psych 101 1-3 master set

nervous system research methods

• Brain lesioning methodology

• Electroencephalography (EEG)

• Imaging procedures

• Computerized tomography (CT)

• Positron emission tomography (PET)

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging

(fMRI)

• Electrical stimulation of the brain (TMS)

• Drug studies

nervous system

• The nervous system is a complex

communication network in which signals are

constantly being received, integrated, and

transmitted

PNS

all other nerve cells in the body

neurons

are the basic links that permit

communication within the nervous system

• Neurons receive, integrate, and transmit

information

sensory neurons

detect information and pass

that information to the brain and spinal cord

motor neurons

send information from the brain

and spinal cord causing muscles to contract or

relax

interneurons

act as relay stations between

sensory and motor neurons

cell body—soma

collects and integrates information

dendrites

detect info from other neurons

axon

transmits info to the terminal button

myelin sheaths

are fatty tissue that insulates neural

axons (MS involves breakdown of myelin sheaths)

nodes of ranvier

are small gaps between segments

of axon sheaths

terminal buttons

are nodules that release chemical

signals from the axon

synapses

are the microscopic gaps between

neurons

polarized

• Positively and negatively charged ions

(e.g., NA+, K+, CL-) differentially flow

across the cell membrane leaving the

neuron polarized

resting potential

is its

stable, negative charge, when the cell is

inactive

neural reception and integration

• Neurons receive chemical signals from nearby

neurons

• The signals affect the polarization of the neuron

excitatory sigs

(post-synaptic potentials)

depolarize the cell membrane making the neuron

more likely to fire an action potential

inhibitory sigs

(post-synaptic potentials)

hyperpolarize the cell membrane making it less

likely to fire an action potential

• Neurons integrate both excitatory and inhibitory

signals

threshold

when excitatory sigs reach a certain level

action potential

neural impulses that moves along the axon causing chemical release

once the action potential occurs, the neuron

repolarizes

refractory period

is the minimum length of

time after an action potential during which

another action potential cannot begin

all or nothing principle

• A weaker stimulus does not produce a

weaker neural impulse

• The strength of a stimulus is conveyed by

the rate at which action potentials are

fired

• The greater the strength, the faster the

rate of firing

presynpatic neuron’s terminal buttons triggers the release of

NTs

NTs bind with special molecules in the

postsynpatic cell membrane at various receptor sites

produces an exc/inhibit sig for the postsynaptic neuron

transmission is eventually terminated by

reuptake, enzyme deactivation, or autoreception

neurotransmitters are

• Chemical substances that transmit signals from

one neuron to another

• Are stored in vesicles in the terminal button

• Receptors are postsynaptic sites that receive

neurotransmitters

• Influence emotion, thought, and behavior

Acetylcholine

• Works at synapses that communicate directly with

muscle movement

• Also involved in learning, memory, sleeping, and

dreaming

Norepinephrine

• Involved in arousal, alertness, and vigilance

Serotonin

• Related to emotional states, impulsiveness, and

sleeping/dreaming

Dopamine

• Involved in reward and motivation as well as

voluntary motor contro

GABA

• Primary inhibitory transmitter also related to anxiety

Glutamate

• Primary excitatory transmitter aiding learning and

memory

Endorphins

• Involved in natural pain reduction and reward

agonists

may increase production, mimic, or

block reuptake of the neurotransmitter

antagonists

may decrease production, block

reception, or facilitate deactivation of the

neurotransmitter

narcotics

(natural and synthetic opiates) are

agonists that mimic endorphins and bind to

endorphin receptor sites

SSRIs

are agonists that block reuptake of serotonin

and are used to treat depression and anxiety

L-DOPA/Levodopa

is a dopamine agonist that helps in the

treatment of Parkinson’s disease which results from

degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons

schizophrenia drugs

• Drugs used to treat schizophrenia are dopamine

antagonists suggesting that some schizophrenic

symptoms are related to overactivity in dopamine

symptoms

CNS

B and SC

nutritive soup

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

to enter CSF…

subs. must cross blood-brain barrier

forebrain

• Is the seat of complex thought, planning, decision

making

• Consists of left and right cerebral hemispheres

cerebral cortex

is the convoluted outer layer of

the cerebral hemispheres

cerebral cortex consists of…

gray matter

(mostly neural cell bodies and dendrites and

nonmyelinated axons) and white matter (mostly

myelinated axons)

corpus callosum

connects the two hemispheres

lateral/central fissure

divide each

hemisphere into four lobes

occipital lobes

visual cortex

parietal lobes

somatosensory cortex

temporal lobes

auditory cortex

frontal lobes

primary motor cortex and prefrontal cortex

Broca’s area

left frontal cortex—producing speech

prefrontal cortex PG

phineas gage case

insula

Lies inside the lateral fissure and is important

for taste, pain, perception of bodily states, and

empathy

thalamus

is the relay for almost all

incoming sensory information

hypothalamus

is the master regulatory

system controlling many human behaviors

(eating, fighting/fleeing, s*xual behavior)

hippocampus

storage of new memories

amygdala

connects learning to emotional responses (fear)

basal ganglia

are subcortical structures

crucial for planning and production of movement

• Damage to the Basal Ganglia is associated with

movement disorders such as Parkinson’s and

Huntington’s diseases

nucleus accumbens

within the basal

ganglia, is a dopamine-rich area associated

with reward, pleasure, and motivation

brain stem

• Connects to/extends the spinal cord

• Houses the nerves that control basic survival

functions like heart rate, breathing,

swallowing, etc.

