psych100 exam 1

Psychology

The study of mind and behavior.

Dualism (Descartes)

Mind and body are separate.

Natural Selection (Darwin)

Traits that help survival are passed on.

Structuralism (Wundt)

Study the mind by breaking it down.

Functionalism (James)

Focus on how mental processes help us adapt.

Behaviorism (Watson & Skinner)

Study observable behaviors, not thoughts.

Psychoanalysis (Freud)

Explore the unconscious mind.

Humanism (Rogers, Maslow)

Emphasize personal growth and potential.

Cognitive Psychology

Study of mental processes (thinking, memory).

Evolutionary Psychology

Behavior explained through evolution.

Experiential Learning (Vygotsky)

Learning shaped by social interactions.

Types of Psychologists

Different specialties (clinical, developmental).

Subfields

Areas like cognitive, social, and clinical psychology.

Empiricism vs. Nativism

Knowledge through experience vs. innate ideas.

Female Psychologists

Contributions of women in psychology.

Eclectic Approach

Combining different therapies for treatment.

Intersectionality

Overlapping social identities and experiences.

Scientific Method

Steps to investigate (hypothesis, experiment).

Operational Definition

Specific definitions for measurement.

Theory vs. Hypothesis

General explanation vs. testable prediction.

Descriptive Research

Observing without manipulation.

Correlational Research

Relationship between two variables (not cause).

Experimental Research

Testing cause-and-effect with manipulation.

Independent vs. Dependent Variables

What you change vs. what you measure.

Random Sampling

Everyone has an equal chance of being chosen.

Random Assignment

Participants randomly placed in groups.

Ethics

Guidelines to protect research participants.

Validity

Accuracy of a study (internal and external).

Measures of Central Tendency

Average values (mean, median, mode).

Sensory Neurons

Carry info from senses.

Motor Neurons

Control muscles.

Interneurons

Connect neurons.

Neuron Structure

Parts of a neuron (dendrites, axon).

Action Potential

Electrical signal that travels down a neuron.

Synaptic Transmission

How neurons communicate.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals (e.g., dopamine).

Central Nervous System

Brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord

Somatic Nervous System

Voluntary actions.

Autonomic Nervous System

Involuntary actions.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Rest-and-digest response.

Brain Imaging

Techniques to see brain activity (like MRI).

Corpus Callosum

Connects the brain's two halves.

Lateralization

Different functions in brain hemispheres.

Endocrine System

Hormones affecting behavior.

Genes & Chromosomes

Units of heredity.

Epigenetics

How the environment affects gene expression.

Personality

Unique patterns of thoughts and behavior.

Self-report Tests

Answering questions about oneself.

Projective Tests

Responding to ambiguous stimuli.

Trait Theory

Focus on traits that describe personality.

Big Five-Factor Model

Five key traits (OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).

Psychodynamic Theories

Freud: Mind has three parts (id, ego, superego).

Defense Mechanisms

Ways the ego protects itself.

Humanistic Theories

Rogers: Importance of self-concept and ideal self.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Hierarchy of needs for self-actualization.

Social Cognitive Theory

Learning from others and the environment.

Person-Situation Debate

How personality vs. situation influences behavior.

Social Psychology

Study of how people influence and are influenced by others.

Social Cognition

How we think about and understand social situations.

First Impression

Initial thoughts about someone.

Confirmation Bias

Focusing on info that supports what we already think.

Stereotypes

Oversimplified ideas about groups.

Prejudice vs. Discrimination

Attitudes vs. actions against groups.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Expectations influence outcomes.

Attribution Theory

How we explain behavior (internal vs. external).

Attitudes

Evaluations of people, objects, or ideas.

Cognitive Dissonance

Stress from holding conflicting beliefs.

Social Influence

How others affect our behavior (conformity, obedience).

Milgram Study

Obedience to authority.

Interpersonal Attraction

Factors that draw people together.

Four D's

Deviance, distress, dysfunction, danger (criteria for disorders).

DSM-5-TR

Manual for diagnosing mental disorders.

Fear vs. Anxiety

Immediate vs. ongoing feelings of worry.

Anxiety Disorders

Excessive fear and worry.

Depressive Disorders

Persistent sadness.

Bipolar Disorder

Mood swings from high to low.

Schizophrenia

Distorted thinking and perceptions.

OCD

Obsessions and compulsions.

Eating Disorders

Issues with food and body image.

PTSD

Stress after traumatic events.

Biopsychosocial Model

Combining biology, psychology, and social factors in understanding disorders.

Suicide Myths vs. Facts

Common misconceptions and truths.

Biomedical Therapies

Medical treatments for mental health (medications).

Insight Therapies

Understanding thoughts and feelings to promote healing.

Individual Therapy

One-on-one sessions.

Group Therapy

Therapy with multiple people.

Couples Therapy

Focus on relationship issues.

Family Therapy

Address family dynamics.

Behavioral Therapy

Changing behaviors through conditioning techniques.

Frontal Lobe

Personality, behavior, judgement, speech, movement

Parietal Lobe

interpret language, touch/pain, spatial and visual perception

Occipital Lobe

Vision

Temporal Lobe

Understanding language, memory, hearing, organization

Forebrain

Largest part of the brain. Cerebrum, Hypothalamus, Thalamus… Controls the reproductive functions, body temperature, emotions, hunger and sleep.

Midbrain

Smallest and central part of brain, Tectum, Tegmentum, relay system

Hindbrain

Lower part of brain. Cerebellum, medulla, pons. Coordinate processes for survival. Breathing, heartbeat, sleeping, motor learning.