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Psychology

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Scientific study of behavior and mental processes

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Goals of Psychology

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Describe, Explain, Predict, Influence

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Types of research

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Basic research, to gain new knowledge Applied research, to solve a specific problem

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Wilhelm Wudnt

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Established the first psychology lab in 1879. Believed psychology was the science of mental life, "father of psychology"

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Structuralism

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A historical school of psychology devoted to uncovering the basic structures that make up mind and thought. Structuralists sought the "elements" of conscious experience

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Introspection

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A method of self-observation in which participants report their thoughts and feelings, used in structuralism

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Functionalism

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A school of thought in psychology that was concerned with studying how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments.

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John B. Watson

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1878-1958 American psychologist who founded behaviorism, emphasizing the study of observable behavior and rejecting the study of mental processes.

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Behaviorism

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An approach to psychology that emphasizes the study of observable behavior and the role of the environment as a determinant of behavior

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Freud

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(Psychoanalysis) Austrian physician who approached psychology while trying to treat mental disorders--focused on the unconscious

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Psychoanalysis

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A therapeutic approach that focuses on bringing unconscious material into conscious awareness to better understand psychological disorders. Mental life is compared to an iceberg

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Humanistic Psychology

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A movement in psychology that focuses on people's unique capacities for choice, responsibility, and growth.

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Cognitive Psychology

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Cognitive psychology sees the individual as a processor of information, in much the same way that a computer takes in information and follows a program to produce an output. At the heart of cognitive psychology is the idea of information processing.

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Gestalt Psychology

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A psychological approach that emphasizes that we often perceive the WHOLE RATHER THAN SUM of the parts.

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Information Processing Theory

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Mind works like a computer, processes steps

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Evolutionary Psychology

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A relatively new specialty in psychology that sees behavior and mental processes in terms of their genetic adaptations for survival and reproduction.

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Biological Psychology

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A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior.

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Neuroscience

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How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.

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Electroencephalogram

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record of brain wave activity made by a electroencephalograph

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Beta wave

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brain wave pattern associated with mental or psychical activity

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Alpha Wave

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brain wave associated with deep relaxation

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Delta Wave

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brain wave associated with slow wave...deep sleep

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Microelectrode

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small wire used to monitor the electrical activity or stimulate activity within a single neuron

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CT Scan

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rotating computerized xray that produces cross sectional images of the structures of the brain

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MRI

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diagnostic scanning technique that produces high resolution images of the structures of the brain

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PET scan

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brain imagining technique that reveals blood flow, oxygen use, and glucose consumption to reveal activity in various parts odf the brain

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Functional MRI

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reveals brain structures and brain activity more precisely and rapidly than a PET scan

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Neuron

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Cell that conducts impulses through the nervous system

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Neurotransmitter

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chemicals that help carryout the transmission of impulses from one neuron to the next

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Cell Body

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part of neuron that contains the nucleus and carries out the metabolic functions of the the neuron

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Dendrites

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the branch like extensions of the cell body that receives signals from other neurons

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Axon

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slender tail like extension of the neuron that transmits signals to other neurons and then to the muscles, glands, and other parts of the body

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Axon Terminal

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Releases a chemical substance (neurotransmitter) onto another neuron, muscle cell, or gland

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Glial Cells

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Cells in the nervous system that are not neurons but that support, nourish, and protect neurons

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Synapse

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A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.

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Resting Potential

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negative charge of an axon membrane of a neuron at rest, -70 mill volts

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Myelin Sheath

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A white, fatty covering wrapped around the axons of some neurons that increases their communication speed.

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Receptors

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protien molecules on the surfaces of dendrites and cell bodies that have distinctive shapes and will interact only with specific neurotransmitters

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Reuptake

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process by which neurotransmitters are taken from the synaptic cleft back into the axon terminal for later use, exterminating their effect on the recieving neuron

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Peripheral Nervous System

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nerves that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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Central Nervous System

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part of the nervous system comprising the brain and the spinal cord

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Sympathetic Nervous System

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the division of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body's resources during stress and emergencies. prepares the body for action

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Parasympathetic nervous system

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division of the autonomic nervous system that brings the heightened bodily responses back the normal following an emergency

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Spinal Cord

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transmits messages between the brain and the peripheral nervous system

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Hindbrain

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lower part of the brainstem: cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata

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Medulla

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part of brainstem that controls heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, coughing, and swallowing

