Test 1 Flashcards
(110 cards)
1
Q
Neuron
A
A specialized cell of the nervous system that receives and transmits messages.
2
Q
Dendrites
A
Root-like structures, attached to the cell body of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons from bulb-shaped structures called axon terminals or terminal buttons.
3
Q
Myelin
A
A fatty substance that encases and insulates axons, facilitating transmission of neural impulses.
4
Q
Sensation
A
The stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system.
5
Q
Perception
A
The process by which sensations are organized into an inner representation of the world.
6
Q
Visible light
A
The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that stimulates the eye and produces visual sensations.
7
Q
Hue
A
The color of light, as determined by its wavelength.
8
Q
Cornea
A
Transparent tissue forming the outer surface of the eyeball.
9
Q
Iris
A
Muscular membrane whose dilation regulates the amount of light that enters the eye.
10
Q
Pupil
A
The black-looking opening in the center of the iris, through which light enters the eye.
11
Q
Lens
A
A transparent body behind the iris that focuses an image on the retina.
12
Q
Retina
A
The area of the inner surface of the eye that contains rods and cones
13
Q
Photoreceptors
A
Cells that respond to light
14
Q
Bipolar Cells
A
Neurons that conduct neural impulses from rods and cones to ganglion cells
15
Q
Ganglion cells
A
Neurons whose axons form the optic nerve.
16
Q
Optic nerve
A
The nerve that transmits sensory information from the eye to the brain.
17
Q
Rods
A
Rod-shaped photoreceptors that are sensitive only to the intensity of light.
18
Q
Cones
A
Cone-shaped photo-receptors that transmit sensations of color.
19
Q
Fovea
A
An area near the center of the retina that is dense with cones and where vision is consequently most acute.
20
Q
Blind spot
A
The area of the retina where axons from ganglion cells meet to form the optic nerve.
21
Q
Visual acuity
A
Sharpness of vision
22
Q
Presbyopia
A
A condition characterized by brittleness of the lens
23
Q
Dark adaptation
A
The process of adjusting to conditions of lower lighting by increasing the sensitivity of rods and cones.
24
Q
Complementary
A
Descriptive of colors of the spectrum that when combined produce white or nearly white light.
25
Afterimage
The lingering visual impression made by a stimulus that has been removed.
26
Trichromatic theory
The theory that color vision is made possible by three different types of cones, some of which respond to red light, some to green, and some to blue.
27
Opponent-process theory
The theory that color vision is made possible by three different types of cones, some of which respond to red or green light, some to blue or yellow, and some to the intensity of light.
28
Trichromat
A person with normal color vision
29
Monochromat
A person who is sensitive to black and white only and hence color-blind.
30
Dichromat
A person who is sensitive to black-white and either red-green or blue-yellow and hence is partially color blind.
31
Closure
The tendency to perceive a broken figure as being complete or whole.
32
Perceptual organization
The tendency to integrate perceptual elements into meaningful patterns.
33
Proximity
Nearness; the perceptual tendency to group together objects that are near one another.
34
Similarity
The perceptual tendency to group together objects that are similar in appearance.
35
Continuity
The tendency to perceive a series of points or lines as having unity.
36
Common fate
The tendency to perceive elements that move together as belonging together.
37
Top-down processing
The use of contextual information or knowledge of a pattern in order organize parts of the pattern.
38
Bottom-up processing
The organization of the parts of a pattern to recognize, or form an image of, the pattern they compose.
39
Three general steps
1. Detect stimuli (sensation) 2. Transduction (transform physical energy into neural impulses in receptors) 3. Send to brain and organize (representations)
40
Texture Gradient
Objects that are evenly spaced, but the texture changes to demonstrate distance, further distance, looks closer.
41
Relative size
Objects that are the same size have a bigger visual angle when they're closer to you. Bigger on retina, closer to you. Signals depth.
42
Relative height
Position on image: As an object approaches the horizon line, the further away it gets.
43
Linear perspective
Parallel lines converge in the distance: i.e. narrow road.
44
Occlusion
Objects that are closer to you may partially block objects that are further away.
45
Psychology
The science that studies behavior and mental processes
46
Theory
A set of hypothesized statements about the relationships among events.
47
Pure research
Research conducted without concern for immediate applications
48
Applied research
Research conducted in an effort to find solutions to particular problems
49
Behaviorism
The school of psychology that defines psychology as the study of observable behavior and studies relationships between stimuli and responses.
50
Reinforcement
A stimulus that follows a response and increases the frequency of the response.
51
Gestalt psychology
The school of psychology that emphasizes the tendency to organize perceptions into wholes and to integrate separate stimuli into meaningful patterns.
52
Psychoanalysis
The school of psychology that emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and conflicts as determinants of human behavior.
53
Biological perspective
The approach to psychology that seeks to understand the nature of the links between biological processes and structures such as the functioning of the brain, the endocrine system, and heredity, on the one hand, and behavior and mental processes, on the other.
54
Cognitive
Having to do with mental processes such as sensation and perception, memory, intelligence, language, thought, and problem-solving.
