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Psychology Test 2 (Marvin)
N/A
95
Psychology
Undergraduate 3
05/09/2011

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Term
Cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform information-processing tasks
Definition
Neurons
Term
A neuron is made up of three parts:

A ____ that houses the chromosomes with the organism’s DNA and maintains the health of the cell
____ that receive information from other neurons
An ____ that transmits information to other neurons, muscles, and glands.
Definition
Cell body
Dendrites
Axon
Term
The part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive.
Definition
Cell body
Term
Part of the neuron that receives information from other neurons and relay it to the cell body.
Definition
Dendrites
Term
The part of a neuron that transmits information to other neurons, muscles, or glands.
Definition
Axon
Term
Support cells found in the nervous system.
Definition
Glial cells
Term
Some glial cells form ____, insulating layers of fatty materials around the axons of some neurons.
Definition
Myelin sheaths
Term
An insulating layer of fatty material around the axons of some neurons.
Definition
Myelin sheaths
Term
Axons insulated with ____ can more effectively transmit signals to other neurons, organs or muscles.
(Resembles the thicker portion of a sausage link)
Definition
Myelin sheaths
Term
The gap between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another.
Definition
Synapse
Term
There are three major types of neurons:
Definition
Sensory neurons
Motor neurons
Interneurons.
Term
Receives information from the external world and conveys this information to the brain via the spinal cord.
Ex: Light, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
Definition
Sensory neurons
Term
Carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement.
Definition
Motor neurons
Term
Connect sensory neurons, motor neurons, and other interneurons.
Definition
Interneurons
Term
Neuron at rest
Definition
Potassium (K+) channels- open
Sodium (Na+) channels= closed
Charge- negative
Term
The difference in electric charge between the inside and the outside of a neuron’s cell membrane.
Definition
Resting potential
Term
Resting potential-
Definition
Potassium (K+) channels = open
Sodium (Na+) channels= closed
Charge = negative
Term
An electrical signal that is conducted along the length of a neuron’s axon to the synapse.
Definition
Action potential
Term
Action potential-
Definition
Sodium (Na+) channels= open
Potassium (K+) channels = closed
Charge = positive
Term
In the ____ after the action potential, the channels return to their original state, allowing Potassium (K+) to flow outside of the axon. This leaves an abundance of K+ outside and Na+ inside the cell.

