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Psychology

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The scientific study of behaviors and mental processing. (Used to be considered a branch of Philosophy & Physiology.)

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1879

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The year psychology was "created".

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Leipsig, Germany

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The place psychology was "created".

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Wilhelm Wundt

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Considered to be the "Father of Psychology".

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Pseudo-psychology

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Fake psychology methods/tactics (ex: talk show hosts like Dr. Phil, etc.) BEWARE OF.

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Methods of Research

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1.) Descriptive 2.) Correlation 3.) Experimental

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Psychologists

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Scientists who work in a variety of fields all of which include the study of behavior and underlying mental processes.

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Goals of Psychology

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1.) Describe 2.) Explain 3.) Predict 4.) Control

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Structuralism

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School of psychology aimed at determining the structure of atoms; an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind.

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Functionalism

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A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.

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Behaviorism

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Viewed psychology as scientific study of behaviors that could be seen and/or measured.

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Humanistic Psychology

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Suggests that human nature is established positively & people are naturally inclined to grow & change for the better.

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Natural Selection

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Process through which inherited traits in a given population either increase in frequency because they are adaptive or decrease in frequency because they are maladaptive.

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Biopsychosocial Perspective

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Experience behavior through interaction of biology, psychology, & social factors.

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Placebo

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Inert substance given to control group; fake treatment that has no benefit but is administered as if it does.

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Hebb's Law

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Neurons that fire together, wire together; can create habits; can choose to try to re-wire what fires together.

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Three Major Parts of Neurons

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1.) Cell Body 2.) Dendrites 3.) Axons

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Cell Body

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Contains the nucleus.

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Dendrites

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"Trees". Branch out; prime receivers of signals.

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Axons

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Transmits signals to dendrites or cell body of other neurons; vary in length.

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Myelin Sheath

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White, fatty coating around axons; a duct tape like material.

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Afferent

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Sensory neurons

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Efferent

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Motor neurons

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Microglial

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Removes waste from the brain.

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Astrocytes

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Star shaped; blood/brain barrier.

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Oligodendrocytes

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Responsible for the myelin sheath; repairs & nourishes.

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Resting Potential

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State in which a neuron is not transmitting a nerve impulse. A neuron in this state has a net negative charge relative to its outside environment, and this state of potential energy prepares it to be activated by an impulse from an adjacent neuron; (-)

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Action Potential

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A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. The action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane; (+)

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The Central Nervous System

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Contains the brain and spinal cord; forms long, hollow tube on back during embryonic stage.

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Foramen Magnum

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A passage in the skull bone through which the spinal cord enters the spinal column; hard, boney hole with few openings.

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Trephination

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An ancient operation in which a stone instrument was used to cut away a circular section of the skull, perhaps to treat abnormal behavior; used to let "demons" out in olden days; used in current times due to too much pressure on brain due to tumors, etc.

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Brainstem & Subcortical Structures

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Connects to the spinal cord/cerebellum.

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Cerebellum

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A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills; aka "little brain"; grows fastest during the first year of life; balance & motor control; affected by alcohol; responsible for balance.

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Pituitary Gland

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Considered the "Master Gland".

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Thalamus

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A subcortical structure that relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex; usually where damage is in "vegetative state"; located just above brain stem; aka "Grand Central Station" of the brain.

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Hypothalamus

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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; monitors everything; rats like it when they are shocked in this area.

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Amygdala

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Almond-shaped cluster of neurons in the brain's temporal lobe, involved in memory and emotional responses, especially fear & jealousy; means "almond" in Greek.

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Hippocampus

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A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage; aka "top notch administrative assistant" to the brain.

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Cerebral Cortex

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outside of cerebrum that controls highest functions like reasoning, memory, consciousness, speech, voluntary muscles movement, vision, hearing, sensation, etc - part of brain therefore part of central nervous system.

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Corpus Callosum

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Connects the left & right cerebral hemispheres.

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Occipital Lobe

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A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information; located in rear of skull.

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Temporal Lobe

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An area on each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex near the temples that is the primary receiving area for auditory information.

