AP Psych Unit 3
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1. action potential: a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that
travels down an axon
2. adrenal glands: a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above
the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in
times of stress
3. agonist: a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action
4. all-or-none response: a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a
full-strength response) or not firing
5. amygdala: two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic
system; linked to emotion
6. antagonist: a molecule that inhibits or blocks a
neurotransmitter's action
7. association areas: areas of the cerebral cortex that are not
involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they
are involved in higher mental functions such as learning,
remembering, thinking, and speaking
8. autonomic nervous system (ANS): the part of the peripheral
nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of
the internal organs
9. axon: the neuron extension that passes messages through its
branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
10. behavior genetics: the study of the relative power and limits of
genetic and environmental influences on behavior
11. blindsight: a condition in which a person can respond to a
visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
12. brainstem: the oldest part and central core of the brain,
beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull
13. cell body: the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the
cell's life-support center
14. central nervous system (CNS): the brain and spinal cord
15. cerebellum: the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem;
functions include processing sensory input, coordinating
movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal
learning and memory
16. cerebral cortex: the intricate fabric of interconnected neural
cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate
control and information-processing center
17. chromosomes: threadlike structures made of DNA molecules
that contain the genes
18. cognitive neuroscience: the interdisciplinary study of the brain
activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking,
memory, and language)
19. consciousness: our subjective awareness of ourselves and our
environment
20. corpus callosum: the large band of neural fibers connecting
the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between
them
21. CT scan: a series of X-ray photographs taken from different
angles and combined by computer into a composite
representation of a slice of the brain's structure
22. dendrites: a neuron's often bushy, branching extensions that
receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward
the cell body
23. DNA: a complex molecule containing the genetic information
that makes up the chromosomes
24. dual processing: the principle that information is often
simultaneously processed on separate conscious and
unconscious tracks
25. EEG: an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity
sweeping across the brain's surface. These waves are measured
by electrodes placed on the scalp
26. endocrine system: the body's "slow" chemical communication
system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the
bloodstream
27. endorphins: neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to
pleasure
28. environment: every nongenetic influence, from prenatal
nutrition to the people and things around us
29. epigenetics: the study of environmental influences on gene
expression that occur without a DNA change
30. evolutionary psychology: the study of the evolution of
behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
31. fMRI: a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain
activity by comparing successive MRI scans
32. fraternal twins: develop from separate fertilized eggs
33. frontal lobes: the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just
behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle
movements and in making plans and judgments
34. genes: the biochemical units of heredity that make up the
chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing
proteins
35. genome: the complete instructions for making an organism,
consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's
chromosomes
36. glial cells: cells in the nervous system that support, nourish,
and protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking,
and memory
37. heredity: the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to
offspring
38. heritability: the proportion of variation among individuals in a
group that we can attribute to genes
39. hippocampus: a neural center located in the limbic system;
helps process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of
facts and events
40. hormones: chemical messengers that are manufactured by the
endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect
other tissues
41. hypothalamus: a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it
directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body
temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the
pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward
42. identical twins: develop from a single fertilized egg that splits
in two
43. interaction: the interplay that occurs when the effect of one
factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such
as heredity)
44. interneurons: neurons within the brain and spinal cord; they
communicate internally and process information between the
sensory inputs and motor outputs
45. lesion: tissue destruction
46. limbic system: neural system (including the amygdala,
hypothalamus, and hippocampus) located below the cerebral
hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
47. medulla: the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and
breathing
48. MEG: a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields
from the brain's natural electrical activity
49. molecular behavior genetics: the study of how the structure
and function of genes interact with our environment to
influence behavior
50. molecular genetics: the subfield of biology that studies the
molecular structure and function of genes
51. motor cortex: an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that
controls voluntary movements
52. motor neurons: neurons that carry outgoing information from
the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
53. MRI: a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to
produce computer-generated images of soft tissue
54. mutation: a random error in gene replication that leads to a
change
55. myelin sheath: a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the
axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission
speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
56. natural selection: the principle that inherited traits that better
enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular
environment will (in competition with other trait variations)
most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
57. nerves: bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the
central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense
organs
58. nervous system: the body's speedy, electrochemical
communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the
peripheral and central nervous systems
59. neurogenesis: the formation of new neurons
60. neuron: a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous
system
61. neurotransmitters: chemical messengers that cross the
synaptic gaps between neurons
62. occipital lobes: the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the
back of the head; includes areas that receive information from
the visual fields
63. parallel processing: processing many aspects of a problem
simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information
processing for many functions
64. parasympathetic nervous system: the division of the
autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its
energy
65. parietal lobes: the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the
top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for
touch and body position
66. peripheral nervous system (PNS): the sensory and motor
neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of
the body.
67. PET scan: a visual display of brain activity that detects where a
radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a
given task
68. pituitary gland: the endocrine system's most influential gland.
Under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth
and controls other endocrine glands
69. plasticity: the brain's ability to change, especially during
childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new
pathways based on experience
70. reflex: a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus,
such as the knee-jerk response
71. refractory period: (1) in neural processing, a brief resting pause
that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action
potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting
state. (2) in human sexuality, a resting period that occurs after
orgasm, during which a person cannot achieve another
orgasm
72. reticular formation: a nerve network that travels through the
brainstem into the thalamus and plays an important role in
controlling arousal
73. reuptake: a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending
neuron
74. sensory neurons: neurons that carry incoming information
from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and
spinal cord
75. sequential processing: processing one aspect of a problem at
a time; generally used to process new information or to solve
difficult problems
76. social script: a culturally modeled guide for how to act in
various situations
77. somatic nervous system: the division of the peripheral nervous
system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
78. somatosensory cortex: an area at the front of the parietal
lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement
sensations
79. split brain: a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the
brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of
the corpus callosum) connecting them
80. sympathetic nervous system: the division of the autonomic
nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
81. synapse: the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
82. temporal lobes: the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving
information primarily from the opposite ear
83. thalamus: the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the
cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
84. threshold: the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse