a test designed to assess what a person has learned

 the extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest

the success with which a test predicts the behavior that it intended to predict

estimating the likelihood of an event based on their availability in memory; we assume events are more likely if they come readily to mind

smallest distinctive sound unit

the smallest unit that carries meaning; suffix, prefix

a set of rules that enables us to understand and communicate with others

set of rules by which we derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences in a given language

rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language

organizing items into familiar, manageable units

retention independent of conscious recollection

activated memory that holds few items briefly

relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system

conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or encode it in storage

tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice

our tendency to best recall the first and last items in a list

 reinforces a response after a specified number of responses

reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses

 reinforces a response after a specific time has elapsed

reinforces a response at unpredicted time intervals

an organized whole

an event that decreases the behavior that it follows

unlearned, naturally occurring response to the UCS

a stimulus that naturally triggers a response

 learned response to a previously neutral CS

originally irrelevant stimulus, after association with UCS, comes to trigger CR

 diminishing of a conditioned response; UCS does not follow CS (classical), response no longer reinforced (operant)

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

biological clock; (temperatures, wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

depth cues, such as retinal disparity an convergence, that depends on the use of two eyes

 distance cues, such as linear perspective or overlap, available to either eye alone

branch of psych that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be adapted to human behaviors

the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster

theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision. (red-green, blue-yellow, black-white) one is inhibited while the other is stimulated

a tone’s highness or lowness

number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a specific time

coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses

hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or auditory nerves

minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time

adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

 ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of pupil opening

transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina

light-sensitive inner surface of the eye containing rods and cones plus neurons that begin the processing of visual information

retinal receptors that detect color (cones) or black, white, and gray (rods)

people of different ages are compared to one another

same people are restudied and retested over a long period

 in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (12-? Years) during which people begin to think logically about abstract events 

 in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (7-12 years) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (birth-2years) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

 the awareness the objects continue to exist even when not perceived

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (2-7 years) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same, despite changes in objects’ forms

 in Piaget’s theory, the inability of a preoperational child to take another’s point of view

study of evolution of behavior and mind, using principles of natural selection

twins who develop from separate eggs

twins who develop from a single, fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

base of brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

 the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem; helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance

 the endocrine system’s most influential gland; regulates growth and controls other glands in the endocrine system

 a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching, terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons, muscles, or glands

 layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables faster transmission speed

 neural impulse; brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

 the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

 junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contraction

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure

 the brain and spinal cord

sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles

part of the peripheral nervous system that controls glands and muscles of internal organs (such as the heart)

 division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing energy in stressful situations

division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving energy

a statement of the procedures used to define research variables

sample that fairly represents a population because each person has an equal chance of being selected

 measure of the extent to which two factors vary together

both the research participants and staff are ignorant of which people received the placebo

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance

the experimental factor that is being measured in a distribution

 the most frequently occurring score in a distribution

 the arithmetic average of scores in a distribution

the middle score in a distribution

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

 a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

 a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

 the experimental factor that is being manipulated

a school of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function

Animals: treated in humane way, least amount of suffering

Humans: voluntary, informed consent, debriefing of activities