ALL AP PSYCH TERMS QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS PROVIDED
Absolute Threshold ----The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50
percent of the time.
Action Potential ----A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.
Cognitive Dissonance ----The discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or
behaviors.
Conformity ----Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
Fundamental Attribution Error ----The tendency to underestimate the impact of the situation and
overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing others' behavior.
Hippocampus ----A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit
memories for storage.
Independent Variable ----The factor that is manipulated in an experiment.
Operant Conditioning ----A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a
reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.
Placebo Effect ----Experimental results caused by expectations alone.
Sensory Adaptation ----Reduced sensitivity in response to constant stimulation.
Cultural Norms ----Shared rules and expectations within a group that prescribe acceptable
behavior.
Confirmation Bias ----The tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions
and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.
Hindsight Bias ----The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have
foreseen it.
Overconfidence ----The tendency to be more confident than correct—to overestimate the
accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.
Evolutionary Perspective ----The study of how behavior and the mind have evolved in response
to natural selection.
,Natural Selection ----The principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those
contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding
generations.
Eugenics ----A set of beliefs and practices that aims to improve the genetic quality of a human
population.
Twin Studies ----Behavioral studies that compare identical twins raised together or apart with
fraternal twins to estimate the heritability of traits.
Central Nervous System ----The brain and spinal cord, which act as the body's decision-making
center.
Peripheral Nervous System ----The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous
system to the rest of the body.
Autonomic Nervous System ----The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
glands and the muscles of the internal organs.
Somatic Nervous System ----The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
body's skeletal muscles.
Sympathetic Nervous System ----The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the
body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
Parasympathetic Nervous System ----The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms
the body, conserving its energy.
Neuron ----A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Glial Cells ----Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
Reflex Arc ----A neural pathway that bypasses the brain, resulting in a rapid, involuntary
response to a sensory stimulus.
Sensory Neurons ----Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the
brain and spinal cord.
Motor Neurons ----Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the
muscles and glands.
Interneurons ----Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and
intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
All-or-Nothing Principle ----The principle that a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-
strength response) or not firing.
,Depolarization ----The process during which the inside of a neuron becomes more positive due to
the inflow of positively charged ions.
Refractory Period ----A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
Resting Potential ----The electrical potential difference across the membrane of a neuron when it
is not actively firing.
Reuptake ----A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Threshold ----The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
Multiple Sclerosis ----A chronic, progressive disease involving damage to the myelin sheaths of
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Myasthenia Gravis ----A chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the
skeletal muscles.
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ----A chemical messenger that increases the likelihood that the
receiving neuron will fire.
Inhibitory Neurotransmitter ----A chemical messenger that decreases the likelihood that the
receiving neuron will fire.
Dopamine ----A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, movement, learning, and attention.
Serotonin ----A neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.
Norepinephrine ----A neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal.
Glutamate ----A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) ----A major inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Substance P ----A neurotransmitter involved in pain perception.
Endorphins ----Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure.
Acetylcholine ----A neurotransmitter that plays a role in muscle action, learning, and memory.
Hormones ----Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel
through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.
Adrenaline (Epinephrine) ----A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that increases heart
rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar, providing a surge of energy.
, Leptin ----A hormone produced by fat cells that signals satiety to the brain, regulating appetite.
Ghrelin ----A hormone produced by the stomach that stimulates appetite.
Melatonin ----A hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Oxytocin ----A hormone and neurotransmitter involved in social bonding, trust, and
reproduction.
Agonist Drugs ----Drugs that mimic the effects of a neurotransmitter or increase its action.
Antagonist Drugs ----Drugs that block the effects of a neurotransmitter.
Stimulants ----Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
Caffeine ----A mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, and other substances.
Cocaine ----A powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant.
Depressants ----Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.
Alcohol ----A depressant drug that slows brain activity.
Hallucinogens ----Psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory
images in the absence of sensory input.
Marijuana ----A drug, often classified as a mild hallucinogen, that produces varied effects
including relaxation and altered perceptions.
Opioids ----Depressant drugs derived from opium that reduce pain and induce euphoria.
Heroin ----A highly addictive opioid drug processed from morphine.
Addiction ----Compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors despite known harmful
consequences.
Withdrawal ----The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or
behavior.
Tolerance ----The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the
user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect.
Brain Stem ----The oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival
functions.
