Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Laber- Review Questions For Exam #1
Ch. 1,2, & 3 Review Quesions
85
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
02/03/2010

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Who was Wilhelm Wundt and why is he important to the science of psychology?
Definition
He was the proffessor. Created machine that measured the time lag between people's hearing a ball hit a platform and their pressing a telegraph key.
Term
Who was Ivan Pavlov? What are of study did he develop in psychology?
Definition
Recieved a medical degere at 33 and studied the digestive system, so he wasn't initally a psychologist. He explored "classical conditioning" and helped develop "behaviorism"
Term
Who was John Watson and how did he define the study of psychology?
Definition
Defined psychology as "The scientific study of observable behavior." He was a psychologist. Did the "Little Albert" experiments
Term
Define huministic psychology and tell how it is different from other areas of study.
Definition
Emphasizes the importance of current environmental influences on our growth potential and the importance of having our needs for love and acceptance satisfied. Used to focus on the meaning of early childhood memories and learning behaviors too mechanistic.
Term
Describe the nature- nurture issue as it applies to the study of psychology.
Definition

Nature- People are who they are because of their biology and genetics

 

Nurture- people are who they are because of their environment and external influences

Term
Define the biopsychosocial approach
Definition
Considers the influences of biological, psychological, and social- cultural factors.
Term
Give an example of the biopsychosocial approach
Definition

In a fight/ anger-

Biological Influences: could be more hormonal or short tempered.

 

Psychological Influences: maybe his day was angry or aggressive and learned it from him.

 

Social-Cultural: he's a man so he's supposed to fight for himself in times of controversy.

Term
What is neuroscience concerned with in the field of psychology?
Definition
How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.
Term
Describe the psychodynamic perspective and who might use it.
Definition
Views on how behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflict
Term
What is the social cultural perspective? Give an example of how it might affect behavior.
Definition

Studies how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures.

 

People from different cultures might have different behaviors: here we greet by shaking hands, in France they greet by kissing eachothers cheeks

Term
Define hindsight bias and give an example
Definition

THe tendancy to believe, after learning an outcome, that one should have forseen it.

 

Most senators did not anticipate the chaos that would seem so predictable after the 9-11 attacks on the world trade centers.. or the Virginia Tech massagre-- They say that its obvious school officials shold have locked down the school-- after the fact

Term
Define overconfidence and give an example
Definition

THe tendancy to be more confident than corret- to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgements.

 

WREAT --> WATER

ETRYN --> ENTRY

GRAGE --> BARGE

 

*Once people knew the answer it seemed obvious but it actually took about 3 mintues when timed

Term
What traits describe a critical thinker? Why is it important?
Definition

THinking does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, if examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

It's important because they learn the Truth

Term
What is a theory?
Definition
An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events
Term
Define what a hypothesis is
Definition
a testable prediction often implied by a theory
Term
What does replication consist of?
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
What psychological research method did Jean Piaget use and how did he use it?
Definition
HE used the Case Study by carefully observing and questioning only a few children and taught us about children's thinking
Term
What is a possible negative effect to only using the case study method?
Definition
The individual being studied may be atypical and can be misleading and can result in false conclusions.
Term
What is a survey research method? Give an example
Definition

A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitues or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative; random sample of the group- in less depth

EX: should cigarette ads or pornography be allowed on television?

Term
Define naturalistic observation and give an example
Definition

observing and recording behavior in naturally occuring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

EX: watching chimpanzee societies in the jungle

Term
What is a scatterplot and how is it used?
Definition
A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. Used to illustrate range of possible correlations
Term
What is a positive correlation and give an example
Definition

When two sets of scores rise together or fall together

EX. Height and weight

Term
What is a negative correlation? Give an example
Definition

When 2 sets of scores relate inversely

EX. Toothbrushing and decay

Term
What does an experimental research method consist of? Give an example
Definition

To explore cause and effect

manipulate one or more factors; use random assignment

Ex. Children who are breast fed are smarter supposedly

Term
What is a placebo and give an example
Definition

A pill with no drug in it

 

Placebo effect- experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by administration of an inert substance or condition which the recipient assumes is an active agent

Term
Define what an independent and dependent variable are in a psychological experiment
Definition

IV: Factor that is manipulated; effect is studied

DV: The outcome factor, may be changed in response to manipulations of the IV

Term
Which variable are the researchers studying the effects of?
Definition
Independent
Term
Which variable are the researchers seeking the influence of the experimental treatment on?
Definition
Dependent
Term
Define range.
Definition
the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution
Term
Define what standard deviation is
Definition
A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score
Term

What is statistical significance?

 

Definition
A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occured by chance
Term
What is the belief of scientists who use animals in experimental research?
Definition
It's not a question of good vs. evil but of compassion of animals vs compassion for people
Term
What are the four ethical principals mentioned  in your book developed by the American Psychoogical Association and the British Psychological Society governing human experimentation?
Definition

1. Obtain the informed conscent of potential participants

2. Protect them from harm and discomfort

3. treatment info about individual participants confidentially

4. Fully explain the research afterward

Term
What is a neuron and how is it referred to in the body's information system?
Definition
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Term
What is the job of the sensory neuron?
Definition
Carry incoming info from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
Term
What is a dendrite and what is its purpose?
Definition
The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that recieves messages and conducts impulses towards the cell body
Term
Define synaptic gap and what happens there
Definition
The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the recieving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap.
Term
What is an axon terminal and how what part does it play in reuptake?
Definition
Knoblike terminals at axons end, triggers the release of chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitting molecules cross synaptic gap and bind to receptor sites, neurotransmitters unlock tiny channels and electrically charged atoms flow in, then reuptake occurs
Term
What is a neuron and how is it referred to in the body's information system?
Definition
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Term
Define endorphins and give an example of what they can do
Definition
Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure- make you happy
Term
Prozac is what kind of drug and affects which neurotransmitter?
Definition
Antidepressant; raises serotonin levels
Term
What is an agonist? Give an example
Definition

Mimics a neurotransmitter's effects

Ex. Morphine

Term
What is an antagonist? Give an example
Definition

Blocks a neurotransmitter's effects

 

Exs. -Curare Poisoning

-Black Widow Spider Venom

Term
Define motor neurons and give an example of them at work.
Definition

Neurons that carry outgoing info from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

 

*signals to move hand when touch hot stove.. ?

