Psychology Chapters 1,2,4 – Flashcards
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measurement of amount variation among scores in a standard distribution
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Standard deviation
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provide measurement of how likely it is that research results aren't just due to chance
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inferential statistics
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when inferential statistics indicate that the probability of results occurring by chance are very small, we say the results are ________
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statistically significant
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psychological perspective, assumes behavior results are primarily from learning and assumes mental processes aren't important; focuses on effects of rewards and punishments
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Behavioral/Learning perspective
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psych. perspective; explores mental processes involved in memory judgement, decision making, and other aspects of complex thought. Uses experimental method to make inferences about mental thought
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Cognitive Perspective
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psych perspective; assumes behavior and mental processes are largely shaped by biological processes; emphasizes role of brain, genes, and hormones
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Neuroscience perspective
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psych perspective; assumes behavior = results of evolution through natural selection; evolutionary psychologists study adaptive value of behavior; encompasses sociobiology and behavioral genetics
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Evolutionary perspective
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psych perspective; studies how human behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures; focuses on how environment affects human behavior
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Sociocultural perspective
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psych perspective; assumes behavior = results of unconscious psych struggles; utilizes case study methods; analyst tries to uncover hidden fears and desires; important in clinical psychology and personality
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Psychodynamic Perspective
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psych perspective, aka "phenomenological approach;" assumes people choose how to think and act, focuses on potential for personal growth; optimistic approach!
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Humanistic Perspective
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integrated set of principles that explain and predict observed events
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theory
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prediction about relationship between variables, can be tested empirically
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hypothesis
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behavior/characteristic/event --must be noun/noun phrase, have variable qualities; typical descriptions: prevalence, frequency, duration
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conceptual variable
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specific way you define a conceptual variable in a study
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operational definition
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fundamental units of nervous system, have ability to communicate w each other; aka nerve cells
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neuron
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cell's life-support center
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cell body
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part of neuron, receive messages from other cells
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dendrite
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passes messages away from cell body to other neurons/muscles/glands
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axon
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form junction w other cells
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terminal branch of axon
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covers axon of some neurons, helps speed neural response
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myelin sheath
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the study of bumps on the skull, believing they reveal mental ability and character traits
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phrenology
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psych perspective; concerned with the links between bio and behavior; includes psychologists working in neuroscience, behavior genetics, and evolution.
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Biological Perspective
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neurotransmitter; influences movement, learning, attention, emotion, pleasure oversupply -> schizophrenia undersupply -> tremors, decreased mobility (Parkinson's)
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dopamine
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neurotransmitter; affects mood, hunger, sleep, arousal undersupply -> depression; antidepressants raise _______ levels
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serotonin
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any neurotransmitters that can bind to the same receptors as opiates "endogenous morphine," produced by the body associated w/ pain relief and mood elevation (runner's high)
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endorphins
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- brain & spinal cord - totally encased in bone - Central Processing Unit (CPU) of entire body - thinking!
