The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Definition of psychology
Description, explanation, prediction, control
Name the four goals of psychology
Wilhelm Wundt, objective introspection
First psychological lab and focus
Scientific Method
System of gathering data so that bias and error in measurements are reduced
Nervous System
A network of cells that carry information to and from all parts of the body
Central Nervous System
Consists of brain and spinal cord
Spinal Cord
Pathway that connects the brain and peripheral nervous system. Responsible for fast, life-saving
reflexes
Peripheral Nervous System
Transmits information to and from the central nervous system
Somatic System
Consists of sensory and motor pathways
Sensory pathway
Sends signals; Nerves carry messages from the senses to the central nervous system
Motor pathway
Makes muscles move; Nerves carry messages from the central nervous system to the voluntary
and skeletal muscles of the body
Autonomic System
Controls involuntary muscles, organs, and glands
Sympathetic
"Fight or flight"
Parasympathetic
"eat-drink-and-rest" - returns the body to homeostasis after stimulation
Neuron
Specialized cell in the nervous system that receives and sends signals within that system
Dendrites
Receive messages from other cells
Soma
Cell body; the head of a neuron
Axon
Part of cell that carries messages to other cells
Myelin sheath
layer of fatty substances that wrap around the shaft of the axon, forming an insulating and
protective sheath
Axon terminals
Knobs on end of axon that communicate message to other cells
Nerves
Bundles of axons that transmit messages throughout the body
Medulla
, Controls life-sustaining functions like heartbeat, breathing, and swallowing. Here, sensory nerves
from left and right sides of the body cross over.
Pons
Bridge between the lower parts of the brain and the upper sections.
Coordinates the movements of the left and right sides of the body. Influences sleep, dreaming,
and arousal.
Cerebellum
Controls balance, coordinates movement and motor functions
Reticular Formation
Allows people to ignore constant, unchanging information, and alerts them when changes in
information occur. Keeps people awake and alert
Hippocampus
Responsible for the formation of long term memories that are then stored elsewhere in the brain
Amygdala
Responsible for fear responses and the memory of fear - emotional memories. Recognition,
decodes facial expressions and emotions, and recognizes threats. Information from senses goes
here before upper brain in case of danger.
Hypothalamus
Regulates body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleeping and waking, sexual activity, and emotions
Thalamus
Acts as relay station for sensory information; might process some things before sending it on. If
damaged, results in partial or total loss of all senses except smell
Olfactory Bulbs
Receive information from receptors in nose. Forms emotional responses associated with smells
Cingulate cortex
Deals with cognitive and emotional processing
Cortex
Outermost covering of brain consisting of densely packed neurons; higher thought processes and
interpretation of sensory input occurs here
Corticalization
Wrinkling of the cortex to allow more to fit inside skull; associated with increased complexity
Occipital lobe
Lobe in charge of processing and interpreting visual information
Primary visual cortex
Processes visual information from eyes
Visual association cortex
Identifies and makes sense of visual information
Parietal Lobe
Contains somatosensory cortex, which processes information from the skin and internal body
receptors for touch, temperature, and body position
Temporal Lobe
Contains primary audio cortex and auditory association cortex
Frontal lobe
Controls higher mental functions; also has motor cortex
Motor cortex
Section in back of frontal lobe that controls voluntary motor processes
Definition of psychology
Description, explanation, prediction, control
Name the four goals of psychology
Wilhelm Wundt, objective introspection
First psychological lab and focus
Scientific Method
System of gathering data so that bias and error in measurements are reduced
Nervous System
A network of cells that carry information to and from all parts of the body
Central Nervous System
Consists of brain and spinal cord
Spinal Cord
Pathway that connects the brain and peripheral nervous system. Responsible for fast, life-saving
reflexes
Peripheral Nervous System
Transmits information to and from the central nervous system
Somatic System
Consists of sensory and motor pathways
Sensory pathway
Sends signals; Nerves carry messages from the senses to the central nervous system
Motor pathway
Makes muscles move; Nerves carry messages from the central nervous system to the voluntary
and skeletal muscles of the body
Autonomic System
Controls involuntary muscles, organs, and glands
Sympathetic
"Fight or flight"
Parasympathetic
"eat-drink-and-rest" - returns the body to homeostasis after stimulation
Neuron
Specialized cell in the nervous system that receives and sends signals within that system
Dendrites
Receive messages from other cells
Soma
Cell body; the head of a neuron
Axon
Part of cell that carries messages to other cells
Myelin sheath
layer of fatty substances that wrap around the shaft of the axon, forming an insulating and
protective sheath
Axon terminals
Knobs on end of axon that communicate message to other cells
Nerves
Bundles of axons that transmit messages throughout the body
Medulla
, Controls life-sustaining functions like heartbeat, breathing, and swallowing. Here, sensory nerves
from left and right sides of the body cross over.
Pons
Bridge between the lower parts of the brain and the upper sections.
Coordinates the movements of the left and right sides of the body. Influences sleep, dreaming,
and arousal.
Cerebellum
Controls balance, coordinates movement and motor functions
Reticular Formation
Allows people to ignore constant, unchanging information, and alerts them when changes in
information occur. Keeps people awake and alert
Hippocampus
Responsible for the formation of long term memories that are then stored elsewhere in the brain
Amygdala
Responsible for fear responses and the memory of fear - emotional memories. Recognition,
decodes facial expressions and emotions, and recognizes threats. Information from senses goes
here before upper brain in case of danger.
Hypothalamus
Regulates body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleeping and waking, sexual activity, and emotions
Thalamus
Acts as relay station for sensory information; might process some things before sending it on. If
damaged, results in partial or total loss of all senses except smell
Olfactory Bulbs
Receive information from receptors in nose. Forms emotional responses associated with smells
Cingulate cortex
Deals with cognitive and emotional processing
Cortex
Outermost covering of brain consisting of densely packed neurons; higher thought processes and
interpretation of sensory input occurs here
Corticalization
Wrinkling of the cortex to allow more to fit inside skull; associated with increased complexity
Occipital lobe
Lobe in charge of processing and interpreting visual information
Primary visual cortex
Processes visual information from eyes
Visual association cortex
Identifies and makes sense of visual information
Parietal Lobe
Contains somatosensory cortex, which processes information from the skin and internal body
receptors for touch, temperature, and body position
Temporal Lobe
Contains primary audio cortex and auditory association cortex
Frontal lobe
Controls higher mental functions; also has motor cortex
Motor cortex
Section in back of frontal lobe that controls voluntary motor processes
