General psychology

Psychology

Scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Goals of Psychology

Describe, Explain, Predict, Change behavior.

Skepticism

Being uncertain of something or not fully believing it.

Scientific Method

A systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing information.

Hypothesis

An educated guess derived from a theory that can be tested.

Structuralism

Wilhelm Wundt's approach to identify elements of mental processes.

Functionalism

William James's approach to identify purposes of the mind.

Operational Definition

Objective description of a variable and how it will be measured.

Independent Variable

Variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

Variable that is measured in an experiment.

Neurons

Cells that send and receive messages throughout the body.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Nerves connecting the CNS to the body.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic system that arouses the body during stress.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic system that calms the body.

Synapse

Space between neurons where neurotransmitters are released.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter that helps control movement and affects mood and attention.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of sleep and mood.

Medulla

Part of the hindbrain that controls breathing and heart rate.

Cerebellum

Part of the hindbrain important for motor skills.

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system involved in emotional processing.

Hippocampus

Part of the limbic system responsible for memory formation.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain, involved in complex thought processes.

Frontal Lobes

Part of the brain that governs personality, intelligence, and thought processes.

Occipital Lobes

Regions of the brain associated with vision.

Temporal Lobes

Regions of the brain related to hearing and language.

Parietal Lobes

Regions of the brain involved in spatial location and body sensations.