Psychology Midterm Study Guide

Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Behaviorism

behavior scientifically defined, observed, and measured

Fruedian (psychoanalytic) psychology

emphasis ways that the unconscious mind and childhood experiences affect behavior

Humanistic psychology

emphasizes human growth potential

5 pillars of psychology

Biological, cognitive, developmental, social and personal, and mental and psychical health

3 main levels of analysis

Biological, Psychological, and socail cultural

The scientific method

Theory->hypothesis->research

Theory

model of interconnected ideas and concepts that explains or makes predictions

Hypothesis

a specific testable prediction

descriptive study

case study, naturalistic observation, and self report

case study

what happens to one person

naturalistic observation

observing people in natural habitat

self report

survey

correlational study

not manipulating any variables

experimental study

manipulating variable

operationalization

the process of strictly defining variables into measurable factors

conceptual definiton

state of mental or emotional strain/tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances

operational definition

high levels of salivary cortisol

qualifying

type of... nature of...

quantifying

numbers

conveniece sampling

taken from an available subgroup of the population

random sample

taken at random from population

confounding variable

other outside factors that may influence variables in the study

Institutional review boards (irb)

makes sure that researchers protect privacy and data

Risk/Benefit ratio

Human ethics say that the level of risk must be lower than that of the benefit

informed consent

they have the right to know that they are being studied

debriefing after study

right to know about the nature of the study

attention

the ability to actively process information in environment while tuning out other details

dividing attention

performance suffers when we try to multi task especially if both subjects have high perceptual loads

processing capacity

how much info a person can handle at one time

perceptual load

difficulty of task

working memory

working with the info, connecting information to prior knowledge

The nervous system

communication network that send messages throughout your body using electrical and chemical signals (brain, spinal cord, and nerves)

Neuroscience

study of the brain and neurosystem

biophysical system

everything biological is simultaneously simulated psychological

peripheral nervous system

everything outside the brain and spine

automatic nervous system

self regulated systems of glands and organs

somatic nervous system

sensory and motor output

central nervous system

brain and spine

neuron

communicate through electrical and chemical signals (cell body, dendrites, axon)

cell body of neuron

contains all info needed to function

dendrites

takes in information from other cells and brings to cell body

axon

long tube that message goes through to be sent out

axon terminals

end of axon

synapse

gap between axon and dendrite of neurons

myelin

wrapping around axon to protect and speed up message

nodes of ranvier

parts of the axon where there is no myelin

action potential

electrical signal that goes down the axon terminal like dominos and is an all or nothing signal

action potential -> axon terminals

message changes from electrical to chemical and happens in synapse

neurotransmitters

over 100 different types, the messages that transfer from axon terminals to the dendrites of other neurons

Seratonin

mood, emotional state, impulse control, and dreaming

Acetylcholine

motor control over muscles; learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming

Epinephrine

energy

Norepinephrine

arousal, vigilance, attention

dopamine

reward and motivation, motor control over voluntary movement

agonist

a molecule that we ingest that increases neurotransmitter action (mimics neurotransmitter) ex. nicotine

antagonist

molecule that we ingest that decreases the neurotransmitter action. ex. caffeine blocks the receptor preventing it from binding to prevent tiredness

gray matter

neurons cell bodies and non myelinated axons that communicate only with nearby neurons

white matter

myelinated axons that travel between brain regions

the brainstem

reticular formation, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain

reticular formation

necessary for arousal and sleep

cerebellum

rear, voluntary movement, output and balance, enables nonverbal learning and memory

medulla oblongata

regulates breathing and heart rate

pons

"bridge" that connects cerebellum to the rest of the brain

midbrain

important role in motor movement, visual, and auditory processing

The limbic system

thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and basal ganglia

thamalus

central control center at the top of the brainstem. directs messages between cortex sensory receiving areas and brainstem structures

hypothalamus

regulates body functions and influences basic motivated behaviors

hippocampus

memory formation but not where memories are stored

Amyglada

associate things with emotion and process emotional information

basal ganglia

planning and production of movement, and reward

Neocortex

frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe

frontal lobe

thinking, planning, and personality

pariental lobe

sensory integration

temporal lobe

hearing and language comprehension

occipital lobe

processing of visual formation

cerebral hemisphere

right and left which are identical

primary motor cortex

back of frontal lobe. tells your body to move and can change based on experience

somosensory cortex

front of parietal lobe. takes in info from muscles and skin cells to process

visual cortex

receives and processes info from eyes

auditory cortex

receives and processes info from ears

association areas

cerebral cortex areas not involved in primary motor or sensory functions, involved in higher mental function's (learning, remembering, and speaking)

neurogenisis

the production of new neurons, migrate, and form connections ex. the brain grows new cells after birth

neural plasticity

when neurons are damaged, unused brain areas can become usable for damaged neurons

why do we still have effects after brain damage?

brain and spinal cord neurons do not regenerate. specific areas of the brain are preassigned for specific brain functions

corpus callosum

bundles of axon fibers that allow hemispheres to communicate

right hemisphere

self awareness of space and increase activity with perceptual tasks, and allows for creativity

left hemisphere

math tasks; language control; quick, literal interpretations

Splitting the brain

-Corpus callosum severed (Vogel & Bogen)

-Seizures disappeared; personality and intellect remained largely intact

- two hemispheres no longer communicate

selective attention

it is impossible to be consciously aware of everything at all times

inattentional blidness

failing to see visual objects when our attention is directed to elsewhere ex. gorrilla

change blindness

we are less likely to notice changes in the environment which is a form of inattentional blindness

cocktail party effect

when you are focused on one thing and then someone says your name and your attentions shifts

24 hour biological clock

circadian rhythm, we need less sleep as we age

90 minute sleep cycles

you cycle through these 90 minute cycles every night, some stages get shorter the longer you sleep

NREM-1 (N1)

very brief, slow breathing, irregular brain waves, hallucinations, falling sensation. may not realize you are in it

NREM-2 (N2)

20 minutes, relax more deeply, sleep spindles

sleep spindles

help put memories from the day into long term memory

NREM-3 (N3)

Deep sleep; 30 minutes; slow delta waves, nightmares, sleepwalking because the brainstem is not blocked.

REM

Rapid eye movement, rapid brain waves, accelerated heart rate, irregular breathing, darting eyes, cannot be easily waken up. Younger kids need more rem. brain is so active brainstem blocks movement