Psych104 Midterm

psychology

the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes

4 goals of psychology

description, explanation, prediction, influence

what is a theory?

general principle, organizes facts, guides scientific research, and always falsifiable

basic vs applied research

basic - seeks new knowledge, advances general scientific understanding
applied - applying research to life, solving practical problems

Naturalistic Observation

-observe and record behaviour in natural setting
-no attempt to influence or control behaviour

Laboratory Observation

-observe behaviours in controlled environment
-less spontaneity of behaviour and results

Cast Study Method

-one or few participants
-in depth study usually over time
-study common psychological or physiological disorders

Survey Research

-use interviews, questionnaires
-obtain information about: attitudes, beliefs, experiences of a group
-can show changes in attitudes and behaviours over time
-respondents may provide inaccurate information

Correlation Method

-establish relationship between 2 characteristics, events or behaviours
-useful in making predictions
-cannot determine cause
(positive correlation, negative correlation, no correlation)

experimental vs control group

Exp - participants exposed to independent variable
Control - exposed to same experimental environment, not given IV (treatment), used for comparison

selection bias

error in choosing the individuals or groups to take part in study, systematic differences among groups present at beginning of experiment

placebo effect

response to treatment due to expectations, rather than treatment

experimenter bias

preconceived expectations influence participants or interpretation of results

double-blind technique

unknown who is in treatment or control group

research issues

avoid ageism, sexism, human participants, cultural bias etc.

reliability vs validity

reliability - consistency of a test
validity - test's ability to measure what it is intended to measure

structuralism

-analyze basic elements/structure of conscious mental experience
-introspection method (looking into one's self) of self observation seen as not objective

functionalism

based on the assumption that all mental process are useful to an organism in adapting to the environment (strong impact from Charles Darwin)

behaviourism

theory that states that all behaviours are learned through interaction with the environment through conditioning

psychoanalysis

unseen, unconscious mental forces key to understanding human behaviour (emphasis on sexual and aggressive behaviour)

3 processes in memory

encoding, storage, retrieval

sensory memory

holds information from senses, fraction of second to several seconds (what we selectively attend to, will stick in our heads)

short term memory

-codes information
-draws out info already stored in memory
-connecting new memory to old memory
-can store info in semantic form (meaning)

working memory

memory for intermediate results that must be held during thinking, temporary storage structure and process

measuring memory

recall, recognition, relearning

schemas

framework of knowledge, assumptions about people, objects, events

distortion

alter memory to fit beliefs, expectations, logic, prejudices

eyewitness testimony

account a bystander or victim gives, often subject to error

flashbulb memory

extremely vivid memory, recall conditions when hear news of surprising, shocking, or emotional events

eidetic memory

retaining image of visual stimulus for several minutes after out of view

environmental memory

information easier to recall in same environmental context

state dependent memory

easier to recall when in same state/mood when learning occurred

afferent (sensory) neurons

relay messages from sense organs and receptors to brain and spinal cord

efferent (motor) neurons

signals from brain and spinal cord to glands and muscles for movement

interneurons

carry information; transmits between neurons in brain and neurons in spinal cord

cell body

contains the nucleus, carries out metabolic functions

dendrites

branch-like extension of a neuron, receive signals from other neurons

axon

tail-like extension of neuron; transmits signals to dendrites or cell body of other neurons; transmits signals to muscles, glands, other parts of body

glial cells

hold neurons together; remove waste and handle metabolic tasks; make myelin for cell transmission

synaptic cleft

gaps between axon terminals

synapse

the junction between two neurons or between a neuron and a muscle

resting vs action potential

resting - neuron is at rest (not firing), carries negative electrical potential
action - neuron is stimulated (firing), positive ions flow into axon

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

connects CNS to all other parts of the body

spinal cord

extension of the brain; transmits info from brain to PNS and from PNS to brain; relays messages to muscles, glands, body parts

brain stem

oldest part of the brain

medulla

-controls heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure etc.
-screens sensory messages entering the brain

pons

-plays role in relaying motor messages between cerebellum and motor cortex
-influence on sleep and dreaming

cerebellum

-coordinates skill movement, regulates muscle tone and posture
-plays a role in motor learning and cognition

reticular formation

arousal system; activates cerebral system

hypothalamus

-controls unconscious functions (hunger, thirst, body temp)
-helps control endocrine system
-controls pituitary glands
-handles emotions and emotional responses

thalamus

relay station between cerebral cortex and lower brain centers

limbic system

-group of structures involved in emotional expression
-memory and motivation