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psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
experimental psychology
the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific investigation of basic psychological processes such as learning, memories, and cognition in humans and animals.
cognitive psychology
the branch of psychology that focuses on the study of higher mental processes, including thinking, language, memory problem solving, knowing, reasoning, judging, and decision making.
Sigmund Freud
Known for inventing and developing the technique of technique and psychoanalysis. Also know for unconsciousness and internal psychology.
Wilhelm Wundt
Known for STRUCTURALISM, the “father of experimental psychology”, and founder of the first psychological laboratory.
William James
Known for FUNCTIONALISM, the "Father of American Psychology”, and found psychology as formal discipline.
Functionalism
An early approach to psychology that concentrated on what the mind does - The functions of mental activity - and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments. (Opposite of Structuralism)
Structuralism
Focused on uncovering the fundamental mental components of perception, consciousness, thinking, emotions, and other kinds of mental states and activities. (Opposite of functionalism)
Psychodynamic Theory
Focuses on the psychological drives and forces within individuals that explain human behavior and personality. (Think about Sigmund Freud)
Free Will
The idea that behavior is caused primarily by choices that are made freely by the individual.
Determinism
The idea that people’s behavior is produced primarily by factors outside of their willful control. (All events are governed by natural laws)
Bystander Effect
Occurs when the presence of others discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency situation against a bully, during an assault, or other crimes.
Phineas Gage
Known for his survival of an accident where a rod impaled through the majority of his left frontal lobe. Psychologists discovered the relation between personality and the front parts of brain as his personality changed drastically.
Scientific Method
The approach through which psychologists systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interests.
Steps of Scientific Method
Question
Research
Hypothesis
Experiment
Analyze Data
Compare hypothesis
Communicate results
Hypothesis
A prediction stemming from a theory, stated in a way that allows it to be tested.
Theories
Broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interests.
Research
The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish focus and reach new conclusions.
Archival Research
Research in which existing data, such as census documents, college records, and newspaper clippings are examined to test a hypothesis.
Naturalistic Observation
Research in which an investigator simply observes some natural behavior and does not make a change in the situation.
Survey Research
Research in which people chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, and attitude.
Case Studies
An in depth, intensive investigation of an individual or small group.
Difference between correlation and causation
Correlation does not tell us the cause-and-effect relationship while causation does. Causation can occur without correlation and can only be found through experimental research.
Independent Variable (IV)
The variable that is manipulated by the examiner.
Dependent Variable (DP)
The variable that is measured in an experiment. It is expected to change as a result of the experimenter’s manipulation of the independent variable.
Confounding Variable
Variables that affect other variables in a way that produces spurious or distorted associations between two variables. (E.g. Caffeine, Sleep, etc.)
Placebo/Placebo treatment
A false treatment that the brain believes.
“Nocebo”
Opposite of PLACEBO, there IS a treatment, but the brain does not believe it.
Neuron and its purpose
nerve cells that are the basic element of the nervous system. They communicate and send chemical signals to one another to tell the brain how to react to stimuli.
4 Main parts of a neuron
Dendrites
Axon
Terminal Buttons
Myelin Sheath
Synapse
The space between two neurons where the axon of a sending neuron communicates with the dendrites of a receiving neuron by using chemical messages.
Neurotransmitters
Chemicals that communicate messages from one neuron to another across the synapse. Acetylcholine is most common in the brain.
Main parts of Central Nervous System
Brain & Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System and its role
Anything outside of the brain and spinal cord to reach the extremities of the body. It contains two subdivisions, AUTONOMIC and SOMATIC
Somatic division of PNS
Part of the PNS that specializes in the control of voluntary movements and the communication of the information to and from the sense organs.
Autonomic Division of PNS
Part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary movement of the heart, glands, lungs, and other organs.
