AP psychology Unit 1, 3, and 4

Ingroup

“Us” people with whom we share a common identity

Outgroup

“Them” those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

Attribution theory

How we explain people’s behaviors

Explicit prejudice

We are consciously aware of negative beliefs about a group

Implicit prejudice

We are unaware about how our attitudes are influencing our behavior

Social facilitation

Better in front of people

Social impairment

Performing worse in front of a group

Social loafing

Thinking their effort doesn’t matter

Falsifiability

Possibility that an idea, hypothesis, or theory can be disproven by an observation or experiment

Case study

Non experiment technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing a universal principle

Naturalistic observation

A non experiment technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Survey

Non experiment technique for obtaining the self reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group

experiment

Research method where investigators manipulate one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or me Tal process

Experimental group

Exposed to the experiment

Control group

The group not exposed in an experiment

Single blind procedure

Procedure in which the research participants are ignorant (blind) about whether they have received the treatment or a placebo

Double blind procedure

Both research participants and research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants received treatment or not.

Independent variable

The factor that is manipulated in the variable whose effect is being studied

Informed consent

Participants have enough information about a study to choose if they’re willing to participate

Debrief

Post-experiment, explanation of the study, including its purpose and and deceptions to its participants

Standard deviation

A computer measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Normal curve

Bell shaped curve

Informed assent

When minors need parents to give consent

Central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

The sensory and motor nerurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Somestic nervous system

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the bodies skeletal muscles

Autonomic nervous system

Controls our glands and our internal organ muscles

Sympathetic nervous system

Aroused the body (fight or flight)

Parasympathetic nervous system

Calms the body, conserving energy

Motor neurons

Carry outgoing information from the brain to the spinal cord to the muscles and the glands

Neurons

A nerve cell, the building block of the nervous system

Cell body

Contains the nucleus, the cells life support

Dendrite

Bushy, branching extensions, receive and integrate its branches to the other beauties or the the muscle or glands

Axon

Segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or the the muscle or glands

Myelin sheath

Enables greater transmission through speed as neural impulses hope from one to the next

Glial cells

Support, nourish, and protect neurons, play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

Threshold

Level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Synapse

Junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

Endorphins

Linked to pain and pleasure

Synapse

Space between the neurons

Substance P

A pain messenger

GABA

Calms the nervous system down

Serotonin

Regulates mood and sleep

Endorphins

Natural painkillers

Adrenaline

Increases heart rate and energy (fight or flight)

Oxytocin

Influenced bonding and social behaviors (cuddle hormone)

Leptin

Regulated hunger and fat storage

Ghrelin

Stimulated hunger (goes up at night)

Melatonin

Regulated sleep-wake cycles

Agonist

Drugs that make neurotransmitters do more (cockiness, heroin, opioids, pain relievers)

Antagonists

Drugs that block the action of a neurotransmitter

Alerted

pupils dilated, heart rate increases, digestion slows down

Calming

Pupils contrast, heart rate decreases, stimulates digestion

Cerebral cortex

Brains outermost layer, responsible for higher level thinking and complex tasks

Frontal lobe

Behind the forehead, responsible for higher level thinking order thinking, decision making, executive functioning especially in the prefrontal cortex

Temporal lobes

Located on sides of the brain, these lobes process auditory information and handle language comprehension

Left hemisphere

Language skills are typically located in the left hemisphere

Broncos area

responsible for speech production

Wernickes area

Responsible for speech comprehension

Neuroplasticity

Brains ability to change, especially during childhood

Lesion

Tissue destruction, brain lesions may occur naturally, during surgery, or exponentially

MRI

Technique used in magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue. Shows brain anatomy

fMRI

Technique used for revealing blood flow and brain activity by comparing successful MRI scans. Shows brain function and structure

Frontal lobes

Making plans or judgements

Partial lobes

Receives sensory input for touch and body position

Occipital lobes

Receives information from usual fields

Temporal lobes

Language processing

Motor cortex

Controls voluntary movement

Hypothalamus

Regulated drives like hunger, thirst, and body temperature (keeps you in balance)

Pituitary gland

Regulates growth

Hippocampus

Plays a major role in firing new memories

Amygdala

Processes emotion, fear and aggression

Cerebellum

Important for motor learning