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Psych 101 Exam 1
Chs. 1-2, 4-6
141
Psychology
Undergraduate 2
02/17/2009

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Term
define psychology
Definition
the scientific study of behavior and the mind
Term
systematic empiricism
Definition
observe a behavior --> ask a question --> formulate a hypothesis --> conduct research --> analyze data --> report findings --> build on theories
Term
Define a theory and its four main characteristics
Definition
A formal statement of how or why events are related
- organize info meaningfully
- testable
- supported by research
- simplest theory used to explain a phenomenon
Term
What are the four characteristics of Pseudo-science?
Definition
- resembles, associates w/ and mimics true science
- relies on anecdotal evidence
- sidesteps disproof
- oversimplifies
Term
Explain the theory and hypothesis behind the Spreading Activation Model.
Definition
Theory: The mind stores concepts as nodes and related nodes will spread activation to each other
Hypothesis: Activating one word will activate another word
ex: computer experiment determining if words are in English
Term
define variable
Definition
any factor that can vary
Operational Definition: how you manipulate or measure that variable (different study-to-study)
Term
Define reliability vs. variability
Definition
reliability: repeatability of results
variability: valid and true to actual results
Term
List and briefly describe the four types of studies
Definition
1. Descriptive Research: time consuming, difficult to capture rare behaviors
2. Case Studies: in-depth analysis of a group or event, difficult to establish cause-effect, hard to generalize
3. Naturalistic Observation: seen in natural environments
4. Survey Research: gather info through interviews or questionnaires, involves many people; valid conclusions about people requires representative samples
Term
Define correlation and give an example
Definition
variations in variable A lead to variations in variable B
- positive, negative or NO correlation
- strength of correlation = absolute value of correlation
ex: grave pillar height and longevity
* NOT NECESSARILY A CAUSAL FACTOR
Term
What is the difference between the brain and the mind?
Definition
The brain is a physical organ that directs all the movement, thought and behavior, whereas the mind is not something that can necessarily be found within the body, but that still directs and influences a person
Term
What are three reasons for which correlation would NOT form causation?
Definition
1. Spurious relationship = random correlation
2. Bi-directionality problem = works both ways
3. Third variable problem (i.e. social status in grave pillar example)
Term
In what two types of studies are correlations primarily useful in?
Definition
Survey research and naturalistic observation
Term
Explain the basics of experimental research
Definition
design studies in the lab; manipulation of controlled variables (independent and dependent)
Term
What's the deal with Wilhelm Wundt?
Definition
German physiologist, used technique of introspection: subjects reported reactions to senses
Term
Define structuralism and who it is attributed to
Definition
Edward Titchener (William Wundt?) structure of mind broken down into basic components = sensations
Term
define functionalism and who it is attributed to
Definition
the study of the functions of consciousness rather than structure (structuralism) (William James)
Term
List the six psychological perspectives
Definition
1. Psychodynamic
2. Behavioral
3. Cognitive
4. Humanistic
5. Sociocultural
6. Biological
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the psychodynamic approach.
Definition
*FREUD*
Human nature: inner conflict of drives and urges
Root of Behavior: unconscious motives, conflicts, and defenses, early childhood experiences
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the Behavioral approach.
Definition
*PAVLOV + WATSON + SKINNER*
Human nature: reacts to environment
Root of behavior: past learning: what you have been rewarded/punished for in the past
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the cognitive approach.
Definition
Human nature: thinker - actively planning and interacting with the environment
Root of Behavior: thoughts, planning, attention and memory
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the Humanistic approach.
Definition
Human nature: free-agent individual who wants to self-actualize
Root of Behavior: free-will, choice and innate drive towards meaning and self-actualization
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the sociocultural approach.
Definition
Human nature: social being requiring interaction
Root of behavior: norms and social pressure
Term
Explain the human nature and root of behavior of the Biological approach.
Definition
Human nature: Animal (rawr.)
