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Midterm One Flashcards
All of the terms
274
Other
Not Applicable
02/17/2004

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Term
Perception
Definition
interpretation of sensed information
Term
Sensation
Definition
conversion of energy from the environment into a pattern of response by the nervous system
Term
Stimuli
Definition
energies that affect what we do, detected by our senses
Term
Receptors
Definition
specialized cells that convert environmental energies into signals for the nervous system
Term
Electromagnetic spectrum
Definition
continuum of all the frequencies of radiated energy (e.g. gamma rays. X-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, visible light, etc.)
Term
Pupil
Definition
adjustable opening where light enters the eye
Term
Iris
Definition
a muscle that changes the size of the pupil opening, colored structure surrounding pupil
Term
Retina
Definition
Visual Receptors in the back of the eye
Term
Cones
Definition
color and daytime vision, 5-10% of receptors, center of retina
Term
Rods
Definition
dark vision, 90% of receptors, periphery of retina
Term
Cornea
Definition
a rigid structure that focuses light
Term
Lens
Definition
a flexible structure that adjusts to objects closer or farther away
Term
Accommodation
Definition
focus for objects at different distances
Term
Fovea
Definition
central area of human retina adapted for highly detailed vision, greatest density of receptors
Term
Dark adaptation
Definition
gradual improvement in the ability to see in dim light; function of the rods, can detect very little light of any wavelength because neurons only need a few rods to be active to pass on visual information
Term
The visual pathway
Definition
retina > optic nerve > optic chiasma > lateral geniculate nucleus > optic radiations > visual cortex (occipital lobe)
Term
Ganglion cells
Definition
neurons that receive input from other neurons in the center of the eye
called bipolar cells
Term
Optic nerve
Definition
nerve in the eye formed by the union of axons from the ganglion cells
Term
Blind spot
Definition
area where the optic nerve exits the retina and there is no room for visual receptors
Term
Trichromatic theory (a.k.a. Young-Heimholtz theory)
Definition
theory that color vision depends on the relative rate of response by three types of cones, where each type is sensitive to a particular range of light wavelengths. Short wavelengths = blue, medium wavelengths = green, long wavelengths = red
Term
Opponent-process theory
Definition
bipolar cells organize visual information into paired opposites,
And the perceived color depends on the balance of each of these opposite scales (e.g. black
And white, blue and yellow, red and green)
Term
Negative afterimage
Definition
seeing one color after the removal of its opposite (American Flag example)
Term
Retinex theory
Definition
theory that we perceive color through the cerebral cortex’s comparison of various retinal patterns; comparing the light an object reflects to the light that other objects in the same scene reflect
Term
Color constancy
Definition
tendency of an object to appear nearly the same under a variety of lighting conditions
Term
Red-green colorblindedness
Definition
absence or decreased responsiveness to one of the three types of
Cones, resulting in inability to distinguish red from green, and red or green from yellow
Term
Vestibular sense
Definition
involving the structure in the inner ear that tells us the direction of tilt, amount of acceleration of the head, and the position of the head with respect to gravity
Term
Cutaneous senses
Definition
skin senses, a.k.a. the sense of “touch”
Term
Gate theory of pain
Definition
pain messages must pass through a gate, most likely in the spinal cord, that can block or enhance the messages
Term
Substance P
Definition
neurotransmitter released by the nervous system in response to pain; causes The sensation of “intense” pain
Term
Endorphins
Definition
neurotransmitters that inhibit the release of substance P and thereby weaken pain
sensations
Term
Capsaicin
Definition
a chemical that stimulates receptors that respond to painful heat
Term
Phantom limb
Definition
a continuing sensation of an amputated body part
Term
Taste
Definition
sense that detects chemicals on the tongue, governs consumption of food
Term
Taste buds
Definition
taste receptors, located in the folds on the surface of the tongue, mostly along the outside edge
Term
Olfaction
Definition
sense of smell
Term
Sniffing
Definition
How when we try to imagine a smell, we sniff
Term
Pheromones
Definition
odorous chemical released by an animal that changes how the members of its species socially respond to it
Term
Feature detectors
