Intro to Psychology Exam 1 Study Guide – Flashcards
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Willhelm Wundt
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First person to establish a psychology laboratory in Liepzig, Germany in 1879. He was a physiologist and philosopher.
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Structuralism
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Used introspective to explore the structural elements of the human mind
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Functionalism
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Focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function-- how they enable us to adapt, survive and flourish
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Sigmund Freud
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-A psychiatrist -An Austrian physician -He and his followers emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior. He attempted to cure female victims of hysteria through speaking to them`
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Psychologists in the 1920's-1960's
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Many pioneering psychologists such as Freud, Piaget, Watson, Rogers, and Maslow
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Behaviorists
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-Objective -Watson and later Skinner, emphasized the study of overt behavior as the subject matter of scientific psychology -Between 1920 and 1960, these were the top "psychologists" and gained or lost respect from the rest of the scientific community
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B.F. Skinner
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Most famous Behaviorist
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Humanistic Psychology
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Maslow and Rogers emphasized current environmental influences on our growth potential and our NEED FOR LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE
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Psychology today
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The scientific study of behavior and our mental processes
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Psychology is...
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A combo of anatomy and philosophy
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Nature vs. Nurture
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The argument over whether the way you are raised overpowers your human nature, or vice versa
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Psychology's 3 Levels of Analysis
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1. Biological Influences 2. Psychological Influences 3. Social-cultural Influences
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Examples of Biological Influences
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Genetic predispositions, genetic mutations, genes and responding to the environment
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Examples of Psychological Influences
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Learned fears and expectations, Emotional responses, Cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations
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Examples o Social-Cultural Influences
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Presence of others, Cultural, societal, family expectations, peer and other group influences, compelling models such as the media
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The BioPsychoSocial Model is
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A combination of Biological, Psychological, and Social factors Ex: Lori is depressed because she has a genetic predisposition, has been sad for the past 6 months, because of stress at work and the loss of a loved one.
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Behaviorist School of Psychology
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attributed largely by Watson, Pavlov and Skinner -All behaviors are learned through reward and punishment pairings
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Humanistic School of Psychology
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-Says humans are unique and good and possess an inner ability to change: free will and growth are important -Motivation based on hierarchy of needs
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Person-Centered Therapy
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Therapy in which the patient directs therapy and others support helps the patient become better
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Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic School of Psychology
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-Developed by Freud, and believed our unconscious mind shapes our thoughts and behaviors -Believes that childhood is the most important point of development -Ex: anal retentive or anal repuslive
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Cognitive School of Psychology
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-We interpret the environment around us -Behaviors are based on the perception of the world -Thoughts shape feelings, which shape behaviors
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Biological (physiological) School of Psychology
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-Investigates how specific physiological processes explain individual differences -Describe how internal biological events interact with the environment
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Hindsight Bias
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The "I-knew-it-all-along" phenomenon
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Vivid Cases
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People fail to make accurate generalizations because they are unduly influenced by vivid cases such as Jersey Shhore
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Critical Thinking
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-Does not accept arguments and conclusions blindly -It examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions
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Empirical Approach
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By testing their predictions with the observational method of science, psychologists are using an empirical approach
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The Scientific Method
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1. Question/Purpose 2. Research 3. Hypothesis 4. Prepare 5. Experiment 6. Collect Data 7. Conclude/Analyze
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Operational Definition
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A statement of procedures used to define research variables -Ex: human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an IQ test measures -Ex: Depression isn't visible but you can be tested to see how depressed you are
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Types of Descriptive Methods to Inform Hypotheses
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-Naturalistic Observation -Case Study -Surveys
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Correlational methods
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Associate different factors to show relationships between them Ex: Measuring how long a preschool teacher spends teaching ABC songs and how well they know their ABCs
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Correlation
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-The degree to which one variable or set of data is related to another variable/set of data -Correlation does not prove causation -Scatterplots represent correlations between 2 variables
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Correlation Coefficient
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Number between -1 and +1 to show the strength and direction of the relationship -Correlations help us predict behavior but do not indicate the cause of the relationship -R
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Scatterplots
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-X axis: variables that you change (such as times) -Y axis: something that ou don't really know if it is going to change or not
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Third Variable
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A variable that is responsible for the relation between two variables -Ex: Increased ice cream consumption and high drowning rates correlate because of warmer temperatures, but do not cause each other
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Illusory Correlations
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There is a perception of a relationship that does not exist
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Experimental Research
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-Actively manipulating one variable to observe its effects on another variable (dependent variable)
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Independent Variable
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A factor manipulated by the experimenter and is the focus of the study
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Dependent Variable
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A factor that may be influenced by the manipulated experimental variable
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Experimental Group
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The group exposed to the treatment
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Control group
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The group not exposed to the treatment
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Double Blind Procedure
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Both parties are ignorant about who has received the drug and who has received the placebo
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Placebo
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Inert substance administered instead of a drug to see if it produces any of the same effects as the drug
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Placebo Effect
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When participants who are given an inert substance experience something
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Experiments are most helpful for revealing
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Cause and effect realtionships
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Survey
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Pro: Can be easy to collect lots of data Con: Sample may be biased or inaccurate
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Case Studies
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Pro: In-depth data Con: Can't assume it will apply to all others
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Mode
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Most frequently occurring score
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Mean
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the average score obtained
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Median
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Middle score
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Standard Deviation
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Measure of degree of variation among a set of scores (how much scores vary around the mean)
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Statistical Significance
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This term is used when deciding whether observed differences between samples reflect actual differences between populations
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What are neurons?
