Exam #1 Flashcards
1
Q
Clinical
A
to understand and treat mental illness
2
Q
Cognitive
A
basic skills and processes in attention, memory, and language perception
3
Q
Cultural
A
how geography, national beliefs, and religious values influence mental life and behavior
4
Q
Health
A
relationship between psychological processes and physical health
5
Q
Industrial/Organizational
A
how people interact at work, and within different organizational structures
6
Q
Relationships
A
quality of romantic relationships and close friendships
7
Q
Social/Personality
A
how people interact
8
Q
Nativism
A
certain kinds of knowledge are inborn or innate
9
Q
Empiricism
A
all knowledge is acquired through experience
10
Q
Dualism
A
the mind and body are made of fundamentally different substances; physical principles do not apply to the mind; the mind is the activity of the brain, not a separate substance
11
Q
Behaviorism
A
the scientific study of observable behavior
12
Q
Theory
A
explanation based on observations
13
Q
Hypothesis
A
a prediction made based on the theory
14
Q
Descriptive Research
A
measuring what occurs
15
Q
Naturalistic Observation
A
examining humanistic behaviors
16
Q
Self Report
A
examining personal patterns of behavior
17
Q
Case Study
A
focuses on only one research participant
18
Q
Correlational Research
A
measuring the relationship between two factors
19
Q
Experimental Research
A
altering one variable (independent variable) and measuring the influence on another variable (dependent variable); eliminates the ambiguity about casualty that correlational research contains.
20
Q
Group Design
A
different participants get different levels of the independent variable
21
Q
Within-subject design
A
each participant gets each level of the independent variable
22
Q
correlation coefficient, r
A
measures the strength of the relationship
23
Q
r = 1.0
A
perfect positive correlation
24
Q
r = -1.0
A
perfect negative correlation
25
r = 0
no correlation
26
Population
everyone who we think/hope the results apply to
27
Sample
participants in the study
28
Convenience Samples
a type of non-probability sampling that involves the sample being drawn from that part of the population that is close to hand.
29
Prior to studies being conducted with human participants, the research must first be approved by the...
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
30
Informed consent
information provided about the experiment before participating
31
Freedom from coercion
voluntary participation and the right to withdraw
32
Risk/benefit analysis
voluntary participation and the right to withdraw
33
3 basic principles of research done with animal participants
1. Replace
2. Reduce
3. Refine
34
Neurons
the cells that communicate with one another to process information (no more than ½ of the cells in the nervous system)
35
Glia
maintain the local environment that neurons need to function (electrical environment, waste clean-up, immune function)
36
Synapse
relationship between 2 neurons (axon of one and dendrite of another)
37
Parts of a neuron
- Cell body
- Dendrites
- Axons
38
Cell Body
general functions needed to keep the cell alive; integrates electrical activity from the dendrites
39
Dendrites (input)
receive communication from other neurons; branch-like figures (bushier means more synaptic inputs, sparser means fewer synaptic inputs)
40
Axons (output)
send signals to other neurons, muscles, or glands
41
Voltage
difference in electrical charge (positive or negative) between two locations [in neurons, the two locations are the inside and outside of the cell] voltage = potential
42
Resting Potential
inside of cell is more negative
43
Action Potential
inside of cell is more positive
44
Myelin
keeps the current from escaping the axon in glial cells
45
Neurotransmitters
chemical molecules that allow neurons to communicate with each other throughout the body
46
Glutamate
most common excitatory neurotransmitter
47
GABA
most common inhibitory neurotransmitter
48
Acetylcholine
axon to muscle neurotransmitter (also in brain)
49
Modulatory neurotransmitters
change how neurons respond to Glutamate and GABA
50
How do psychoactive drugs work?
Drugs affect the nervous system by increasing, interfering with, or mimicking neurotransmitters
51
Agonists
drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter
52
Antagonists
drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter
53
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
connects to the Central Nervous System (CNS) to the body’s organs and muscles
54
Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
conveys sensory information and motor commands into and out of the CNS
55
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
controls bodily organs (heart, digestive system, etc.) and glands (make hormones)
56
Sympathetic Nervous System
prepares the body for action/fight
57
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Helps body return to resting state, building energy supply
58
Spinal cord
Divided into four main sections; each is related to different parts of the body
Damage done higher on the spinal cord usually means greater impairment because everything below there is disconnected from the brain.
