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72 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Physiological psychology
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study of behavior as influenced by biology
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EEG(electroencephalogram)
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measures subtle changes in brain electrical activity through electrodes places on the head; allowed scientists to get electrical pic of brain during cognitive tasks
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CAT Scan(Computerized Axial Tomography)
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generate cross-sectional images of the brain through an X-ray like technique
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MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
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generates more highly detailed pics of the brain than the CAT, captures "snapshots" dont allowe observation of brain in action over time
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PET Scans (Positron Emission Tomography) and Functional MRI Scans
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view the brain as its working; Fuctional MRI: provides viewing by rapid sequencing of MRI images
PET Scans: images via diffusion of radioactive glucose in the brain |
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Nervous System
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divided into two distinct subsystems
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CNS(Central Nervous System)
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comprised of the brain and the spinal cord
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PNS(Peripheral Nervous System)
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Comprising all other nerves in the body
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Afferents
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nerves sending information to the brain
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Efferents
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nerves conveying information from the brain
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Reflexes
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quick and involuntary responses to environmental stimuli
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Somatic Nervous System
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responsible for voluntary movement of large skeletal muscles
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Autonomic nervous system
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controls the nonskeletal or smooth muscles; heart and digestive tract; not under voluntary control
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Sympathetic nervous system
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associated with processes that burn energy; heightened state of physiological arousal: Flight-or-fight reaction
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Parasympathetic nervous system
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complementary opposite system responsible for conserving energy; becomes active, sending blood to the stomach for digestion and slowing the heart rate and conserving eneregy
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forebrain
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located at the front of the head; contains the limbic system, hypothalmus, thalmus, cerebral cortex
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limbic system
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learning, emotion, memory; hippocampus, amygdala, septum
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hippocampus
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learning and memory formation; damage prevents new memory formation:anterograde amnesia
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amygdala/septum
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anger; amygdala:aggression; septum:fear
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hypothalmus
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controls the temperature and water balance of the body; controls the autonomic nervous system; regulates behaviors such as those of fighting, eating, mating, emotions and reactions to pain and stress; controls the endocrine system
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thalmus
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gateway for most of the sensory input to the brain; relays input to appropriate regions of the cerebral cortex through neural projections; recieves and directs sensory input from visual and auditory systems; conveys information about balance and pain
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neural projections
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paths of neurons that extend from one area of the brain to another
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cerebral cortex
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wrinkled outer layer of the brain. thinking, planning, language use, fine motor control; receives sensory input via thalmus and sends out motor information
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midbrain
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location of reticular activating system:network of neurons responsible for consciousness, attention, sleeping, and wakefulness
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brain stem
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midbrain, hindbrain, thalmus, hypothalmus; junction between the brain and the spinal cord
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hindbrain
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made up of the cerebellum. medulla oblongata, pons; controls muscle tone and balance
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medulla oblongata
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controls heart rate, swallowing, breathing, digestion
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pons
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passes neural information from one brain area to another
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cerebral cortex
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covers the bulk of the outer surface of the brain
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cerebral hemispheres
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joined together in the center of the brain by a dense band of nerves called the corpus callosum; most info passsed contralaterally: left receptors transmit info to right hemisphere; ipsilateral:info transmission occurs on same side of body(rarer)
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Aphasia
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loss of speaking ability from brain damage to the left hemisphere (paul broca)
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left hemisphere
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language processing
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right hemisphere
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visual and spatial information
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frontal lobe
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higher thought and reasoning, primary motor cortex, planning and performing movements
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parietal lobe
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handles somatosensory info, primary somatosensory cortex: receives info about temp, pressure, texture, pain
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temporal lobe
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handles auditory input and critical for processing speech and appreciating music
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occipital love
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processes visual input
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Agnosia
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difficulty in processing sensory input
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Apraxia
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inability to organize movement
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Alexia
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inability to read
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nerves
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bundles of neurons; basic unit of nervous system
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soma
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nucleated cell body
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dendrites
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branch out from the soma; receive input from other neurons through receptors on their surface
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Axon hillock
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joins cell body w/ axon
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axon
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long tubelike structure that responds to input from the dendrites and soma; transmits neural messages down its length and then passes its info on to other cells
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myelin sheath
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surrounds the axon; insulation for the electrical impulses carried down the axon and speeds up the rate at which electrical info travels down the axon
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nodes of Ranvier
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small gaps between the myelin sheath beads; help speed up neural transmission
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terminal buttons
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come very close to the cell body and dendrites of other neurons but dont touch
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synapse
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gap between terminal buttons and dendrites/cell body
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neurotransmitters
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chemical messengers; released by terminal buttons; go across synapse and bind with receptors on subsequent dendrites
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action potential
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nerve impulse; certain level of stimulation is surpassed; neurons fire causing permeability of the cell membrane to change bermitting electrically charged ions to enter the cell; travels down the axon to the terminal buttons; causes the realease of a nerotransmitter ; are "all or none"-either generated or notl fixed strength
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Refractory phase
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phase in which no amount of stimulation can cause the neuron to fire again-relative refractory phase-needs more stimulation than usual to fire again
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Enzymes
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break down neurotransmitters after they have been released and have conducted the impulse
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Reuptake
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neurotransmitter after they have been released is absorbed back into the cell
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Acetylcholine
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neurotransmitter; affects memory function, muscle contraction, particularly in the heart
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Serotonin
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neurotransmitter; related to arousal, sleep, pain sensitivity, mood and hunger regulation
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Dopamine
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neurotransmitter; associated with movement, attention, reward; imbalances may play a role in parkinson's desease and schizophrenia
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GABA
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neurotransmitter; inhibitory
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endocrine system
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way in which various parts of the body relay info to each other; works through groups of cells called glands:release hormones
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Hormones
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affect cell growth and proliferation
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Pituitary Gland
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primary gland; master gland; released hormones which control hormonal release by many other glands; located under hypothalmus(controls it);
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Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
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released under stress by pituitary gland; stimulates adrenal glands; results in flight-or-flight reaction
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Adrenal Glands
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secrete epinephrine(adrenaline) and norepinephrine(noradrenaline)
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Thyroid Gland
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front of neck; produces thyroxine regulates cellular metabolism
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Behavioral Genetics
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application of the principles of evolutionary theory to the study of behavior
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Traits
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distinctive characteristics or behavior patterns that are determines by genetics
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Genes
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the basic biological elements responsible for carrying info about traits between successive generations
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genotype
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comprises al possible combos of genes
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phenotype
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observable result
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nature v. nurture debate
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concern with relative influences of genetics and environment
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Down's syndrome
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occurs when there is a break in the 21st chromosomal pair; causes retardation
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Huntington's Chorea
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genetic disorder that results in muscle impairment which occurs after age 40; caused by the degeneration of the basal ganglia
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