General Psychology Chapter 1 Test Questions – Flashcards
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Humanistic Psychology
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historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual's potential for personal growth
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Experimental Group
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in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
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Experiment
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A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable).
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Double-Blind Procedure
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an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.
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Dependent Variable
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the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable
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Culture
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the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
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Critical Thinking
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thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.
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Counseling Psychology
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a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
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Correlation
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a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
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Control Group
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in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
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Cognitive Neuroscience
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the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
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Clinical Psychology
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a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
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Case Study
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an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.
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Biopsychosocial Approach
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an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
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Behaviorism
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the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
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Basic Research
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Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
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Applied Research
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scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.
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Theory
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an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events
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Survey
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a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.
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SQR3
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a study system designed to promote effective reading by means of five steps: survey, question, read, recite, and review
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Replication
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repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
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Random Sample
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a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.
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Random Assisgnment
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assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.
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Psychology
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the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
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Psychiatry
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A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy
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Population
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all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study
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Placebo Effect
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experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipiant assumes to be an active agent.
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Operational Definition
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a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables
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Nature-Nurture Issue
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the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors
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Naturalistic Observation
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observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
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Level of Analysis
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the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
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Independent Variable
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the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied
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Illusory Correlation
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the perception of a relationship where none exists
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Hypothesis
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a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
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Motor Cortex
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an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
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Medulla
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the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.
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Limbic System
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neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.
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Lesion
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tissue destruction; caused naturally or experimentally.
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Interneurons
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neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
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Hypothalmus
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a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward
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Hormones
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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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Frontal Lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
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fMRI (functional MRI)
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a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.
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Endorphins
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"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
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Endocrine System
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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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Electroencephalogram (EEG)
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an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
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Dendrite
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The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
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Corpus Callosum
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the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
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Cerebral Cortex
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the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
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Cerebellum
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the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
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Central Nervous System (CNS)
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the brain and spinal cord.
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Broca's Area
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controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
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Brainstem
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The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull.
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Biological Psychology
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a branch of psychology that studies the links between biological (including neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes
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Axon
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the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands.
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Autonomic Nervous System
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The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
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Association Areas
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areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.
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Aphasia
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impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding)
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Amygdala
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two lima-bean-sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion.
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Adrenal Glands
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a 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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Action Potencial
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a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.
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Wernicke's Area
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controls language reception - a brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, that is involved in language comprehension and expression.
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Threshold
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the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
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Thalamus
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the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
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Temporal Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.
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Synapse
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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 or cleft.
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Sympathetic Nervous System
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
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Split Brain
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a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them.
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Somatic Nervous System
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the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system
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Sensory 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 Cortex
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the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
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Reticular Formation
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a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
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Reflex
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a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
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Plasticity
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the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
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Pituitary Gland
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the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
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PET (positron emission tomography) Scan
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a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
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the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.
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Pariental Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; recieves sensory input for touch and body position.
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Parasympathetic Nervous System
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
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Occipital Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.
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Neurotransmitteres
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chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.
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Neuron
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a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
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Neurogenesis
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the formation of new neurons.
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Nervous System
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the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
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Nerves
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bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
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MRI (magnetic resonance imagining)
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A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.
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Motor Neurons
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neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