59
Divisions of the spinal cord
Cervical (C1-C7)
Thoracic (T1-T12)
Lumbar (L1-L5)
Sacrum (S1-S5)
60
Spinal reflexes
simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contractions without involving the brain
61
Reflex
consists of a short neural pathway between a specific sensory input and a specific action
62
Pain Withdrawal Reflex
a reflex circuit like this has the advantage of being quick - time is saved by not sending info to the brain for further processing before an action is initiated.
63
Medulla & Pons
multiple structures that perform different functions essential for survival:
- Heart rate
- Breathing
- Swallowing
- Vomiting
- Urination
64
Reticular formation & Midbrain
multiple structures doing different things:
- Regulate the stages of sleep [major complementary function]
- Regulate level alertness when awake
- Visual function: directs eye movements towards something that has changed
- Auditory function: helps localize where a sound is coming from
65
Cerebellum
A biological computer that assists the forebrain with control of movement (motor control); Maintaining balance and stability;
Programs the sequence and timing of different muscles for a complex movement;
Coordinating movements with visual input; Learning movement sequences
66
Forebrain
Cerebral cortex + Subcortical structures;
Everything in the forebrain occurs in pairs; Right side related to the left side of the body <-> Left side related to the right side of the body
67
Subcortical structures
- Hypothalamus
- Hormone
- Thalamus
- Basal Ganglia
- Amygdala
68
Hypothalamus
regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior. Controls the pituitary gland located just below it, at the base of the brain.
69
Hormone
Made by a gland, released into the bloodstream, detected by other bodily organs that respond to the hormone
70
Hypothalamus Gland
controls motivation and regulates body functions
71
Pituitary Gland
governs release of hormones
72
Thyroid Gland
controls how the body burns energy
73
Parathyroid Gland
maintains calcium levels
74
Thymus Gland
governs immune system
75
Adrenal Gland
blood pressure, blood sugar, electrolyte levels in blood
76
Pancreas
controls digestion
77
Ovaries & Testes
influence reproduction
78
Thalamus
relays and filters information from the senses and transmits it to the cerebral cortex (gateway to the cortex)
79
Basal Ganglia
set of subcortical structures that helps coordinate intentional movements. Interacts closely with motor region of cerebral cortex -> where voluntary movements start
80
Amygdala
helps detect emotionally significant stimuli (potential danger or reward) and alert the cerebral cortex. Coordinates bodily response to emotional situations (heart rate, breathing, etc.). Known for giving crude information, coordinates closely with the hypothalamus.
81
5 Lobes of the cerebral cortex
1. occipital
2. parietal
3. temporal
4. frontal
5. insula
82
Occipital Lobe
processes visual information
83
Parietal Lobe
processes information about touch, and visuo-spatial information
84
Temporal Lobe
responsible for hearing and language, visual recognition, and memory formation
85
Frontal Lobe
specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, and judgment
86
Insula Lobe
(hidden behind the parietal) taste, smell, visceral sensation (bodily needs), ties together experience of pain and emotional response
87
Motor Control
right hemisphere controls movements of limbs on the left side of the body, left hemisphere controls movements of limbs on the right side of the body
88
Somatosensation
right hemisphere senses touch, limb position, etc from the left side of the body, left hemisphere does the same for the right side of the body
89
Vision
right hemisphere received into the left visual field - what’s to the left of your nose - and vice-versa for the left hemisphere
90
Left hemisphere
controls language (speaking, writing, reading, listening)
91
Right hemisphere
spatial tasks
92
Corpus callosum
where the two hemispheres communicate with each other. If the corpus callosum is cut (to relieve severe epilepsy), the right hemisphere seems to be unaware of words that the left hemisphere has just read
93
Raw sensation
simple stimulation of a sense organ
94
Full perception
organization, identification, and interpretation of a sensation in order to form a mental representation
95
Transduction
conversion of one form of energy to another; in sensation, transforming of stimulus energies into electrical current in sensory receptors.
