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Psychology Test 1
study of the mind
169
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
09/14/2012

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Term
Psychology
Definition
scientific study of mind and behavior
Term
mind
Definition
private inner experience
Term
behavior
Definition
observable actions of human beings and nonhuman animals
Term
Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)
Definition
-neuroimaging technique which allows one to see which parts of the brain are active during a given task(the last 20-25 years)
Term
When is your brain active?
Definition
Where a part of your brain is using more blood, its more active
Term
correlation
Definition
relationship between A and B
Term
Two original movements in psychology
Definition
structuralism and functionalism
Term
structuralism
Definition
analyze the mind by breaking it down into its basic components
Term
functionalism
Definition
study how mental abilities allow people to adapt to their environments
Term
nativism
Definition
the philosophical view that a certain kinds of knowledge are innate or inborn
Term
philosophical empiricism
Definition
the philosophical view that all knowledge is acquired through experience
Term
Rene’ Descartes (1596-1650)
Definition
french philosopher that argued for dualism between mind and body
Term
Thomas hobbes(1588-1679)
Definition
argued against Descartes
Term
Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828)
Definition
Believed you could touch the scalp and figure out what you’re good and bad at; phrenology
Term
phrenology
Definition
: a now defunct theory that specific mental abilities and characteristics are localized in specific regions of the brain
Term
Pierre Flourens (1794-1867)
Definition
surgically removed brain pieces; argued against Gall’s methods; When a part of the brain is removed, you’re gonna act differently. Showed that brain and mind are not dualism
Term
Paul Broca(1824-1880)
Definition
studied brain damaged patients(left frontal lobe) to link localization to ability
Term
physiology
Definition
the study of biological processes, especially in the human body
Term
Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894)
Definition
studied human reaction time; estimated the length of nerve impulse
Term
Stimulus
Definition
sensory input from the environment
Term
reaction time
Definition
the amount of time taken to respond to a specific stimulus
Term
Wilhelm Wundt(1832-1920)
Definition
opened the first psychological laboratory
Term
consciousness
Definition
a person’s subjective experience of the world and the mind
Term
introspection
Definition
the subjective observation of one’s own experience
Term
Edward titchener (1867-1927)
Definition
studied under Wundt; focused on identifying basic elements of the mind
Term
William James (1842-1910)
Definition
first to take scientific approach to study Psych; wrote The Principles Of Psychology
Term
Charles Darwin(1809-1882)
Definition
inspired James; wrote On the Origin Of Species by Means Of Natural Selection
Term
natural selection
Definition
the features of an organism that help it survive and reproduce are more likely than other features to be passed on to subsequent generations
Term
G. Stanley Hall (1844-1924)
Definition
set up first psych lab in NA; focused on development and education. Founded the American Journal of Psychology
Term
Jean- Martin Charcot(1825-1893), Pierre Janet(1859-1947)
Definition
studied hysteric patients through hypnosis
Term
hysteria
Definition
a temporary loss of cognitive or motor functions, usually as a result of emotionally upsetting experiences
Term
Sigmund freud(1856-1939)
Definition
hysteria caused from painful unconscious experiences
Term
Unconscious
Definition
the part of the mind that operates outside of awareness but influences conscious thoughts, feelings, and actions
Term
Psychoanalytic theory
Definition
approach to understanding human behavior that emphasizes the importance of unconscious mental processes in shaping feelings, thought, behaviors
Term
Psychoanalysis
Definition
a therapeutic approach that focuses on bringing unconscious materail into conscious awareness to better understand psychological disorders
Term
Carl Jung(1875-1961), Alfred Adler(1870-1937)
Definition
followed but broke away from Freud
Term
Abraham Maslow(1908-1970), Carl Rogers(1902-1987)
Definition
pioneered a new movement in Humanistic Psychology
Term
Humanistic Psychology
Definition
an approach to understanding human nature that emphasizes the positive potential of human beings
Term
Behaviorism
Definition
an approach that advocates that psychologists restrict themselves to the scientific study of objectively observable behavior
Term
John Watson(1878-1958
Definition
goal to predict and control behavior through the study of observable behavior
Term
Margaret Washburn(1871-1939)
Definition
studied behavior in different animal species; published The Animal Mind
Term
Ivan Pavlov(1849-1936)
Definition
studied the physiology of digestion and founded classical conditioning(stimulus-response)
Term
response
Definition
an action or physiological change elicited by a stimulus
Term
Burrhus Frederick(B.F.) skinner(1904-1990)
Definition
developed the “Skinner box” or conditioning chamber to explain learning, and founded operant conditioning; published The Behavior of Organisms, Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Walden II
Term
Reinforcement
Definition
the consequences of a behavior that determine whether it will be more likely that the behavior will occur again
Term
Illusions
Definition
errors of perception, memory, or judgment in which subjective experience differs from objective reality
Term
Max Wertheimer(1880-1943
Definition
founded induced motion phenomena;
Gestalt psychology
Term
Gestalt psychology
Definition
a psychological approach that emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the parts
Term
Sir Frederic Bartlett (1886-1969)
Definition
discovered that memory recall is flawed
Term
Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850-1909)
Definition
Forgetting curve; learn it and then forget it by the day after
Term
Jean Piaget(1896-1980)
Definition
studied cognitive development (errors) in children;Came up with a four stage development
Term
Kurt Lewin(1890-1947)
Definition
studied the construal of stimuli; topology as a mathematical to model subjective experience
Term
Cognitive psychology
Definition