Definition
brain breaks down complex stimuli into simpler components using individual detectors (neurons in the brain) that respond to different types of images (lines, angles, curves)
Term
Feature detector fatigue
Definition
when the brain detects the same type of stimuli for extended periods of time, feature detectors begin to wear out, resulting in warped vision
Term
Gestalt psychology
Definition
theory of perception that focuses on overall patterns of an image; “the whole is different than the sum of its parts”
Term
Figure and ground
Definition
– distinguishing an object from its background
Term
Reversible figures
Definition
stimuli that can be perceived in more than one way (old and young
Woman picture example)
Term
Proximity
Definition
grouping together elements that are close to one another
Term
Continuation
Definition
seeing elements in a way that produces smooth continuity
Term
Closure
Definition
supplying missing elements to complete a familiar figure
Term
Good figure
Definition
breaking complex figures into simple, familiar parts
Term
Retinal disparity
Definition
difference in apparent position of an object as seen by each eye
Term
Convergence
Definition
degree to which the eyes must turn in to focus on a close object
Term
Relative size
Definition
a closer object produces a “larger” image
Term
Linear perspective
Definition
parallel lines that converge are getting “farther away” (e.g. Train tracks going into the distance)
Term
Detail / texture gradient
Definition
"nearby objects are seen in more detail that faraway Ones; coarse texture = close, smooth texture = far"
Term
Interposition
Definition
a nearby object interrupts our view of a more distant object
Term
Height in plane
Definition
"near objects are low in the visual field, distant objects are higher"
Term
Motion parallax
Definition
"the faster an object passes by, the closer it must be"
Term
Optical illusions
Definition
a misinterpretation of a visual stimulus
Term
Why do optical illusions occur
Definition
misperception due to being misled by cues that ordinarily ensure constancy in size and shape
Term
Subliminal perception
Definition
idea that a stimulus can influence our behavior even when it is presented so faintly or briefly or along with such strong distractions that we do not perceive it consciously
Term
Stereotype priming
Definition
"subliminal messages that result in an increased tendency to relate to Stereotypes, e.g. acting like an “old person” when primed with images of the elderly"
Term
Trait priming
Definition
similar to stereotype priming but with individual traits
Term
Effects on loyalty and creativity
Definition
"dog/cat test; subjects exposed to pictures of either dogs Or cats (dogs assumed to be more loyal), and then given a test to measure loyalty. Subjects That were exposed to dogs scored higher on the loyalty test than both the cat group and the Control group. Similar example with creativity and Apple computer logos (vs. IBM)."
Term
Consciousness
Definition
"self awareness, being aware of present reality and what you are attending to at the moment"
Term
“Red dot” test
Definition
putting a red dot on the face of a subject and placing the subject in front of a mirror to test its ability to see itself as “altered” by the dot; this ability is said to indicate “consciousness”
Term
Circadian rhythm
Definition
"internal clock, rhythm of activity and inactivity lasting about 1 day"
Term
Jet lag
Definition
"affects circadian rhythm, thus resulting in difficulty adjusting to different time "
Term
Repair and restoration theory of sleep
Definition
purpose of sleep is to enable the body to recover from the exertions of the day
Term
Energy-conservation theory of sleep
Definition
evolution equipped us with a regular pattern of sleeping and waking for the purpose of conserving fuel and to protect us from danger
Term
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
Definition
One of the 5 stages of sleep during which the eyes move rapidly back and forth under closed lids
Term
Functions of REM sleep
Definition
"(speculated) improvement of memory storage and motor skills, or simply to get oxygen to the corneas"
Term
Freud’s theory
Definition
"dreams reveal unconscious thoughts and desires, especially sexual and"
Term
Manifest content
Definition
content in dreams that appears on the surface
Term
Latent content
Definition
hidden content in dreams that is represented symbolically in the actual experience
Term
Wish fulfillment
Definition
dreams are a way for us to get our deepest wishes fulfilled
Term
Activation-synthesis theory
Definition
of dreams in which the brain creates a story to make sense of internal signals going from the pons to the cortex (during REM sleep explanation)
Term
