brainstem
- lowest portions of the brain, including the cerebellum, medulla, and reticular formation.
- Broca's Area
- a language area in the brain related to grammar and pronunciation
- Central Nervous System
- the brain and the spinal chord
- Cerebellum
- a cauliflower-shaped projection at the base of the brain that controls posture and coordination
- Cerebral Cortex
- layer of tissue that forms the outer layer and surface of the cerebrum, responsible for basic sensory and higher mental processes
- Cerebral Hemispheres
- right and left halves of the cerebrum
- Cerebrum
- two large hemispheres that cover the upper half of the brain
- Connector Neuron
- nerve cell that serves as a link between two others
- Corpus Callosum
- large bundles of fibers connecting the right and left cerebral hemispheres
- Corticalization
- an increase in the relative size of the cerebral cortex
- Cranial Nerves
- one of the twelve major nerves that leave the brain without leaving the spinal cord
- CT Scan
- computed tomography scan; a computer-enhanced x-ray image of the brain
- Dendrites
- fibers projecting from nerve cells that recieve information from other neurons and carry it to the cell body
- Dopamine
- important transmitter substance found in the brain, especially in the limbic system, an area associated with emotional response
- EEG
- device designed to detect, amplify, and record electrical activity in the brain; electroencyphalograph
- Effector Cells
- cells in muscles and glands specialized for the production of responses
- Endocrine System
- glands whose secretions pass directly into the bloodstream or the lymph system
- Endorphins
- class of chemicals produced by the pituitary gland that are similar in structure nad pain-killing effect to opiate drugs such as morphine
- Enkephalins
- opiate-like brain chemicals that regulate reactions to pain and stress
- ESB
- direct electrical stimulation and action of brain tissue
- Frontal Lobes
- areas at the top front of the cerebral cortex that includes sites associated with control of movement, smell, and higher mental functions
- Gray Matter
- areas in the nervous system that have a grayish color due to a high concentration of nerve cell bodies
- Growth Hormone
- hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, that promotes bodily growth
- Hippocampus
- structure in the brain associated with the regulation of emotions and transfer of information from short term to long term memory
- Hormone
- glandular secretion that affects bodily functions or behavior
- Hypothalamus
- small area at the base of the brain that regulates motivation and emotion (hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior)
- Ion Channels
- channels through the axon membrane
- Limbic System
- system of interconnected structures in the forebrain that are closely related with emotional response
- Medulla
- enlarged stalk at the base of the brain that connects to the spinal cord and controls vital life functions
- Metabolism
- the rate at which energy is produced and expended in the body
- Motor Cortex
- nerve cell that carries motor commands from the central nervous system to muscles and glands
- Motor Neuron
- nerve cell that carries motor commands from the central nervous system to muscles and glands
- MRI Scan
- magnetic resonance imaging- computer enhanced three dimensional representation of the brain or body, based on body's response to magnetic field
- Myelin
- a fatty layer coating some axons that increases the rate at which nerve impulses travel along the axon
- Nerve
- bundle of neuron fibers supported by connective tissue; can be seen with unaided eye
- Neuropeptides
- brain chemicals that regulate the activity of neurons, thereby influencing memory, emotion, pain, hunger, ect.
