Exam 1

Question 1

Cognitive Psychology

Answer 1

Focuses on higher mental processes (thinking, memory, reasoning, problem solving, judging, decision making, and language)

Question 2

Developmental Psychology

Answer 2

Studies how people grow and change from the moment of conception through death

Question 3

Personality psychology

Answer 3

Focuses on consistency in people’s behavior across their lives as well as traits that differentiate one person from another

Question 4

Counseling Psychology

Answer 4

Focuses primarily on educational, social, and career adjustment problems

Question 5

Clinical neuropsychology

Answer 5

Focuses on the orgin of psychological disorders in biological factors

Question 6

Psychology

Answer 6

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Question 7

Functionalism

Answer 7

How mental processes help people adapt to their environment; William James

Question 8

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 8

A series of principles to describe how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes

Question 9

Neuroscience Perspective

Answer 9

The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, nervous system, and other biological functions

Question 10

Behavioral perspective

Answer 10

Observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interactions with the enviornment

Question 11

Humanistic Perspective

Answer 11

Individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behaviors; free will

Question 12

Scientific method

Answer 12

A systematic approach to researching and observing behavior and other phenomena of interest

Question 13

Scientific method model

Answer 13

1. Identify problem
2. Formulate an explanation
3. Carry out research
4. Communicate the findings

Question 14

Theories

Answer 14

Broad explanations and predictions concerning observations of interest

Question 15

Hypothesis

Answer 15

A predictions, stemming from a theory, stated in a way that allows it to be tested

Question 16

Research

Answer 16

A systematic inquiry aimed at the discovery of new knowledge and is a central ingredient of the scientific method

Question 17

Archival research

Answer 17

EXISTING data are examined to test a hypothesis

Question 18

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 18

An investigator observed some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in the situation.

Question 19

Survey Research

Answer 19

People chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes

Question 20

Case study

Answer 20

An in-depth, intensive investigation of an individual or a small group of people

Question 21

Variables

Answer 21

Behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or vary, in some way

Question 22

Correlation

Answer 22

The strength and direction of the relationship between two variables (+1.0 to -1.0)

Question 23

Experiment

Answer 23

The investigation between two or more variables by producing a change in one variable in the situation and observing the effects on the second variable

Question 24

Random Assignment to Condition

Answer 24

Participants are assigned to different experimental groups or “conditions” on the basis of chance alone.

Question 25

Significant Outcome

Answer 25

Indicates that the findings of a research study are statistically meaningful

Question 26

Debriefing

Answer 26

After a participation in a study, participants receive an explanation of the study and the procedures that were involved

Question 27

Informed consent

Answer 27

A document signed by participants affirming that they have been told about the basic outlines of the study and are aware of what their participation will involve

Question 28

Neurons

Answer 28

Nerve cells, the basic components of the nervous system

Question 29

Myelin Sheath

Answer 29

A protective coating of fat and protein that wraps around the axon

Question 30

All-or-None Law

Answer 30

Neurons either fire completely or not at all

Question 31

Mirror neurons

Answer 31

Specialized neurons that fire not only when a person enacts a particular behavior but also when a person simply observes another individual carrying out the same behavior

Question 32

Synapse

Answer 32

Where the neurons connect and communicate with each other

Question 33

Reuptake

Answer 33

Reabsorption of neurotransmitters by a terminal button

Question 34

Somatic division

Answer 34

Voluntary movements and communication of information to and from the sense organs

Question 35

Autonomic Divison

Answer 35

Involuntary movements

Question 36

Sympathetic divison

Answer 36

Flight or fight response

Question 37

Parasympathetic Divison

Answer 37

Acts to calm the body after an emergency has ended

Question 38

Pituitary gland

Answer 38

Major component of the endocrine system that is a tiny gland found near and regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain

Question 39

Thalamus

Answer 39

Relays information about the senses

Question 40

Limbic System

Answer 40

Controls eating, aggression, reproduction, memory, and emotion

Question 41

Motor Area

Answer 41

Largely responsible for the body’s voluntary movement

Question 42

Sensation

Answer 42

The activation of the sense organs by a source of physical energy

Question 43

Perception

Answer 43

How a person recognizes and interprets sensory information

Question 44

Absolute Threshold

Answer 44

The lowest intensity of a stimulus that an organism can detect

Question 45

Difference Threshold

Answer 45

The smallest level of added or reduced stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation has occurred

Question 46

Weber’s Law

Answer 46

The larger the original stimulus, the larger the just noticeable difference needs to be for it to be detected

Question 47

Adaptation

Answer 47

An adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli

Question 48

Trichromatic Theory of color

Answer 48

There are three kinds of cones in the retina, each of which responds primarily to a specific range of wavelengths

Question 49

Place theory of hearing

Answer 49

Different areas of basilar membrane respond to different frequencies

Question 50

Frequency Theory of hearing

Answer 50

The entire basilar membrane acts like a microphone, vibrating as a whole in response to a sound

Question 51

Top-down Processing

Answer 51

Perception is guided by higher level knowledge, experience, expectations, and motivations

Question 52

Bottom-up Processing

Answer 52

Perception that consists of the progression of recognizing and processing information from individual components of a stimuli and moving to the perception of the whole