Neurocognitive theory
Definition
"dreams are just another example of thinking, but under special conditions: persisting activity of the cortex, great reduction of sensory stimulation, loss of voluntary self-control of thinking; dream about the things that concern us in everyday life"
Term
Lucid dreaming
Definition
dreams during which the sleeper realizes that he is dreaming
Term
Insomnia
Definition
lack of sleep resulting in a feeling of being poorly rested the next day
Term
Sleep apnea
Definition
irregular breathing during sleep that may result in awaking and gasping for breath People with sleep apnea may stop breathing for a minute or longer
Term
Narcolepsy
Definition
sudden attacks of extreme and irresistible sleepiness in the middle of the day
Term
Periodic limb movement disorder­
Definition
"strange sensations and movements in the leg during sleep, more common in older people"
Term
Somnambulism
Definition
sleepwalking
Term
Hypersomnia
Definition
"excessive but unrefreshing sleep, opposite of insomnia, too much sleep"
Term
Sleep paralysis
Definition
period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset or upon awakening
Term
Chromosome
Definition
strand of hereditary material found in the nucleus of a cell. They provide the chemical basis of heredity
Term
Gene
Definition
"a segment of a chromosome that controls chemical reactions that ultimately direct the development of the organism; genes contain chemical called DNA, which controls the production of RNA, which controls the production of proteins"
Term
Homozygous
Definition
having the same gene on both members of a pair of chromosomes
Term
Heterozygous
Definition
having different genes on a pair of chromosomes
Term
Dominant gene
Definition
gene that will exert evident effects on development even in a person who is heterozygous for that gene
Term
Recessive gene
Definition
a gene that will affect development only in a person who is homozygous for that gene
Term
Genetic carrier of a characteristic
Definition
"even if a person is heterozygous for a particular gene and shows the effects of the dominant gene, can still pass on the recessive gene to son/daughter"
Term
Sex chromosomes
Definition
the pair of chromosomes that determine whether an individual will develop as a female or as a male; a female has 2 X chromosomes while a male has 1 X chromosome and 1 Y chromosome
Term
Sex-linked genes
Definition
a gene located on the X chromosome; X-linked recessive gene shows its effect more often in men; example: colorblindness
Term
Sex-limited genes
Definition
"a gene that affects one sex more strongly than the other, even though both sexes have the gene; example: adult men generally have more facial hair than women. the gene is present in both sexes but activated by the men’s hormones"
Term
Heritability
Definition
"an estimate of the variance within a population that is due to heredity; ranges from 1 (all variance is due to heredity) to 0 (none of it is); example: tongue curling, the heritabiltiy is almost 1 because it is entirely due to genes"
Term
Twin and adoption studies
Definition
"studies are done to analyze identical twins who were separated from birth; studies also done to see how adopted children resemble their adoptive parents (this measure the effect of one’s environment); monozygotic twins are identical, dizygotic are fraternal; studies generally show genetics as a strong influence"
Term
Heredity and the environment
Definition
"an environmental intervention can greatly influence a condition that is known to be under genetic control; for example, if you have a gene for straight hair, that does not necessarily mean you will have straight hair. Depending on your diet, grooming habits, and health, you might have straight, curly, or no hair at all. "
Term
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Definition
"inherited disorder in which a person lakcs the chemical reactions that convert a nutrient called phenylalanine into other chemicals; unless a diet is carefully controlled, the affected person will become mentally retarded"
Term
Evolution
Definition
changes in the gene frequencies of a species
Term
Mutation
Definition
a random change in the structure of a gene
Term
Reproductive advantage
Definition
"if individuals with a certain gene or gene combination reproduce more successfully than others do, the genes that confer an advantage will spread"
Term
Natural selection
Definition
"the tendency, in nature, of individuals with certain genetically controlled characteristics to reproduce more successfully than others do; future generations will come to resemble those individuals more and more"
Term
Sociobiology
Definition
"a field that tries to relate the social behaviors of a species to its biology, particularly to its evolutionary history"