Root of Behavior: genetic and voluntary factors; brain and biochemical processes
Term
Define independent vs. dependent variable
Definition
Independent variable = manipulated variable (ex: exposure to violent video games)
Dependent variable = measured variable (ex: attitude towards violence)
Term
What is the difference between the experimental group and the control group?
Definition
Experimental group receives a "treatment" level or manipulation of the I.V.
Control group is not exposed to the treatment or receives none of the I.V.
Term
Define Independent groups design/Between subjects group design
Definition
different participants in each condition - independent groups; typically involves random assignment of participants to conditions
Term
Define repeated measure/within subjects design
Definition
each participant exposed to all of the experimental conditions; counterbalance the order of the conditions
*statistically better because it eliminates individual differences
Term
List the 6 threats to research validity
Definition
1. internal validity
2. confounding variable
3. demand characteristics
4. placebo effects
5. expectancy effects
6. replication
Term
What is internal validity?
Definition
degree to which an experiment supports clear causal conclusions
Term
What are confounding variables?
Definition
can't tell which variable has influenced the dependent variable
Term
What are demand characteristics?
Definition
cues that research participants use to figure out the hypothesis or how to behave in a study
Term
What are placebo effects?
Definition
behavior changes because of expectation, not the treatment itself
Term
what are experimenter expectancy effects?
Definition
unintentional ways that researchers influence participant behavior
- controlled through double blind procedures
Term
what is replication as a threat to validity
Definition
repeating a study to see if one can obtain the same results
Term
what is external validity?
Definition
the degree to which the results of a study can be generalized
Term
what are descriptive statistics + example of descriptive research
Definition
used to summarize the characteristics of a set of data: mean, median, mode, range, stdev
ex: Hmong sudden death case study
Term
What are inferential statistics?
Definition
used to draw inferences from a set of data; help determine whether the results are statistically significant = it is very unlikely that our findings could have happened by chance
Term
neuron
Definition
basic building blocks of the nervous system
Term
cell body (soma)
Definition
contains the nucleus, holds the genetic information
Term
dendrites
Definition
specialized receiving locations
Term
axon
Definition
connects the neuron to other neurons, muscles or glands
Term
axon terminals
Definition
end of the axon, actual connection location
Term
myelin sheath
Definition
fatty insulating substance on the axon of some neurons that increases the speed of neural transmission
Term
action potential
Definition
a flow of ions through the cell membrane creating a different balance --> electrical charge
Term
resting potential
Definition
balance between + and - charged chemical ions (Na+ and K+)
Term
motor neurons
Definition
connects nervous system to muscles
Term
sensory neurons
Definition
receive information from external world
i.e. retina, hearing, chemical receptors on tongue and nose, sense of touch, pressure and temperature receptors
Term
interneurons
Definition
connect different types of neurons, duh. Largest group of neurons
Term
briefly explain the process of communication between and within cells
Definition
presynaptic neuron: storage in synaptic vesicles --> release into synaptic space --> bind to receptor sites: postsynaptic neuron --> deactivation
Term
agonist
Definition
mimics neurotransmitters, increasing its action and synthesis by:
- providing more building blocks
- binding to receptors of post-synaptic cells causing action
- preventing reuptake
Term
antagonist
Definition
inhibits or decreases the action of a neurotransmitter
- binds to receptors --> does NOT cause action
Term
What's the deal with Acetylcholine (Ach)?
Definition
- excitatory
- muscular movement and memory
- paralysis if not present, Alzheimers
- muscle contractions if over-supplied
Term
What's the deal with Norepinephrine?
Definition
- excitatory and inhibitory, depending on site
- stress hormone, controls attention
- fight or flight
- learning, memory, wakefulness and eating
- Undersupply (eating): depression
- Oversupply: stress and panic disorder
Term
What's the deal with Serotonin?
