Unit 3 AP Psychology Myers UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
biological psychologists - CORRECT ANSWER the scientific study of the links between biological
and psychological processes.
neuron - CORRECT ANSWER a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
dendrites - CORRECT ANSWER the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive
messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.
axon - CORRECT ANSWER the neuron extension that passes and electrical messages through its
branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands.
myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of
many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one
node to the next.
action potential - CORRECT ANSWER a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down
an axon.
refractory period - CORRECT ANSWER a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
threshold - CORRECT ANSWER the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
all-or-nothing response - CORRECT ANSWER a neuron's reaction of either firing or not firing.
, synapse - CORRECT ANSWER the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the
dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or
synaptic cleft.
neurotransmitters - CORRECT ANSWER chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to
receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural
impulse.
reuptake - CORRECT ANSWER a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
endorphins - CORRECT ANSWER "morphine within"—natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters
linked to pain control and to pleasure.
Agonist - CORRECT ANSWER A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
Antagonists - CORRECT ANSWER Chemical substances that block or reduce a cell's response to
the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters.
nervous system - CORRECT ANSWER the body's speedy, electrochemical communication
network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Central nervous system (CNS) - CORRECT ANSWER the brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) - CORRECT ANSWER the sensory and motor neurons that
connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
nerves - CORRECT ANSWER bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central
nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
biological psychologists - CORRECT ANSWER the scientific study of the links between biological
and psychological processes.
neuron - CORRECT ANSWER a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
dendrites - CORRECT ANSWER the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive
messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.
axon - CORRECT ANSWER the neuron extension that passes and electrical messages through its
branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands.
myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of
many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one
node to the next.
action potential - CORRECT ANSWER a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down
an axon.
refractory period - CORRECT ANSWER a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.
threshold - CORRECT ANSWER the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
all-or-nothing response - CORRECT ANSWER a neuron's reaction of either firing or not firing.
, synapse - CORRECT ANSWER the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the
dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or
synaptic cleft.
neurotransmitters - CORRECT ANSWER chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to
receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural
impulse.
reuptake - CORRECT ANSWER a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
endorphins - CORRECT ANSWER "morphine within"—natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters
linked to pain control and to pleasure.
Agonist - CORRECT ANSWER A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
Antagonists - CORRECT ANSWER Chemical substances that block or reduce a cell's response to
the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters.
nervous system - CORRECT ANSWER the body's speedy, electrochemical communication
network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Central nervous system (CNS) - CORRECT ANSWER the brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) - CORRECT ANSWER the sensory and motor neurons that
connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
nerves - CORRECT ANSWER bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central
nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
