Psychology Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from lecture notes on Research Design, Biological Basis, Cognition, Sensation, Development, Learning, Social Psychology, Personality, Motivation, Emotion, Health, Stress, and Abnormality.

Hypothesis

Tentative explanation that must be FALSIFIABLE, meaning it can be supported or rejected.

Operational Definition

Clear, precise, quantifiable definition of variables that allows for replication and reliable data collection.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data such as eye color.

Quantitative data

Numerical data that is necessary for statistics.

Population

Everyone the research could apply to.

Sample

The specific people (or person) chosen for a study.

Correlation

Identifies a relationship between two variables but does not imply causation.

Directionality Problem

Issue in correlation where it's unclear which variable causes the other.

Third Variable Problem

A different variable is responsible for the relationship between two observed variables.

Positive Correlation

Variables increase and decrease together.

Negative Correlation

As one variable increases, the other decreases.

Independent Variable

Purposely altered by researcher to look for an effect.

Experimental Group

The group that receives the treatment (part of the IV); can have multiple exp. groups.

Control Group

Placebo or baseline (part of the IV); can only have one.

Dependent Variable

Measured variable that is dependent on the independent variable.

Placebo Effect

Observed effect on behavior caused by the placebo itself, often managed with blinded studies.

Double-Blind Study

Experiment where neither participant nor experimenter knows which condition people are assigned to.

Single-Blind Study

Only the participant is blind, used when the experimenter cannot be blind.

Confound

Error/flaw in study that is accidentally introduced; also known as a confounding variable.

Experiment

Purposefully manipulate variables to determine cause/effect relationships.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to control or experimental group at random to increase the chance of equal representation among groups, allowing you to say Cause / Effect.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing people in their natural settings, offering real-world validity but no cause and effect.

Case Study

Studies ONE person (usually) in great detail; collects lots of info but no cause/effect.

Meta-Analysis

Combines multiple studies to increase sample size and examine effect sizes.

Descriptive Statistics

Show the shape of the data.

Measures of Central Tendency

Mean (average -normal distribution), Median (middle # skewed distribution), Mode (occurs most often).

Skew

Created by outliers; negative skew = mean to the left, mode to the right; positive skew = mean to the right.

Range

Distance between smallest and biggest number.

Standard Deviation

Average amount the scores are spread from the mean (bigger # = more spread).

Inferential Statistics

Establishes significance (meaningfulness).

Statistical Significance

Results not due to chance; the experimental manipulation caused the difference in means (p < .05).

Effect Size

Data has practical significance (bigger = better).

Confidentiality

Names kept secret

Informed Consent

Must agree to be part of the study.

Debriefing

Must be told the true purpose of the study (done after for deception).

Deception

Must be warranted.

Social Desirability

People lie to look good in surveys.

Wording Effects

How you frame the question can impact survey answers.

Random Sample (Selection)

Method for choosing participants for study, where everyone has a chance to take part, increasing generalizability.

Representative Sample

Sample mimics the general population in terms of ethnicity, gender, and age.

Convenience Sample

Select participants on availability – less representative and decreases generalizability.

Cultural norms

Behaviors of a particular group can influence research results.

Experimenter/Participant Bias

Experimenter/participant expectations influences the outcome.

Cognitive bias

Bias in thinking/judgment.

Confirmation Bias

Find information that supports our pre-existing beliefs.

evolutionary psychology

The study of how natural selection influences behavior.

heredity (nature)

How genes influence your behavior.

environment (nurture)

How outside situations influence your behavior (school).

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Rest of the nervous system, relays info to the Central Nervous System.

Somatic Nervous System

Voluntary movement, with sensory and motor neurons.

Autonomic Nervous System

Involuntary organs (heart, lungs, etc.) – contains the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic NS.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Fight/flight (generally activates– exception digestion).

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Rest / digest (generally inhibits– exception digestion).

Neuron

Basic cell of the Nervous System.

Dendrites

Receive incoming neurotransmitters.

Axon

Action potential travels down this.

Myelin Sheath

Speeds up action potentials down axon, protects axon.

Synapse

Gap between neurons.

Sensory Neurons

Receive sense signals from the environment and send signals to brain.

Motor Neurons

Signals to move – send signals from brain.

Action Potential

Ions move across the membrane, sending an electrical charge down the axon.

Resting Potential

Neuron maintains a -70mv charge when not doing anything.

Neurotransmitters (NT)

Chemicals released in the synaptic gap, received by neurons, either excitatory or inhibitory.

GABA

Major inhibitory neurotransmitter.

Glutamate

Major excitatory neurotransmitter.

Dopamine

Reward (short term) & fine movement – in hypothalamus, assoc. w/ addiction.

Serotonin

Moods (long-term), emotion, sleep – in amygdala, too little assoc. w/ depression.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Memory and movement – in hippocampus, assoc. w/ Alzheimer’s.

Norepinephrine

Sympathetic NS - too little assoc. w/ depression.

Endorphins

Decrease pain.

Hormones

Chemical messenger typically produced by the endocrine system.

Leptin

Makes you feel full, stopping hunger.

Ghrelin

Makes you hungry.

Agonist

Drug that mimics a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist

Drug that blocks a neurotransmitter.

Reuptake

Unused neurotransmitters are taken back up into the sending neuron.

Depressants

Decrease CNS activity (alcohol).

Stimulants

Increase CNS activity (caffeine & cocaine).

Hallucinogens

Hallucinations and altered perceptions (Marijuana).

Opioids

Relieve pain (endorphin agonists) (heroin).

Tolerance

Needing more of a drug to achieve the same effects.

Addiction

Must have it to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal

Symptoms associated with sudden stoppage.

Cerebellum

Movement, balance, coordination, procedural memory (walking a tightrope balancing a bell).

Brainstem / Medulla

Vital organs (HR, BP, breathing).

Cerebral Cortex

Outer portion of the brain – higher order thought processes – includes the limbic system, lobes, corpus callosum.

Limbic System

Includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus.

Occipital Lobe

Vision.

Frontal Lobe

Decision making, planning, judgment, movement, personality, language, executive function.

Parietal Lobe

Sensations and touch.

Temporal Lobe

Hearing and face recognition, language.

Corpus Callosum

Bundle of nerves that connects the 2 hemispheres.

Brain Plasticity

Brain changes via damage and through experience.

Endocrine system

Sends hormones throughout the body.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Shows broad brain activity – not specific – electrical output.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

Show brain activity in specific regions, measures oxygen.

Lesion

Destruction of brain tissue.

Multiple Sclerosis

Destruction of myelin sheath, disrupts Action potentials, causes impaired mobility, paralysis, pain.

Epilepsy

Seizures – too much / little Glutamate / GABA.