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The smallest part, a brain/nerve cell
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3 types of neurons
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-Sensory: Body sends messages to the brain -Motor: Brain sends messages to the body -Interneurons: Messages between neurons in the brain
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Dendrites
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-Busy fibers that receive information
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Axon
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-Long stem that passes message through cell
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Myelin Sheath
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-Fat and nerve tissue that insulates and speeds up impulses (like insulation on a wire)
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Excitatory and Inhibitory Signals
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If enough excitatory information, exceeds threshold of excitation it sends a message/signal down the axon
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Action Potential
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A brief electrical charge that's fired when a neuron gets a message and generates electricity through chemical events
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Absolute Refractory Period
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The reason that the action potential only travels in one direction of the axon is because of the absolute refractory period -The period immediately following the firing of a nerve fiber when it cannot be stimulated no matter how great a stimulus is applied
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Synapse
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-How neurons communicate -Meeting point between neurons -Synaptic gap is less than a millionth of an inch wide
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Neurotransmitters
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-Chemical messengers -Are released at the synaptic gap and fit into the next like a key in a lock -Ex: Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Acetylcholine, GABA, Glutamate
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Reuptake
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The sending neuron reabsorbs extra neurotransmitter
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Seretonin
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Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal
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Dopamine
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Influence movement, learning, attention and emotion
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Norepinephrine
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Affects alertness and arousal
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Endorphins
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-Natural opium -Makes you feel good
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Agonist Drugs
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-Mimics neurotransmitter functioning -Ex: Drugs that mimic things like Serotonin
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Antagonist Drugs
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-Blocks a neurotransmitters functioning -Ex: Botox, Botulin
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Central Nervous System
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-Brain and Spinal Bord
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Peripheral Nervous System
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-Body's sensory receptors, muscles and glands -Pass information through bundled axons called nerves -Is made up off the Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System
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Somatic N.S.
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Controls skeletal muscles
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Autonomic N.S.
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Regulates glands, blood vessels, and internal organs
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Sympathetic Nervous System
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Prepares you for action (fight or flight) by increasing heart rate, rapid breathing, increased muscular function, etc.
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Parasympathetic Nervous System
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Returns your body to normal functioning, normal heart rate, digestion stimulated, relaxed, etc.
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Reflexes
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Somatic movements that do not involve your brain: brain and spinal cord does not always meet up; spinal cord sends the signal
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Sensory Division
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How information comes into the brain, conducts impulses from receptors to the CNS
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Endocrine System
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-Nervous system's slower cousin -Uses hormones to transmit messages instead of neurotransmitters and travel through the blood stream
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Pituitary Gland
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Most important, pea-sized, core of the brain that controls sex hormones, growth hormones, etc
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Adrenal Glands
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Top of kidneys, release epinephrine and norepinephrine
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Neural Networks
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Neurons cluster into working groups
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Spinal Cord
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Information highway between peripheral nervous system and brain
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Forebrain:
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Thought processes occurs and motor function is controlled
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Midbrain
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Connects hindbrain and forebrain, linked to thought
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Hindbrain
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Links the spinal cord and brain region that regulates physiological functions
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Brain Stem
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Oldest and innermost, autonomic survival functions
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Thalamus
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Communication hub, Switchboard that directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
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Reticular Formatin
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Arousal and sleep
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Pons
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Coordinates movements between sides of body; connects the cerebellum
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Medulla
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Base of brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing
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Cerebellum
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Almost entirely hindbrain, still part of the older part of the brain -Helps judge time -Modulate emotions -Coordinating movement -Balance
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Amygdala
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Anger and fear, less active = more thrill seeking
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Hypothalamus
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Keeps body regulated (hunger, thirst, temperature, etc) -Fighting, Feeding, Fleeing and Freaking
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Cerebral Cortex
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A thin surface layer of interconnected neural cells -higher order thinking -ultimate control and information processing center -makes us more adaptable -Four regions: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
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Frontal lobe
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motor cortex, memory, reasoning, decision making, flexibility, planning
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Parietal Lobe
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Somatosensory cortex, pressure, pain, touch, temperature
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Temporal Lobe
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Primary auditory cortex, hearing, memory of sounds
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Wernicke's area
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Left lobe, language development
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Occipital Lobe
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Reception and interpretation of visual information
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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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Split Brain
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When patients have their corpus callosum severed, generally disabling if you're older