96
3 Properties of light waves
- frequency
- amplitude
- purity
97
Frequency
determines color
98
AMplitude
determines brightness
99
Purity
saturation of richness or color
100
Photoreceptors
(rods, cones) transduce light energy into electrical current
101
Ganglion cells
final neurons that send output to the brain
102
Optic nerve
axons of ganglion cells bundled together. Carry action potentials from the eye to the brain
103
Blind spot
point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a “blind spot” because there are no photoreceptors there
104
Fovea
central area of retina, with more photoreceptors per square millimeter (all cones)
105
Rods as photoreceptors
- Peripheral retina
- Detect luminance only (no color, only brightness)
- Twilight or low light
106
Cones as photoreceptors
- Near center of retina
- Fine detail and color vision
- Daylight or well-lit conditions
107
Lateral geniculate
the visual nucleus in the thalamus
108
Feature detection
individual V1 neurons are tuned to specific edge orientations, directions of motion, and colors.
109
Ventral path
recognition of objects. Object constancy allows us to recognize the same object from different viewing angles and distances.
110
Dorsal path
represents where an object is relative to you - how far, what angle, what direction it is moving in, etc. Helps guide action.
111
Attention
necessary for accurate visual perception; the glue that binds individual features into a whole percept.
112
Binding problem
how features are linked together so that we see unified objects in our visual world rather than free-floating or miscombined features.
(Errors in binding occur when there is insufficient attention)
113
Illusory conjunction
perceptual mistake where features from multiple objects are incorrectly combined (colors, shapes, letters, etc)
114
Feature integration theory
idea that focused attention is not required to detect the individual features that comprise a stimulus, but is required to bind those individual features together
115
Binding process
utilizes structures in the ventral and especially the dorsal path (parietal lobe)
116
Synesthesia
may involve atypical feature binding
117
The Gestalt Principles
- proximity
- similarity
- continuity
- closure
- connectedness
- common fate
118
Proximity
group nearby elements together
119
Similarity
group elements that are similar
120
Continuity
perceive continuous patterns
121
Closure
fill in gaps
122
Connectedness
spots, lines, and areas seen as a unit when connected
123
Common fate
elements that move together are part of the same object
124
Binocular depth cues
difference in the retinal images of the two eyes that provides information about depth
125
Monocular depth cues
aspects of a scene that yield information about depth when viewed with only one eye (Relative size, familiar size, linear perspective, texture gradient, interposition, relative height)
126
Sound
air pressure wave; moving objects move the air molecule around them, air molecule become compressed
127
Properties of sound waves
- frequency
- amplitude
- complexity
128
Frequency
corresponds to our perception of pitch
129
Amplitude
corresponds to our perception of loudness
130
Complexity
corresponds to our perception of timbre
131
Parts of the human ear
- outer ear
- middle ear
- inner ear
132
Outer ear
funnels sound waves inward
133
Middle ear
bones that transmit vibrations
134
Inner ear
transduces vibrations into electrical energy
135
Auditory parts of the human inner ear
- cochlea
- basilar membrane
- hair cells
136
Cochlea
fluid-filled tube, rolled up into a coil
137
Basilar membrane
base of the cochlea, undulates when vibrations from the ossicles reach the cochlear fluid
138
Hair cells
the sensory receptors. Long, thin cells embedded in the basilar membrane.
139
RATE code for pitch
hair cell activity tracks sound vibration in time. Works best for lower pitches.
140
PLACE code for pitch
different sections of basilar membrane vibrate more at higher versus lower pitches.
141
Loudness
number of hair cells active
142
Time Difference
Sound coming from the right side will arrive at the right ear slightly earlier than the left ear
143
Frequency difference
the head absorbs high frequencies. If a sound is coming from the right, the right ear will pick up higher frequencies than the left ear.
