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| Process using the cognitive skills required to generate, test, and revise theories. |
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1. Question Authority
2. Open Skepticism
3. Intellectual Honesty |
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Definition
The procedures by which scientists conduct research, consisting of the five basic processes:
1. Observation
2. Prediction
3. Testing
4. Interpretation
5. Communication |
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| A set of related assumptions from which scientists can make testable predictions. |
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| A specific, informed, and testable prediction of the outcome of particular set of conditions in a research design. |
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| The repetition of a study to confirm the results; essential to the scientific process. |
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| Claims presented as scientific that are not supported by evidence obtained with the scientific method. |
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| The scentific method consists of |
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Definition
| observing, predicting, testing, interpreting, communicating. |
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| Characteristics of science |
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Definition
| It is cumulative, it is an attitude, it requires intellectual honesty. |
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| a set of related assumptions that guide and explain observations and allow testable predictions to be made. |
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| What distinguishes science from pseudoscience? |
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Definition
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| Plans of action for how to conduct a scientific study. |
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| A characteristic that changes or "varies", such as age, gender, weight, intelligence, anxiety, and extraversion. |
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| The entire group a researcher is interested in; for example, all humans, all adolescents, all boys, all girls, all college students. |
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| Subsets of the population studied in a research project. |
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| Study designs in which the researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but makes no prediction and does not control or manipulate anything. |
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| A study design in which a psychologist, often a therapist, observes one person over a long period of time. |
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| A study in which the researcher unobtrusively observes and records behavior in the real world. |
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| A research sample that accurately reflects the population of people one is studying. |
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| Studies that measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another; not designed to show causation. |
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| A statistic that ranges from -1.0 to +1.0 and assesses the strength and direction of association between two variables. |
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| A research design that includes independent and dependent variables and random assignment of participants to control and experimental groups or conditions. |
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| A true experiment has two crucial characteristics |
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Definition
1. Experimental manipulation of a predicted cause--the indepenent variable-- and measurement of the response, or dependent variable.
2. Random assignment of participants to control and experimental groups or conditions-- meaning that each participant has an equal chance of being placed in each group. |
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| A property that is manipulated by the experimenter under controlled conditions to determine whether it causes the predicted outcome of an experiment. |
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| In an experiment, the outcome or response to the experimental manipulation. |
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| The method used to assign participants to different research conditions so that all participants have the same chance of being in any specific group. |
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| A group consisting of those participants who will receive the treatment or whatever is predicted to change behavior. |
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| A group of research participants who are treated in exactly the same manner as the experimental group, except that they do not receive the independent variable, or treatment. |
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| A substance or treatment that appears identical to the actual treatment but lacks the active substance. |
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| A variable whose influence on the dependent variable cannot be separated from the independent variable being examined. |
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| Studies in which participants do know the experimental condition (group) to which they have been assigned. |
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| Studies in which neither the participants nor the researchers administering the treatment know who has been assigned to the experimental or control group. |
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| Experimenter Expectency Effects |
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Definition
| Result that occurs when the behavior of the aprticipants is influenced by the experimenter's knowledge of who is in the control group and who is in the experimental group. |
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| A statement that affects events to cause the prediction. |
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| Research technique for combining all research results on one question and drawing a conclusion. |
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| A measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables or the extent of an experimental effect. |
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| Dr. Lovejoy wanted to do research on realworld conditions that lead to aggression in 10-year-old children. She defined aggression as "intent to harm another person" and went to a local elementary school and videotaped a 10-minute recess period. She and her trained coders then coded the behavior of every child and counted the number of times each child acted aggressively. This is an example of what kind of design? |
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| If Dr. Lovejoy wanted to examine whether certain personality traits make aggression more likely, she would most likely use what kind of research design? |
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| Researchers have consistently found that married men live longer than single men. From this finding, we can conclude that: |
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Definition
| marriage correlates with longer life. |
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| In research on whether sugar causes hyperactivity, researchers randomly assign children to recieve no sugar, small amounts of sugar. They then observe and code activity levels. In this case, the sugar level is the? |
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Definition
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| In contrast to other kinds of research deigns, a true experimental design must have two things: |
