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Psychology Ch.1 Trivia
N/A
16
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
10/17/2008

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Cards

Term
Psychology's goals
Definition
Describe, understand, predict and control behavior. Ultimately to benefit humanity.
Term
Barnum effect
Definition
Tendency to consider personal descriptions accurate if they are stated in general/vague terms.
Term
Uncritical Acceptance
Definition
Tendency to believe the compliments you receive. Used in horoscopes, which is why it is still popular.
Term
Empirical evidence
Definition
Data received only from direct observations.
Term
Psychology
Definition
Directly meaning the study of the mind. Since mind cannot be physically be studied it is call the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Term
Stimulus
Definition
Something that evokes a sensory response.
Term
Scientific method
Definition
Collection of evidence accurate description and measurement, controlled observation, and repeatable results.
Term
Case Studies/Natural Clinical Tests
Definition
Accidents or other natural events that give data on psychology such as gunshot wounds, brain tumors, accidental poisoning, etc. Best known one of these is the event with Phineas Gage.
Term
Phineas Gage
Definition
Had a steel rod pierce his skull damaging his frontal lobe which changed his personality forever.
Term
Jane Goodall
Definition
Studied chimps in Tanzania since 1960 through naturalistic observation. Discovered they fashion their own tools as well.
Term
Observer effect
Definition
The change in a subject's behavior caused by awareness of being observed.
Term
Anthropomorphic error
Definition
Saying humans and animals experience the same emtional states such as angry, jealousy, boredom, guilt, etc. This can lead to false or inaccurate conclusions.
Term
Hubel and Wiesel
Definition
Greatly expanded the scientific knowledge of sensory processing. Received Nobel prize in 1981.
Term
Corticalization
Definition
Increase in size and wrinkling of the cortex.
Term
Richard J. Haier
Definition
Found a correalation in intelligence and brain efficiency. Smarter people have brains that use LESS energy, meaning their brains don't work as hard, and accomplish more.
Term
F. Nottebohm's "Rethinking the Brain"
Definition
Canaries can produce thousands of new neurons each day. Discovered neurogensis. Controversial because it contradicted the basic principle in neuroscience that every brain cell animals were born with were all they would ever have. His research began a new study among scientist.
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