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Intro To Psychology > Exam One > Flashcards

Exam One Flashcards

1
Q

Psychology

A

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

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2
Q

Behavior and mental processes

A

Encompasses thoughts, emotions, perceptions, reasoning processes, memories, and even the biological activities that maintain bodily functioning

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3
Q

Behavioral genetics

A

Studies the inheritance of traits related to behavior

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4
Q

Behavioral neuroscience

A

Examines the biological basis of behavior

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5
Q

Clinical psychology

A

Deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders

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6
Q

Cognitive psychology

A

Focuses on the study of higher mental processes

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7
Q

Counseling psychology

A

Focuses primarily on educational, social, and career adjustment problems

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8
Q

Cross-cultural psychology

A

Investigates the similarities and differences in psychological functioning in and across various cultures and ethnic groups

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9
Q

Developmental psychology

A

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

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10
Q

Educational psychology

A

Concerned with teaching and learning processes, such as the relationship between motivation and school performance

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11
Q

Environmental psychology

A

Considers the relationship between people and their physical environment

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12
Q

Evolutionary psychology

A

Considers how behavior is influenced by our genetic inheritance from our ancestors

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13
Q

Experimental psychology

A

Studies the processes of sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking about the world

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14
Q

Forensic psychology

A

Focuses on legal issues, such as determining the accuracy of witness memories

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15
Q

Health psychology

A

Explores the relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments or disease

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16
Q

Industrial psychology

A

Concerned with the psychology of the workplace

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17
Q

Personality psychology

A

Focuses on the consistency in people’s behavior over time and the traits that differentiate one person from another

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18
Q

Program evaluation

A

Focuses on assessing large-scale programs, such as the head start preschool program, to determine whether they are effective in meeting their goals

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19
Q

Psychology of women

A

Focuses on issues such as discrimination against women and the causes of violence against women

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20
Q

School psychology

A

Devoted to counseling children in elementary and secondary schools who have academic or emotional problems

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21
Q

Social psychology

A

The study of how people’s thoughts, feeling, and actions are affected by others

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22
Q

Sport psychology

A

Applies psychology to athletic activity and exercise

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23
Q

How many active psychologists are working in the United States today?

A

Nearly 200,000

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24
Q

What percentage of the world’s psychologists are in the United States?

A

20-24%

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25
Q

What is the ratio of female psychologists to male psychologists?

A

2.1:1

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26
Q

What percentage of psychologists are from a racial minority group?

A

16%

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27
Q

PhD

A

A research degree that requires a dissertation based on an original investigation

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28
Q

PsyD

A

Obtained by psychologists who wish to focus on the treatment of psychological disorders

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29
Q

Psychiatrists

A

have medical degrees and specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders, often using treatments that involve the prescription of drugs

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30
Q

7,000 years ago, what did people assume psychological problems to be caused by?

A

Evil spirits

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31
Q

trephining

A

chipping a hole in a patients skull with crude instruments
- in old days: was used to allow spirits trapped inside a persons body to escape

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32
Q

Who established the first experimental laboratory devoted to psychological phenomena?

A

Wilhelm Wundt

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33
Q

Structuralism

A

focused on uncovering the fundamental mental components of perception, consciousness, thinking, emotions, and other kinds of mental states and activities.

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34
Q

Who developed structuralism

A

Wilhelm Wundt

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35
Q

Introspection

A

A procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which subjects are asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when they are exposed to a stimulus

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36
Q

Why did scientists do away with introspection and structuralism?

A

there were few ways that an observer could confirm the accuracy of others’ introspections

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37
Q

functionalism

A

early approach to psychology that concentrated on what the mind does - the functions of mental activity - and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments

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38
Q

Who led the functionalists?

A

William James

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39
Q

Gestalt psychology

A

focuses on the organization of perception through a series of principles describing how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes

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40
Q

what group of psychologists proposed that “ the whole is different from the sum of its parts”?

A

gestalt

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41
Q

Margaret Washburn

A

first woman to receive a doctorate in psychology (doing work in animal behavior)

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42
Q

Mary Calkins

A

studied memory in the early part of the 20th century; became first female president of the American Psychological Association

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43
Q

What is the common goal of psychology?

A

to explain and understand behavior using scientific methods

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44
Q

What are the 5 major psychology perspectives?

A

neuroscience, cognition, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic

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45
Q

Neuroscience perspective

A

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

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46
Q

psychodynamic perspective

A

approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by unconscious inner forces over which the individual has little control

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47
Q

Who is linked to the origin of the psychodynamic view?

A

Sigmund Freud

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48
Q

Behavioral Perspective

A

view that looks at the behavior itself as the problem

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49
Q

Cognitive perspective

A

view that suggests that people’s thoughts and beliefs are a central component of abnormal behavior

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50
Q

Humanistic approach

A

approach that suggests that all individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior

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51
Q

Free will

A

the ability to freely make decisions about one’s own behavior and life

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52
Q

determinism

A

sees behavior as caused, or determined, by things beyond a person’s control

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53
Q

What are the 5 key issues in psychology?

