Gretel’s AP Psychology Blog

WAYS WE STUDY THE BRAIN: THE "PHINEAS GAGE" STORY:  The story of the an American construction foreman who survived an accident where a large rod was completely driven through his head. Because of the accident, his personality was completely changed. WHAT DOES THIS TELL US?   This tells us that different parts of the brain control different aspects of what makes us, us. LESIONS:  Is the removal or the destruction of some parts of the brain ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM:  "EEG"  A machine that detects brain waves through their electrical output.  It is mostly used in sleep research COMPUTERIZED AXIAL TOMOGRAPHY:  "CAT" scan It is a 3D image of the brain  It could also tell us where tumors are in the brain but not whether they are dangerous or not. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING: "MRI"  It is the most detailed picture of the brain using a magnetic field to push electrons of the axis.  It take still pictures and t...

BIOLOGOICAL BASIS FOR PSYCHOLOGY NEURON STRUCTURE:  Cell Body/Nucleus/Soma- Gives the cell life (support structure)  Dendrites- RECEIVES the messages from the other cells  Axon- PASSES the messages from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands Myelin Sheath- Covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses HOW A NEURON FIRES: It is considered to be an electrochemical process  There is electrical impulses inside the neuron  There are chemical impulses outside the neuron(inside the synapse in the form of a neurotransmitter) The firing is called " Acti on Potential " THE "ALL OR NOTHING" RESPONSE:  The idea that a neuron either fires or it doesn't, there's no in between or half way. STEPS OF "ACTION POTENTIAL":   First the dendrites receive neurotransmitters from another neuron across the synapse. Then it reaches its threshold and fires based on the all or none response. It then opens up a po...