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Parietal Lobe

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A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch; aka "homunculus/little man".

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Frontal Lobe

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A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement; not fully mature until age 25.

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Conciousness

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The subjective state of currently of something within oneself or outside of oneself.

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Circadian Rhythm

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The 24 hour biological clock; affects body temperature; releases a growth hormone at night; controls the sleep/wake cycle.

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Time(s) of Day Humans Are Most Tired

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2:00-6:00 a.m 2:30-3:00 p.m

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SCN {Suprchiasmatic Nucleus}

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Located in the hypothalamus; light hits retinal receptors which send messages to SCN to tell the Pineal Gland to stop producing melatonin.

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Phase Shift

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Common in puberty; the production of melatonin seems to be delayed 1-2 hours.

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Sleep Stages

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Stage One Stage Two Stage Three Stage Four REM

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One Complete Sleep Cycle

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1-2-3-4-3-2-REM-1; lasts about 90 minutes; stages 2 & REM for the rest of the night.

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Sleep Stage 1

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Light sleep; easily awakened; hypnogogic sensations/ hallucinations aka the brain's alert system (falling/ jerk feeling); lasts only a few minutes.

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Sleep Stage 2

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Still light sleep; sleep spindles (bursts of electrical activity); K Complexes (long brain waves); lasts about 20 minutes.

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Sleep Stage 3

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Transition from light to deep sleep.

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Sleep Stage 4

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Deep sleep; hard to awaken; delta waves (slow brain waves); growth hormone is released during this stage; lasts about 40 minutes.

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REM

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Known as the "paradoxical stage"; sleep paralysis (keeps one from acting out/on their dreams); usually illogical dreams occur during this stage; the frontal lobe shuts off (used for rational logic); goes back to stage one when done.

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Types of Sleep Disorders

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1.) Sleepwalking 2.) Sleep Terrors 3.) Insomnia 4.) Enuresis 5.) Narcolepsy 6.) Sleep Apnea 7.) REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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Sleepwalking

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Occurs most commonly during the end of sleep stage 4; the motor cortex is turned on; connected with anxiety; is not considered as acting out dreams (dreaming only occurs in REM); somnambulism.

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Sleep Terrors

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Commonly occurs in children; wake up screaming, terrified; no recollection of it happening; not linked to nightmares; go right back to sleep afterwards.

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Insomnia

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The inability to go to sleep and stay asleep.

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Enuresis

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Commonly known as "bed wetting"; mostly occurs in children.

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Narcolepsy

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The act of randomly falling asleep; loss of muscle tone; cannot have drivers license; can be linked with arousal (non-sexual) & stress.

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Sleep Apnea

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When one ceases to breath during the night; has a correlation with heart disease and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies.

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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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Sleep paralysis does not set in which can cause one to get up and act out dreams; commonly occurs in older men over 50.

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Sleep Deprivation {Lack of Sleep}

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Slower reaction times; lack of focus; affects memory (ex: don't "cram" for tests or stay up all night studying); decision making skills suffer; one can become irritable; microsleep (quick sleep) occurs; decreased immune system; linked with heart disease, diabetes, etc.

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Theories of Why We Need Sleep

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1.) Restorative (repair, growth, replenishes neurotransmitters) 2.) Survival 3.) Consolidation of Memory

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Types of Dream Theories

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1.) Freud's Psychoanalysis 2.) Activation Synthesis Theory 3.) Neurocognitive Theory

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Freud's Psychoanalysis

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Says that all dreams include some sort of "wish fulfillment"; manifest a storyline; actual storyline; latent content; includes some type of hidden, underlying meaning.

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Activation Synthesis Theory

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Says that all dreams are simply "neural chatter"; the limbic system adds emotions to dreams.

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Neurocognitive Theory

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Says that a network of neurons is necessary for dreaming; changes with one's age.

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Hypnosis

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In which one is purposely put into a stage where they are made susceptible to suggestion.

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Uses for Hypnosis

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1.) Used as a party trick. 2.) Therapeutic 3.) Self Help

General Psychology Chapters 1, 2, & 4 – Flashcards

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