WITH ANSWERS PROVIDED
Absolute Threshold ----The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50
percent of the time.
Action Potential ----A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.
Cognitive Dissonance ----The discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or
behaviors.
Conformity ----Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
Fundamental Attribution Error ----The tendency to underestimate the impact of the situation and
overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing others' behavior.
Hippocampus ----A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit
memories for storage.
Independent Variable ----The factor that is manipulated in an experiment.
Operant Conditioning ----A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a
reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.
Placebo Effect ----Experimental results caused by expectations alone.
Sensory Adaptation ----Reduced sensitivity in response to constant stimulation.
Cultural Norms ----Shared rules and expectations within a group that prescribe acceptable
behavior.
Confirmation Bias ----The tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions
and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.
Hindsight Bias ----The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have
foreseen it.
Overconfidence ----The tendency to be more confident than correct—to overestimate the
accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.
Evolutionary Perspective ----The study of how behavior and the mind have evolved in response
to natural selection.
,Natural Selection ----The principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those
contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding
generations.
Eugenics ----A set of beliefs and practices that aims to improve the genetic quality of a human
population.
Twin Studies ----Behavioral studies that compare identical twins raised together or apart with
fraternal twins to estimate the heritability of traits.
Central Nervous System ----The brain and spinal cord, which act as the body's decision-making
center.
Peripheral Nervous System ----The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous
system to the rest of the body.
Autonomic Nervous System ----The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
glands and the muscles of the internal organs.
Somatic Nervous System ----The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
body's skeletal muscles.
Sympathetic Nervous System ----The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the
body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
Parasympathetic Nervous System ----The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms
the body, conserving its energy.
Neuron ----A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Glial Cells ----Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
Reflex Arc ----A neural pathway that bypasses the brain, resulting in a rapid, involuntary
response to a sensory stimulus.
Sensory Neurons ----Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the
brain and spinal cord.
Motor Neurons ----Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the
muscles and glands.
Interneurons ----Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and
intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
All-or-Nothing Principle ----The principle that a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-
strength response) or not firing.
,Depolarization ----The process during which the inside of a neuron becomes more positive due to
the inflow of positively charged ions.
Refractory Period ----A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
Resting Potential ----The electrical potential difference across the membrane of a neuron when it
is not actively firing.
Reuptake ----A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Threshold ----The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
Multiple Sclerosis ----A chronic, progressive disease involving damage to the myelin sheaths of
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Myasthenia Gravis ----A chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the
skeletal muscles.
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ----A chemical messenger that increases the likelihood that the
receiving neuron will fire.
Inhibitory Neurotransmitter ----A chemical messenger that decreases the likelihood that the
receiving neuron will fire.
Dopamine ----A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, movement, learning, and attention.
Serotonin ----A neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.
Norepinephrine ----A neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal.
Glutamate ----A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) ----A major inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Substance P ----A neurotransmitter involved in pain perception.
Endorphins ----Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure.
Acetylcholine ----A neurotransmitter that plays a role in muscle action, learning, and memory.
Hormones ----Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel
through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.
Adrenaline (Epinephrine) ----A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that increases heart
rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar, providing a surge of energy.
, Leptin ----A hormone produced by fat cells that signals satiety to the brain, regulating appetite.
Ghrelin ----A hormone produced by the stomach that stimulates appetite.
Melatonin ----A hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Oxytocin ----A hormone and neurotransmitter involved in social bonding, trust, and
reproduction.
Agonist Drugs ----Drugs that mimic the effects of a neurotransmitter or increase its action.
Antagonist Drugs ----Drugs that block the effects of a neurotransmitter.
Stimulants ----Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
Caffeine ----A mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, and other substances.
Cocaine ----A powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant.
Depressants ----Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.
Alcohol ----A depressant drug that slows brain activity.
Hallucinogens ----Psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory
images in the absence of sensory input.
Marijuana ----A drug, often classified as a mild hallucinogen, that produces varied effects
including relaxation and altered perceptions.
Opioids ----Depressant drugs derived from opium that reduce pain and induce euphoria.
Heroin ----A highly addictive opioid drug processed from morphine.
Addiction ----Compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors despite known harmful
consequences.
Withdrawal ----The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or
behavior.
Tolerance ----The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the
user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect.
Brain Stem ----The oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival
functions.
