Neuron

A nerve cell

Axon

A long thin part of the neuron attach to the soma; divides into few or many branches, ending in terminal buttons

 Action Potential

A brief electro chemical event that is carried by an axon from the soma of the neuron to its terminal buttons; causes the release of a neurotransmiter.

GABA

Gamma-ammino butyric acid, the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain

Receptor

A neuron that directly responds to physical stimulus, such as light, vibrations, or aromatic molecules; also called sensory receptor.

Dopamine

 A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in control of brain mechanisms of movement and reinforcement; a neuromodulator that is liberated widely in the frontal lobes and midbrain; plays important role in learning

central nervous system

The brain and the spinal cord

Parietal Lobe

The region of the cerebral cortex behind the frontal lobe and above the temporal lobe; contains the soma to sensory cortex; is involved in spatial perception and memory

Oceipital Lobe

the rear most portion of the cerebral cortex; contains the primary usual cortex

 Limbic System

A set of interconnceted structures of the brain important in emotional and species typical behavior; includes the  amygdala, hippocampus, and limbic cortex 

 Cerebellum

A pair of hemispheres resembling the cerebral hemispheres but much smaller and lying beneath and in back of them; controls posture and movements, especially rapid ones.

Parasympathetic Branch

The portion of th autonomic neruous system that activates functions that occur during

a relaxed state

Soma

A cell body; the largest part of a neuron

Dendrite

A treelike part of a neuron on which other neurons form synapes

Synapse

The junction between the terminal button of one neuron and the membrane of a muscle fiber, a gland or another neuron.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical released by the reminal buttons that casues the postsynaptic neuron to

 be excited or inhibited

Reuptake

The process by which a terminal button retrieves the molecules of a neurotransmitter, that it has just released, terminates the effect of neurotransmitter on the receptors of the post synaptic neuron

acetylcholine

A neruotransmitter found in the brain, spinal, cord, and parts of the peripheral neruous system; responsible for muscular contraction

serotonin

 A mcnamine neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood; in the control of

eating, sleep and arousal and in the

regulation of pain.

peripheral nervous system

the cranial and spinal nerves; that are part of the nervous systems peripheral to the brain and spinal cord.

Frontal Lobe

the front portion of the cerebral cortex, including Broca's speech area and the motor cortex; clamage impairs movement, planning and flexibility in behavioral is extinguished.

Temporal Lobe

The portion of the cerebral cortex below the frontal and parietal lobes, contains the

 auditory cortex.

 Brain Stem

the  "stem" of the brain, including the medalla, pons and midbrain.

Antagoniot

Drug that prevents neurotransmitter from being released (Inactivation)

Agonist

releases more neurotransmittes (Activation)

 Opioid

Body's natural pian killers, intense pleasure

Cannabinoid

[Learning and Appetite]

Lateralization of function 

sepreation between right and left brain and functions they provide.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Abdomen constriction, muscle dialation, skin constriction.

Psychology

The scientific study of the causes of behavior; also, the applicaton of the findings of psychological reseach to the solution of problems.

Comparitive Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies the behavior of a variety of organisms in an attempt to understand the adaptive and functional significance of behavior's and their relaiton to evolution

Cognitive Psyschology

The branch of psychology that studies complex behavior and mental process as perception, attention, learning and memory. Verbal behavior, concept formation, and problem solving.

Developmental Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies the changes in behavioral, perceptual, and cognitive capacities of organisms as a function of age and experience.

Cross-Culture Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies the effects of culture on behavior

Systematic Empiricism

oraganized view that all knowledge is obtained from the senses.

scientific theory

a set of statements designed to explain a set of phenomena; more encompassing than a hypothesis

Physiological Psycholgoy

The branch of psychology that studies the physiological basis of behavior

Behavior Analysis/Behaviorism

the branch of psychology that studies the effect of the enviornment on behavior-primarily,

 the effects of the

consequences of behavior on thd behavior on themselves

Cognitive Neuroscience

The branch of psychology that attempts to understand cognitive psychological functions by study the brain mechanisms that are responsible for them.

Social Psychology

The branch of psycholgoy devoted to the study of the effects people have on one another's behaviors.

 Clinical Psychology

The branch of psychology devoted to the investigation and treatment of abnormal behavior and mental disorders.

 scientific method

a set of rules that governs the collection and analysis of data gained through observational studies or experiments.

spurious correlation

studies relationship between two variables "third variable."

independent variable

the variable that is munipulated in a experiment

confounding variable

inadvertent simultaneous manipulation of more than one variable (permit no valid conclusion)

Reliability

the repeat ability of a measurement; the likely hood that if that a measurement were made again it would yield the same value

Counterbalancing

systematically varying of conditions in an experiment, such as the order of presentation of stimuls.

Descripitve Statistics

?

Statistical Significance

The likilihood that an observed relation or difference between two variables really exists rather than being due to change factore.

 Correlational research

 The examination of relations between two or more measurements of behavior etc.

Directionality Problem

A caused by B? actually B is caused by A

 Dependent Variable

the variable measured in an experiment. hypothesized to be affected.

Operational Definition

definition of a variable in terms of the operations the researcher performs to meausre or manipulate it.

Validity

The degree to which the operational definition of a variable accurately reflects the variable it is designed to measure or manipulate.

Generalization

To extend the results obtained from a sample to the population from which the sample was taken.

 Inferential statistics

Mathematical and logical procedures for determining whether relations or differences between samples are statistically significant.