Definition
- Excitatory/Inhibitory
- Mood, sleep, eating, and arousal
- Depression - sleeping and eating disorders
- SSRI inhibits serotonin binding
- Oversupply: OCD
- regulates aggressive behaviors
Term
What's the deal with Dopamine?
Definition
- Excitatory
- voluntary movement control, emotional arousal, learning, memory, sleep, mood, motivation, reward
- Undersupply: Parkinson's
- Oversupply: Schizophrenia
Term
What's the deal with GABA (ABBA??????)?
Definition
- Inhibitory
- motor system
- important in the connection between nerve and tissue
- Undersupply: seizures, tremors and insomnia
Term
What's the deal with Glutamate?
Definition
- Excitatory
- used mainly by interneurons
- learning and memory
- Oversupply: overstimulation and migranes
Term
What are the three "older, less popular" brain-imaging methods?
Definition
MRI, CAT = structure
PET = activity
Term
What are the two main brain-imaging methods used today?
Definition
EEG/ERP: measures electrical activity on scalp: TIMING of activity
fMRI: measures changes in the magnetism of blood: LOCATION of activity
Term
What are three brain-imaging methods on the horizon?
Definition
TMS: magnets temporarily disable neurons or groups of neurons in your brain; seems to balance or improve mood based on increased or decreased neuron activity
MEG: measures brain activity with helmet: better for chilluns
DOT: uses infrared light to generate images, measuring optical absorption of haemoglobin
Term
What are the two elements of the peripheral nervous system and what do they control?
Definition
1. Somatic system = voluntary muscle activation
2. Autonomic system = involuntary muscles
Term
What are the two subdivisions of the autonomic system (PNS) and what do they regulate?
Definition
1. Sympathetic = activates or increases arousal
2. Parsympathetic = inhibits or decreases arousal
Term
What are the two main components of the CNS?
Definition
brain, spinal cord
Term
medulla + where is it found
Definition
breathing, heart rate, cross-over location for motorneuron and sensory information
HINDBRAIN
Term
PONS
Definition
sleep and activity during sleep
Term
Cerebellum + where's it at
Definition
HINDBRAIN
"little brain" - muscle movement coordination, learning and memory
Term
midbrain
Definition
connects incoming sensory and motor neurons
Term
Reticular formation
Definition
intermediary between senses and consciousness
in charge of sleep, consciousness and attention, information overload & overstimulation
Term
thalamus + where it is found
Definition
FOREBRAIN:
- sends sensory input to appropriate region
- schizophrenia
- after RF for a reason...
Term
hypothalamus + where it is found
Definition
FOREBRAIN:
- blood chemistry regulation
- motivation and emotion
- connections to hormonal system
- dopamine based pleasure
Term
hippocampus + where it is found
Definition
FOREBRAIN:
- FORMING AND RETRIEVING MEMORIES
- AMNESIA
Term
amygdala + where it is found
Definition
FOREBRAIN: lymbic system
- involved in emotion and aggression
Term
lymbic system
Definition
reward and punishment - dopaminergic
Term
List the four lobes of the cerebral cortex
Definition
occipital, temporal, parietal, frontal
Term
occipital lobe
Definition
visual processing
directly connected to retina --> optic nerve
Term
Temporal lobe
Definition
visual memories
- identification of objects and naming things
- auditory input, perceiving speech
--> WERNICKES AREA (left posterior)
- anterior portion: storage of memories and new info
Term
dorsal pathway
Definition
the "WHERE" pathway: connection between occipital and parietal lobes: identification of where items are and how to act upon them
Term
ventral pathway
Definition
the "WHAT" pathway: connection between occipital and temporal lobes: recognition and identification of people, objects: info processed separately and integrated later on
Term
Somatic sensory cortex
Definition
responsible for sensory movement
Term
motor cortex
Definition
controls motor movement: speech area close to motor movements for tongue (ex)
Term
Parietal lobe
Definition
space and somatic sensory cortex
- mathematical thinking, consciousness, attention
Term
Frontal lobe
Definition
manages long-term behaviors and mental activity - tied to motor and speech production --> behavior
Term
what types of things does the left brain control
Definition
- verbal abilities and speech
- mathematics and logic
- positive emotions
Term
what types of things does the right brain control?
