Psych 101 Exam 1

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes & behavior
Mental processes & behavior- feeling thoughts and motives

Wilhelm Wundt

Father of psych first to study the structures of the mind (founder of structuralism) born in Leipzig Germany

Structuralism

studying structures of the mind

Functionalism

how the mind functions

Williams James

Father of psychology in the US

Biological approach

Emphasizes the study of the body especially the brain and the nervous
systems

Behavioral approach

The scientific study of observable behavior

Psychodynamic approach

The study of the unconscious and early childhood experiences
(Freud was the father of this

Humanistic approach

Emphasizes human potential, growth, and self-actualization

Cognitive approach

Involves thoughts and problem solving, and mental processes
Who we are is what we think:
Irrational thoughts create irrational behavior – for example. Anxiety about weight gain
might lead one to restrict eating to an unhealth level

Evolutionary approach

Looks at how we adapt psychologically, “survival of the fittest”, reproduction

Sociocultural approach

psychological study of both social and cultural factors

Positive Psychology

Focusing on positive aspects of people
Looking at wellness, looking at gratitude

Career - Psychologist (PhD)

Trained in psychology

Career - Psychiatrist (MD.)

Medical doctor, trained in medicine

Clinical

assessment, diagnosis, treatment

Counseling

Deals with everyday problems

Scientific Method

1.Observe some phenomenon (What do you want to study), can differ culture to
culture
2.Hypothesis (An educated guess, inference, what I think is going to happen,
how will one thing impact another)
3.Collect Data
4.Draw Conclusions
5.Evaluate Conclusions-based on previous research

Descriptive Research

Observation (Naturalistic (gives the best accuracy of true behavior because
they don’t know they are being observed), Laboratory (if you knew you were
being observed))

Surveys/Interviews

Online, on your phone, in person (the most accurate out
of this category), on paper. (less expensive study)

Case Studies

an in-depth study on one person that’s ongoing. (super
expensive)

Correlational Research

1.Relationship between two variables
2.Correlation does not equal causation

Experimental Research (Most valid- removing any constricting variables that
may be present) (can restrict sample)

Researchers can not demonstrate causation
without experimental research

Independent Variable

The variable that will be manipulated (cause and
effect)

Dependent Variable

Result of the manipulation of the independent
variable (IV)

Experimental Group

Group being experimented on

Control Group

group in the study that doesn’t have any variables being
manipulated (ex. Giving people sugar pills instead of medicine actually being
researched)

Mean

Add all your values then divide them by how many you have

Median

Arrange from lowest to highest then find the middle score(s)

Mode

Most frequent score(s) found

A.APA

American psychological association

Informed Consent

informing participants of their participation in the
experiment and the exact happenings in such experiment. (if there must be
deception in an experiment the participants must know that there will be
deception in the study)

Confidentiality

Essential

Debriefing

Giving participants an overview of what happened after the
experiment has concluded.

Deception

Unacceptable, with the exception of, the participants being
informed of the deception prior to the experiment.

CNS

Brain & Spinal Cord

PNS

Autonomic, Sympathetic and Parasympathetic, homeostasis

Hindbrain

consists of → cerebellum, medulla, pons

Cerebellum

(“tiny brain”) involves motor coordination

Medulla

involves functions of breathing & reflexes.

Pons

functions of sleep & arousal

Midbrain

consists of → reticular formation):Involved in functions of arousal and stereotype patterns such as motor
movements

Forebrain

(consists of → limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal
ganglia): Highest order of processing occurs here, Latest part of brain to fully mature

Limbic system

amygdala & hippocampus.

Forebrain function

thinking, processing, decision making, anxiety,
depression.

Hippocampus

memory

Amygdala

involved with fear, based on experiences (anxiety)

Thalamus

relays information between the higher and lower brain
centers

Hypothalamus

functions of eating, drinking, sex, emotion, stress, addictive behavior

Basal ganglia

in the forebrain and functions involve our sensations.

Cerebral Cortex, Hemispheres

Outer layer of the forebrain (groove-like
“wrinkles” covering the structure of the brain) that deals with higher brain
processing such as thinking and decision making.

Right brain

abstract

Left brain

logical

Parietal Lobe

responsible for attention & motor control

Frontal

higher executive functions, emotional regulation, problem-
solving, reasoning, personality, intelligence.

Temporal

Auditory cortex (ex: hearing, recognizing language).

Occipital

responsible for visual processing in the brain

Female Brains

multi-task more efficiently

CAT Scan

Xray of the head

PET Scan

: looks at metabolic changes in the brain (typically next step
after CT)

MRI

used to examine organs using a magnet and radio waves

fMRI

ooks at magnetic aspect of the brain, real
time of what the neurons are doing and how they are firing

Dendrites

receive information

Cell Body (Soma

contains nucleus, serves to maintain the cell, and keep
the neuron functional

Nucleus

maintains health of the neuron

Axon

carries information away. Some axons are covered with a fat +
protein substance, myelin sheath.

Terminal Button:

located at the end of a neuron, holds neurotransmitters

Myelin sheath

covering over the axon (made up of fat + protein),
insulates the axon and helps information move faster. Lack of myelin
sheath seen in M.S.

Glutamate

associated w/seizures, anxiety, depression. Recently
discovered

Serotonin

associated w/mood, attention, learning. Medications
include→(Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro). Serotonin helps with low-level
depression.

GABA

low levels are associated with anxiety. Gabapentin prescribed
often for anxiety, people with seizures, nerve disorders, chronic pain.
- Endorphins: natural, “natures opiate”, creates feelings of pleasure.
Meditation, running can release endorphins.

Norepinephrine

stimulator. Hormone and a neurotransmitter. Stress
releases norepinephrine. Part of your body’s “fight-or-fight” response.
Responsible for heartbeat, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Acetylcholine

associated w/attention, memory, Alzheimer’s. (ex: botox
deactivates acetylcholine in the brain leading to less wrinkles forming
due to numbing of the neurons).

Oxytocin

associated with love/bonding. Women have more oxytocin
compared to male counterparts. Research shows new relationships have
high levels of oxytocin and overtime decreases

Dopamine

associated with Parkinson’s’ (not enough dopamine),
Schizophrenia (too much dopamine)

Pituitary gland

Master Gland

Adrenals

associated w/stress, mood, energy level

Ovaries and testes

sexual development and reproduction.

Thyroid gland

deals with metabolism

Autonomic Nervous System

Takes messages to and from the internal organs and
regulates breathing, heartrate & digestion. Worry and anxiety housed
here.

Somatic Nervous System

Function is to share information from the skin & muscles to the
CNS, regulates information about pain and temperature

Sympathetic

Most anxiety comes from flight or fight response

Parasympathetic

Rest & Digest.