A
  • Nature v. Nurture
  • Conscious v. Unconscious determinants of behavior
  • Observable behavior v. internal mental processes
  • Free will v. determinism
  • Individual differences v. universal principles
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54
Q

scientific method

A

approach through which psychologists systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interest

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55
Q

theories

A

broad explanations and predictions concerning observations of interest

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56
Q

hypothesis

A

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

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57
Q

operational definition

A

the translation of a hypothesis into specific, testable procedures that can be measured and observed

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58
Q

descriptive research

A

an approach to research designed to systematically investigate a person, group, or patterns of behavior

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59
Q

archival research

A

research in which existing data, such as census documents, college records, and newspaper clippings are examined to test a hypothesis

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60
Q

naturalistic observation

A

research in which an investigator simply observes some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in the situation

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61
Q

survey research

A

Research in which people chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes

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62
Q

case study

A

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

63
Q

variables

A

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

64
Q

correlation research

A

Research in which the relationship between two sets of variables is examined to determine whether they are associated, or “correlated”

65
Q

experiment

A

The investigation of the relationship between two (or more) variables by deliberately producing a change in one variable in a situation and observing the effects of that change on other aspects of the situation

66
Q

experimental manipulation

A

the change that an experimenter deliberately produces in a situation

67
Q

treatment

A

the manipulation implemented by the experimenter

68
Q

experimental group

A

any group participating in an experiment that receives a treatment

69
Q

control group

A

group participating that receives no treatment

70
Q

independent variable

A

the variable being manipulated

71
Q

dependent variable

A

The variable that is measured and is expected to change as a result of changes caused by the experimenter’s manipulation (handling) of the independent variable

72
Q

random assignment to condition

A

A procedure in which participants are assigned to different experimental groups or “conditions” on the basis of chance and chance alone

73
Q

replication

A

Research that is repeated, sometimes using other procedures, settings, and groups of participants, to increase confidence in prior findings

74
Q

informed consent

A

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

75
Q

experimental bias

A

Factors that distort how the independent variable affects the dependent variable in an experiment

76
Q

placebo

A

A false treatment, such as a pill, “drug,” or other substance, without any significant chemical properties or active ingredient

77
Q

behavioral neuroscientists (biopsychologists)

A

Psychologists who specialize in considering the ways in which the biological structures and functions of the body affect behavior

78
Q

neurons

A

Nerve cells, the basic elements of the nervous system

79
Q

dendrite

A

A cluster of fibers at one end of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons

80
Q

axon

A

The part of the neuron that carries messages destined for other neurons

81
Q

terminal buttons

A

Small bulges at the end of axons that send messages to other neurons

82
Q

myelin sheath

A

A protective coat of fat and protein that wraps around the neuron

83
Q

all-or-none law

A

the rule that neurons are either on or off

84
Q

resting state

A

The state in which there is a negative electrical charge of about −70 millivolts within a neuron

85
Q

action potential

A

An electric nerve impulse that travels through a neuron when it is set off by a “trigger,” changing the neuron’s charge from negative to positive

86
Q

mirror neurons

A

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

87
Q

synapse

A

The space between two neurons where the axon of a sending neuron communicates with the dendrites of a receiving neuron by using chemical messages

88
Q

neurotransmitters

A

Chemicals that communicate messages from one neuron to another neuron across the synapse

89
Q

excitatory messages

A

Chemical messages that make it more likely that a receiving neuron will fire and an action potential will travel down its axon

90
Q

inhibitory messages

A

Chemical messages that prevent or decrease the likelihood that a receiving neuron will fire

91
Q

reuptake

A

The reabsorption of neurotransmitters by a terminal button

92
Q

central nervous system (CNS)

A

The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord

93
Q

spinal cord

A

A bundle of neurons that leaves the brain and runs down the length of the back and is the main means for transmitting messages between the brain and the body

94
Q

reflex

A

An automatic, involuntary response to an incoming stimulus

95
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

Neurons that transmit information from the perimeter of the body to the central nervous system

96
Q

motor (efferent) neurons

A

Neurons that communicate information from the nervous system to muscles and glands

97
Q

interneurons

A

Neurons that connect sensory and motor neurons, carrying messages between the two

98
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

The part of the nervous system that includes the autonomic and somatic subdivisions; made up of neurons with long axons and dendrites, it branches out from the spinal cord and brain and reaches the extremities of the body

99
Q

somatic division

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that specializes in the control of voluntary movements and the communication of information to and from the sense organs

100
Q

autonomic division

A

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary movement of the heart, glands, lungs, and other organs

101
Q

sympathetic division

A

The part of the autonomic division of the nervous system that acts to prepare the body for action in stressful situations, engaging all the organism’s resources to respond to a threat

102
Q

parasympathetic division

A

The part of the autonomic division of the nervous system that acts to calm the body after an emergency or a stressful situation has ended

103
Q

behavioral genetics

A

the study of the effects of heredity on behavior

104
Q

endocrine system

A

A chemical communication network that sends messages throughout the body via the bloodstream

