Gen Psych Exam #1

5.0(1)
studied byStudied by 53 people
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/98

flashcard set

Earn XP

Description and Tags

Exam date: Friday September 29, 2023

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

99 Terms

1
New cards

psychology

the scientific study of thought, behavior, and emotion

2
New cards

hindsight bias

overestimation of the ability to have predicted an outcome

3
New cards

scientific method

tests ideas with the use of data- evidence (empiricism)

  1. formulate the research question

  2. formulate the hypothesis

  3. design the study to test the hypothesis

  4. perform the study (test the hypothesis)

  5. interpret the data (draw conclusions)

  6. communicate the findings

4
New cards

hypothesis

testable prediction

5
New cards

operational definition

statement about the procedures the researcher used to measure a variable

6
New cards

case study

in depth analysis of one subject (or more)

7
New cards

advantages and disadvantages of a case study

advantages: in depth knowledge and insights, understanding the cause and effect relationship between different variables

disadvantages: cannot be generalized to all subjects or cases, may be biased by the researcher, participants, or sources

8
New cards

observational method

Describe and measure people and/or animals' behavior systematically (observe behavior of parents dropping off kids at day care)

9
New cards

advantages and disadvantages of the observational method

advantages: easiest method, helpful for framing hypothesis, enhanced accuracy, global method

disadvantages: lack of clarity, subject to bias, lack of reliability, improper perception, expensive

10
New cards

survey method

Asking people questions about their thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions and recording their answers

11
New cards

advantages and disadvantages of the survey method

advantages: low cost, simplicity, ease of creation, quick feedback, high representativeness of large population

disadvantages: survey bias/response bias, survey fatigue, sampling errors, wording

12
New cards

wording effects

refers to the possible effects on participants caused by the order of presented words or even the choice of the words themselves. Wording effect can influence how people perceive and respond to different situations, such as gains and losses or emotional distress. Wording effect can also affect the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.

13
New cards

response bias

pattern of responses to questions that does not accurately reflect the content of the question

14
New cards

random sampling (aka random selection)

everyone in the population has an equal chance of being in the sample (being studied)

15
New cards

correlation (correlational method)

measures strength and direction of relationship between two variables

16
New cards

positive correlation

variables change in the same direction

17
New cards

negative correlation

variables change in opposite directions

18
New cards

correlation coefficients (rs)

indicator of the strength of the relationship between two variables (ranges from -1.00 to+1.00)

19
New cards

third variable

correlation does not indicate causation!!

instead of A causing B, B could cause A

OR there could be a third variable C that causes both A and B

20
New cards

experiment

researcher changes (manipulates) one variable and measures the effects of that change on another variable

the only research design in which cause and effect can be inferred

purpose: to test the effects of the IV on the DV, does the IV cause the DV?

21
New cards

independent variable (IV)

manipulated by the experimenter

22
New cards

dependent variable (DV)

outcome variable

23
New cards

experimental (treatment) condition (group)

receives treatment/stimulus

24
New cards

control condition (group)

does not receive treatment/stimulus (comparison group)

25
New cards

confounding variable

variable that is potentially responsible for the results, but is not the variable of interest (the IV)

26
New cards

random assignment

method used to place participants into experimental condition in which participants have an equal chance of being in every condition

27
New cards

experimental control

researcher makes sure that no factors other than the IV are changing and thus could affect the DV

28
New cards

placebo effect

observed improvement following an inert treatment

29
New cards

placebo control group

participants who receive placebo rather than actual treatment or nothing

30
New cards

expectancy effect (type of experimenter bias)

results when the experimenter's hypothesis(expectation) leads unintentionally to behavior toward the participants that then increases the likelihood that the participants' behavior will confirm the hypothesis (e.g., Rosenthal & Jacobson,1968)

31
New cards

single-blind procedure

the participants do not know if they have been assigned to the experimental or control group

32
New cards

double-blind procedure

neither the participants nor the researchers know who has been assigned to the experimental or control group

33
New cards

generalizability

the extent to which we can claim our findings inform us about a group larger than the one we studied (issue in research) (Can the results apply to other situations?)

34
New cards

replication

repetition of a study (important issue in research)

35
New cards

informed consent

permission based on researchers giving people enough information about a study to enable them to decide whether they wish to participate

36
New cards

debriefing

after an experiment ends, explaining to participants the study's purpose and any deceptions researchers used

37
New cards

biological/neuroscientific perspective

how physical systems (e.g., the brain) affect behavior, feelings, and thoughts

38
New cards

evolutionary perspective

how the natural selection of traits has promoted the survival of genes

39
New cards

behavioral genetic perspective

how our genes and our environment influence our behaviors

40
New cards

psychoanalytic/psychodynamic perspective

emphasizes the role of unconscious conflicts in determining behavior and personality, unconscious dynamics within the individual

41
New cards

behavioral perspective

learning via reinforcements and punishments

42
New cards

cognitive persepective

how people reason, remember, and interpret

43
New cards

social/cultural perspective

how social and cultural forces shape individuals' behavior

44
New cards

neurons

specialized cells that transmit neural messages to other neurons, glands, and muscles

