Glossary

Adrenal Glands - These glands, located above the kidney, are an instrumental part of the endocrine system, and release the hormone epinephrine at the prompting of the sympathetic nervous system

Anger - The subject of this report. Because of the vagueness of the term, I suggest that you read the report instead of trying to cheat by skipping to the glossary.

Anxiety - General apprehension associated with no definitive source. Vague uneasiness and distress may indicate anxiety.

Autonomic Nervous System - The part of the the peripheral nervous system concerned with the body's functioning.

Elation - A counterpart to anger which is also characterized by peaks in epinephrine levels.

Endocrine System - A system of hormone-releasing glands which is closely tied to the

Epinephrine (adrenaline) - The release of adrenaline by the adrenal glands plays a large role in the intensity of many emotions, especially fear and anger. Epinephrine one of the hormones, a large class of macro-molecules which are circulated throughout the body to produce responses far from their location of origin.

Fear - Apprehension which can be traced to a specific source. Fear is closely related to anxiety, and may play a role in the development of stress.

Fight or Flight - The situation that arises when an emergency is encountered. The sympathetic portion of the autonomic nervous system is activated, and physical changes take place. These include increased heart rate, higher rate of breathing, and increased blood flow to the skeletal muscles. This phenomenon is a key aspect of rage.

Hostile Aggression: associated with anger and strong emotions. More impulsive than proactive aggression

Neurotransmitter - A chemical that transfers a signal across the synapse between two neurons.

Parasympathetic Nervous System - Portion of the human body's nervous system which responds in times of danger or excitement by increasing the heart rate and lung capacity while inhibiting basic bodily functions such as digestion and salivation.

Proactive Aggression: normally directed towards obtaining a goal. Low emotions.

Skin Conductance: changes in the electrical activity of the skin are measured. Since this characteristic is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, it is a good indication of emotions.

Stress - Stress can refer to either environmental factors that impact on an individual's psychological well-being, or to their responses to such factors. Many people often refer to personal levels of stress, or the severity of the environmental stresses which may be present.

Sympathetic Nervous System - The sympathetic nervous system is the counterpart of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for keeping the body relaxed and for maintaining digestion, salivation, and other basic functions.