AP Psychology Module 9
biological psychologist - ANS-Psychologists who analyze the biological factors
influencing behavior and mental processes.
neurons - ANS-Cells that are highly specialized to receive and transmit information from
one part of the body to another.
dendrite - ANS-A neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and
conduct impulses toward the cell body.
axon - ANS-A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to
other neurons, or to muscles or glands.
myelin sheath - ANS-Allows message to go quickly and accurately down the axon.
action potential - ANS-A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an
axon.
refractory period - ANS-The "recharging phase" when a neuron, after firing, cannot
generate another action potential.
threshold - ANS-Level of stimulation needed to trigger a neural impulse
all-or-none response - ANS-a nerve or muscle fibre responds completely or not at all to
a stimulus
synapse - ANS-A physical gap between two neurons that functions as the site of
information transfer from one neuron to another.
neurotransmitters - ANS-Chemical messengers manufactured by a neuron.
reuptake - ANS-A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
endorphins - ANS-"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain
control and to pleasure.
agonist - ANS-A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
biological psychologist - ANS-Psychologists who analyze the biological factors
influencing behavior and mental processes.
neurons - ANS-Cells that are highly specialized to receive and transmit information from
one part of the body to another.
dendrite - ANS-A neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and
conduct impulses toward the cell body.
axon - ANS-A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to
other neurons, or to muscles or glands.
myelin sheath - ANS-Allows message to go quickly and accurately down the axon.
action potential - ANS-A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an
axon.
refractory period - ANS-The "recharging phase" when a neuron, after firing, cannot
generate another action potential.
threshold - ANS-Level of stimulation needed to trigger a neural impulse
all-or-none response - ANS-a nerve or muscle fibre responds completely or not at all to
a stimulus
synapse - ANS-A physical gap between two neurons that functions as the site of
information transfer from one neuron to another.
neurotransmitters - ANS-Chemical messengers manufactured by a neuron.
reuptake - ANS-A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
endorphins - ANS-"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain
control and to pleasure.
agonist - ANS-A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
