Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Chapters 1-3 Terms

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from the lecture notes for Cognitive Psychology Chapters 1-3.

Cognitive Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies mental processes including perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of the relationship between brain function and cognitive processes.

Cognitive Neuropsychology

A subfield of psychology that examines how brain injuries affect cognitive functions.

Bottom-up Processing

A perceptual process that begins with the stimulus and builds up to the final perception.

Top-down Processing

A perceptual process that starts with the brain and uses prior knowledge to interpret sensory information.

Serial Processing

A method of processing information in a step-by-step manner.

Parallel Processing

A method of processing information simultaneously across different channels.

Ecological Validity

The extent to which research findings can be generalized to real-world settings.

Lesions

Tissue damage in the brain used to study the effects on cognition and behavior.

Single-unit Recording

A technique for measuring the electrical activity of individual neurons.

fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A neuroimaging technique used to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

Visual Form Agnosia

A condition that impairs the ability to recognize objects by their shape.

Opponent Processes

A theory that explains color perception in terms of opposing colors.

Gestalt Psychology

An approach in psychology that emphasizes the holistic nature of perception.

Prosopagnosia

A disorder characterized by the inability to recognize faces.

Visual Illusions

Perceptual experiences that occur when visual perceptions differ from reality.

Blindsight

A condition in which individuals can respond to visual stimuli without conscious visual awareness.