Term
Define reflexes and give an example.
Definition
A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee jerk response
Term
What is an empirical approach?
Definition
Letting facts speak for themselves
Term
Define adrenal glands and how they work in a highs stress situation
Definition
A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secret hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress
Term
What are the body's two communicating systems and which one is fast and which one is slow?
Definition
Nervous (faster) and endocrine system (slower)
Term
Which system is the pituitary gland a part of and what does it do?
Definition
The endocrine system; under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
Term
What is a brain lesion and give an example of when this could occur
Definition

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

 

-damage to the hypothalamus in rats causes reduced eating

Term
What is the job of the thalamus?
Definition
The brain's sensory switchboard, located on the top of the brainstem, it directs messages to the sensory recieving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Term
What are the jobs of the amygdale and hypothalamus and what system are they part of?
Definition

The limbic system

 

 amygdale- linked to aggression and fear (linked to emotion)

 

Hypothalamus- directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituatary glands and is linked to emotion and reward

Term
What is the function of a glial cell?
Definition
Cell in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Term
What is the function of the motor cortex?
Definition
An area at the rear of the fronal lobes that controls voluntary movements
Term
What is constraint- induced therapy?
Definition
Aims to rewire the brains by restraining a fully functioning limb and forcing to use of the "bad hand" or the uncooperative leg. Eventually imporves dexterity.
Term
What is a corpus callosum and what is its function?
Definition
The large band of neural fibers connecting the 2 brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
Term
What is accomplished in  split brain surgery?
Definition
The corpus callosum is severed so messages cannot be transferred from 1 hemisphere to the other
Term
The left hemisphere is usually superior to the right in what abilities?
Definition
literal interpretations of language, process speech, rationalizes
Term
When was the study of consciousness revived? What was brought back into focus as an area of interest?
Definition

1960's..?

 

Neuroscience..?

Term
Define circadian rhythm
Definition
The biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle
Term
Give an example of how circadian rhythm works.
Definition
Body temperature rises as morning approaches, peaks during the day, dips for a time in the early afternoon and begins to drop again before bed
Term
What are different levels of sleep?
Definition
Stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and REM sleep
Term
Define Alpha Waves
Definition
The relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state
Term
Define REM sleep
Definition
Rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly  occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muslces are relaxed but other body systems are active
Term
When people are experienceing vivid dreams, what physical manifestations are they likely to show?
Definition

Occasional finger, toe, or facial twitch, but you are still "paralyzed." Rapid Eye Movement

 

Possible tossing and turning.?

Term
What is sleep's function?
Definition
Sleep protects, helps us recuperate, make memories, feeds creative thinking, may play role in growing process
Term
Deep sleep is important to us for what reasons?
Definition
You need REM sleep
Term
Define insomnia
Definition
Recurring problems in falling or staying aleep
Term
Define narcolepsy
Definition
A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often in inopportune times
Term
Define sleep apnea
Definition
A sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings
Term
Define night terrors
Definition
A sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified, unike nightmares, night terror occur during stage 4 sleep, within 2 or 3 hours of falling asleep and are seldom remembered
Term
Define manifest content of a dream
Definition
According to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream (as distinct from it's latent, or hidden content)
Term
Define latent content of a dream
Definition
According to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream ( as distinct from it's latent, or hidden content)
Term
Describe one theory for brain activity associated dreaming
Definition
activation- synthesis: explains dreams and how our brain tries to make sense of random neurons and random images
Term
What happens when you are repeatedly denied REM sleep and are then allowed to sleep undisturbed?
Definition
People sleep like babies, also an increase in REM sleep- called REM rebound
Term
Define age regression and give an example
Definition

Age regression- the supposed ability to relive childhood experiences.

ex. feel childlike and print much as they know a 6 yr old would

Term
Hypnosis has been shown to allow what percentage of people to undergo major surgery without anesthesia?
Definition
10%
Term
What is the theory behind this kind of hypnotic pain relief?
Definition
Light hypnosis can reduce fear, thus reducing hypersensitivity to pain- inhibition of pain released brain activity
Term
Define psychoactive drugs and name those given in your book
Definition

A chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

 

Depressants- alchohol, barbiturates, opiates

 

Stimulants- methamphetamine, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, ecstasy

 

Hallucinogens- LCD, marijuana

Term
Define drug tolerance
Definition
The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's affect
Term
Define a psychological dependence and give an example
Definition

a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions

 

ex. stress relieving drugs become important part of users life

Term
How does alcohol affect memory?
Definition
It disrupts the processing of recent experiences into long term memory. Blackouts can also occur partly from the way alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which helps fix the day's experiences into permanant memories
Term
What is Ecstasy and what are its effects?
Definition

A synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short term health risks, and longer term harm to serotonin- producing neurons and to mood and cognition

 

emotional elevation, connectedness with those around

Term
What does research show as being important factors leading to teen drug abuse?
Definition
Social influence and the direction their lives are taking ( if they think their lives are meaningless and they are no use to anyone)
Term
Describe the near death experience
Definition
An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death; often similar to drug- induced hallucinations.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!