45
New cards

dendrites

receives neural messages from other neurons

46
New cards

cell body (soma)

houses DNA

47
New cards

axons

thin tubes that transmit messages

48
New cards

glial cells (glia)

provide structure for neurons

49
New cards

blood-brain barrier

prevents some toxins from entering the brain, formed by some glial cells

50
New cards

myelin sheath

specialized cells that are wrapped around the axon to help transmit messages, formed by some glial cells

51
New cards

action potential

electrical signal within a neuron, electrical impulse that travels from the cell body down to the end of the axon (neural firing)

52
New cards

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse, level of electric charge needed to stimulate action potential

53
New cards

all or none response

a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

once the electric charge of the neuron reaches a certain threshold, it fires an action potential

54
New cards

synapse

junction between two neurons, messages are transmitted across synapse via neurotransmitters

55
New cards

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that travel across synapse form sending neuron to receptors on receiving neuron

56
New cards

reuptake

sending neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters

57
New cards

inhibitory signals

decrease likelihood that neuron will fire

58
New cards

excitatory signals

increase likelihood that neuron will fire

59
New cards

acetylcholine (ACh)

involved in muscle action, learning, memory

60
New cards

endorphins

reduce pain and promote pleasure

61
New cards

dopamine

involved in voluntary movement, reward, learning, memory

62
New cards

serotonin

involved in sleep, appetite, mood

63
New cards

glutamate

excitatory- learning, memory, enhancement

64
New cards

GABA

inhibitory- calms

65
New cards

epinephrine and norepinephrine

adrenaline and noradrenaline

involved in stress response/fight or flight response

66
New cards

agonists

increase normal activity of a neurotransmitter

67
New cards

antagonists

decrease activity of a neurotransmitter

68
New cards

motor neurons

carry signals from brain or spinal cord to muscles, skin, and glands

69
New cards

sensory neurons

carry messages from receptors to spinal cord and brain

70
New cards

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

responds to sensory information, sends messages to muscles, glands, organs

71
New cards

spinal reflexes

automatic responses that occur without any brain involvement

72
New cards

peripheral nervous system

all of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord. allows communication between CNS and sensory systems. contains somatic and autonomic nervous systems

73
New cards

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

voluntary, sensory and motor pathways

74
New cards

autonomic nervous system

peripheral nervous system division that the glands and the muscles of the internal organs such as the heart and digestive system

contains sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

75
New cards

sympathetic nervous system

arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations. increase heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. also slows down digestion and cools you with perspiration

76
New cards

parasympathetic nervous system

calms the body, conserving its energy. decreases heart beat, lowers blood sugar, enables you to rest and digest

77
New cards

endocrine system

Consists of glands that control many of the body's activities by producing hormones.

78
New cards

hormones

chemicals secreted by endocrine glands into bloodstream

79
New cards

hypothalamus

(brain structure) controls pituitary gland

80
New cards

pituitary gland

"master gland" endocrine glands' control center. a pea sized structure located in the brains core that is controlled by the hypothalamus and releases lots of hormones (growth hormone, oxytocin)

81
New cards

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.

important in mood, energy level, stress response

82
New cards

electroencephalogram (EEG)

Detect electrical activity of neurons in particular regions of brain

Does not produce image of the brain but can be used to asses function

83
New cards

PET scan (positron emission tomography)

Records biochemical changes in brain as they are happening in different locations

84
New cards

CAT scan (computerized axial tomography)

X-ray beams sent through head

Picture of brain tissues

85
New cards

spinal cord

extension of the brain. handles both incoming and outgoing messages, acts as a bridge between brain and body below neck

86
New cards

pineal gland

secretes melatonin, regulates sleep and circadian rhythm

87
New cards

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Uses magnetic field to measure activity of various brain areas

88
New cards

fMRI (funcitonal magnetic resonance imaging)

uses MRI to measure relative activity of various brain areas during tasks (MRI with stimulus)

89
New cards

brainstem

medulla and pons

90
New cards

medulla

controls life sustaining bodily functions (breathing, gagging)

Regulates heartbeat and breathing, essential for survival

91
New cards

pons

involved in sleep; connects cortex to lower brain regions (bridge between lower centers and higher centers like the cortex)

92
New cards

reticular formation

controls alertness, attention

93
New cards

thalamus

relay station

Directs incoming information from sensory receptors to cerebral cortex

All senses but smell

94
New cards

cerebellum

coordination of movement, Balance, muscle coordination, Memory of simple skills

Habitual, things we do all the time so we don’t need to think about it (walking, typing, playing an instrument)

As we get older, the cerebellum doesn’t work as well. This, in part, explains why the risk of falling increases as we get older

95
New cards

amygdala

emotions

Aggression, fear

Can be damaged due to natural causes like a stroke or other injury to the brain

96
New cards

hypothalamus

regulates endocrine activity

Controls hormone release

reward/pleasure

97
New cards

hippocampus

gateway to memory

Enables formation of new conscious memories

98
New cards

cerebral cortex

Higher forms of thinking

2 hemispheres of cerebral cortex- left and right

4 lobes on each hemisphere – and their locations

Frontal lobes

Parietal lobes

Occipital lobes

Temporal lobes

99
New cards

location of the 4 lobes

frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe

<p>frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe</p>