Psych Exam 1

mind-body dualism

Belief that the mind and body are separate entities

nature-nurture debate

Controversy over the relative influence of genetics and environment

free-will vs. determinism

Debate on whether human behavior is driven by choice or external forces

realism vs. idealism

Contrast between direct perception and the construction of reality

philosophical materialism

Belief that everything can be explained by physical matter

definition of psychology

Study of the mind, behavior, and mental processes

immediate, ultimate, and ontogenetic causes

Different levels of analysis for understanding behavior

levels of analysis in psychology

Approaches to studying behavior at different scales

empiricism vs. nativism

Debate on whether knowledge is acquired through experience or innate

structuralism

Psychological approach focused on analyzing the basic elements of consciousness

functionalism

Psychological approach focused on the adaptive functions of behavior

behaviorism

Psychological approach that emphasizes observable behavior

cognitive psychology

Psychological approach that studies mental processes and information processing

neuroscience

Study of the nervous system and its relation to behavior and cognition

evolution by natural selection

Process by which species adapt and evolve over time through selective pressures

properties of science

Characteristics that define scientific inquiry and knowledge

theory, hypothesis, data

Components of the scientific method

descriptive methods

Research techniques for observing and describing behavior

correlational studies

Research method examining the relationship between variables

experimental methods

Research approach involving manipulation of variables to establish cause and effect

random assignment

Method of assigning participants to experimental conditions by chance

placebo effect

Phenomenon where a participant's belief in treatment leads to improvement

blind and double-blind designs

Research designs where participants or researchers are unaware of treatment conditions

Clever Hans

Horse that appeared to perform arithmetic but was actually responding to subtle cues

central tendency

Measure of the center of a distribution (mean, mode, median)

variability

Measure of the spread of scores in a distribution (range, standard deviation)

normal distribution

Symmetrical bell-shaped distribution of scores

phrenology

Pseudoscience that claimed personality traits could be determined by skull shape

neuron

Basic building block of the nervous system

synapse

Junction between neurons where communication occurs

resting potential

Electrical charge of a neuron at rest

action potential

Electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron

neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals between neurons

sodium-potassium pump

Mechanism that maintains the resting potential of a neuron

drug agonists and antagonists

Substances that enhance or inhibit the effects of neurotransmitters

peripheral nervous system

Part of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord

sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

Branches of the autonomic nervous system with opposing effects

brain research techniques

Methods for studying the brain's structure and function

electroencephalogram

Recording of electrical activity in the brain

magnetic resonance imaging

Imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to visualize brain structure

computer-assisted tomography

Imaging technique that uses X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the brain

brainstem

Part of the brain responsible for basic functions and survival

thalamus

Relay station for sensory information

cerebellum

Brain region involved in motor coordination and balance

limbic system

Brain structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation

somatosensory cortex

Brain region responsible for processing touch and body sensations

cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the brain involved in higher cognitive functions

Phineas Gage

Famous case of a man who survived a severe brain injury

Henry Molaison (H.M.)

Patient with severe amnesia due to surgical removal of brain tissue

split-brain operation

Surgical procedure that severs the connection between the brain's hemispheres

localization of function in the brain

Concept that specific brain regions are responsible for specific functions

Broca's and Wernicke's areas

Brain regions involved in language production and comprehension

What is structuralism? To which "structures" does it refer?

Study of the basic elements of consciousness; refers to mental structures.

What was phrenology? Where did it go wrong?

Study of the relationship between skull features and personality traits; lacked scientific evidence.

What does the theory of natural selection have to do with psychology?

Explains how certain psychological traits are advantageous for survival and reproduction.

Where do most psychologists work? Given this, what is the biggest sub-area of psychology?

Work in academic settings or private practice; clinical psychology is the largest sub-area.

What is meant by the term "demand characteristic?" How does this call into question the outcomes of psychological observations and experiments?

Cues that participants pick up from the experimenter's expectations; may influence their behavior and invalidate results.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of case studies, naturalistic observations, surveys, as ways for psychologists to learn things?

Case studies: in-depth analysis but limited generalizability. Naturalistic observations: high ecological validity but lack control. Surveys: efficient data collection but potential response bias.

In frequency distributions, what are the central tendency and variability? To which aspect of the "normal curve" does each apply?

Central tendency: measures of the average or typical score; variability: measures of the spread or dispersion of scores; both apply to different aspects of the normal curve.

According to lecture, what are the two key components of experiments? (Hint: comparison and control).

Comparison: comparing different groups or conditions; control: keeping all variables constant except the one being manipulated.

What is a correlation? Why does the "third variable problem" show that correlations don't necessarily imply causation?

Statistical relationship between two variables; third variable problem: another variable may be causing the observed correlation.

How does random assignment to experimental conditions address the third variable problem?

Random assignment helps distribute potential third variables equally across groups, reducing their impact on the results.

How does a "message" from one neuron get communicated to another neuron?

Through the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse.

What is an action potential?

Electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron.

How does neuronal transmission work across a synapse?

Neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron, cross the synapse, and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron.

What are the major divisions of the nervous system?

Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).

What did his accident do to Phineas Gage's brain that we think accounts for his change in personality and impulse control?

Damage to the frontal lobes, specifically the prefrontal cortex.

For H.M., which part of his brain proved necessary for consolidating new "episodic" memories?

Hippocampus.

In split brain patients, when you show a picture only to the right hemisphere, and ask the person what she or he saw, who is going to answer?

The person will not be able to verbally report what they saw, as the left hemisphere (responsible for language) did not receive the visual information.

To the extent that brain function can be localized, what are the jobs of the different lobes of the cerebral cortex?

Frontal: executive functions, parietal: sensory processing, occipital: visual processing, temporal: auditory processing and memory.

How do the various structures at the front of the eye (cornea, pupil/iris, lens) receive light and convey it to the retina?

Cornea: bends light, pupil/iris: controls the amount of light entering, lens: focuses light onto the retina.

How does the retina process the light that falls on it through the action of rods and cones?

Rods: detect black, white, and gray; cones: detect color and fine details.

What is synapsing?

The process of transmitting signals between neurons.

What are bipolar cells?

Neurons that connect photoreceptor cells to ganglion cells.

What are retinal ganglion cells?

Neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain.