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General Psychology > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Psychology

A

study of mind and behavior

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2
Q

Mind

A

private inner experience of perceptions, thoughts, memories, feelings

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3
Q

Behavior

A

observable actions of humans and animals

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4
Q

Plato

A

favored nativism: certain kinds of knowledge is innate

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5
Q

Aristotle

A

believed in philosophical empiricism: all knowledge is acquired through experience
child’s mind is a blank slate, experiences are written

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6
Q

Rene Descartes

A

believed mind and body are different

the body is material substance and mind is an immaterial or spiritual substance

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7
Q

Dualism

A

how mental activity is connected with behavior

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8
Q

Thomas Hobbes

A

the mind is what the brain does

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9
Q

Psychology benefitted from

A

physiology (study of biological processes)

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10
Q

Stimulus

A

sensory input from environment

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11
Q

Reaction time

A

amount of time taken to respond to stimuli

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12
Q

Consciousness

A

a person’s experience of the world and mind

sight, sound, taste, smell, bodily sensations, thoughts, feelings

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13
Q

Structuralism

A

analysis of the basic elemental sensations and feelings

examined the structure of mental processes

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14
Q

Introspection

A

observation of one’s own experience

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15
Q

Functionalism

A

how mental processes enable people to adapt to their environments
understand the functions mental processes served

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16
Q

Natural selection

A

features of an organism that help it survive and reproduce

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17
Q

The ultimate function of all psychological processes

A

to help people survive and reproduce

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18
Q

Hysteria

A

temporary loss of cognitive or motor functions

result of emotionally upsetting experiences

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19
Q

Unconscious

A

part of the mind that operates outside of conscious awareness, but influences conscious thoughts, feelings, and actions

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20
Q

Psychoanalytic theory

A

emphasizes the importance of unconscious mental processes in shaping feelings, thoughts, and actions/behavior
Freud

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21
Q

Psychoanalysis

A

bringing unconscious material into conscious awareness to better understand psychological disorders
Freud

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22
Q

Humanistic psychology

A

approach to understanding human nature that emphasizes the positive potential of human beings
focuses on people’s highest aspirations
people have an inherit need to develop, grow, and attain their full potential

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23
Q

Behaviorism

A

advocated that psychologist restrict themselves to the scientific study of objectively observable behavior

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24
Q

Watson

A

proposed to study only behavior what people do, instead of experience
behavior is objective

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25
Q

Pavlov

A

stimulus creates response (action or physiological changed caused by a stimulus)

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26
Q

Skinner

A

conditioning chamber (Skinner box)

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27
Q

Reinforcement

A

consequences of a behavior determine whether it’ll be more or less likely to occur again

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28
Q

Skinner believed

A

people do things that they were rewarded for in the past, and the belief that they “chose” to do them is an illusion of free will
sparked an outcry

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29
Q

Wertheimer

A

focused on illusions (errors of perception, memory or judgement in which subjective experience differs from objective reality)

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30
Q

Gestalt psychology

A

we often perceive the whole, instead of the sum of the parts

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31
Q

Lewin

A

thought best way to predict a person’s behavior was to look at the person’s interpretation (construal) of the stimulus, instead of focusing on the stimulus

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32
Q

Cognitive psychology

A

study of mental processes, including perception, thought, memory, and reasoning

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33
Q

Behavioral neuroscience

A

links psychological processes to activities in the nervous system and other bodily processes

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34
Q

Cognitive neuroscience

A

understanding the links between cognitive processes and brain activity

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35
Q

Evolutionary psychology

A

explains mind and behavior in terms of the adaptive value of abilities that are preserved over time by natural selection
some things are passed on to help organisms survive
psychological features can be favored and passed on

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36
Q

Social psychology

A

studies causes and consequences of sociality

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37
Q

Culture

A

values, traditions, and beliefs shared by groups of people

can be defined by age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, occupation, etc.

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38
Q

Cultural psychology

A

study of how cultures reflect and shape the psychological processes of their members

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39
Q

Dogmatists

A

best way to understand illness was to separate the body’s functions

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40
Q

Empiricists

A

best way to understand illness was to observe sick people

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41
Q

Empiricism

A

belief that accurate knowledge can be acquired through observation

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42
Q

Scientific method

A

a procedure for finding facts by using empirical evidence

uses specific predictions

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43
Q

Theory

A

hypothetical explanation of a natural phenomenon

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44
Q

Hypothesis

A

falsifiable prediction made by a theory

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45
Q

Empirical method

A

set of rules and techniques for observation

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46
Q

People have 3 qualities that make them difficult to study

A

complexity
variability
reactivity

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47
Q

2 methods to study people

A

methods of observation: what people do

methods of explanation: why people do it

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48
Q

Operational definition

A

description of a property in terms of some concrete, observable event

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49
Q

Validity

A

how well the event indicates the property

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50
Q

Instrument

A

anything that can detect the event to which an operational definition refers

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51
Q

Reliability

A

tendency for an instrument to produce the same measurement every time

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52
Q

Power

A

an instrument’s ability to detect

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53
Q

Demand characteristics

A

when people behave as they think someone wants/expects while being observed

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54
Q

Naturalistic observation

A

observing people in their natural environments

reduces demand characteristics

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55
Q

Demand characteristics can be reduced by

A

testing something people can’t control

make sure they don’t know what the researchers expect

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56
Q

Expectations can influence

A

observations!

reality!

