psyc 221 chapter 4

neuron

a nerve cell

axon

The main protruding branch of a neuron that receives messages to other cells in the form of electrical impulses

dendrite

The protruding part of the neuron that recives messages from the axons of other cells

synapse

the tiny gap between axons and dendrites

neurotransmitter

A chemical secreted by a cell sending a message that carries the impulse acrossed the synaptic gap to the receiving cell

synaptogenesis

the process of synapse formation

myelin

The sheath of fatty cells that insultes axons and speeds trasmission of nerve impluses from one neuron to the next

experience-expecent

development of neural control connections under gentic controls that occurs in any normal enviroment

synaptic pruning

The process of selective dying off of non fuctional synapses

experience-dependent

development of neural connections that is initiated in response to experience

spinal cord

the part of the central nervous system that extends from below the waist to the base of the brain.

brain stem

the base of the brain which somtrols the elementary actions as blinking and sucking as well as vital functions as breathing and sleeping

cerebral cortex

The brains outermost layer. The networks of neurons in the cerebal cortex integrate information from several sensory sources with memories of past experiences processing them in a way that results in humanforms of thought and action.

primary motor area

The are of the brain responsible for non reflexive or voluntary movement

primary sesnsory areas

The areas of hte seberal vortex responsiblity for the initial analysis of sensory information.

habituation

The process in which attention to novelty decreases with repeted exposure

dishabitution

the term used to describe the situationin which an infant's intrest is renewed after a change in stimulus.

phonemes

The smallest sound categories in human spech that distinussh meanings phonemes vary from language to language.

emotion

a feeling state produced by the distinctive physiological response and cognative evalutions that motivate action.

temperment

mode of response to the envirment that appears to be consistant acrosses situation and stable over time.

learning

relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience of events in the enviroment

classical conditioning

learning in which previously existing behaviors come to be elicited by new stimlui

(CS) Conditional stimulus

In classical conditioning a stimulus that elicits a behavior that is dependent on the way it is paired with the inconditional stimulus

(UCS) Unconditional stimulus

In classical conditioning that stimulus such as food in the mouth that invariably causes the unconditional response