144
Types of hearing loss
- conductive hearing less
- sensorineural hearing loss
- congenital deafness (total)
145
Conductive hearing loss
damage to the eardrum or ossicles
146
Sensorineural hearing loss
damage to the cochlea, hair cells, or auditory nerve
147
Congenital deafness (total)
several different versions due to a defect in some gene that’s necessary in the cochlea.
148
Transducers of somatosensation
- skin and just under the skin
- joints
- muscles
149
Somatosensation
touch, temp., pain, body position
150
The chemical senses
smell & taste
151
Smell
information is routed to several brain systems (and bypasses the thalamus)
152
Smell in the frontal cortex
conscious perception of smell
153
Smell in the hypothalamus amygdala
motivational and emotional aspects of smell
154
Smell in the hippocampus
odor memory
155
Taste
separate nutritious things from poisons; some aspects are genetic, while others are learned,
156
5 kinds of taste receptors
1. sweet
2. salty
3. sour
4. bitter
5. umami
157
Consciousness
A subjective experience of the external world and one’s own mind
People judge the consciousness of others based on their perceived ability to experience and to act deliberately
158
Properties of consciousness
- intentionality
- unity
- selectivity
159
intentionality
conscious of something - in the world or your own thoughts/emotions
160
Unity
input from the different senses and your internal thoughts integrated into one experience
161
Selectivity
at any one moment, a person is aware of only a fraction of what they could be aware of
162
Transience
contents of awareness tend to change from moment to moment
163
Dichotic listening
a technique used to study attention in which two different auditory signals played in both ears
164
Mind Wandering
attention disengaged from the outside world and directed at their own thoughts - but allowed to drift from topic to topic
165
Subliminal perception
individuals are able to discriminate visual stimuli they report not consciously seeing
166
Sleep stages
- stages 1&2
- stages 3&4
- REM
167
Sleep stages 1 & 2
lighter sleep, easier to wake up (early)
168
Sleep stages 3 & 4
“slow wave” sleep, harder to wake someone up (late)
169
REM sleep stage
rapid eye movements under closed eyelids, dreaming, muscles are actively inhibited (brainstem neurons inhibit spinal motor neurons)
170
Functions of sleep
- physical restoration of cell
- reinforcing memories that were formed during the day
171
Short term sleep deprivation
increases sensitivity to pain, trouble maintaining body temperature, poor immune function, poor retention of new memories
172
Total sleep deprivation
leads to death
173
Sleep disorders
- insomnia
- sleep apnea
- somnambulism
- narcolepsy
- sleep paralysis
- night terrors
174
Insomnia
difficulty falling asleep / staying asleep
175
Sleep apnea
stop breathing for short periods of time while alseep
176
Somnambulism
sleepwalking, occurs only during stage 3 & 4
177
Narcolepsy
suddenly falling asleep during a waking activity
178
Sleep paralysis
waking up unable to move
179
Night terrors
abruptly waking up in a panic
180
Freudian theory
dreams represent suppressed wishes, transformed to hide their true intent
181
Activation synthesis theory
stored information is being refreshed, updated, and re-arranged (partly to weave new learning). As snippets fly by, part of our brain tries to turn them into a story.
182
Drug classes
- depressants
- stimulants
- opiates
183
Depressants
reduce CNS activity by increasing activity of GABA - the main inhibitory neurotransmitter
(Alcohol,
Barbiturates,
Benzodiazepines,
Inhalants)
184
Stimulants
increase CNS activity, but in many different ways across drugs (Caffeine, Nicotine
Amphetamines,
Cocaine,
Ecstasy/MDMA,
Drugs prescribed for ADHD/ADD)
185
Opiates
originate from a plant, bind to the same receptors as naturally occurring neurotransmitters called endorphins. Many endorphin receptors in a brain area important for pain reception (cannabis/hallucinogens)
186
Cannabis
THC in the plant binds to same receptors as a naturally occurring neurotransmitter called anandamide
187
Hallucinogens
affect neurotransmitters in midbrain (dopamine, serotonin) that in turn influence the cortex (LSD, ecstasy)