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Definition
| random assignment of participants to conditions and manipulation of an independent variable. |
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Definition
| The tools and techniques used to assess thought or behavior |
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Definition
| Written or oral accounts of a person's thoughts, feelings, or actions |
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Definition
| Measures based on systematic observation of people's actions either in their normal environment or in a labratory setting. |
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| The tendency toward favorable self presentation that could lead to inaccurate self-reports. |
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Definition
| Measures of bodily responses, such as blood pressure or heart rate, used to determine changes in psychological state. |
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| An advantage of self report questionnaires is that they are easy to administer to large numbers of participants. A disadvantage of questionnaires is that |
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Definition
| people do not always accurately report their true thoughts or feelings. |
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| One advantage of behavioral measures compared to self-reported measures is that they |
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Definition
| are less prone to social desirability bias |
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Term
| A psychologist who is interested in how brain activity related to behavioral will most likely use which kind of measure? |
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Definition
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| Collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data |
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Definition
| Measures used to describe and summarize research. |
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Definition
| The arithmetic average of a series of numbers |
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| The score that separates the lower half of scores from the upper half |
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Definition
| The statistic that represents the most commonly occuring score or value. |
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Definition
| A statistical measure of how much scores in a sample vary around the mean |
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Definition
| The number of times a particular score occurs in a set of data |
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Definition
| Bell curve, a plot of how frequent data are that is perfectly symmetrical, with most scores clustering in the middle and only a few scores at the extremes. |
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Definition
| Analyses of data that allow us to test hypotheses and make an inference as to how likely a sample score is to occur in a population |
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Definition
| Statistic that compares two means to see whether they could come from the same population |
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| When conducting research with humans, researches |
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Definition
| always must obtain informed consent |
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| Current guidelines on research ethics state that when studying humans, deception |
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Definition
must be avoided whenever possible
can be used only if it's of the research design
must be followed by debriefing
must be fully justified. |
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| Ethical guidelines for research with nonhuman animals state that |
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Definition
| ethical and humane conditions must exist throughout the entire research process |
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Definition
| The rules governing the conduct of a person or group in general or in a specific situation--or more simply, standards of right and wrong. |
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| Ethical Research with Humans |
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Definition
1. Informed Consent
2. Respect for persons
3. Beneficence
4. Privacy and confidentiality
5. Justice |
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Definition
| The explanation of the purposes of a study following data collection |
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| Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) |
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Definition
| Organizations that evaluate research proposals to make sure research involving humans does not cause undue harm or distress. |
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Term
| What is an enriched environment |
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Definition
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Term
| If two sets of scores have the same mean, then |
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Definition
| their variabilities could be the same or they could be different |
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| Why is GPA a good example of the statistic mean? |
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Definition
| because it is calculated by adding scores and dividing by the number of scores. |
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Term
| Scores that are widely spread apart have a |
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Definition
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| Quasi Experimental design |
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Definition
| Research method similar to an experimental design that it makes use of naturally occurign groups rather than randomly assigning subjects to groups. |
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| What is an enriched environment? |
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Definition
| a living situation that provides ample opportunity for play and activity |
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| What is the most rigorous study design that can be used to study the effects of enrichment on brain development in humans? |
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Term
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Definition
A coiled up thread of DNA
Holds our genetic information |
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Definition
| A large molecule that contains genes |
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Definition
| Small segment of DNA that contain information for producing proteins |
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Definition
| All the genetic information in DNA |
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Definition
Different form of gene
You inherit one allele from each parent |
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Definition
| Genes that show their effect even if there is only one allele for that trait in the pair. |
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Definition
| Genes that show their effects only when both alleles are the same. |
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Definition
| The scientific study of the role of heredity in behavior |
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Term
| Four principles of behavioral genetic are especially relevant in psychology. |
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Definition
1. the relationshop between specific genes and behavior is complex.
2. Most specific behaviors derive from dozens or hundreds of genes- not one or two.
3. By studying twins and adoptees, behavioral genetics may disentangle the contributions of heredity and environment to behavior.
