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Intro to Psych
N/A
62
Psychology
Undergraduate 2
02/14/2013

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Critical Thinking
Definition
The process of objectively evaluating, comparing, analyzing and synthesizing information
Term
Psychology
Definition
Study of behavior and mental processes
Term
Goals Of Psychology
Definition

1. Describe (what)

2. Explain (why)

3. Predict (when)

4. Change 

Term
Father of Psychology
Definition

American Psych. William James

 

Cofounder: Sigmund Freud 

Term
Structuralism
Definition
Sought to identify the structure of mental life by identifying 'elements' of conscious experience combined to form 'compounds' of the mind v.i.a introspection
Term
Functionalism
Definition
Sought to identify the functions of experience i.e. why do we experience anger and what value does it have?
Term
7 Modern Themes
Definition

1. psychodynamic

2. Behavioral 

3. Humanistic

4. Cognitive

5. Biological 

6. Evolutionary

7. Sociocultural 

 

Term
Unifying Theme
Definition
Biological Processes, Psychological Factors
Term
Basic vs. Applied Research
Definition

Basic: research to advance scientific knowledge (meets the goals of describe, explain, and predict) 

 

Applied: Research designed to solve practical problems (meets the goal of change) 

Term
Scientific Method
Definition

1. Question and literature review 

2. Testable hypothesis

3. Research Design 

4. Data collection and analysis 

5. Publication 

6. Theory development 

Term
Research Methods
Definition

1. Experimental 

2. Descriptive

3. Correlational 

4. Biological 

Term

Experimental

What distinguishes it from other forms of research? 
 
What are different necessary components?

Definition

Identify cause and effect (manipulation and control of variable)

 

1. Meets psychological goal explanation 

2. Allows researchers precise control over variables, helps identify cause and effect 

 

 

Term
Descriptive

What distinguishes it from other forms of research? 
 
What are different necessary components?
Definition

Observe, collect, and record data (naturalistic observation, surveys, case studies) 

 

1. Meets psychology's goal of description 

2. Minimizes artificiality, easier data collection, and allows description of behavior and mental processes as they occur 

Term
Correlational 

What distinguishes it from other forms of research? 
 
What are different necessary components?
Definition

Identify relationships and assess how well one variable predicts another (statistical analyses of relationships between variables) 

 

1. Meets psychology's goal of prediction

2. Helps clarify relationships between variables, which cannot be examined by other methods, and allows prediction 

Term
Biological 

What distinguishes it from other forms of research? 
 
What are different necessary components?
Definition

Identify contributing biological factors (studies the brain and other parts of the nervous system)

 

1. Meets one or more of psychology's goals

2. Shares many or all of the advantages of experimental, descriptive, and correlational research 

Term
Neuron
Definition
Nerve cell that processes and transmits information; basic building block of the nervous system responsible for receiving and transmitting electrochemical information
Term
Parts of a Neuron
Definition

Dendrites: branching neuron structures that receive neural impulses from other neurons and convey impulses toward the cell body 

 

Cell body: Cell nucleus (soma)

 

Axon: Long, tubelike structure that conveys impulses away from the neuron's cell body toward other neurons or to muscles or glands 

Term
Glial cells
Definition
cells that provide structural, nutritional, and other support for the neurons, as well as communication within the nervous system; also called glia or neuroglia
Term
Action Potential
Definition

Sends a signal 

 

(brief traveling electrical charge)

Term
Neurotransmitters
Definition
Chemicals released by neurons that travel across the synaptic gap and allow neurons to communicate with one another
Term
Endocrine System
Definition
Collection of glands located throughout the body that manufacture and secrete hormones into the bloodstream
Term
Nervous System
Definition

1. Central

 

2. Peripheral 

Term
Central Nervous System
Definition

(directs mental and basic life processes) 

 

1. spinal cord (sends info to and from the brain and PNS and controls reflexes)

 

2. Brain (Directs mental processes and maintains basic life functions)

Term
Peripheral Nervous System
Definition

(carries information to and from the central nervous system) 

 

1. Somatic (controls voluntary muscles and conveys sensory information to the CNS; also sends motor messages to muscles 

 

2. Autonomic (Controls involuntary basic life functions, such as heartbeat and response to stress)

Term
Autonomic
Definition

(Controls involuntary basic life functions, such as heartbeat and response to stress)

 

1. Parasympathetic (Calms body to conserve energy and restore status quo)

 

2. Sympathetic (Arouses body to expend energy and respond to threat) 

Term
Forebrain
Definition

1. cerebral cortex

 

2. Limbic System 

 

3. Thalamus

 

4. Hypothalamus 

 

 

Term
Midbrain
Definition
Reticular formation
Term
Hindbrain
Definition

1. Reticular formation

 

2. Medula 

 

3. Pons

 

4. Cerebellum 

Term

Cerebral Cortex 

 

(Define and describe the 4 lobes)

Definition

(responsible for most complex behaviors and higher mental processes)

 

1. Frontal Lobes - receive and coordinate messages from other lobes; motor control, speech production, and higher functions 

 

2. Parietal Lobes - Receive and interpret bodily sensations

 