- Neurotransmitter
- Any of a number of chemical substances secreted by neurons that alter activity in other neurons
- Noradrenaline
- hormone produced by the adrenal glands that tends to arouse the body, associated with anger
- Norepinephrine
- adrenal hormone that tends to arouse the body; associated with anger
- Occipital Lobes
- portion at the back of the cerebral cortex that includes areas where vision registers in the brain
- Parasympathetic System
- a branch of the autonomic system responsible for quieting the body and conserving energy
- Parietal Lobes
- area at the top of the brain that includes sites where bodily sensations register in the brain
- Peripheral Nervous System
- all parts of the nervous system lying outside the brain and spinal cord
- PET Scan
- positron emission tomography; a computer-generated image of brain activity, based on glucose consumption in the brain
- Pineal Gland
- gland in the brain that helps regulate body rhythms and sleep cycles
- Pituitary Gland
- The "master gland" at the base of the brain whose hormones influence the output of other endocrine glands
- Receptor Sites
- areas on the surface of neurons and other cells that are sensitive to neurotransmitters
- Reflex Arc
- The simplest behavior pattern involving only three neurons
- Resting Potential
- The electric charge that exists between the inside and outside of a neuron at rest
- Reticular Formation
- a network of fibers within the medulla associated with attention alertness and activation of higher brain areas
- Sensory Neuron
- A nerve cell that carries information from the senses toward the central nervous system
- Soma
- The main body of a neuron
- Somatic System
- the system of nerves linking the spinal cord with the body and sense organs
- Somasensory Area
- part of the parietal lobes that serves as a recieving area for bodily sensations
- Spinal Nerves
- one of sixty-two major nerves that channel sensory and motor information in and out of the spinal cord
- Sympathetic System
- a branch of the autonomic system responsible for arousing or activating the body in times of stress
- Synapse
- The microscopic space between an axon terminal and another neuron, and which neurotransmitters pass
- Temporal Lobes
- areas on each side of the cerebral cortex that include the sites where hearing registers in the brain
- Thalamus
- structure at the center of the brain that relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex
- Thyroid Gland
- Endocrine gland whose hormones help regulate metabolism (production and expenditure of energy within the body)
- Wernikes Area
- area of the brain related to language comprehension
- White Matter
- portions of the nervous system that appear white due to the presence of mycelin
- Animal Model
- an animal whose behavior is used to discover principles that may apply to human behavior
- B.F. Skinner
- studied simple behavior under carefully controlled conditions- "radical behaviorsim"
- Case Study
- intensive investigation of the behavior of a single person
- Cognitive Psychology
- The study of human thinking, knowing, understanding, and information processing
- Community Psychology
- use of community resources to promote mental health and treat or preent mental health problems
- Correlational Study
- non-experimental study designed to measure the degree of relationship between two or more events, measures, variables
- Critical Thinking
- ability to evaluate, compare, analyze, criticize, and synthesize information
- Empiricism
- gaining info by direct observation or experience
- Functionalism
- school of psychology concerned with how behavior and mental abilities help people adapt to their environments
- Gestalt Psychology
- emphasized the study of thinking, learning, and perception in whole units
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- psychology of work and organizations especially with respect to personell selection, human relations, and management
- John Watson
- observed behaviorism
- Natural clinical Test
- An accident or other natural event that provides psychological data
- Operational Definition
- defining a scientific concept by stating the specific actions or procedures used to measure..
- Pseudo-Psychology
- any false and unspecific system of beliefs and practice that is offered as an explaination of behavior
- Psychodynamic Psychology
- emphasizes internal conflicts, motives, and unconcious forces
- Representative Sample
- A small, randomly selected part of a larger population that accurately reflects characteristics of the whole population
- Structuralism
- analyzing sensations and personal experience into basic elements
- Theory
- system designed to interrelate concepts nad facts in a way that summarizes existing data and predicts future observation
- Wilhelm Wundt
- set up first psychological lab "father of psychology" and used introspection
- Central Tendency
- the tendency for a majority of scores to fall in the midrange of possible value
- Descriptive Statistics
- Used to describe and summarize numeric data
- Coefficient of Correlation
- A statistical index ranging from -1.00 to +1.00 that indicates the direction and degree of correlation
- Frequency Distribution
- table that divides an entire range of scores into a series of classes and then records the number of scores that fall into that class
- Frequency Polygon
- graph of a frequency distribution in which the number of scores falling in each class is represented by points on a line
- Histogram
- graph of frequency distribution in which the number of scores falling in each class is represented by vertical bars
- Inferential Statistics
- mathematical tools used for decision making, generalizing from small samples, and for drawing conclusions
- Normal Curve
- a bell-shaped curve with a large number of scores tapering to a few very high or very low scores
- Percent of Variance
- a portion of the total amount of variation in a group of scores
- Scatter Diagram
- a graph that plots the intersection of paired measures (pairs at which x and y cross)