Research and Bio

Hypothesis

tentative explanation - must be FALSIFIABLE - able to be supported or rejected

Operational Definition

clear, precise, quantifiable definition of your variables - allows replication and collection of reliable data

Qualitative data

descriptive data (eye color)

Quantitative data

numerical data - IDEAL and necessary for statistics

Population

everyone the research could apply to

Sample

the people (or person) specifically chosen for your study

CORRELATION

identify relationship between two variables

Directionality problem

which direction does the correlation go? (depression cause low self-esteem, low self-esteem causes depression, or a 3rd variable?)

3rd variable problem

different variable is responsible for relationship (ice cream and murder)

Positive Correlation

variables increase & decrease together

Negative Correlation

as one variable increases the other decreases

Independent Variable

purposefully altered by researcher to look for effect

Experimental Group

received the treatment (part of the IV); can have multiple exp, groups

Control Group

placebo, baseline (part of the IV); can only have 1

Dependent Variable

measured variable (is DEPENDENT on the independent variable)

Placebo Effect

any observed effect on a behv. That is "caused" by the placebo (shows effectiveness of exp. Treatment). Usually fixed w/ blinded studies

Double-Blind

Exp. where neither the participant or the experimenter are aware of which condition people are assigned to (drug studies)

Single-Blind

only participant blind - used if experimenter can't be blind (gender, age, etc)

Confound

error/ flaw in study that is accidentally introduced (can be called a confounding variable)

Random Assignment

assigns participants to either control or experimental group at random - increase chance of equal representation among groups (spreads the lefties across both groups) - allows you to say Cause / Effect

NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION

observe ppl in their natural settings

CASE STUDY

Studies ONE person (usually) in great detail

META-ANALYSIS

combines multiple studies to increase sample size and examine effect sizes

Descriptive stats

show shape of the data

Mean

Average (use in normal distribution)

Median

Middle # (use in skewed distribution)

Mode

occurs most often

Range

distance bw smallest and biggest #

Standard deviation

avg. amount the scores are spread from the mean (bigger # = more spread)

INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

establishes significance (meaningfulness)

STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE

results not due to chance, exp. manipulation caused the difference in means

p<.05

stat. sig, smaller = better

EFFECT SIZE

data has practical significance - bigger = better

Confidentiality

names kept secret

Informed Consent

must agree to be part of study

Informed assent

minors AND their parents must agree

Debriefing

must be told the true purpose of the study (done after for deception)

Deception

must be warranted

No harm

mental/physical

Surveys

usually turned into correlation. Subject to self report bias

Random Sample (selection)

method for choosing participants for your study - everyone has a chance to take part, increases generalizability

Representative Sample

Sample mimics the general pop.

Convenience Sample

Select participants on availability - less representative and less generalizability this way

Sampling bias

Sample isn't representative, due to convenience sampling

Cultural norms

Behaviors of a particular group can influence research results

Experimenter bias / Participant bias

Experimenter/participant expectations influences the outcome

Cognitive bias

Bias in thinking/judgment

Confirmation bias

Find info that supports our preexisting beliefs

Hindsight bias

I knew it all along

Overconfidence

Overestimate our knowledge / abilities

Hawthorne effect

People change behavior when watched

Biological Basis Pillar

NT = neurotransmitter, AP = action potential, NS = nervous system

Heredity

How genes influence your behavior

Environment

How outside situations influence your behavior (school)

Nature vs. Nurture

The answer is both

Twin / Adoption Studies

Identical twin will have a higher percentage of also developing a disease

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Rest of the nervous system - relays to Central Nervous System

Somatic Nervous System

Voluntary movement, has sensory and motor neurons

Autonomic Nervous System

Involuntary organs (heart, lungs, etc.)

Sympathetic Nervous System

Fight/flight (generally activates - exception digestion)

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Rest/digest (generally inhibits - exception digestion)

Neuron

Basic cell of the nervous system

Dendrites

Receive incoming neurotransmitters

Axon

Action potential travels down this

Myelin Sheath

Speeds up action potential down axon, protects axon

Synapse

Gap between neurons

Sensory neurons

Receive sense signals from environment and send signal to brain

Motor neurons

Signals to move - send signals from brain

Interneurons

Cells in spinal cord/brain responsible for reflex arc

Reflex arc

Important stimuli skips the brain and routes through the spinal cord for immediate reactions (hand on a hot flame)

Glia

Support cells - give nutrients and clean up around neurons

Resting potential

Neuron maintains a -70mv charge when not doing anything

Depolarization

Charge of neuron briefly switches from negative to positive - triggers the action potential

Threshold of depolarization

Stimulus strength must reach this point to start the action potential

All or nothing principle

Stimulus must trigger the action potential past its threshold, but does not increase the intensity or speed of the response

Refractory period

Neuron must rest and reset before it can send another action potential

Neurotransmitters (NT)

Chemicals released in synaptic gap, received by neurons

GABA

Major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

Major excitatory neurotransmitter

Dopamine

Reward (short term) & fine movement - in hypothalamus, associated with addiction

Serotonin

Moods (long-term), emotion, sleep - in amygdala, too little associated with depression

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Memory and movement - in hippocampus, associated with Alzheimer's

Norepinephrine

Sympathetic nervous system - too little associated with various conditions

Endorphins

decrease pain

Substance P

pain regulation (abnormality increases pain and inflammation)

Hormones

if not in the nervous system, it's a hormone

Oxytocin

love, bonding, childbirth, lactation

Adrenaline

fight/flight

Leptin

makes you full (stops hunger)

Ghrelin

makes you hungry (turns you into a gremlin)

Melatonin

sleep

Agonist

drug that mimics a NT

Antagonist

drug that blocks a NT

Reuptake

Unused NTs are taken back up into the sending neuron. (antidepressants cause reuptake inhibition (block reuptake) - treatment for depression)

Depressants

Decrease NS activity (alcohol)

Stimulants

Increase NS activity (caffeine & cocaine)

Hallucinogens

hallucinations and altered perceptions (Marijuana)

Opioids

relieve pain (endorphin agonists) (heroin)

Tolerance

Needing more of a drug to achieve the same effects