Term
Neuron
Definition
a cell of the nervous system that receives information and transmits it to other cells by conducting electrochemical impulses; a neuron consists of 3 parts
Term
cell body
Definition
which contains the nucleus of the cell
Term
dendrites
Definition
which is the widely branching structures that receive transmissions from other neurons
Term
axon
Definition
"which is a single, long, thing, straight fiver that transmits information from a neuron to other neurons or to muscle cells"
Term
Glia
Definition
"a cell of the nervous system that insulates neurons, removes waste materials (such as dead cells), and performs other supportive functions"
Term
myelin
Definition
insulating sheath that speeds up the transmission of impulses along an axon
Term
action potential
Definition
"an excitation that travels along an axon at a constant strength, no matter how far it must travel; this is how axons convey information"
Term
resting potential
Definition
"electrical polarization that ordinarily occurs across the membrane of an axon that is not undergoing an action potential; when the axon is not stimulated, its membrane has a resting potential"
Term
all or none law
Definition
an action potential is a yes/no or on/off message
Term
synapse
Definition
"the specialized junction between one neuron and another; at this point, one neuron release a neurotransmitter, which either excites or inhibits the next neuron"
Term
terminal bouton
Definition
a bulge at the end of an axon from which the axon releases a chemical called a neurotransmitter
Term
neurotransmitter
Definition
"a chemical that is stored in the terminal of an axon and that, when released, activates receptors of other neurons"
Term
exocytosis
Definition
process by which a neurotransmitter is released into a synapse
Term
postsynaptic neuron
Definition
a neuron on the receiving end of the synapse
Term
parkinson’s disease
Definition
"a condition that affects about 1% of people over age of 50. the main symptoms are difficulty in initiating voluntary movement, slowness of movement, tremors, rigidity, and depressed mood. All of these symptoms can be traced to a gradual decay of one pathway of axons that release the neurotransmitter"
Term
dopamine
Definition
a chemical that promotes activity levels and facilitates movement
Term
attention deficit disorder
Definition
a condition marked by impulsive behavior and short attention span
Term
central nervous system
Definition
the brain and spinal cord; spinal cord is the part of the central nervous system that communicates with sensory neurons and motor neurons below the level of the head
Term
motor neuron
Definition
a neuron that transmits impulses from the central nervous system to the muscles or glands
Term
sensory neuron
Definition
"a neuron that carries information about touch, pain, and other senses from the periphery of the body to the spinal cord"
Term
reflex
Definition
"a rapid, automatic response to a stimulus"
Term
peripheral nervous system
Definition
the bundles of axons that convey messages between the spinal cord and the rest of the body
Term
somatic nervous system
Definition
peripheral nerves that communicate with the skin and muscles
Term
autonomic nervous system
Definition
system of neurons that controls the internal organs such as the heart
Term
endocrine system
Definition
a set of glands that produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream
Term
hormones
Definition
"a chemical released by glands and conveyed by the blood to other parts of the body, where it alters activity"
Term
medulla
Definition
"a structure that is located in the hindbrain and is an elaboration of the spinal cord; controls many muscles in the head and several life-preserving functions, such as breathing"
Term
pons
Definition
a structure adjacent to the medulla that receives sensory input from the head and controls many muscles in the head
Term
cerebellum
Definition
"a hindbrain structure that is active in the control of movement, especially for complex, rapid motor skills and behaviors that require precise timing"
Term
hemispheres
Definition
the left or right half of the brain; each hemisphere is responsible for sensation and motor control on the opposite side of the body
Term
cerebral cortex
Definition
the outer surface of the forebrain
Term
occipital lobe
Definition
"the rear portion of each cerebral hemisphere, critical for vision"
Term
parietal lobe
Definition
a portion of each cerebral hemisphere; the main receiving area for the sense of touch and for the awareness of one’s own body
Term
primary somatosensory cortex
Definition
-a strip in the anterior (forward) part of the parietal lobe that receives most touch sensations and other information about the body