Two Subdivisions of Autonomic System and their roles
Sympathetic= Fight or Flight
Parasympathetic= Rest & Digest
Endocrine system
A chemical communication network that sends messages throughout the body via bloodstream (hormones)
What gland regulates the ENDOCRINE SYSTEM?
Pituitary Gland
Four main techniques to record/measure brain function
EEG
PET
CAT
MRI
Lobe Functions
Occipital Lobe= Vision
Parietal Lobe= Visual, sensory, emotion
Frontal Lobe= Executive Function
Amygdala= Emotion
Cerebral Cortex and its functions
The “new brain”, responsible for most sophisticated information processing in the brain; contains four lobes.
Corpus Collosum
The “bridge” between the two brain hemispheres. Contains more than 200 million myelinated nerve fibers that permit communication between the left and right sides.
Hypothalamus
Maintains homeostasis, produces and regulates vital behaviors (eating, drinking, sexual behaviors).
Functions of Amygdala
Major processing center for emotions, also links emotions to memories, learning, and senses.
How many hemispheres does the brain have?
2, Left and right.
Lateralization
The dominance of one hemisphere of the brain in specific functions, such as language.
Sensation
The activation of the sense organs by a source of physical energy
perception
The sorting out, interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli by the sense organs and brain.
Stimulus
Energy that produces a response in a sense organ.
Absolute Threshold
The smallest intensity of a stimulus that must be present for the stimulus to be detected.
Difference Threshold
(A just noticeable difference). smallest levels of added or reduced stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation occurred (50:1 ratio)
Weber’s Law
A basic law of psychophysics stating that a just noticeable differences is a constant proportion to the intensity of an initial stimulus (rather than constant amount).
Meaning of “Adapt to a stimulus”
an adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli.
Rods
Thin, cylindrical receptor cells in the retina that are highly sensitive to light, they help give us good vision in low-light settings. (They process light)
Cones
Light-sensitive receptor cells in the retina that are responsible for sharp focus and color perception, particularly in bright light. (They process color)
How many cone receptors do we have? What are they called?
Three:
Long Cones- Process red light
Medium Cones- Process green light
Short Cones- Process blue light
Theories that process color vision
Trichromatic theory & Opponent process theory
Trichromatic theory
Human eyes only perceive three colors of light: Red, Green, and Blue
Opponent Process Theory
The way humans perceive colors is controlled by three opposing systems.
Sound
The movement of air molecules brought about by a source of vibration.
Three bones in the ear
Hammer, anvil, stirrup
5 senses
touch, vision, taste, smell, listen
Olfaction
The action or capacity of smelling
5 taste qualities
sweet, sour, spicy, umami, salty
What is substance P?
The thing that lets you feel pain.
Gestalt Law of Organization
A series of principles that describe how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes.
4 Principles of the gestalt law of organization
Closure, proximity, similarity, and continuation.
What is ESP?
Extrasensory perception
Consciousness
The awareness of sensations, thoughts, and feelings being experienced at a given moment.
What is REM and what happens during this stage?
A sleep stage that occupies 20% of an adult’s sleep time, characterized by increased heartrate, blood pressure, and breathing rate; erections; eye movement, and dreaming.
Three explanations for why we sleep?
Evolutionary theory
Restoration for mind and body
brain and growth development
Unconscious wish fulfillment theory
Sigmund Freud’s theory that dreams represent unconscious wishes that dreamers desire to be fulfilled.
Difference between latent content and manifest content of dreams
Latent content: Underlying meaning of the dream
Manifest Content: Actual, literal subject matter
Activation Synthesis Theory
Hobson’s theory that the brain produces random electrical energy during REM sleep that stimulates energies stored in the brain.
Common sleep problems
Insomnia
Sleep apnea
night terrors
narcolepsy
sleep talking
sleep walking
Circadian Rhythm
Biological process that occur regularly on approximately a 24-hour cycle
What brain nucleus controls the circadian rhythm?
The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
The four classes of drugs
Depressants
Stimulants
Hallucinogens
Opioids