Definition
- spatial relations
- recognition of objects, places, routes
- mental imagery
- music and art
- negative moods
Term
absolute threshold
Definition
lowest intensity at which a stimulus can be detected 50% of the time
i.e. testing for deafness
Term
difference threshold
Definition
smallest difference between two stimuli that people can perceive 50% of the time
i.e. Coke vs. Diet Coke
Term
subliminal
Definition
something below the absolute threshold, below awareness
ex: word identification/association experiment
Term
sensation
Definition
stimulus-detection process by which out sense organs respond to and translate environmental stimuli into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain
Term
perception
Definition
making "sense" of what our senses tell us
- individual differences between people
i.e. are we seeing the same color?
Term
Weber's Law
Definition
the difference threshold is directly proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus with which the comparison is being made
- i.e. if you can detect 10% decibels if the threshold of hearing is 30 db, you cannot tell the difference from anything between 27-33 db (10% of 30 = 3)
Term
sensory adaptation
Definition
the diminishing sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus, occurs in all senses
Term
transduction
Definition
the process whereby the characteristics of a stimulus are converted into nerve impulses
Term
retina
Definition
a multilayered light-sensitive tissue at the rear of the flud-filled eyeball
Term
what are rods and when do they function best
Definition
primarily black-and-white brightness receptors; function best in dim light
Term
what are cones and when do they function best
Definition
color receptors; function best in bright illumination
Term
fovea
Definition
dense area of many cones (color receptors) allowing for high resolution eyesight - for reading
Term
bottom-up processing
Definition
the system takes in individual elements of the stimulus and then combines them into a unified perception
Term
top-down processing
Definition
sensory information is interpreted in light of existing knowledge, concepts, ideas, and expectations
Term
what 2 processes does the role of attention involve?
Definition
focusing on certain stimuli & filtering out other incoming information
Term
inattentional blindness
Definition
the failure of unattended stimuli to register consciousness
Term
Gestalt Principles
Definition
the whole is more (and different from) the sum of its parts
Term
Figure-Ground Relations
Definition
our tendency to organize stimuli into a central or foreground figure and a background
Term
perceptual set
Definition
readiness of brain to perceive stimuli in a particular way
Term
perceptual constancies + 3 examples
Definition
allow us to recognize familiar stimuli under varying conditions
- shape constancy, brightness constancy, size constancy
Term
illusions
Definition
compelling but incorrect perceptions
* most can be attributed to perceptual constancies that ordinarily help us perceive more accurately
Term
critical period (in relation to development of hearing)
Definition
period during which certain kinds of experiences must occur if perceptual abilities and the brain mechanisms that underlie them are to develop normally
Term
define consciousness, generally
Definition
awareness of ourselves and environment
Term
Explain the three aspects of Freud's view of consciousness
Definition
LIKE AN ICEBERG:
1. Conscious = current thoughts and perceptions
2. Preconscious - things that are outside your awareness but that can be easily recalled (high/chronic accessibility)
3. Unconscious - not retrievable (i.e. unacceptable behaviors or urges, traumatic events)
Term
automatic vs. controlled consciousness
Definition
automatic (unconscious) processing can be performed without conscious awareness or effort ~ controlled (conscious) processing uses conscious attention and effort
Term
divided attention
Definition
the capacity to attend to and perform more than one activity at the same time
Term
basic vs. applied research
Definition
basic research reflects the quest for knowledge purely for its own sake; applied research is designed to solve specific, practical problems
Term
what are the five goals of psychology?
Definition
DUPIA: Describe, Understand, Predict, Influence, Apply
Term
what are mind-body interactions?
