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psychology Prologue ch1&2
AP Psycology david g myers
89
Psychology
11th Grade
08/26/2009

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Empiricism

Definition

the view that knowledge comes from experience via the sense and science flourishes through observation and experiment.

Term

Structuralism

Definition

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore structure of the human mind

Term

Functionalism

Definition

a school of psychology that focused on how mental behavioral processes function. -How they enabled the organism to adapt, survive and flourish

Term

Psychology

Definition

the science of behavior and mental processes

Term

Nature-nurture issue

Definition

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors.

Term

Natural selection

Definition

the principle that among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

Term

Basic research

Definition

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Term

Applied research

Definition

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.

Term

Clinical Psychology

Definition

a branch of psychology that studies assesses and treats people with psychological disorders.

Term
Psychiatry
Definition
a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy.
Term

Hindsight bias-

Definition

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it.( Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.)

Term

Critical thinking

Definition

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather it examines assumptions discerns hidden values evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions.

Term

Critical thinking

Definition

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather it examines assumptions discerns hidden values evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions.

Term

Hypothesis

Definition

a testable prediction often implied by theory .

Operational definition- a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. For example, intelligence maybe operationally define as what an intelligence test measures.

Term

Replication

Definition

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.

Term

Case study

Definition

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Term

Survey

Definition

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people usually by questioning a representative, random samples of them

Term

False consensus effect-

Definition

the tendency to overestimate the extent to which other share our beliefs and behaviors.

Term

Population

Definition

Population- all the cases in which samples maybe drawn for a study ( Note: except for national studies this does not refer to a country’s whole population.

Term

Random sample

Definition

Random sample- a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.

Term

Naturalistic observation

Definition

Naturalistic observation- observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

Term

Correlation coefficient-

Definition

a statistical measure of extent to which two factors vary together and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

Term

scatter plot-

Definition

scatter plot- a graphed cluster of dots each of which represents the value of two variables the slope of the points suggests the direction of the points suggests the direction if the relationship between the two variables the amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation ( little scatter indicates high correlation). (Also called a scatter gram or scatter diagram).

Term

Illusory correlation

Definition

the perception of a relationship where none exists

Term

Experiment

Definition

a research method in which an investigators manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable).By random assignment of participants, the experiment controls other relevant factors

Term

Double-blind procedure-

Definition

a experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or placebo commonly used in drug - evaluation studies.

Placebo effect- experimental results caused by expectations alone ; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an insert substance or condition which assumed to be an active agent.

Term

Experimental condition

Definition

the condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is to one version of the independent variable

Term

Control condition-

Definition

the condition of an experiment that contrasts with the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Term

Random assignment-

Definition

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting difference between those assignments to the different groups.

Term

Independent variable-

Definition

the experimental factor that is manipulated the variable whose effect is being studied.

Term

Dependent variable

Definition

- the experimental factor in psychology, the behavior or mental process that is being measured: the variable that may change in response to manipulation of the independent variable

Term

Mode

Definition

Mode- the most frequently occurring score in a distribution.

Term

Median

Definition

the middle score in a distribution half the scores are above it and half below it.

Term

Range

Definition

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in distribution

Term

Standard deviation

Definition

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Term

 

Statistical significance

Definition

 

a statistical statement of how likely it is that obtained result occurred by chance.

Term

Culture

Definition

the enduring behaviors ideas attitudes and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

Term

Biological Psychology

Definition

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior (some biological psychologist call themselves behavioral neuroscientists, neurophysiologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists or biopsychology’s).

Term

Neuron

Definition

a nerve cell; that basic building block of nervous system

Term

Dendrite-

Definition

the bushy branching extensions of neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses towards the cell body.

Term

Axon

Definition

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to others neurons or to muscles or glands

Term

Myelin sheath-

Definition

a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

Term

Action potential

Definition

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. The action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane

Term

Threshold

Definition

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Term

Synapse

Definition

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neurons and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft

Term

Neurotransmitters

Definition

chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neurons, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron will generate a neural impulse.

Term

Endorphins-

Definition

“morphine within” - a natural opiatelike neurotransmitter linked to pain control and to pleasure

Term

Nervous system-

Definition

the bodies speedy electrochemical communication system consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system

Term

Central nervous system

Definition

- the brain and spinal cord. (CNS)

Term

Peripheral nervous system

Definition

(PNS) the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.

Term

Nerves

Definition

neutral “cables” containing many axons these bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system connect the central nervous system with muscles , glands and sense organs.

Term

Sensory neurons

Definition

neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system.

Term

Interneurons

Definition

central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

Term

Motor neurons

Definition

- neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands

Term

Somatic nervous system

Definition

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal nervous system.

Term

Autonomic nervous system

Definition

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the gland and the muscles of the internal organ (such as heart). Its sympathetic division arouses ; its parasympathetic division calms.

Term

Parasympathetic nervous system

Definition

the division the autonomic nervous system that calms the body ,conserving its energy.

Term

Reflex

Definition

a simple automatic ; inborn response to a sensory stimulus such as the knee -jerk response

Term

Neural networks

Definition

interconnected neural cells with experience, network can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connection that produce certain results. Computer simulations of neural networks show analogous.

Term

Lesion

Definition

tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Term

Electroencephalogram (EEG)-

Definition

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweeps across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

Term

CT (computed tomography) scan

Definition

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computers in to a composite representation of a slice through the body. Also called CAT scan.

Term

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

Definition

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

Term

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)-

Definition

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue ; allow us to see structures within the brain

Term
Brainstem
Definition
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
Term

Thalamus

Definition

the brain’s sensory switchboard located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Term

Cerebellum

Definition

the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance

Term

Limbic system

Definition

a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres: associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus

Term

Amygdala

Definition

- two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotions

Term

Hypothalamus-

Definition

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus ; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and linked to emotion.

Term

Cerebral cortex -

Definition

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemisphere; the body’s ultimate control and information processing center

Term

 

Glial cells

Definition

 

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.

Term
Frontal lobes
Definition
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead ; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgment.
Term

Parietal lobes-

Definition

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex

Term

Occipital lobes

Definition

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head: includes the visual areas which receive visual information from the opposite visual field.

Term

Temporal lobes-

Definition

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory information primarily from the opposite ear.

Term

Motor cortex-

Definition

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

Term

Sensory cortex

Definition

the area at the front of the parietal lobes that register and processes body sensation.

Term

Association areas

Definition

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory function; rather , they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning remembering, thinking, and speaking.

Term

Aphasia

Definition

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to wernicke’s area (impairing understanding)

Term

Broca’s area

Definition

controls language expression an area of the frontal lobe usually in the left hemisphere that directs the muscle movement involved in speech.

Term

wernicke’s area

Definition

controls language expression -an area of the frontal lobe usually involved in language comprehension and expression ; usually in the left temporal lobe.

Term

Plasticity

Definition

the brain’s capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effect of experience on brain development.

Term

Corpus callosum-

Definition

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Term

Split brain

Definition

a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers( mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them

Term

Endocrine system

Definition

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system ;a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Term

Hormones

Definition

chemical messengers mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands that are produced in one tissue and affect another.

Term

Adrenal glands

Definition

a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and nor epinephrine (noradrenaline) which help to arouse the body in time of stress

Term

Pituitary gland

Definition

the endocrine system’s most influential gland under the influence of the hypothalamus the pituitary regulates growth and controls the other endocrine glands.

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