Intro to Psych- Quiz 1

psychology

scientific study of why we think, feel and act

psych science

inquiry based on research and empirical evidence

psychobabble

pseudoscience that promises quick fixes to life’s problems

critical thinking

ability and willingness to make objective judgements on the basis of well-supported evidence

first critical thinking step

ask questions, be willing to wonder

second critical thinking step

define your terms

third critical thinking step

analyze assumptions and biases

fourth critical thinking step

examine the evidence

fifth critical thinking step

weigh conclusions

psych wasn’t a formal discipline until

19th century

scholars in the past didn’t heavily rely on what evidence?

empirical

hippocrates (C. 460 - 377 B.C.E) inferred

the brain must be the ultimate source of our pleasures and sorrows

john locke (1643-1704) said

the mind works by associating ideas arising from experience

phrenology (greek- “study of mind”) argument

diff. brain areas accounted for character traits (ex. large bumps = thieves)

Wilhelm Wundt established

first psych lab in Germany

Wilhelm Wundt fave research method

trained introspection

trained introspection

subjects objectively observe and report their own conscious thoughts, feelings, and sensations under controlled conditions

who is credited with making psychology a science?

wilhelm wundt

structuralism is BLANK happens, functionalism is BLANK + BLANK happens

what, how + why

structuralism

breaks down the basic elements of complex mental experiences

functionalism

focuses on the purpose and function of mental processes/behavior

who led structuralism

wilhelm wundt

who led functionalism

william james

who inspired functionalism

evolutionary theorist, charles darwin

who led psychoanalysis

sigmund freud

mind cure movement (1830-1900)

efforts to correct false ideas meant to make people anxious, depressed, and unhappy

five pillars of modern psychology

biological, cognitive, developmental, social and personality, mental and physical health

biological pillar of modern psychology

how the brain and nervous system influence behavior and mental processes

cognitive pillar of modern psychology

how people think, remember, perceive and solve problems

developmental pillar of modern psychology

how thoughts, behaviors, and abilities change across the lifespan

social & personality pillar of modern psychology

how individuals think about, influence and relate to others; patterns of traits and behavior

mental and physical pillar of modern psychology

how psychological factors relate to well-being, illness, stress, and treatment

feminist psychology

psychology approach that analyzes influence of gender, sexuality and social structures on thought, emotion and behavior

basic psychology

psych research just seeking to expand scientific knowledge

applied psychology

psych research concerned with addressing a particular practical problem

experimental psychologists

conduct studies of mental processes involving clinical populations

educational psychologists

study psych principles that explain learning and how to improve educational systems

industrial/organizational psychologists

study behavior in the workplace

psychometric psychologists

design and evaluate tests of mental aptitudes and personality

clinical psychologists

Doctoral-level professionals trained in diagnosis, psychological/testing, and therapy, but generally cannot prescribe medication

psychotherapist

someone who does any kind of psychotherapy without having any training at all

psychoanalyst

person who only practices psychoanalysis, had to have receive an advanced degree

psychiatrist

M.D. trained to diagnose and treat psychological disorders and focus on biological causes

sensation

detection, by sense organs, of physical energy emitted by physical objects

perception

set of mental operations that organize sensory impulses into meaningful patters

sense receptors

cells located in the sense organs

central nervous system (CNS) functions

receives and processes sensory information + sends messages to muscles, glands and internal organs

central nervous system is made up of

brain and spinal cord

spinal reflexes are

automatic with no conscious effort

peripheral nervous system (PNS) functions

handles CNS input and output

PNS is divided into two parts

somatic and autonomic

PNS contains

all of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord

PNS sensory nerves

carry messages from special receptors in internal and external sense organs to the spinal cord to the brain

PNS motor nerves

carry messages from CNS to muscles, glands and internal organs (allows us to move and cause glands to contract substances like hormones)

PNS somatic nervous system

nerves that are connected to sensory receptors and skeletal muscles that enable voluntary action

PNS autonomic nervous system

regulates the function of blood vessels, glands and internal organs

PNS automatic nervous two parts

sympathetic and parasympathetic

brain is made up of two cells

neurons and glial cells

neurons functions

building blocks of nervous system and transmits info within and between CNS

glial cells functions

insultaes, helps grow and provides nutrients to neurons, removes cellular debris when neurons die and can help regulate neurochemicals

neurons have three main parts

dendrites, cell body, axon

dendrites

like branches of tree, receives messages, does some preliminary processing and transmits messages to cell body

cell body

inc. nucleus, rest of body inc. biochem machinery to keep neuron alive and produce neurochemicals

axon

transmits messages away from cell body to other neurons, muscle or gland cells, attached to cell body

myelin sheath

insulates axons, prevents signals in adjacent cells from interfering with each other

neurogenesis

production of new neurons from immature stem cells

stem cells

immature cells that regenerate and can possibly develop into any mature cell

embryonic stem cells