• Consists of:

• The Medulla Oblongata—survival functions

• The Pons

• The Midbrain

• The Reticular Formation which is involved

in alertness and sleep

cerebellum

• Controls motor coordination and balance

• Damage to the cerebellum can cause

problems with limb coordination, head

tilt, visual tracking, etc.

PNS comprised of

somatic and

autonomic nervous systems

SNS

• Transmits sensory signals and motor signals

between the CNS and the skin, muscles, and

joints

• Made up of nerves that connect to sensory

receptors and voluntary skeletal muscles

• Carries information from the skin, muscles, and

joints to the CNS and from the CNS back to the

skin, muscles, and joints

• Comprised of sensory neurons (outward in) and

motor neurons (inward out)

ANS

• Transmits sensory and motor signals

between the CNS and the body’s internal

organs and glands

• Controls automatic, involuntary,

functions like digestion, heart rate and

perspiration

• Comprised of the sympathetic (expends

energy) and parasympathetic (conserves

energy) divisions

sympathetic division

action—fight/flight

parasympathetic division

rest and digest—conserve energy

endocrine system

• Consists of glands that secrete chemicals

into the bloodstream, influencing

thoughts and behavior

hormones

are the chemical substances

released by the endocrine glands (e.g.,

pineal, pancreas)

plasticity

is a property of the brain that

allows it to change as a result of experience

or injury

• Evidence that the brain rewires itself

throughout life is seen in cases where

children are born with only one brain

hemisphere or in cases where the brain

heals from injury

• These cases provide important information

on the connection between nurture and

nature in human behavior

Psychology (Wikipedia)

The scientific study of mental functions and behavior.

Psychology (Gazzaniga et al.)

The study, through research, of mind (mental activity), brain (physiological activity), and behavior (observable action).

Psychology (Weiten)

The science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie behavior, and the profession that applies this knowledge to practical problems.

Psychological Reasoning

Refers to using psychological research to examine how people typically think, to understand when and why they are likely to draw erroneous conclusions.

Confirmation Bias

A form of noncritical thinking where an individual ignores evidence that does not support their existing beliefs.

Psyche and Logos

Greek words meaning "Soul/Mind" and "Study Of," which form the etymological root of the word Psychology.

John Stuart Mill

In 1843, he argued that psychology should become a "science of observation and experiment."

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the first psychology laboratory and institute in Leipzig in 1879.

Structuralism

The first major school of thought, founded by Wundt and Titchener, which emphasized studying the elemental structures of consciousness like sensations and feelings.

Functionalism

Founded by William James and influenced by Darwin, it emphasizes studying the purpose or function of consciousness rather than its static points.

Gestalt Psychology

A school of thought (Wertheimer, Köhler) asserting that the whole of experience is different from the sum of its constituent elements.

Behaviorism

A school of thought (Watson, Skinner) stating that psychology should be limited to the study of observable behavior and that behavior is made, not born.

Cognitive Psychology

Focuses on internal events and information processing, including how people acquire, store, and process information like memory and language.

Social Psychology

The study of how behavior is affected by the presence of others and the power of the situation.

Humanism

A perspective (Rogers, Maslow) emphasizing unique human qualities, especially freedom, potential for growth, and self-actualization.

Physiological/Biological Psychology

The perspective that behavior can be explained in terms of bodily structures, biochemical processes, and genetics.

Evolutionary Psychology

A field rooted in functionalism that argues behavior is influenced by natural selection and that behavior patterns evolved to solve adaptive problems.

Margaret Floy Washburn

The first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Psychology, which she earned in 1894.

Mary Whiton Calkins

The first female president of the APA (1905) who invented the paired-associate technique for studying memory.

Leta Stetter Hollingworth

Psychologist who provided some of the first research debunking the idea of female inferiority.

Francis Cecil Summer

The first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in Psychology in 1920.

The Clarks (Kenneth and Mamie Clark)

Conducted groundbreaking work on self-esteem among African-American children that was instrumental in the Brown v. Board of Education case.

Biopsychosocial Model

An integration of biological factors, psychological factors, and social/cultural factors to understand motivation and functioning.

Clinical Psychology

The area that seeks to understand, characterize, and treat mental illness.

Cultural Psychology

Studies how cultural factors such as national beliefs and religious values affect mental life and behavior.

Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology

Explores how psychological processes play out in the workplace and deals with interpersonal conflicts and organizational change.

Social-Personality Psychology

The study of everyday thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, focusing on situational and dispositional causes of behavior.

Which of the following is the best definition of psychological science?

The study of mental activity, physiological activity, behavior, and their interrelationships