260 Chapter 2

affect

conscious, subjective aspect of an emotion that accompanies an action at a given time

agonists

chemical substances that effectively increase the activity of a neurotransmitter by imitating its effects

antagonists

in neuroscience, chemical substances that decrease or block the effects of a neurotransmitter

brain circuits

neural pathways or neurotransmitter currents in the brain

cognitive science

field of study that examines how humans and other animals acquire, process, store, and retrieve information

cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

group of treatment procedures aimed at identifying and modifying faulty thought processes, attitudes and attributions, and problem behaviours

diathesis-stress model

hypothesis that both an inherited tendency (a vulnerability) and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder

dopamine

neurotransmitter whose generalized function is to activate other neurotransmitters and to aid in exploratory and pleasure-seeking behaviours (thus balancing serotonin). a relative excess of dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia (though contradictory evidence suggests the connection is not simple) and its deficit is involved in Parkinson's disease

emotion

pattern of action elicited by an external event and a feeling state, accompanied by a characteristic physiological response

epigenetics

study of factors other than inherited DNA sequence, such as new learning or stress, that alter the phenotypic expression of genes

equifinality

developmental psychopathology principle that a behaviour or disorder may have several different causes

flight-or-fight response

biological reaction to alarming stressors that muster the body's resources (e.g., blood flow, respiration) to resist or flee the threat

gamma aminobutyric (GABA)

neurotransmitter that reduces activity across the synapse and thus inhibits a range of behaviours and emotions, especially generalized anxiety

gene-environment correlation model

hypothesis that people with a genetic predisposition for a disorder may also have a genetic tendency to create environmental risk factors that promote the disorder

genes

long deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules, the basic physical units of heredity, that appear as locations on chromosomes

glutamate

amino acid neurotransmitter that excites many different neurons, leading to action

hormone

chemical messenger produced by the endocrine glands

implicit cognition

cognitive processes of the unconscious that are difficult to measure because people cannot verbalize them, as they are not even aware of them

implicit memory

condition of memory in which a person cannot recall past events even though he or she acts in response to them

inverse agonists

chemical substances that produce effects opposite those of a particular neurotransmitter

learned helplessness

condition in which a person begins to believe that he or she has no control over his or her life

modelling

learning through observation and imitation of the behaviour of other individuals and the consequences of that behaviour; also known as observational learning

mood

enduring period of emotionality

multidimensional integrative approach

approach to the study of psychopathology that holds that psychological disorders are always the products of multiple interacting causal factors

neuroscience

study of the nervous system and its role in behaviour, thoughts, and emotions

neurotransmitters

chemicals that cross the synaptic cleft between nerve cells to transmit impulses from one neuron to the next. their relative excess or deficiency is involved in several psychological disorders

norepinephrine (noradrenaline)

neurotransmitter that is active in the central and peripheral nervous system controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, among other functions. because of its role in the body's alarm reaction, it may also contribute in general and indirectly to panic attacks and other disorders

observational learning

type of learning that does not require direct experience; rather an organism can learn by observing what happens to another organism and later imitating the other organism's behaviour

prepared learning

certain associations can be learned more readily than others because this ability has been adaptive for evolution

reuptake

action by which a neurotransmitter is quickly drawn back into the discharging neuron after being released into a synaptic cleft

serotonin

neurotransmitter involved in processing information and coordination of movement as well as inhibition and restraint; it also assists in the regulation of eating, sexual and aggressive behaviours, all of which may be involved in different psychological disorders. its interactions with dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia

synaptic cleft

space between nerve cells where chemical transmitters act to move impulses from one neuron to the next

vulnerability

susceptibility or tendency to develop a disorder