A chemical pump then reverses the ion balance of ions by moving Na+ out of the axon and K+ into the axon. The neuron can now generate another action potential.
Definition
Refractory period
Term
Formed by a type of glial cell, it wraps around a neuron’s axon to speed the transmission of the action potential along the length of the axon.
Resembles the thicker portion of a sausage link.
Definition
Myelin
Term
Breaks in the myelin sheath, which allow the electric impulse to jump from node to node, thereby speeding the conduction of information down the axon.
Resembles the thinner portion of a sausage link.
Definition
Nodes of Ranvier
Term
Knoblike structures that branch out from an axon.
When the action potential reaches the ____ it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters.
Definition
Terminal button
Term
Chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron’s dendrites.
These ____ float across the synapse and bind to sites on the dendrites of the receiving neuron called receptors.
Definition
Neurotransmitters
Term
Parts of the cell membrane that receive neurotransmitter and initiate a new electric signal.
Definition
Receptors
Term
Detect how much of a neurotransmitter has been released into a synapse and signal the neuron to stop releasing the neurotransmitter when an excess is present.
Definition
Autoreceptors
Term
A neurotransmitter that regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal.
Definition
Dopamine
Term
The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Inhibitory neurotransmitters stop the firing of neurons. Too little ____, just like too much glutamate, can cause neurons to become overactive, causing seizures.
Definition
GABA
Term
Composed of the brain and the spinal cord. The ____ sensory information from the external world, processes and coordinates this information, and sends commands to the skeletal and muscular systems for action.
Definition
Central Nervous System
Term
Connects the central nervous system to the body’s organs and muscles.
The ____ is itself composed of two major subdivisions, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
Definition
Peripheral nervous system
Term
A set of nerves that convey information into and out of the central nervous system.
Humans have conscience control over this system and use it to perceive, think, and coordinate their behaviors. Ex: Directing your hand to pick up a coffee cup.
Definition
Somatic nervous system
Term
A set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands. Works outside of conscience control.
Definition
Autonomic nervous system
Term
The autonomic nervous system has two subdivisions:
Definition
Sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system.
Term
A set of nerves that prepares the body for action in threatening situations.
Ex: Dilates your pupils, increase your heart rate and respiration, etc.
Definition
Sympathetic nervous system
Term
Helps the body return to a normal resting state.
Reverses the effects of the sympathetic nervous system.
Definition
Parasympathetic nervous system
Term
Major divisions of the brain:
Definition
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain
Term
Coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord and controls the basic functions of life: Respiration, alertness, and motor skills.
It includes the medulla, the reticular formation, the cerebellum, and the pons.
Definition
Hindbrain
Term
An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration.
Definition
Medulla
Term
A cluster of neurons located inside the medulla which regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal.
Definition
Reticular formation
Term
A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.
Ex: Riding a bike, playing a piano, etc.
Definition
Cerebellum
Term
Relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain.
Definition
Pons
Term
Important for orientation and movement.
Definition
Mindbrain
Term
Takes care of all the bodily functions necessary to sustain life.
Definition
Hindbrain
Term
Orients you toward or away from pleasurable or threatening stimuli in the environment.
Definition
Midbrain
Term
The highest level of the brain is critical for complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions.
Definition
Forebrain
Term
Relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex. The ____ receives inputs from all the major senses except smell and actively filters incoming sensory information, giving more weight to some inputs and less weight to others.
Definition
Thalamus
Term
Regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior.
In charge of the four Fs: Fighting, Fleeing, Feeding, Fucking
Definition
Hypothalamus
Term
Releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands
Definition
Pituitary gland
Term
Critical for the creation and storage of new memories
Definition
Hippocampus
Term
Plays a central role in many emotional processes
Definition
Amygdala
Term
Connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across hemispheres.
Definition
Corpus Callosum
Term
Processes visual information
Definition
Occipital lobe
Term
Processes information about touch
Definition
Parietal lobe
Term
Processes hearing and language
Definition
Temporal lobe
Term
Controls movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment
Definition
Frontal lobe-
Term
Initiates voluntary movements
Definition
Motor cortex
Term
Which hemisphere is in charge of producing and understanding language
Definition
The left hemisphere
Term
Phineas Gage
Definition
Railroad worker who suffered a traumatic accident which allowed researchers to investigate the functions of the frontal lobe and its connections with our emotions.
Term
Split brain patients have their ____ severed in order to help their epilepsy. This operation also severs communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Definition
Corpus callosum
Term
The ability to store and retrieve information over time
Definition
Memory
Term
The process by which we transform what we perceive, think, or feel into an enduring memory.
Definition
Encoding
Term
The process of maintaining information over time.
Definition
Storage
Term
The process of bringing to mind information that has been previously encoded and stored.
Definition
Retrieval
Term
The process of actively relating new information to knowledge that is already in memory.
Definition
Elaborate encoding
Term
Think about the meaning of the word
Ex: Hat is a type of clothing
Definition
Semantic judgments
Term
Think about the sound of the word
Ex: Hat rhymes with cat
Definition
Rhyme judgments
Term
Think about the appearance of the word
Ex: Hat is written with one uppercase letter and two lowercase letters
Definition
Visual judgments
Term
The process of storing new information by converting it into mental pictures.
Definition
Visual imagery encoding
Term
The act of categorizing information by noticing the relationships among a series of items.
Definition
Organizational encoding
Term
The process of maintaining information in memory over time.
Memory storage has three major divisions: sensory, short-term, and long term.
Definition
Memory storage
Term
The place in which sensory information is kept for a few seconds or less.
Definition
Sensory memory store
Term
A fast-decaying store of visual information.
Definition
Iconic memory
Term
A fast-decaying store of auditory information
Definition
Echoic memory
Term
A place where nonsensory information is kept for more than a few seconds but less than a minute.
Definition
Short term memory store
Term
Short term memory can hold about ____ items at once.
Definition
Seven
Term
The process of keeping information in short- term memory by mentally repeating it.
Definition
Rehearsal
Term
Combining small pieces of information into larger clusters or chunks that are easily held in short term memory.
Definition
Chunking
Term
A place in which information can be kept for hours, days or weeks, or years.
Definition
Long-term memory storage
Term
The inability to transfer new information from the short-term store into the long term store.
Definition
Anterograde amnesia
Term
The inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date, usually the date of an injury or an operation.
Definition
Retrograde amnesia
Term
Enhanced neural processing that results from the strengthening of synaptic connections.
Definition
Long-term potentiation
Term
Plays an important role in long term memory storage.
Definition
Hippocampus
Term
The process of bringing to mind information that has been previously encoded and stored.
Definition
Retrieval
Term
The tendency for information to be better recalled when the person is in the same state during encoding and retrieval.
Definition
State dependent retrieval
Term
The gradual acquisition of skills as a result of practice or knowing how to do things.
Definition
Procedural memory
Term
An enhanced ability to think of a stimulus, such as a word or object, as a result of a recent exposure to the stimulus.
Definition
Priming
Term
A network of associated facts and concepts that make up our general knowledge of the world.
Definition
Semantic memory
Term
The collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place.
Definition
Episodic memory
Term
Forgetting what occurs with the passage of time.
Definition
Transience
Term
Hermann Ebbinghaus-
Definition
Measured his memory by charting his recall of nonsense syllables over time.
Results- Memory doesn’t fade at a constant rate over time.
Term
Later learning impairs memory for information acquired earlier.
Definition
Retroactive Interference
Term
Earlier learning impairs memory for information acquired later.
Definition
Proactive interference
Term
A lapse in attention that results in memory failure
Definition
Absentmindedness
Term
A failure to retrieve information that is available in memory even through you are trying to produce it.
Definition
Blocking
Term
Assigning a recollection or an idea to the wrong source.
Ex: Eyewitness misidentifications
Definition
Misattribution
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