Definition
relations between mental processes in the brain and the functioning of other bodily systems
Term
Empiricism
Definition
all ideas and knowledge are gained empirically - through the senses
Term
what is the operational definition of a variable?
Definition
it defines a variable in terms of the specific procedures used to produce or measure it
Term
absolute refractory period
Definition
the period after the action potential drops and is returning to resting potential where the membrane is not excitable and cannot discharge another impulse
Term
corpus callosum
Definition
a neural bridge consisting of white myelinated fibers that acts as a major communication link between the two hemispheres and allows them to function as a single unit
Term
aphasia
Definition
the partial or total loss of the ability to communicate
Term
signal detection theory
Definition
concerned with the factors that influence sensory judgments
i.e. just having watched a horror movie
Term
ganglion cells: location and function
Definition
photoreceptor cells in the retina whose axons are collected into a bundle to form THE OPTIC NERVE
Term
visual agnosia
Definition
can't determine visual orientation (i.e. card in slot)
Term
blindsight
Definition
blindness in part of visual field yet in special tests can respond to stimuli in that field despite reporting that they can't see those stimuli
Term
priming
Definition
bringing ideas out of preconscious into conscious
ex: Bingo word association
Term
Explain the roommate selection study in relation to conscious, immediate and unconscious choice
Definition
immediate = worst
conscious = middle
unconscious = best
Term
what two main things are circadian rhythms regulated by?
Definition
1. suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) = biological clock
2. melatonin = relaxing hormone
Term
how long is natural circadian rhythm?
Definition
about 25 hours
Term
what is SAD?
Definition
Seasonal Affective Disorder: cyclic tendency to become psychologically depressed during certain seasons
Term
Describe what takes place in each of the stages of sleep, generally
Definition
Awake and alert: beta waves
More drowsy: alpha waves
STAGE 1: Theta waves, easily awakened
STAGE 2: sleep spindles appear, more relaxed
STAGE 3/4: delta waves, slow wave sleep, longer periods
REM: high arousal, frequent dreaming
Term
what is the general sequence of sleep stages?
Definition
1, 2, 3, 4, REM, 2, 3, 4, REM, 2, 3, REM 2, REM, 2, REM, awake
Term
Restoration model of sleep
Definition
recover from daily activity, both mental and physical fatigue
Term
Evolved Adaptation model of sleep
Definition
evolutionary function based on size, sleep position, predator/prey; allows us to deal with environmental demands, RIVER DOLPHINS
Term
Memory Consolidation model of sleep
Definition
thoughts and experiences transferred to long-term memory
Term
what is the difference between nightmares and night terrors?
Definition
nightmares are bad dreams (normal) that occur in REM sleep and night terrors are panic-state dreams that occur in state 3 or 4
Term
sleep apnea
Definition
repeatedly stop and restart breathing during sleep
Term
activation-synthesis theory of dreaming
Definition
dreams do not serve any particular function: they are merely a by-product of REM neural activity; an attempt of the cortex to interpret the random neural firing of the brain
Term
cognitive view of dreaming
Definition
dreams are constructed from the daily issues of the dreamer
Term
Freud's Psychoanalytic view of dreams: latent vs. manifest content
Definition
dreams represent a window into the unconscious
latent content = disguised psychological meaning
manifest content = the surface story
i.e. train in tunnel :)
Term
what areas of the brain are more active during dreaming?
Definition
motor cortex (frontal lobe) and visual association area (occipital lobe)
Term
general observations about hypnosis?
Definition
- involuntary control and behavior against one's will
- amazing feats
- pain tolerance
- hypnotic amnesia
- memory enhancement
Term
Dissociaton theory of hypnosis
Definition
hypnosis is an altered state involving a division of consciousness (hypnotized self and hidden observer)
Term
Social-cognitive theory of hypnosis
Definition
perform tasks while hypnotized based on what you think one who is hypnotized should do
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