Term
temporal lobe
Definition
"a portion of each cerebral hemisphere; the main processing area for hearing, complex aspects of vision, and certain aspects of emotional behavior"
Term
frontal lobe
Definition
"a portion of each cerebral hemisphere at the anterior pole, with sections that control movement and certain aspects of memory"
Term
- primary motor cortex
Definition
"a strip in the posterior (rear) part of the frontal cortex that controls fine movements, such as hand and finger movements"
Term
prefrontal cortex
Definition
"an area in the anterior portion of the frontal lobes, critical for planning movements and for certain aspects of memory"
Term
computerized axial tomography
Definition
CT or CAT; a procedure to measure brain activity as it happens in which x-rays pass through the head of someone who has a dye in the blood to increase contracts between fluids and brain cells
Term
positron-emission tomography
Definition
"PET, provides a high-resolution image of brain activity by recording radioactivity emitted from injected chemicals"
Term
functional magnetic resonance imaging
Definition
"fMRI, a technique that uses magnetic detectors outside the head ot measure the amounts of hemoglobin, with and w/o oxygen, in different parts of the brain and thereby provides an indication of current activity levels in the various brain areas"
Term
binding problem
Definition
the questions of how separate brain areas combine forces to produce a unified perception of a single object
Term
faceblindedness
Definition
"impairment of the ability to recognize faces, despite otherwise satisfactory vision"
Term
color constancy
Definition
the ability to continue recognizing colors even after a change in lighting
Term
motionblindness
Definition
"impaired ability to detect motion in visual perception, despite otherwise satisfactory vision"
Term
corpus callosum
Definition
a large set of axons connecting the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex and thus enabling the two hemispheres to communicate with each other
Term
Hypnosis
Definition
condition of increased suggestibility that occurs in context of a special hypnotist-subject relationship
Term
Who can be Hypnotized?
Definition
Participant expectations are critical (skeptics are harder to hypnotize)
Term
Hypnosis procedure
Definition
"1. Subject must agree to try, uncooperative people can’t be hypnotized"
Term
Personality effects
Definition
"Attributes that help hypnotism: absorption, creativity, religiosity"
Term
Gender Effects
Definition
no gender differences between males and females
Term
Hypnotic Analgesia
Definition
"pain inhibition, also lowers emotional distress"
Term
Posthypnotic suggestion
Definition
a suggestion that the person will do/experience something after coming out of hypnosis
Term
Hallucinations
Definition
"Sensory experiences not corresponding to reality Brain activity in occiptal (sight) lobe, proof that subjects are seeing something that’s not there."
Term
"Hypnotic blindness, deafness"
Definition
"Subjects seem not to see/hear hynotic suggestions after being told they were blind/deaf, but showed up in later tests, proving they did see/hear something, but did not acknowledge it. Sensory receptors still send messages to nervous system, but the way people react to information changes."
Term
Hypermnesia
Definition
increased memory
Term
Divided-consciousness theory
Definition
selective attention & selective inattention are heightened and thus there is a split in awareness (i.e. attentive to authority’s suggestion but ignoring pain)
Term
Social Influence Theory
Definition
"kind of role-playing we do in everyday life, but in a heightened sense like actors that are really engrossed in their roles. A hypnotized individual is better able to play the role suggested by the hypnotist."
Term
Fakeability
Definition
"Non-hypnotized people can pretend to be hypnotized (mimic what they think a hypnotized person would do), but they try much harder than hypnotized people. "
Term
Therapeutic uses
Definition
Used in medicine
Term
Meditation
Definition
"A method of inducing calm, relaxed state through the use of special techniques"
Term
Mindfulness
Definition
"Awareness of the moment without passing judgment, used in treatments for some mental disorders"
Term
Stimulants
Definition
"boost energy, heighten alertness, increase activity, produce plesant feeling Examples-amphetamines, cocaine, but also caffeine, nicotine"
Term
Depressants
Definition
decrease arousal
Term
Alcohol
Definition
"relaxant, relieves inhibitions, impairs memory & judgment, social lubricant. Excess use can damage liver, aggravate/prolong medical conditions, impair memory & motor control."
