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Test #1
Definitions from prologue, chap1,2,4,5,6
92
Psychology
Undergraduate 2
02/16/2011

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Term
Psychology
Definition
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Term
epiricicsm
Definition
the view that (a) knowledge comes from experience via the senses and(b) science flourishes through observation and experiment
Term
structuralism
Definition
and early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
Term
functionalism
Definition
A school of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function-how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
Term
humanistic psychology
Definition
Historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people; used personalized methods to study personality in hopes of fostering personal growth
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 principal that, among the range of inherited traid variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
Term
Levels of analysis
Definition
the differing couplemetary views from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
Term
Biopsychosocial approach
Definition
An integrated perspective that incorporates biological psychological and social-cultural levels of analysis
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
counseling psychology
Definition
the branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
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 (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy.
Term
hindsight bias
Definition
the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have forseen it.
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
theory
Definition
an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations.
Term
hypothesis
Definition
a testable prediction often implied by a theory
Term
operational Definition
Definition
a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. For example human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an itelligence test measures
Term
replication
Definition
repeating the essence of a research study. Usually with different participant in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extendts 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 principals
Term
survey
Definition
a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of peple, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them
Term
false concensus effect
Definition
the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors
Term
population
Definition
all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study(except for national studies.. not a whole country's pop.)
Term
random sample
Definition
a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
Term
naturalistic observation
Definition
observing and recording behavior in naturally occuring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
Term
Naturalistic observations
Definition
involves watching and recording the behavior of organisms in their natural environment.
Term
correlation
Definition
a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
Term
correlation coefficient
Definition
the mathematical expression of the relationship ranging from -1 to +1
Term
illusory correlation
Definition
the perception of a relationship where none exists
Term
experiment
Definition
a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factor to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process. by random assingment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors.
Term
double blind procedure
Definition
an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. commonly used in drug evaluation studies.
Term
Placebo effect
Definition
experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substanceor condition, which is assumed to be an active agent
Term
experimental 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 differences between those assigned to the different groups.
Term
independent variable
Definition
the experemental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied
Term
dependent variable
Definition
the outcomefactor;the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable
Term
mode
Definition
the most frequently occuring score(s) in a distribution
Term
mean
Definition
the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the # of scores
Term
median
Definition
the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it, half the scores are below it
Term
range
Definition
the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a 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 an obtained result occurred by chance.
Term
culture
Definition
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of peple and transmitted from one generation to the next
Term
neuron
Definition
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Term
dendrite
Definition
the bushy branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Term
axon
Definition
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Term
myelin sheath
Definition
a layer of fatty tissue semnetally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as 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
biological psychology
Definition
a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
Term
threshold
Definition
a level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Term
synapse
Definition
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron 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 snaptic gaps between neurons. Whne released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby inluencing whether that neuron will generate a teural impulse.
Term
acetylcholine
Definition
a neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction
Term
endorphins
Definition
"morphine within" -natural opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
Term
nervous system
Definition
the body's speedy electrochemical communication network consisting of all the nerve cells of the periperal and central nervous systems
Term
central nervous system (CNS)
Definition
brain and spinal cord
Term
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Definition
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body
Term
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Definition
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body
Term
nerves
Definition
neural cables containing many axons. part of peripheral nervous system. connect to central nervous system w/ muscles glands and sense organs.
Term
sensory neurons
Definition
neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
Term
Motor neurons
Definition
neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nerous system to the msucles and glands
Term
interneurons
Definition
central nervous sysem neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
Term
Somatic nervous system
Definition
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. also called "skeletal nervous system"
Term
Autonomic nervous system
Definition
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. its sympathetic division arouses/ it's parasympathetic division calms.
Term
parasympathetic nervous system
Definition
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving it's 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, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain resuldts. coputer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning.
Term
endocrine system
Definition
the body's slow chemical communication system; a set of clands that secrete hormoned 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 epinephrin (adrenaline) and noneinephrine (nonadrenaline) which helps to arouse the body in times of stress
Term
pituitary gland
Definition
the endocrine system's most influential gland. under the influence of teh hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
Term
lesion
Definition
tissue destruction. a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
Term
electroencephalogram (EEG) an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep accross the brains surface. these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
Definition
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; allows us to see structures within the brain
Term
fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)
Definition
a technique for revealing blood flow and therefor brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. MRI scans show brain anatomy; fMRI scans show the brains function.
Term
Brainstem
Definition
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters teh skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival funcitons
Term
medulla
Definition
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breahing
Term
reticular formation
Definition
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
Term
thalamus
Definition
the rains sensory switchboard. located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and sransmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Term
cerebellum
Definition
the "little brain" attatched to the rear of the brainstem; it's functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.
Term
limbic system
Definition
doughnut shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions, drivese for food and sex. includes the hippocampus, amigdala, and hypothalamus.
Term
amygdala
Definition
two lima bean sized neural clusters that are components of the lymbic system that are linked to emotion.
Term
hypothalamus
Definition
a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating & body temp) Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and is linked to emotion
Term
cerebral cortex
Definition
the intricate fabric of interconnected nerual cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; 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 msucle movements and making plans and judgements
Term
parietal lobes
Definition
the portion of ther ecerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
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 form the opposite visual feild.
Term
temporal lobes
Definition
the protion of the cerebral cortex lyin roughly above the ears;included the auditory areas which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear.
Term
motor cortex
Definition
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement.
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