| A | B |
|---|
| neurons | basic cell that makes up the nervous system, which receives and sends messages within that system |
| dendrites | branch like structures that receive messages from other neurons |
| soma | cell body of the neuron |
| glial cells | gray fatty cells that provide support for the neurons to grow on and around, deliver nutrients to neurons, produce myelin to coat axons |
| action potential | the release of the neural impulse consisting of a reversal of the electrical charge within the axon |
| resting potential | state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse |
| peripheral nervous system PNS | all nerves and neurons that are not contained in the brain and spinal cord but through the body |
| somatic nervous system | PNS consisting of nerves that carry informaiton from the senses to the CNS and from the CNS to the voluntary muscles of the body |
| autonomic nervous system | PNS/consisting of nerves that control all of the involuntary muscles, organs, and glands |
| sympathetic division | part of the ANS responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal. Flight or Fight system |
| parasympathetic division | ANS/ restores body to normal functioning after arousal and is responsible for the day to day functioning of the organs and glands. rest and digest system |
| EEG | designed to record the brain wave patterns produced by electrical activity of the surface of the brain |
| PET scan | Brain imaging method in which radioactice sugar is injected into the subject and a computer compiles color coded image of brain activity |
| CT scan | brain imaging method using conputer controlled x-rays of the brain |
| thalamus | part of the limbic system, relays sensory information from the lower part of the brain to the proper areas of the cortex |
| hypothalamus | small structure in the brain located below the thalamus, responsible for motivational behavior such as sleep, hunger, thrist, and sex |
| amygdala | brain structure located near hippocampus, responsible for fear response and memory of fear |
| occipital lobes | contains visual centers of the brain |
| parietal lobes | centers fro touch, taste, and temperature sensations |
| Broca's area | associated with language production and processing |
| Wernicke's area | speech and comprehension of the spoken language |
| structuralism | early perspective in psychology assoicated with Wundt and Titchner, study of the structure or basic elements of the mind |
| functionalism | William James, focus of study in how the mind allows people to adapt, live, work and play |
| Gestalt psychology | focusing on perception and sensation, particularly patterns and whole pictures |
| psychodynamic perspective | focused on the development of sense of self and the discovery of other motivations behind a person's behavior |
| Behaviorism | focuses on observable behavior only |
| humanistic perspective | human potential and the idea that people have the freedom to choose their own destiny |
| Weber's Law | states that the size of the just noticeable difference is a constant proportion |
| papillae | small projections on the tongue |
| perception | method by which the sensations experienced at any given moment are interpreted and organized in some meaningful fashion |
| top-down processing | use of pre-existing knowledge to organize individual features into a unified whole |
| bottom-up processing | analysis of the smaller features to build up to a complete perspective |
| consciousness | a person's awareness of everything that is going on around him or her at any given time |
| circadian rhythm | a cycle of bodily rhythm that occurs over a 24 hour cycle |
| melatonin | hormone released from the pineal gland that is associated with the sleep-wake cycle |
| microsleeps | brief episodes of sleep lasting only a few minutes |
| adaptive theory of sleep | evolved sleep patterns to avoid predators |
| restorative theory | sleep is necessary to the physical health of the body |
| Rapid eye movement rem | stage of sleep eyes move rapidly under the eyelid and the person is typically dreaming |
| beta waves | brain waves indicating being awake and alert |
| alpha waves | brain waves indicating stage of relaxation |
| manifest content | term coined by Freud to identify the actual or "apparent" content of the dream |
| latent content | termed by Freud to identify the real or "hidden" meaning of a dream |
| longitudinal design | research design in which one participant or group of participants is studied over a long period of time |
| cross-sectional | research design in which several different age groups of participants are studied at one particulare point in time |
| sensorimotor | Piaget first stage: infant uses its senses and motor abilities to interact with the objects in the environment |
| peroperational stage | Piaget second stage: preschool child learns to use language as a means to explore the world |
| concrete operational stage | Piaget Third Stage: school-aged children become capbable of logical thought |
| Formal operational stage | Piaget Fourth stage: adolescent become capable of abstract thinking |
| scaffolding | more skilled learner gives help to a less skilled learner |
| Zone of Proximal Development | differences between what a child can do alone and what that child can do with the help of a more skilled teacher |