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Reticular Formation

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diffuse network of nerve pathways in the brainstem that connects the spinal cord, cerebrum, and cerebellum..mediates the overall level of conciosness

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Pons

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part of the brainstem that connects the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum

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Cerebellum

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at the back of the skull in the vertebrates..coordinates and regulates muscular activity

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Midbrain

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a small central part of the brain-stem, developing from then middle of the primitive or embryonic brain

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Subsantia Nigra

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The structure in the mid-brain that controls unconscious motor movements

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Forebrain

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anterior part of the brain including the cerebral hemispheres, thalamus, and hypothalamus

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Thalamus

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either two of the grey matter laying between the cerebral hemispheres on either side of the third ventricle. Relays sensory information and acts as a supercenter for pain perception

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Hypothalamus

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forebrain, below thalamus, coordinates the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controls body temp, thirst/hunger and other homeostatic systems, involved in sleep and emotional activities

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Limbic System

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complex system of networks and nerves in the brain that involves several areas near the edge of the cortex concerning instinct and mood. controls basic emotions and instincts.

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Amygdala

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roughly almond shaped portion of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions

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hippocampus

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on the floor of each ventricle of the brain, thought to be the center of emotion, memory, and the autonomic nervous system

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cerebrum

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Area of the brain responsible for all voluntary activities of the body, 80% of the brain mass consisting of two hemispheres, left and right, that are seperated by a fissure

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Cerebral Hemispheres

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The left and right halves of the cerebral cortex (separated from the front to the back of the brain by the longitudinal fissure, but connected by the corpus callosum)

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Corpus Callosum

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broad band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain

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Cerebral Cortex

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outer layer of the cerebrum consisting of folded gray matter, plays important role in conciousness

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association areas

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region of cortex of brain that connects sensory and motor areas and is thought to be concerned with higher mental activities

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lateralization

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localization of function on either the left or right side of the brain

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left hemisphere

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cerebral hemisphere on the left of the corpus callosum that controls the right half of the body

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right hemisphere

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cerebral hemisphere on the right of the corpus callosum that controls the left half of the body

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split brain operation

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surgical procedure in which the right and left hemisphere are separated to treat severe cases of epilepsy

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frontal lobes

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largest of the brain lobes, contains the motor cortex, broca's area, and and the frontal association areas

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motor cortex

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part of the cerebral cortex of the brain where nerve impulses originate that initiate voluntary muscular activity

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broca's area

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region of the brain concerned with the production of speech, located in the cortex of the dominate frontal lobe, damage to this area causes broca's asphasia characterized by hesitant and fragmented speech with little grammatical structure

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Asphasia

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loss of the ability to understand or express speech due to brain damage

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pariental lobes

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either of the paired lobes of the brain at the top of the head including areas concerned with the reception and correlation of sensory information

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Somatosensory cortex

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lateral post central gyrus is a prominent structure in the parietal lobe of the human brain and an important landmark. it is the location of the primary somatosensory cortex, the main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch

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Occipital lobes

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rearmost lobe in each of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain

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Primary visual cortex

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part of cerebral cortex responsible for processing visual information..located in occipital lobe in the back of the brain

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temporal lobes

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each of the paired lobes in the brain lying beneath the temples, including areas concerned with the understanding of speech

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primary auditory cortex

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auditory cortex is the part of the cerebral cortex that processes auditory information in humans and other verdebrates

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wernick's area

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region of brain concerned with comprehension of lang. located in the cortex of the dominate temporal lobe

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wernicks's asphasia

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asphasia that results from damage to the wernicks area of the brain..persons speech is fluent and clearly articulated but does not make sense to listeners

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Pruning

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brain eliminates repeated of unnecessary synapses

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Plasticity

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capacity of the brain to adapt to changes such as brain damage

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stroke

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event in cardiovascular system in which a blood clot or blockage cuts off blood supply to a particular part of the brain

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endocrine system

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system of glands that produce endocrine secretions that help control specific metabolic activities

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hormone

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regulatory substance in an organism that is transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action

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Pituitary Gland

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the major endocrine gland. A pea sized body attatched to the base of the brain important in controlling growth and development and other endocrine glands

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thymus gland

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produces t cells for the immune system, becomes smaller at the approach of puberty

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pancreas

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large gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. secretes insulin and glucagon into blood via the langerhans

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adrenal gland

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pair of endocrine glands that release hormones tthat prepare th body for emergencies and stressful situations and also release corticoids and small amounts of sex hormones

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gonads

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organs that produce gametes (ovaries or testes)

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