PSYC100 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Semantic Memory, Long-Term Memory, Classical Conditioning
31 May 2018
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01 The Big Blob in Your Head
pages 89-103
· Identify the basic structures of the brain (in a picture) and associate them with the
various functions they are associated with: the corpus callosum, the four lobes (and their
primary receiving areas) of the cerebral cortex, and the subcortical structures relevant to
understanding psychological functions.
Corpus Callosum: Connects brain hemispheres and allows information to flow between them
Lobes
Frontal Lobe: Thought, planning, movement (Pink)
Temporal Lobe: Hearing, memory (Green)
Parietal Lobe: Touch, spatial sensations (Purple)
Occipital Lobe: Vision (Orange)
Primary Receiving Areas-information is organized
Prefrontal cortex: Important for attention, working memory, decision making, social behavior,
and personality
Primary motor cortex: Motor information
Primary somatosensory cortex: Groups nearby sensations
Primary auditory cortex: Auditory information
Primary visual cortex: Visual information
Subcortical Structures
Hypothalamus: Regulation of bodily functions (body temp., blood pressure, etc.). Also
influences basic motivated behaviors.
Amygdala: Learning to associate things with emotional responses and in processing emotional
information. Responds strongly to stimuli that elicit fear.
Cerebellum: Back of brainstem; essential for coordinated movement and balance. Motor
learning and motor memory.
Thalamus: Receives almost all sensory information (except for smell).
Hippocampus: Formation of memories.
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Basal Ganglia: Planning and production of movement.
· How do the different brain imaging methods allow researchers to observe and record the
brain’s activity? What can we learn from observing brain activity?
The brain's electrical activity is associated with changes in the flow of blood carrying
oxygen/nutrients to the active brain regions
Imaging measures changes in rate or speed of flow of blood to different regions
Can monitor which brain areas are active when people perform particular tasks
EEG: Measures the brain's electrical activity
PET: Assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the
bloodstream
ERP: Conducting many trials with an individual and averaging the trials to observe patterns
associated with specific events
MRI: Uses magnetic field to produce high-quality images of brain
fMRI: Measures changes in the blood's oxygen levels
TMS: Use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt brain activity as a way to study brain regions
· What does the performance of “split brain patients” on naming tasks reveal about
coordination between the brain’s left and right hemispheres and lateralization of certain brain
functions?
· Images from left side go to right hemisphere
· Images from right side go to left hemisphere
· Corpus callosum allows the hemispheres to communicate so each side knows what the
other side is doing
· In split brain patients, communication cannot take place
02 Neurons and Networks
pages 76-88
· Identify structures of the neuron.
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Site where chemical communication occurs between neurons is called the synapse
Neuron is covered with a membrane. Ion channels located on membrane
- Allow ions to pass in and out of the cell when the neuron transmits signals down the
axon
· In what ways are neurons similar to / different from other cells in the body?
They carry an electric charge whereas other cells do not
· What is involved in an action potential? How do neurons “communicate” with one
another?
Is the electrical signal that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of
chemicals from the terminal buttons
The action potential refers to the transition inside the neuron from a negative charge to a
positive charge, followed by a quick return to a negative charge
A neuron receives chemical signals from nearby neurons through dendrites
Neurons communicate through the dendrites by excitatory and inhibitory signals.
-Excitatory: Depolarize the cell membrane, increase the likelihood of neuron to fire
-Inhibitory: Hyperpolarize the cell membrane, decrease the likelihood that the neuron will
fire
· What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical substances that transmit signals from one neuron to another
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
01 the big blob in your head pages 89-103. Corpus callosum: connects brain hemispheres and allows information to flow between them. Prefrontal cortex: important for attention, working memory, decision making, social behavior, and personality. Hypothalamus: regulation of bodily functions (body temp. , blood pressure, etc. ). Amygdala: learning to associate things with emotional responses and in processing emotional information. Cerebellum: back of brainstem; essential for coordinated movement and balance. Thalamus: receives almost all sensory information (except for smell). How do the different brain imaging methods allow researchers to observe and record the. The brain"s electrical activity is associated with changes in the flow of blood carrying oxygen/nutrients to the active brain regions. Imaging measures changes in rate or speed of flow of blood to different regions. Can monitor which brain areas are active when people perform particular tasks. Pet: assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream.