the scientific study of mental processes, including perception, thought, memory, and reasoning
Term
Donald Broadbent(1926-1993)
Definition
discovered attention has limited capacity;Hard to do more than one thing at once
Term
Karl Lashley (1890-1958)
Definition
lesioned a rats’ brains to unsuccessfully localize learning; lead to physiological psychology
Term
Behavioral neuroscience
Definition
an approach to psychology that links psychological processes to activities in the nervous system and other bodily processes
Term
Cognitive neuroscience
Definition
a field that attempts to understand the links between cognitive processes and brain activity
Term
Evolutionary psychology
Definition
a psychological approach that explains mind and behavior in terms of the adaptive value of abilities that are preserved over time by natural selection
Term
Social psychology
Definition
a subfield of psychology that studies the causes and consequences of interpersonal behavior
Term
Solomon Asch (1907-1996)
Definition
studied “mental chemistry” and obedience in lab experiments
Term
Gordon Allport (1897-1967)
Definition
studied stereotyping, prejudice, and racism as perceptual errors
Term
Cultural psychology
Definition
the study of how cultures reflect and shape the psychological processes of their members
Term
Absolutionism
Definition
culture makes little difference on psychology
Term
Relativism
Definition
psychological phenomena are likely to vary considerably across cultures
Term
Mary Calkins
Definition
first female president of APA
Term
Kenneth Clark
Definition
first african american president of APA
Term
Empiricism
Definition
The belief that knowledge can be acquired through observation
Term
Scientific method
Definition
a set of principles about the appropriate relationship between ideas and evidence
Term
Ibn al-Haytham (965-1039)
Definition
father of scientific method
Term
Theory
Definition
a hypothetical explanation of a natural phenoma
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
a falsifiable prediction made by a theory
Term
Empirical method
Definition
a set of rules and techniques for observation
Term
Operational definition
Definition
a description of a property in concrete, measurable terms
Term
Measure
Definition
a device that can detect the condition to which an operational definition refers(for example, an EMG
Term
Validity
Definition
the extent to which a measurement and a property are conceptually related
Term
reliability
Definition
the tendency for a measure to produce the same measurement whenever it is used to measure the same thing
Term
power
Definition
the ability of a measure to detect the concrete conditions specified in the operational definition
Term
Demand characteristics
Definition
those aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think they should
Term
Naturalistic observation
Definition
a technique for gathering scientific information by unobtrusively observing people in their natural environments
Term
Observer bias
Definition
expectation can influence observations and influence perceptions of reality
Term
Double-blind
Definition
an observation that whose true purpose is hidden from both the observer and the person being observed
Term
Frequency distribution
Definition
a graphical representation of measurements arranged by the number of times each measurement was made
Term
Normal distribution
Definition
a mathematically defined frequency distribution in which most measurements are concentrated around the middle
Term
Descriptive stats
Definition
brief summary statements about a frequency distribution
Term
Variable
Definition
a property whose value can vary across individuals or over time
Term
Correlation coefficient
Definition
a measure of the direction and strength of a correlation
Term
Natural correlations
Definition
a correlation observed in the world around us
Term
Third variable problem
Definition
the fact that a casual relationship between two variables cannot be inferred from the naturally occurring correlation between them because of the ever-present possibility of third variable correlation
Term
Third-variable correlation
Definition
the fact that two variables are correlated only bc each is casually related to a third variable
Term
Matched samples
Definition
a technique whereby the participants in two groups are identical in terms of a third variable
Term
Matched pairs
Definition
a technique whereby each participant is identical to one other participant in terms of a third variable
Term
Experiment
Definition
a technique for establishing the casual relationship between variables
Term
Manipulation
Definition
the creation of an artificial pattern of variation in a variable in order to determine its casual powers
Term
Independent variable
Definition
the variable that is manipulated in an experiment
Term
Dependent
Definition
the variable that is measured in a study
Term
Random assignment
Definition
a procedure that uses a random event to assign people to the experimental or control group
Term
Experimental group
Definition
the group of people who are treated in a particular way in an experiment
Term
Control group
Definition
the group of people who are not treated in a particular way that the experimental group is treated in an experiment
Term
Self- selection
Definition
a problem that occurs when anything about a person determines whether he or she will be included in the experimental or control group
Term
Internal validity
Definition
the characteristic of an experiment that established that casual relationship between variables
Term
External validity
Definition
the property of an experiment in which the variables have been operationally defined in a normal, typical, or realistic way; are they representative of the real world
Term
Case method
Definition
a method of gathering scientific knowledge by studying a single individual
Term
Random sampling
Definition
a technique for choosing participants that ensures that every member of a population has an equal chance of being included in the sample
Term
Cell body
Definition
the part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive
Term
Dendrite
Definition
the part of a neuron that receives info from other neurons and relays it to the cell body
Term
Axon
Definition
the part of a neuron that transmits info to other neurons, muscles, or glands
Term
Myelin sheath
Definition
an insulating layer of fatty material
Term
Synapse
Definition
the junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another
Term
Neurons
Definition
cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform info-processing tasks
Term
Santiago Ramon Cajal (1852-1934)
Definition
first stained neurons in the brain
Term
Sensory neurons
Definition
neurons that receive information from the external world and convey this information to the brain via the spinal cord
Term
Motor neurons
Definition
neurons that carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement
Term
Interneurons
Definition
neurons that connect sensory neurons, motor neurons, or other interneurons
Term
Neurons specialized by location
Definition
Purkinje cells, pyramidal cells, bipolar cells
Term
mirror neuron
Definition
recently Found in frontal and parietal lobes and have identified in other species in addition to humans; Activated when an organism engages in a behavior or observes another engage in that behavior
Term
Resting potential
Definition
the difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neurons cell membrane
Term
Action potential
Definition
an electric signal that is conducted along a neuron’s axon to a synapse
Term
Refractory period
Definition
the time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated
Term
neurotransmitters
Definition
Info is passed between neurons through chemicals
Term
Terminal buttons
Definition
knoblike structures that branch out from an axon
Term
Terminal buttons
Definition
knoblike structures that branch out from an axon
Term
Receptors
Definition
parts of the cell membrane that receive the neurotransmitter and initiate or prevent a new electric signal
Term
Types of neurotransmitters
Definition
Acetylcholine,Dopamine,Glutamate,BAGA,Norepinephrine,Serotonin,Endorphins
Term
Endorphins
Definition
chemicals that act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain (Runners high)
Term
Serotonin
Definition
involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating, and aggressive behavior
Term
Norepinephrine
Definition
influences mood and arousal
Term
BAGA
Definition
major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
Term
Glutamate
Definition
major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in info transmission throughout the brain
Term
Dopamine
Definition
regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal
Term
Acetylcholine
Definition
involved in a number of functions including voluntary motor control
Term
how do drugs affect the nervous system?
Definition
increasing, interfering with or mimicking neurotransmitters
Term
Agonists
Definition
drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter
Term
Nervous system
Definition
an interacting network of neurons that conveys electrochemical info throughout the body
Term
Central nervous system
Definition
brain and spinal cord
Term
Peripheral nervous system
Definition
connects the CNS to the body’s organs and muscles
Term
Somatic nervous system
Definition
conveys info into and out of the CNS
Term
Autonomic nervous systems
Definition
carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands
Term
Sympathetic nervous systems
Definition
prepares the body for action in threatening situations
Term
Parasympathetic nervous system
Definition
helps the body return to a normal resting state
Term
Spinal reflexes
Definition
simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contractions
Term
three major divisions of the brain
Definition
midbrain, hindbrain, forebrain
Term
hindbrain
Definition
coordinates info coming into and out of the spinal cord, and controls the basic functions of life

Medulla, reticular formation, cerebellum, pons
Term
midbrain
Definition
: important for orientation and movement

Tectum, tegmentum
Term
forebrain
Definition
highest level of brain; critical for complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions
Cerebral cortex, subcortical structures
Term
subcortial structures
Definition
thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland
Term
thalamus
Definition
relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the info to the cerebral cortex
Term
hypothalamus
Definition
regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior; also part if the Limbic System
Term
pituitary gland
Definition
the “master gland” of the body’s hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body
Term
pituitary gland
Definition
the “master gland” of the body’s hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body
Term
limbic system
Definition
a group of forebrain structures involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory
Term
Amygdala
Definition
plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional memories
Term
hippocampus
Definition
critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex
Term
parts of limbic system
Definition
hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus
Term
cerebral cortex
Definition
highest level of the brain
Term
left and right hemisphere of brain
Definition
contralateral control,Commisures; corpus callosum: a thick band of nerve fibers that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of info across the hemispheres
Term
four lobes of the cortex
Definition
occipital, frontal, parietal, temporal
Term
occipital lobe
Definition
processes visual info
Term
temporal lobe
Definition
responsible for hearing and language
Term
parietal lobe
Definition
processes info about touch
Term
frontal lobe
Definition
has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment
Term
Association areas
Definition
areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to info registered in the cortex
Term
The brain is plastic
Definition
functions that were assigned to certain areas of the brain may be capable of being reassigned to other areas of the brain to accommodate changing input from the environment
Term
gene
Definition
unit of hereditary transmission; sections on strands of DNA organized into chromosomes
Term
Chromosomes
Definition
strands of DNA wound around each other in a double-helix configuration
Term
Heritability
Definition
: a measure of the variability of behavioral traits among individuals that can be accounted for by genetic factors
Term
CT scan, MRI
Definition
Structural brain shows underlying brain structure
Term
PET, fMRI
Definition
Functional brain imaging shows brain activity while someone engages in a cognitive or motor task
Term
Brain death
Definition
irreversible loss of all functions of the brain
Term
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Definition
a device used to record electrical activity in the brain
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