3. Occipital Lobes - Vision and visual perception 

 

4. Temporal Lobes - Hearing, language, comprehension, memory, and some emotional control 

Term
Left Hemisphere (Lateralization)
Definition

LEFT - Language Functions (speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language)

 

- Analytical (figures things out step-by-step)

 

- Controls and senses right side of the body 

 

- Right visual Field

 

 

Term

Right Hemisphere (Lateralization)

Definition

RIGHT - Nonverbal abilities (music and art, percepttual and spatiomanipulative skills, recognition of faces, patterns and melodies, some language comprehension) 

 

- Synthetic (figures things our by combining to form wholes)

 

- controls and sense the left side of the body

 

-Left visual field 

 

 

Term
Corpus Callosum
Definition

Regarding our vision, information from the left visual field travels to our right hemisphere, and vice-versa. The messages received by either hemisphere are then quickly sent to the other across the corpus callosum.

 

 

Term
Behavioral Genetics
Definition
Study of the relavtive effects of heredity and the environment on behavior and mental processes
Term
Genes
Definition
Segment of DNA that occupies a specific place on a particular chromosome and carries the code for hereditary transmission
Term
Chromosomes
Definition
Threadlike molecule of DNA that carries genetic information
Term
Twin Studies
Definition
Identical twins share 100% of the same genes. Valuable for the study of heredity influences.
Term
Family Studies
Definition
If a specific trait is inherited, blood relatives should show increased trait similarity, compared with unrelated people. Family studies have proved that many traits and mental disorders, such as intelligence, sociability, and depression, do run in families.
Term
Adoption Studies
Definition
If adopted children are more like their biological family in some trait, then genetic factors probably had the greater influence. If they're more like their adopted family, then environmental factors may predominate.
Term
Classical Conditioning
Definition
Learning through involuntarily paired associations; it occurs when a previously neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response
Term

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

Definition

 Stimulus that elicits and unconditioned response without previous conditioning 

 

 

Term

Unconditioned Response (UCR) 

Definition

 Unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without previous conditioning 

 

 

Term
Neutral Stimulus (NS)
Definition
Stimulus that, before conditioning, does not naturally bring about the response of interest
Term
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Definition
Previously neutral stimulus that, through repeated pairings with an unconditioned stimulus, now elicits a conditioned response
Term
Conditioned Response
Definition
Learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous repeated pairings with an unconditioned stimulus
Term
Conditioned Emotional Response (CER)
Definition

Classically conditioned emotional response to a previously neutral stimulus 

 

(Little Albert's response to a lab rat) 

Term
Stimulus Generalization
Definition
Conditioned response is elicited not only by the conditioned stimulus but also by the stimuli similar to the conditioned response
Term
Extinction
Definition
Conditioned stimulus is presented alone, without the unconditioned stimulus. Eventually the conditioned stimulus no longer elicits the conditioned response.
Term
Stimulus Discrimination
Definition
Certain stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus do not elicit the conditioned response
Term
Spontaneous Recovery
Definition
Sudden reappearance of a previously extinguished conditioned response
Term
Higher Order Conditioning
Definition
Neutral Stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through repeated pairings with a previously conditioned stimulus
Term
Operant Conditioning
Definition
Learning through voluntary behavior and its subsequent consequences; reinforcement increases behavioral tendencies, whereas punishment decreases them
Term
Reinforcement
Definition
Strengthens a response and makes it more likely to occur (Positive, adds stimulus (+) and strengthens behavior) , (Negative, Takes stimulus away (-) and strengthens behavior)
Term
Punishment
Definition
Weakens a response and makes it less likely to occur (Positive, adding a stimulus, thereby weakening a response and making it less likely to recur) , (Negative, taking away a stimulus, thereby weakening a response and making it less likely to recur)
Term
Schedules of Reinforcement
Definition

Continuous (every correct response is reinforced) 

 

Partial (Some, but not all, correct responses are reinforced) 

Term
Four Partial Schedules of Reinforcement
Definition

1. Fixed Ratio (occurs after a predetermined set of responses; the ratio -number or amount- is fixed)

 

2. Variable Ratio (occurs unpredictably; the ratio -number or amount- varies) 

 

3. Fixed Interval (occurs after a predetermined time has elapsed; the interval -time- vaires) 

 

4. Variable Interval (occurs unpredictably; the interval -time- varies) 

Term
Shaping of Behaviors
Definition
Reinforcement delivered for successive approximations of the desired response
Term
Cognitive Social Theory
Definition
Emphasizes the roles of thinking and social learning in behavior
Term
Insight Learning
Definition
Sudden understanding of a problem that implies the solution
Term
Cognitive Map
Definition
Mental image of a three-dimensional space that an organism has navigated
Term
Latent Learning
Definition
Hidden learning that exists without behavioral signs
Term
Observational Learning
Definition
Learning new behaviors or information by watching and imitating others (also known as social learning or modeling)
Term
Bandura and Reciprocal Determinism
Definition

Bandura (best known for his work on observational learning/social learning)

 

Reciprocal Determinism (Bandura's belief that cognitions, behaviors, and the environment interact to produce personality) 

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