Term
Tranquilizers
Definition
"barbiturates, Xanax, Valium (addictive drugs used to treat anxiety disorders). They relax muscles, induce sleep, exert calming effects by facilitating transmission at synapses that use the neurotransmitter GABA."
Term
Narcotics
Definition
"produce drowsiness, insensitivity to pain, decreased responsiveness to events"
Term
Opiate
Definition
"users feel happy, are insensitive to pain, and ignore real-world stimuli. They feel warm, content, sometimes nauseous. However, when they come off, suffer withdrawal with all opposite sensations."
Term
Endorphins
Definition
"natural brain-produced chemicals, inhibit the sensation of prolonged/repetitive pain. Endorphins bind to opiate receptors."
Term
Hallucinogens
Definition
"induce sensory distortions, hallucinations, strange trips, occasionally panic"
Term
Withdrawal effects
Definition
generally manifests as opposite of initial effects if person stops taking drugs. Decreased stimulation of receptors causes symptoms
Term
Physical dependence
Definition
"users who use not to get high, but just to escape misery of withdrawal"
Term
Psychological dependence
Definition
: strong repetitive desire without any physical symptoms of withdrawal
Term
Tolerance
Definition
"decrease in drug’s effect following prolonged usage, so users must use more and more to get the same high"
Term
Behaviorists
Definition
"psychologists who insist that psychologists should study only observable, measurable"
Term
Methodological Behaviorists
Definition
"behaviors, without reference to unobservable mental processes. maintains that psychologists should study on the events that they can measure and observe (stimuli and responses)."
Term
Intervening Variable
Definition
"something that cannot be directly observed but links procedures to possible responses. (i.e. if monkey more likely to show aggression if a stuffed monkey bigger than itself is put in cage, behaviorist can infer monkey is responding to intervening variable, fear)"
Term
Radical Behaviorists
Definition
"argues the study of behavior is not just an indirect way of studying mental processes or a substitute for studying mental processes. Rather, behavior is the only thing for psychologists to study. "
Term
Stimulus-Response psychology
Definition
"attempt to explain behavior in terms of how each stimulus triggers a response. (not used today, b/c doesn’t include individual’s past experiences w/ stimu. & responses"
Term
Assumptions of Behaviorism
Definition
1. Determinism- every behavior has a cause that obeys certain laws
Term
Classical Conditioning
Definition
process whereby a previously neutral stimulus becomes associated w/ particular physiological/emotional response by being paired with a stimulus that naturally evokes that physiological/emotion response.
Term
Unconditioned reflex
Definition
an automatic connection between a stimulus and a response
Term
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Definition
"event that consistently, automatically elicits unconditioned response. I.e. food/meat powder"
Term
Unconditioned response (UCR)
Definition
action elicited by an unconditioned stimulus. I.e. salivation
Term
Conditioned Stimulus(CS)
Definition
evokes particular response after repeated pairings with the UCS. I.e. metronome
Term
Conditioned Response (CR)
Definition
response that occurs after conditioning procedure. I.e. salivation
Term
Acquisition
Definition
process that establishes/strengthens a conditioned response
Term
Extinction
Definition
"process by which conditioned response decreases, happens with repeated pairings of CS without UCS"
Term
Spontaneous recovery
Definition
temporary return of extinguished response after a delay
Term
Stimulus generalization
Definition
extension of conditioned response from the training stimulus to another similar stimulus (remember Little Albert and the mice?)
