Psych 1 Study Guide: The Nervous System and Brain
Define the following terms and be prepared to identify them on a diagram
Language
1. Broca’s Area2. Wernicke’s Area3. Angular Gyrus-
Neurons
4. Dendrites5. Axon6. Myelin Sheath7. Action Potential/Neural Impulse8. Synaptic Gap-
Brain Stem/”Old Brain”
9. Medulla10. Pons11. Thalamus-
Limbic System
12. Amygdala13. Hypothalamus14. Hippocampus-
The New Brain
15. Cerebral Cortex16. Frontal Lobe-
17. Parietal Lobe18. Occipital Lobe19. Temporal Lobe20. Motor Cortex21. Sensory Cortex22. Corpus Callosum-
Nervous System
23. Peripheral Nervous System24. Central Nervous System25. Somatic Nervous System26. Autonomic Nervous System27. Reflexes-
Answer the following questions:
1. Our brain is roughly what percentage of our overall bodyweight? How much of our daily energy
does it consume? What does this tell us about the importance of our brain?
2. Describe the process/sequence of events that occur when the body is exposed to a stimulus.
(Touching a hot object, what is the neurological process that leads to you removing your hand?)
3. Name the two subsystems of the Autonomic Nervous System and explain their role in your
body’s reaction to encountering a bear on a hike.
4. When sensory information is being sent up the spinal cord (towards the brain) it is traveling
up_________? When motor control information is traveling down the spinal cord (away from
the brain) it is traveling down________?
5. Identify whether or not the following actions are a reflex or a voluntary reaction to a stimulus:
blinking, cheering for a touchdown, turning off an alarm clock, checking your phone every 1.678
minutes.
6. Discuss Synaptic Pruning. Why is this step important in brain development?
7. Why is the Brain Stem called the “Old Brain”?
8. Advanced species have more relaxed genetic controls, why is this important for understanding
human psychology?
9. For what research purpose would a psychologist use the following brain mapping techniques?
EEG, PET, MRI, fMRI
10. Describe the process of our brain converting a visual stimulus (like reading) in to an auditory
response (speaking)
11. Why was it difficult to rotate your RIGHT hand clockwise & your RIGHT foot counter clockwise?