4. The environment influences how and when genes affect behavior. |
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Definition
| The hereditary passing on of traits determined by a single gene. |
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Definition
| The process by which many genes interact to create a single characteristic. |
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Definition
| The extent to which a characteristic is influenced by genetics |
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Definition
| Twins that develop from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm |
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Definition
| Twins that develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two independent cells |
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Definition
| Research into hereditary influence on twins, both identical and fraternal, who were raised apart (adopted) and who were raised together. |
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| Gene-by-environment studies |
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Definition
| Method of studying heritability by comparing genetic markers; allows researchers to asses how genetic differences interact with environment to produce certain behaviors in some people but not in others. |
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Definition
| The entire genetic makeup of an organism. |
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Definition
| Study of changes in the way genes are turned on or off without a change in the seqence of DNA. |
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Definition
| The organism's observed characteristics |
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Term
| Central Nervous System (CNS) |
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Definition
| The part of the nervous system that comprises the brain and spinal cord. |
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Term
| Peripheral Nervous System |
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Definition
| The part of the nervous system that comprises all the nerve cells in the body outside the central nervous system. |
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Term
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Definition
| Nerve cells of the peripheral nervous system that transmit sensory information to the central nervous system (CNS) and those that transmit information from the CNS to the skeletal muscles. |
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Term
| Sympathetic Nervous System. |
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Definition
| The branch of the autonomic nervous system that activates bodily systems in times of emergency. |
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Term
| Parasympethetic Nervous System |
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Definition
| The branch of the autonomic nervous system that usually relaxes or returns the body to a less active, restful state. |
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Definition
| Central Nervous system cells that provide structural support, promote efficient communication between neurons, and serve as scavengers, removing cellular debris. |
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Definition
| The cells that process and transmit information in the nervous system |
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Definition
| Chemicals that transmit information between neurons. |
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Term
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Definition
| The cell body of the neuron. |
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Definition
| Long projection that extends from a neuron's soma; it transmits electrical impulses toward the adjacent neuron and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters. |
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Term
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Definition
| Fingerlike projections from a neuron's soma that receive incoming messages from other neurons. |
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Definition
| The fatty substance wrapped around some axons, which insulate the axon, making the nerve impulse travel more efficiently. |
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Definition
| The junction between an axon and the adjacent neuron, where information is transmitted from one neuron to another. |
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Definition
| Little knobs at the end of the axon that contain tiny sacs of neurotransmitters. |
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Definition
| Nerve cells that receive incoming sensory information from the sense organs (eyes, ear, skin, tongue, nose) |
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Definition
| Nerve cells that carry commands for movement from the brain to the muscles of the body. |
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Definition
| Nerve cells that are active when we observe others performing an action as well as when we are performing the same action. |
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Definition
| Neurons that communicate only with other neurons |
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Definition
| The impulse of positive charge that runs down an axon. |
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Definition
| Chemically changed particles that predominate in bodily fluids, found both inside and outside cells. |
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Definition
| The difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the axon when the neuron is at rest. |
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Definition
| The span of time, after an action potential has been generated, when the neuron is returning to its resting state and the neuron cannot generate an action potential |
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Term
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Definition
| The idea that once the threshold has been crossed, either an action potential fires or it does not. |
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Term
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Definition
| Tiny sacs in the terminal buttons that contain neurotransmitters. |
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Term
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Definition
| A way of removing excess neurotransmitter from the synapse in which enzymes specific for that neurotransmitter bind with the neurotransmitter and destroys it. |
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Definition
| A way of removing excess neurotransmitters from the synapse, in which excess neurotransmitter is returned to the sending, or preynaptic, neuron for storage in vesicles and future use. |
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Term
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Definition
| Small changes in membrane potential that by themselves are insufficient to trigger an action potential |
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Definition
| A major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain that increases the liklihood that a postsynaptic neuron will fire, important in learning, memory, neural processing, and brain development. |
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Definition
