AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Psych. Unit 2 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
6079510218NeuronA nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.0
6079510219Sensory neuronsNeurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.1
6079510220Motor neuronsNeurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.2
6079510221Biological psychologyA branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior. (Some biological psychologists call themselves 'behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopsychologists'.)3
6079510222InterneuronsNeurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.4
6079510223DendriteA neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.5
6079510224AxonThe extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands6
6079510225Myelin sheathA layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.7
6079510226Action potentialA neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon8
6079510227ThresholdThe level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse9
6079510228SynapseThe junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft10
6079510229NeurotransmitterChemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.11
6079510230Reuptakea neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron12
6079510231Endorphins"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.13
6079510232Nervous systemthe body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.14
6079510233Central nervous systemThe brain and spinal cord15
6079510234Peripheral nervous systemthe sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body16
6079510235Somatic nervous systemThe division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.17
6079510236Autonomic nervous systemthe part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.18
6079510237Sympathetic nervous systemThe division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.19
6079510238Parasympathetic nervous systemthe division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy20
6079510239Endocrine systemThe body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.21
6079510240HormonesChemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another22
6079510241Adrenal glandsa pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.23
6079510242Pituitary glandThe endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.24
6079510243Lesiontissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.25
6079510244Electroencephalograman amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.26
6079510245Computed tomography scan (CT)is an x-ray technique that produces a film representing a detailed cross section of tissue structure27
6079510246Positron emission tomography scan (PET)Use radioactive glucose to determine location of greatest brain activity28
6079510247Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer-generated images29
6079510248fMRI (functional MRI)detects magnetic changes in the brain's blood flow patterns30
6079510249BrainstemThe oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.31
6079510250MedullaThe base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.32
6079510251Reticular formationA nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.33
6079510252Thalamusthe brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla34
6079510253Cerebellumthe "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance35
6079510254Limbic systemdoughnut-shaped neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.36
6079510255Amygdalatwo lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion37
6079510256Hypothalamusa neural structure lying below (hypo) 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 reward38
6079510257Cerebral cortexThe intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.39
6079510258Glial cellsCells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.40
6079510259Frontal lobesportion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.41
6079510260Parietal lobesportion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.42
6079510261Occipital lobesportion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.43
6079510262Temporal lobesportion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear44
6079510263Motor cortexan area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements45
6079510264Sensory cortexarea at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations46
6079510265Association areasareas 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 speaking47
6079510266Aphasiaimpairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding)48
6079510267Broca's areacontrols language expression—an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech49
6079510268Wernicke's areacontrols language reception—a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe50
6079510269Plasticitythe brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience51
6079510270Neurogenesisthe formation of new neurons52
6079510271Corpus callosumthe large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them53
6079510272Split braina condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them54
6079510273Consciousnessour awareness of ourselves and our environment55
6079510274Cognitive neurosciencethe interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)56
6079510275Dual processingthe principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks57
6079510276Behavior geneticsthe study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior58
6079510277Environmentevery nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us59
6079510278Chromosomesevery nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us60
6079510279DNAa complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes61
6079510280Genesthe biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein62
6079510281Genomethe complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes63
6079510282Identical twinstwins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms64
6079510283Fraternal twinstwins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment65
6079510284Heritabilitythe proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied66
6079510285Interactionthe interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)67
6079510286Molecular geneticsthe subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes68
6079510287Evolutionary psychologythe study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection69
6079510288Natural selectionthe principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations70
6079510289Mutationa random error in gene replication that leads to a change71

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!