Term
Discrimination
Definition
respond differently to two stimuli because different outcomes follow them
Term
Drug Tolerance as example
Definition
feeling progressively weaker effects of drugs after repeated use
Term
Temporal Contiguity
Definition
nearness in time between CS and UCS for classical conditioning to develop
Term
Contigency
Definition
"predictability- when the CS is presented, the UCS is likely to follow. Affords predictability of one’s environment, doesn’t require conscious awareness"
Term
Operant Conditioning
Definition
process of changing behavior by following a behavioral response with reinforcement
Term
Law of Effect
Definition
Thorndike’s theory that a response which is followed by favorable consequences becomes more probable and a response which is followed by unfavorable consequences becomes less probable
Term
Reinforcement
Definition
increases probability of response
Term
Extinction
Definition
"decreasing of the response, happens because responses stop getting reinforced"
Term
Stimulus generalization
Definition
tendency to make a similar response to a stimulus that has already been associated with reinforcement
Term
Discrimination
Definition
learning to respond in one way to one stimulus and in a different way to another stimulus
Term
Belongingness
Definition
certain stimuli are readily associated with each other and that certain responses are readily associated with certain outcomes
Term
Shaping
Definition
establishing a new response by reinforcing successive approximations to it
Term
Chaining
Definition
each behavior is reinforced with the opportunity to engage in the next behavior
Term
Punishment
Definition
behaviorà something bad (decreases likelihood of behavior)
Term
Positive reinforcement
Definition
behaviorà something good (increases likelihood of behavior)
Term
Omission training
Definition
behaviorà removal of something good (decreases likelihood of behavior)
Term
Escape learning
Definition
behaviorà removal/avoidance of something bad (increases likelihood of behavior)
Term
Unconditioned reinforcers
Definition
"reinforcing due to intrinsic qualities (i.e. food, approval, sex)"
Term
Conditioned reinforcers
Definition
"reinforcing due to association with an unconditioned reinforcer (money, grades)"
Term
Schedules of reinforcement
Definition
"rules for delivery of reinforcement (i.e. when, how much)"
Term
Fixed-Ratio
Definition
reinforcement only after a certain (fixed) number of correct responses
Term
Fixed-Interval
Definition
reinforcement for first response made after specific time interval
Term
Variable-Ratio
Definition
similar to fixed-ratio except reinforcement is provided after a variable number of correct responses
Term
Variable-Interval
Definition
reinforcement is available after a variable amount of time has elapsed
Term
Behavior modification
Definition
reinforcing desired behavior and punishing undesired
Term
Conditioned taste aversion
Definition
following reinforcer with bad feeling (i.e.nausea)
Term
Sensitive period
Definition
time critical in which behavior is being learned through reinforcement
Term
Social-learning approach
Definition
"people learn by watching and imitating others, and from imagining the consequences of their own actions (i.e. driving a car)"
Term
Vicarious reinforcement
Definition
reinforcement observed to have been experienced by someone else
Term
Vicarious punishment
Definition
punishment observed to have been experienced by someone else
Term
Self-efficacy
Definition
perception of one’s own ability to perform a task successfully (are we able to imitate a behavior successfully?)
Term
How is Psychology different from philosophy?
Definition
Psychologists differ from philosophers in that psychologists do rigorous expiermental tests to check their hypotheses.
Term
Is psychology just common sense?
Definition
No because our common sense might lead us astray. Our notions of common sense similarly err. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”
Term
Determinism vs. free will
Definition
This debate questions whether or not the causes of behavior are knowable or predictable. Psychologists must believe that these causes are knowable in order for psychology to function.
Term
Mind-brain problem
Definition
How are conscious experiences related to the physical brain? Does the Mind physically exist? Psychologists maintain that conscious experiences are inseparable from the brain.
Term
Dualism vs. monism
Definition
"Is the mind completely separate from the brain? Dualists believe yes, and that the mind controls the brain and brain activity. Monists believe that the brain and mind are inseparable. "
Term
Nature-nurture issue
Definition
Do differences in Heredity mean differences in behavior? Psychologists try to figure out the proportion of both our environment and our heredity in our actions.
Term
Biological psychology
Definition
Tried to explain behavior through biological factors and brain structures. It studies everything from neurons to the entire brain for clues.