| A neurotransmitter that controls muscle movement and plays a role in mental processes such as learning, memory, attention, sleeping and dreaming. |
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Definition
| A neurotransmitter released in response to behaviors that feel good or are rewarding to the person or animal, also involved in voluntary motor control. |
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Definition
| Also known as adrenaline, a neurotransmitter that arouses bodily systems (such as increasing heart rate) |
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Definition
| A neurotansmitter that activates the sympathetic response to stress, increasing heart rate, rate of respiration, and blood pressure in support of rapid action. |
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Definition
| A neurotransmitter with wide-ranging effects involved in dreaming and in controlling emotional states, especially anger, anxiety and depression. |
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Term
| GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid) |
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Definition
| Major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain that tells postsynaptic neurons not to fire; it shows CNS activity and is necessary to regulate and control neural activity. |
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Definition
| A hindbrain structure that extends directly from the spinal cord; regulates breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. |
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Definition
| Inborn and involuntary behviors- such as coughing, swallowing, sneezing, or vomiting- that are elicted by very specific stimuli. |
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Definition
| A hindbrain structure that serves as a bridge between lower brain regions and higher midbrain and forebrain activity. |
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Definition
| A hindbrain structure involved in body movement, balance, coordinating, fine-tuning and motor skills, and cognitive activities such as learning and language. |
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Definition
| A network of nerve fibers that runs up through both the hindbrain and the midbrain; it is crucial to waking up and falling asleep. |
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Definition
| A forebarin structure that receives information from the senses and relays it to the cerebral cortex for processing. |
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Definition
| A limbic structure; the master regulator master of all major drives and motives we have, such as hunger, thirst, temperature, and sexual behavior; also controls pituitary glands. |
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Definition
| A limbic structure that wraps itself around the thalamus, plays a vital role in learning and memory. |
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Definition
| Small, almondshaped structure located directly in front of the hippocampus; has connections with many important brain regions and is important for processing emotional information, espcially that related to fear. |
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Definition
| Beltlike structure in the middle of the brain that plays an important role in attention and cognitive control. |
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Definition
| A collection of structures surrounding the thalamus involved in voluntary motor control. |
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Definition
| Each of the large halves of the brain that are covered with convolutions, or folds. |
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Definition
| Small structure inside the cerebellum that plays an important role in the perception of bodily sensations, emotional states, empathy, and addictive behavior. |
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Definition
| Nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain |
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Definition
| Dificit in the ability to speak or comprehend language. |
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Definition
| Area in the left frontal lobe responsible for the ability to produce speech. |
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Definition
| An area deep in the left temperal lobe responsible for the ability to speak in meaningful sentences and to comprehend the meaning of speech. |
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Definition
| The brain's ability to adopt new functions, reorganize itself, or make new neural connections throughout life, as a function of experience. |
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Term
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Definition
| The development of new neurons |
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Term
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Definition
| The growth and formation of new dendrites |
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Term
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Definition
| The formation of entirely new synapses or connections with other neurons. |
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Term
| Electronecephalography (EEG) |
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Definition
| A method for measuring brain activity in which the electrical activity of the brain is recorded from the electrodes placed on a person's scalp. |
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Term
| Event related Potential (ERP) |
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Definition
| A special technique that extracts electrical activity from the raw EEG data to measure cognitive processes. |
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Term
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
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Definition
| Brain Imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of the structure of the brain and the other soft tissues. |
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Term
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Definition
| Brain imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of activity in areas of the brain and other soft tissues. |
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Term
| Positron Emission Tomography (PET) |
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Definition
| Brain imaging technique that measures blood flow to active areas in the brain. |
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Definition
| Systems of glands that secrete and regulate hormones in the body. |
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Term
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Definition
| The master endocrine gland of the body that controls the release of hormones from glands throughout the body. |
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Term
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Definition
| Endoctine sturcture that realease hormones important in regulating the stress response and emotions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Chemicals released from the adreanal glands that function as hormones and as neurotransmitters to control ANS activation |
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Definition
| Stress hormone produced by the body to ensure that the body gets enough fuel during emotional arousal and stress. |
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