105
Q

hormones

A

Chemicals that circulate through the blood and regulate the functioning or growth of the body

106
Q

pituitary gland

A

The major component of the endocrine system, or “master gland,” which secretes hormones that control growth and other parts of the endocrine system

107
Q

central core

A

The “old brain,” which controls basic functions such as eating and sleeping and is common to all vertebrates

108
Q

cerebellum

A

The part of the brain that controls bodily balance

109
Q

reticular formation

A

The part of the brain extending from the medulla through the pons and made up of groups of nerve cells that can immediately activate other parts of the brain to produce general bodily arousal

110
Q

thalamus

A

The part of the brain located in the middle of the central core that acts primarily to relay information about the senses

111
Q

hypothalamus

A

A tiny part of the brain, located below the thalamus, that maintains homeostasis and produces and regulates vital behavior, such as eating, drinking, and sexual behavior

112
Q

limbic system

A

The part of the brain that includes the amygdala and hippocampus, and controls eating, aggression, and reproduction

113
Q

cerebral cortex

A

The “new brain,” responsible for the most sophisticated information processing in the brain; contains four lobes

114
Q

What are the four main sections of the cerebral cortex?

A

frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe

115
Q

motor area

A

The part of the cortex that is largely responsible for the body’s voluntary movement

116
Q

sensory area

A

The site in the brain of the tissue that corresponds to each of the senses, with the degree of sensitivity related to the amount of the tissue allocated to that sense

117
Q

association areas

A

One of the major regions of the cerebral cortex; the site of the higher mental processes, such as thought, language, memory, and speech

118
Q

neuroplasticity

A

The brain’s ability to change throughout the life span through the addition of new neurons, new interconnections between neurons, and the reorganization of information-processing areas.

119
Q

hemispheres

A

Symmetrical left and right halves of the brain that control the side of the body opposite to their location

120
Q

lateralization

A

The dominance of one hemisphere of the brain in specific functions, such as language

121
Q

biofeedback

A

A procedure in which a person learns to control through conscious thought internal physiological processes such as blood pressure, heart and respiration rate, skin temperature, sweating, and the constriction of particular muscles

122
Q

sensation

A

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

123
Q

perception

A

The sorting out, interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli by the sense organs and brain

124
Q

stimulus

A

Physical energy that produces a response in a sense organ

125
Q

psychophysics

A

The study of the relationship between the physical aspects of stimuli and our psychological experience of them

126
Q

absolute threshold

A

The smallest intensity of a stimulus that must be present for the stimulus to be detected

127
Q

difference threshold

A

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

128
Q

weber’s law

A

A basic law of psychophysics stating that a just noticeable difference is in constant proportion to the intensity of an initial stimulus

129
Q

adaptation

A

An adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli

130
Q

retina

A

The part of the eye that converts the electromagnetic energy of light to electrical impulses for transmission to the brain

131
Q

rods

A

Thin, cylindrical receptor cells in the retina that are highly sensitive to light

132
Q

cones

A

Cone-shaped, light-sensitive receptor cells in the retina that are responsible for sharp focus and color perception, particularly in bright light

133
Q

optic nerve

A

A bundle of ganglion axons that carry visual information to the brain

134
Q

feature detection

A

The activation of neurons in the cortex by visual stimuli of specific shapes or patterns

135
Q

Trichromatic theory of color vision

A

The theory that there are three kinds of cones in the retina, each of which responds primarily to a specific range of wavelengths

136
Q

Opponent-process theory of color vision

A

The theory that receptor cells for color are linked in pairs, working in opposition to each other

137
Q

sound

A

The movement of air molecules brought about by a source of vibration

138
Q

eardrum

A

The part of the ear that vibrates when sound hits it

139
Q

semicircular canals

A

Three tubelike structures of the inner ear containing fluid that sloshes through them when the head moves, signaling rotational or angular movement to the brain

140
Q

what are the four skin senses?

A

touch, pressure, temperature, and pain

141
Q

gate-control theory of pain

A

The theory that particular nerve receptors lead to specific areas of the brain related to pain

142
Q

gestalt laws of organization

A

Principles describing how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes

143
Q

top-down processing

A

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

144
Q

bottom-up processing

A

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

145
Q

depth perception

A

The ability to view the world in three dimensions and to perceive distance

146
Q

visual illusions

A

Physical stimuli that consistently produce errors in perception

147
Q

Imaging that shows brain function

A

EEG, PET, fMRI, and TMS

148
Q

Imaging that can show brain structure

A

fMRI and PET

149
Q

sound localization

A

the process by which we identify the direction from which a sound is coming

150
Q

Four basic stimulus qualities of taste

A

sweet, sour, salty, and bitter

151
Q

What does A demonstrate?

A

closure

152
Q

what does B demonstrate?

A

proximity

153
Q

What does C demonstrate?

A

similarity

154
Q

what does D demonstrate?

A

simplicity

Intro To Psychology (4 decks)

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