Brynildsen General Psychology Exam 1 Questions

Glial Cells

Supportive cells in the nervous system that play roles in maintenance, nutrient provision, and protecting neurons.

Pons

A brain structure in the brainstem that is involved in the regulation of sleep, arousal, and facial expressions.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself based on experience.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter that, when blocked from reuptake by cocaine, increases alertness and stress.

Adrenal Gland

The gland responsible for secreting stress hormones.

Dendrites

The structure of a neuron that receives messages from other neurons.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe that an event was predictable after it has already happened.

Pituitary Gland

Known as the 'master gland', it directs other glands in the endocrine system to release hormones.

Autonomic Nervous System

The system that controls automatic bodily functions like breathing and heart rate.

Single-Blind Study

An experiment design where only participants are unaware of their group assignment.

Random Assignment

A method of assigning participants to experimental or control groups randomly.

Wording Effects

Influence of wording in survey questions that can affect responses.

Replication

The process of repeating a study to verify results and improve reliability.

Psychoanalytic Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on unconscious influences on behavior.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, appetite, and mood.

Response Bias

A tendency for participants to answer questions inaccurately or misleadingly.

Informed Consent

A process wherein researchers provide sufficient information for participants to decide on participation.

Operational Definition

A statement describing how variables are measured in a study.

Acetylcholine Antagonist

A substance that blocks acetylcholine, leading to muscle paralysis.

Experimental Control

The principle of keeping variables constant except for the independent variable.

Generalizability

The extent to which findings from a specific study can be applied to a broader population.

Dependent Variable

The variable being measured in an experiment.

fMRI

A brain imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. Produces image and assesses function.

Confounding Variable

A third variable that may affect the outcome in a study.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective that explains behavior through adaptation and survival.

Myelin Sheath

A protective layer that speeds up neural transmission.

GABA Agonist

A substance that increases inhibitory signals in the brain, promoting relaxation.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that activates the fight-or-flight response.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with reward, pleasure, and addiction.

EEG

A technique for measuring electrical activity in the brain, but it does not produce images.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that fire when observing and imitating actions.

Experimental Design

Research design used to determine the causal relationship between variables.

Psychological Bias

A systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.

Third Variable

A variable that influences both the independent and dependent variable.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method involving unobtrusive observation of subjects in their natural environment.

Double-Blind Procedure

A study method where neither participants nor researchers know who is in the experimental group.

Case Study

An in-depth study of an individual or small group.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for detection.

Selective Attention

The process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period.

Transduction

The conversion of sensory stimuli into neural signals.

Change Blindness

The failure to notice changes in the environment when focused on a specific task.

Visceral Reaction

An automatic, instinctive response to stimuli.

Facial Recognition

The ability to identify and remember faces.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect.

Psychosocial Challenge

An internal struggle related to social and emotional development.

Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs.

Social Loafing

A phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group compared to working alone.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to attribute other people's behavior to their character while attributing our own to situational factors.