Biological Psycology Definitions Essay

Consciousness:
Consciousness- Perception of the surrounding world
Ganzfield Procedure- A method used to test for extra- sensory perception
Fantasy- Prone Personality- A personality trait that describes people who have trouble telling the difference between fantasy and reality
Biological Rhythm- They cycle of psychological changes over time
Circadian Rhythm- Daily patterns of change
REM Sleep- Deep sleep that includes paralyzation, darting eye movement and dreams
Paradoxical Sleep- Sleep that has similar brain waves to those when awake, yet appears to be a deep sleep
Alpha Waves- Brain waves that occur when relaxed, but not in a deep sleep
Sleep- A combination of consciousness levels that allow for brain repairs and information processing
Hallucinations- Experiencing sensations that don’t really exist
Delta Waves- Brain waves that occur in deep sleep
Insomnia- The inability to fall or stay asleep
Narcolepsy- Sudden and uncontrollable lapses into sleep usually caused by sleep deprivation
Sleep Apnea- Temporarily stoppages in breath occurring multiple times a night that constantly awake the person experiencing it
Night Terrors- Intense fear that occurs during stage 4 sleep, usually causes blood- curling screams
Nightmares- Scary dreams that are designed to warn of potential dangers
REM Behavior Disorder- A sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams
Dream- Visual sensations that occur during sleep
Manifest Content- The content of a dream
Latent Content- The meaning of dreams
REM Rebound- A sleep state in which the body collects extra REM sleep to make up for the lost REM as a result of sleep deprivation
Hypnosis- An altered state of consciousness that causes people to be very open to suggestions
Posthypnotic Amnesia- Selective loss of memory after hypnosis
Posthypnotic Suggestion- Implementing an idea in someone’s mind during hypnosis that they will carry through afterwards
Dissociation- Being mentally detached from the immediate surroundings
Hidden Observer- The subconscious part of the brain that reacts to the surroundings
Psychoactive Drug- A chemical that causes a change in perception or consciousness
Tolerance- The body’s adaptation to a certain drug
Withdrawal- The body’s reaction to not having a certain drug for a period of time
Physical Dependance- Having a need for a drug so much, that it is needed to function
Psychological Dependence- An addiction
Depressants- Reduce brain activity and induce sleep
Stimulants- Increase brain activity and increase energy
Hallucinogens- Induce hallucinations
Barbiturates- Drugs that relax the body and produce a wide array of effects
Opiates- Drugs that activate the opiate receptors and are usually highly addictive
Amphetamines- Drugs that increase energy and focus
LSD- A famous hallucinogen
THC- The chemical in marijuana that causes it’s effects
Near- death Experience- A wide range of effects that come from an experience that almost resulted in death
Dualism- The idea that the mind and the body are separate parts
Biology of the Brain and Such:
1. Biological Psychology: Biological psychology attempts to describe individual humanbehavior and cognition through an evolutionary or adaptiveperspective. The backbone of this theoretical perspective lieswithin Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. In it he assertsthat organisms must adapt to their surrounding environment orperish in favor of more suitable organisms. This is often known asthe survival of the fittest.
2. Neuron: a specialized, impulse-conducting cell that is thefunctional unit of the nervous system, consisting of the cell bodyand its processes, the axon and dendrites.
3. Dendrite: the branching process of a neuron that conductsimpulses toward the cell.
4. Axon: the appendage of the neuron that transmits impulsesaway from the cell body.
5. Myelin Sheath: a wrapping of myelin around certain nerve axons, serving as anelectrical insulator that speeds nerve

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