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Central Nervous System
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- somatic and autonomic nervous systems - not encased in bone - carries out sensory and motor functions
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
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transmits messages from senses -> CNS and from CNS -> skeletal muscles
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Somatic Nervous System
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transmits messages between CNS and lungs, stomach, glands, other organs; autonomic = automatic
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Autonomic nervous system
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- receives signals from peripheral senses, relays to brain - carries signals from brain -> muscles - directs simple behaviors w/o brain's help - reflexes
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spinal cord
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- older brain structure, can't survive without it - controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing - medulla and pons coordinate movement
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brainstem
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- older brain structure, can't survive without it - filters incoming info, involved in attention and arousal (being aware of one's surroundings)
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reticular formation
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- older brain structure, can't survive w/o it - relays signals from senses o brain - makes "sense" of incoming info
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thalamus
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- older brain structure - processes sensory input and controls coordinated voluntary movements and balance - enables nonverbal learning and skill memory - helps us judge time,modulate emotions, discriminate sounds and textures
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cerebellum
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- limbic system - involved in attaching emotional significance to events - involved in fear and other emotions
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amygdala
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- limbic system - very involved in forming new memories
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hippocampus
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- limbic system - regulates hunger, thirst, sex drives - involved in attention and arousal
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hypothalamus
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-wrinkled outer surface of cerebrum - "newest" part human brain - encompases frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobes
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cerebral cortex
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motor cortex located at___
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back of frontal cortex
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front of parietal lobe
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somatosensory cortex located at
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occipital lobe
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visual cortex located at
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temporal lobe
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auditory cortex located at
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effortless, immediate, automatic feeling/thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning
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intuition
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the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it aka "i-knew-it-all-along phenomenon
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hindsight bias
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- thinking that doesn't blindly accept arguments and conclusions. - examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
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critical thinking
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repeating the essence of a research of study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
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replication
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descriptive technique in which one individual/group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
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case study
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descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
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naturalistic observation
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all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn (except for national studies, this doesn't refer to a country's whole population)
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population
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the tendency for extreme/unusual scores/events to fall back (regress) toward the average
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regression toward the mean
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in an experiment, a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect
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confounding variable
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in an experiment, the factor that is manipulated: the variable whose effect is being studied
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independent variable
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in an experiment, the outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated
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dependent variable:
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cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory
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glial cells (glia)
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a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down a axon
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action potential
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period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
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refractory period
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level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
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threshold
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a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing)
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all-or-none response
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the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap/synaptic cleft
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synapse
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molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's aciton
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agonist
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molecule that inhibits/blocks a neurotransmitter's action
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antagonist
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neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
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sensory (afferent) neurons
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neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
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sensory (afferent) neurons
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- neurons within the brain and spinal cord - communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
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interneurons
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the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
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endocrine system
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chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues
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hormones
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pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress
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adrenal glands
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- endocrine system's most influential gland - under the influence of the hypothalamus, the ____ regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands - stimulated physical development - "master gland" - triggers sex glands to release sex hormones
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pituitary gland
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base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
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medulla
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neural system (including hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
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limbic system
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involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
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frontal lobes
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receives sensory input for touch and body positio
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parietal lobes
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includes areas that receive info from visual fields
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occipital lobes
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each receives info primarily from opposite ear
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temporal lobes
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association area of brain that controls voluntary movements
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motor cortex
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registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
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somatosensory cortex
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- areas of the cerebral cortex not involved in primary motor or sensory functions - involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
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association areas
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formation of new neurons
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neurogenesis
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large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
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corpus callosum
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the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
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behavior genetics
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every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things, around us
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environment
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threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
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chromosomes
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complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
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DNA
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the biochemical units of heredity that makes up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
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genes
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the complete instructions for making an organisms, consisting of all the genetic material in that organisms chromosomes
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genome
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subfield of biology that studies the molecular structures and function of genes
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molecular genetics
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study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence hbehavior
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molecular behavior genetics
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the study of how environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
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epigenetics
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occurs in a survey when not everyone tells the truth
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response bias
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system w many systems at once
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biosocial system
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- located in frontal lobe - speech
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Broca's area
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- located in temporal area - language comprehension - if damaged -> don't use/understand more than basic nouns and verbs
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Wernicke's Area
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when excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron
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reuptake
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brain's neurons cluster into work groups called ______
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neural networks
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_____ messages are slower, but they outlast the effects of ______ messages
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endocrine; neural
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- hormones released by adrenal glands - released during moment of danger - increased heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, provide surge of energy
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epinephrine/adrenaline and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
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part of brainstem; coordinates movement and controls sleep
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pons
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deep brain structures involved in motor movement, work with the cerebellum to enable nonverbal learning and skill memory
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basal ganglia
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heterosexual men misperceive woman's friendliness as sexual come-on
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sexual overperception bias
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culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations
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social script