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57
Q

Double blind observation

A

the purpose is hidden from the observer and the person being observed

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58
Q

Variables

A

properties with values that vary

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59
Q

Correlation and causation

A

variations are synchronized (correlation)

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60
Q

Positively vs Negatively correlated

A 
positively = more is more (more sleep, more remembered)
negatively = more is less (more sleep, less partying)
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61
Q

Natural correlations

A

correlations observed in the world around us

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62
Q

Third variable correlation

A

two variables are correlated due to a third variable

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63
Q

Experiment

A

discovers the relationship between variables

64
Q

Manipulation

A

changing a variable to determine its effect

65
Q

Independent variable

A

variable changed

66
Q

Dependent variable

A

variable responding to change

measured

67
Q

Control group

A

measured against

68
Q

Experimental group

A

changed

69
Q

Self selection

A

occurs when participant determines if they’ll be in the control or experimental group

70
Q

Internal validity

A

allows experiment to establish casual relationships

71
Q

Random assignment

A

participants are assigned to groups randomly

72
Q

ALWAYS define variables as they are

A

defined in the real world

73
Q

External validity

A

variables have been defined in a normal, typical, or realistic way

74
Q

Population

A

collection of people

75
Q

Sample

A

partial collection of people taken from a population

76
Q

Case method

A

studying an individual

77
Q

Random sampling

A

all participants have an equal change of being included in the sample

78
Q

Random sample is

A

representative of a population

allows generalization

79
Q

3 reasons why failure to randomly sample isn’t fatal

A

sometimes similarity of a sample and population doesn’t matter
Direct replication: an experiment uses same procedures as a previous one, but with a new sample
sometimes the similarity of the sample and population is a reasonable starting assumption

80
Q

Rules of critical thinking

A

doubt your own conclusions

consider what you don’t see

81
Q

People tend to see what

A

they want to see and will stop looking for further data

or vice versa

82
Q

All research must follow

A

show respect for people
must be beneficent: maximize benefits and reduce risks
must be just: distribute benefits and risks equally

83
Q

Informed consent

A

written agreement to participate in a study, informed of all risks

84
Q

Other things research must follow

A 
freedom from coercion
protection from harm
risk-benefit analysis
deception
debriefing - telling participant true nature and purpose of study
confidentiality
85
Q

Neurons

A

cells in nervous system

communicate with each other to perform info processing tasks

86
Q

Cell body

A

processes
keeps cell alive
contains nucleus

87
Q

Dendrites

A

receives info from other neurons, sends it to cell body

88
Q

Axon

A

sends info to other neurons, muscles, or glands

89
Q

Synapse

A

gap between dendrites and axons of neurons

90
Q

Myelin sheath

A

covers axon, protects, increases activity/speeds it up

91
Q

Glial cells

A

composes sheath, support cells

92
Q

Neurons communicate with other neurons at

A

the synapse

93
Q

Sensory neurons

A

receives info from world and sends to brain through spinal cord
missing dendrites

94
Q

Motor neurons

A

carry signals from spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement
connected to muscles

95
Q

Interneurons

A

connects sensory neurons, motor neurons, and other interneurons
most common

96
Q

Conduction

A

info travels inside neuron, through an electrical signal from the dendrites to the cell body to the axon

97
Q

Transmission

A

signal passes from one neuron to another over the synapse

98
Q

Resting potential

A

difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of a neuron’s cell membrane
pumps ions in and out to maintain equilibrium

99
Q

Action potential

A

electrical signal conducted along the length of a neuron’s axon to synapse
occurs only when electric shock reaches threshold
all or none

100
Q

Refracting period

A

time following an action potential during which a new action potential CANNOT be initiated

101
Q

Saltatory conduction

A

helps speed flow of info down the axon

102
Q

Terminal buttons

A

structures that branch out from an axon

filled with tiny vesicles that contain neurotransmitters

103
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron’s dendrites
contain receptors

104
Q

Receptors

A

parts of the cell membrane that receive neurotransmitters and initiate/prevent a new signal

105
Q

Sending neuron (presynaptic)

A

action potential travels down the length of the axon to terminal buttons, where it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters from vesicles into synapse

106
Q

Synaptic transmission

A

electrochemical action
allows neurons to communicate with each other
thoughts, emotions, behavior