Term
Learning and motivation psychology
Definition
??
Term
Cognitive psychology
Definition
"How information about the world is acquired, attained, and used. Perception, memory, learning, etc. "
Term
Social / personality psychology
Definition
Tried to explain behaviors in terms of circumstances and situations people find themselves in.
Term
Clinical psychology
Definition
Tried to understand and treat abnormalities in thought and behavior.
Term
Industrial/organizational psychology
Definition
The study of how people’s behavior changes as they age. Development across a lifespan.
Term
Ergonomics psychology
Definition
??
Term
Developmental psychology
Definition
The study of how people’s behavior changes as they age. Development across a lifespan.
Term
Principle of compatibility
Definition
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Term
Clinical psychologist
Definition
Tries to understand and treat abnormalities in thought and behavior.
Term
Psychiatrist
Definition
Medical Doctors licensed to provide drugs and otherwise treat the physical causes of psychological disorders.
Term
Psychoanalysis
Definition
Retrieving painful unconscious memories from childhood
Term
James and functionalism
Definition
"William James believed that thinking developed because it was adaptive, and it contributed to our ancestor’s survival. (influences from Darwin)"
Term
Darwin and comparative psychology
Definition
Natural selection shapes behaviors as well as bodies.
Term
Cross-cultural psychology
Definition
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Term
Watson and behaviorism
Definition
Watson advocated a depart from the study of consciousness and a direct study of only behavior.
Term
The scientific method
Definition
"A method by which scientists make observations, form theories, and then refine their theories in light of new observations. "
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
A testable prediction made as the first step in the scientific method.
Term
Replicable results
Definition
A tool to boost the reliability of data results if other researchers recreate the same results with different participants and materials.
Term
Falsifiability
Definition
Results that can be proven false by experimentation
Term
Population
Definition
The whole group that you want to study and describe in a study
Term
Convenience Sample
Definition
A sample in which people are taken because they are the people closest in the group
Term
Random Sample
Definition
A sample in which every person in the group has an equal chance in participating
Term
Cross-cultural Sample
Definition
A sample made up of different cultures
Term
Representative Sample
Definition
A sample that represents the population very well
Term
Naturalistic observation
Definition
Watching and recording the behavior of organisms in their natural environment.
Term
Case study
Definition
A study in which an individual is studied in great depths in hope of revealing things true of us all.
Term
Survey
Definition
A study that looks at many cases in less depth to get a generalization about something.
Term
Correlation coefficient
Definition
A statistical measure of relationship
Term
Positive correlation
Definition
"If that value of one variable increases, so does the other"
Term
Negative correlation
Definition
"If the value of one variable increases, the other decreases"
Term
Illusory correlation
Definition
When we believe there is a relationship between two thing’s we are likely to notice and recall instances that confirm our belief.
Term
Reverse causality problem
Definition
"Did X cause Y, or did Y cause X?"
Term
Third variable problem
Definition
The idea that there could be other causes to the result.
Term
Independent variable
Definition
The variable that we can vary independently of other factors
Term
Dependent variable
Definition
The variable that can vary depending on what takes place during the experiment
Term
Operational definition
Definition
A translation of the variables of interest to a form we can actually meaure
Term
Experimental group
Definition
The group upon which experiments are conducted
Term
Control group
Definition
The group that does not get the treatment
Term
Internal validity
Definition
Refers to the extend to which the independent variable has affected the dependent variable.
Term
Placebo
Definition
The group that doesn’t get the treatment but thinks it does.
Term
Random assignment
Definition
Allows the removal of wacky variables that would systematically bias the results. (very good test takers in a test experiment)
Term
Experimental control
Definition
Allows researcher to manipulate the variable of interest while holding all else constant.
Term
External validity
Definition
Refers to the extent to which the independent variable has affected the depended variable.
Term
Informed consent
Definition
"Means participants can agree, ahead of time, to participate in the experiment."
Term
Debriefing
Definition
"The process of letting the participant know, after the experiment, what the experiment is about – the true purpose of the experiment. "
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