55
Social-cognitive theory
A school of psychology in the behaviorist tradition that includes cognitive factors in the explanation and prediction of behavior; formerly termed "social learning theory"
56
Sociocultural perspective
The view that focuses on the roles of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status in behavior and mental processes.
57
Gender
The culturally defined concepts of masculinity and femininity.
58
Critical thinking
A way of evaluating claims and comments of other people that involves skepticism and examination of evidence.
59
Scientific method
An organized way of using experience and testing ideas to expand and refine knowledge.
60
Hypothesis
In psychology, a specific statement about behavior or mental processes that is tested through research.
61
Correlation
An association or relationship among variables, as we might find between height and weight, or between study habits and school grades.
62
Selection factor
A source of bias that may occur in research findings when participants are allowed to choose for themselves a certain treatment in scientific study.
63
Sample
Part of a population
64
Population
A complete group of interest to researchers, from which a sample is drawn
65
Random sample
A sample drawn so that each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected to participate.
66
Stratified sample
A sample drawn so that identified subgroups in the population are represented proportionately in the sample
67
Volunteer bias
A source of bias or error in research reflecting the prospect that people who offer to participate in research studies differ systematically from people who do not.
68
Case study
A carefully drawn biography that may be obtained through interviews, questionnaires, and psychological tests
69
Survey
A method of scientific investigation in which a large sample of people answer questions about their attitudes or behavior.
70
Naturalistic observation
A scientific method in which organisms are observed in their natural environments.
71
Correlational method
A mathematical method of determining whether one variable increases or decreases as another variable increases or decreases.
72
Correlational coefficient
A number between +1.00 and -1.00 that expresses the strength and direction (positive or negative) of the relationship between two variables.
73
Experiment
A scientific method that seeks to confirm cause and effect relationships by introducing independent variables and observing their effects on dependent variables.
74
Independent variable
A condition in a scientific study that is manipulated so that its effects may be observed
75
Dependent variable
A measure of an assumed effect of an independent variable
76
Experimental groups
In experiments, groups whose members obtain the treatment
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Control groups
In experiments, groups whose members do not obtain the treatment, while other conditions are held constant
78
Placebo
A bogus treatment that has the appearance of being genuine
79
Blind
In experimental terminology, unaware of whether or not one has received a treatment
80
Double-blind study
A study in which neither the subjects nor the observers know who has received the treatment.
81
Informed consent
A participant's agreement to participate in research after receiving information about the purposes of the study and the nature of the treatments.
82
Debrief
To explain the purposes and methods of a completed procedure to a participant
83
Cognitive learning
Acquisition of info stored for later use
84
Latent learning
Learning with no behavioral signs
85
Tolman and Honzik
Rats and reinforcement. One group always reinforced, the other reinforced at end, third never reinforced. Cognitive mapping.
86
Insight learning
Puzzle you need to solve, not being reinforced, ah-ha moment at the end. Köhler.
87
Observational learning
Learning through watching others. Bandura. Needed to attend to it, retain the information, be able to reproduce that information, and have a motivation to repeat it.
88
Axon
A long, thin part of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons from bulb-shaped structures called axon terminals or terminal buttons.
89
Myelin
A fatty substance that encases and insulates axons, facilitating transmission of neural impulses
90
Neural impulse
The electrochemical discharge of a nerve cell, or neuron
91
Polarize
To ready a neuron for firing by creating an internal negative charge in relation to the body fluid outside the cell membrane
92
Resting potential
The electrical potential across the neural membrane when it is not responding to other neurons
93
Depolarize
To reduce the resting potential of a cell membrane from 70 millivolts toward zero
94
Action potential
The electrical impulse that provides the basis for the conduction of a neural impulse along an axon of a neuron
95
All-or-none principle
The fact that a neuron fires an impulse of the same strength whenever its action potential is triggered
96
Refractory period
A phase following firing during which a neuron is less sensitive to messages from other neurons and will not fire
97
Synapse
A junction between the axon terminals of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another neuron
98
Neurotransmitters
Chemical substances involved in the transmission of neural impulses from one neuron to another
99
Receptor site
A location on a dendrite of a receiving neuron tailored to receive a neurotransmitter
100
Acetylcholin (ACh)
A neurotransmitter that controls muscle contractions
101
Hippocampus
A structure of the brain that is involved in memory formation
102
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter that affects the ability to perceive pleasure, voluntary movement, and learning and memory; it is involved in Parkinson's disease and appears to play a role in schizophrenia
103
Norepinephrine
A neurotransmitter whose action is similar to that of the hormone epinephrine and that may play a role in depression
104
Serotonin
A neurotransmitter involved in emotional arousal and sleep; deficiencies of serotonin have been linked to eating disorders, alcoholism, depression, aggression, and insomnia.
105
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
An inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps calm anxiety
106
Endorphins
Inhibitory neurotransmitters that occur naturally in the brain and in the bloodstream and are similar to the narcotic morphine in their functions and effects.
107
Nerve
A bundle of axons from many neurons
108
Central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord
109
Peripheral nervous system
The part of the nervous system consisting of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system
110
Somatic nervous system
The division of the peripheral nervous system that connects the central nervous system with sensory receptors, skeletal muscles, and the surface of the body