107
Q

Lock and key system

A

specific neurotransmitters and receptor sites

108
Q

Neurotransmitters leave the synapse through 3 processes:

A

reuptake
enzyme deactivation
autoreceptors

109
Q

Autoreceptors

A

NT can bind to certain receptor sites

can detect how much of a NT has been released into a synapse

110
Q

Enzyme deactivation

A

NT can be destroyed by enzymes in the synapse

111
Q

Reuptake

A

NT can be reabsorbed by terminal buttons of the presynaptic neuron’s axon

112
Q

Acetylcholine

A

regulation of attention, learning, sleeping, dreaming, memory
voluntary motor control

113
Q

Dopamine

A

regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal

114
Q

Glutamate

A

major excitatory NT in brain

enhances transmission of info between neurons

115
Q

GABA

A

primary inhibitory NT
stops firing of neurons
too much or too little causes seizures

116
Q

Two NTs can influence mood and arousal

A

norepinephrine
serotonin
endorphins

117
Q

Norepinephrine

A

heightened awareness of dangers in environment

118
Q

Serotonin

A

regulation of sleep, wakefulness, eating, and aggressive behavior

119
Q

Endorphins

A

act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain
helps dull the experience of pain and elevate moods

120
Q

Agonists

A

drugs that increase actions of a NT

binding activates NT

121
Q

Antagonists

A

drugs that bock function of a NT

binding blocks NT

122
Q

Amphetamine

A

drug stimulates release of norepinephrine and dopamine
increases heart rate
play critical role in mood control

123
Q

Nervous system

A

network of neurons, conveys electrochemical info throughout the body

124
Q

2 major divisions of nervous system

A

central nervous system

peripheral nervous system

125
Q

Central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

receives sensory info from world, process this info, and sends commands to skeletal and muscle systems

126
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

connects CNS to body’s organs and muscles

127
Q

Peripheral nervous system composed of

A

somatic - nerves that convey info between voluntary muscles and CNS (conscious control)
automatic - nerves that carry involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, organs, and glands (works on its own)

128
Q

Automatic nervous system composed of two systems

A

sympathetic - nerves that prepares the body for action in challenging/threatening situations
parasympathetic - helps body return to normal resting site

129
Q

Central nervous system

A

Spinal reflexes - simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contraction

130
Q

3 parts of the brain

A

hindbrain
midbrain
forebrain

131
Q

Hindbrain

A

coordinates info coming in and out of the spinal cord

respiration, alertness, motor skills

132
Q

Medulla

A

extension of spinal cord into skull, coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration

133
Q

Reticular formation

A

regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal

134
Q

Cerebellum

A

large structure of hindbrain that controls fine motor skills

135
Q

Pons

A

structure that relays info from cerebellum to the rest of the brain

136
Q

Midbrain

A

two main structures: tectum and tegmentum

helps orient an organism in an environment and guide movement toward/away stimuli

137
Q

Forebrain

A

subcortical structures: areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the center of the brain
includes thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and basal ganglia

138
Q

Thalamus

A

relays and filters info from senses and transmits the info to cerebral cortex

139
Q

Hypothalamus

A

regulates body temp, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior

140
Q

Amygdala

A

located at tip of each horn of hippocampus
plays central role in many emotional processes
formation of emotional memories

141
Q

Hippocampus

A

critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of cerebral cortex

142
Q

Basal ganglia

A

set of subcortical structures

directs intentional movements

143
Q

Endocrine system

A

glands that produce/secrete into bloodstream chemical messages (hormones)
influences variety of basic functions: metabolism, growth, sexual development

144
Q

Pituitary gland

A

master gland
releases hormones that direct functions of other glands
hypothalamus sends to pituitary gland

145
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

the outermost layer of brain

highest level

146
Q

Left and right hemisphere

A

each controls functions of opposite side of body (contralateral control)

147
Q

Corpus callosum

A

connects large areas on each side of the brain

supports communication of info across hemispheres

148
Q

Occipital lobe

A

processes visual info

149
Q

Parietal lobe

A

carries out functions
process info about touch
contains somatosensory cortex, motor cortex

150
Q

Temporal lobe

A

hearing and language

primary auditory cortex

151
Q

Frontal lobe

A

movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

152
Q

Association areas (organization within specific lobes)

A

neurons that help provide sense and meaning to info register in the cortex

153
Q

Mirror neurons

A

active when an animal performs a behavior, or when another animal observes that animal performing same behavior (simple behaviors)

154
Q

Neuroplasticity

A

ability of brain to adapt and change

155
Q

Development of central nervous system

A

forebrain and hindbrain develop first

156
Q

Epigenetics

A

study of environmental influences that determine whether or not genes are expressed

157
Q

Studying the brain

A

EEG (electrical signals), CT scan, MRI, DTI (white matter)

General Psychology (4 decks)

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