Psychology Review: Approaches, Research Methods, Neurobiology, and Development

Practice flashcards generated from lecture notes covering psychological approaches, cultural syndromes, research methods, correlation, brain structures, prenatal stages, attachment studies, parenting styles, and Piaget's stages of cognitive development.

What is the focus of the Biological Approach in psychology?

The Biological Approach focuses on the nervous system, brain, endocrine system, and neurotransmission.

What is the primary focus of the Psychodynamic Approach?

The Psychodynamic Approach focuses on unconscious conflict.

What is the focus of the Behaviorist Approach?

The Behaviorist Approach focuses on how observable behavior is rewarded and punished.

How does the Cognitive Approach explain behavior?

The Cognitive Approach views behavior through information processing, including thinking, analyzing, perceiving, and memory.

What is the core idea of the Humanistic Approach?

The Humanistic Approach holds that unique viewpoints determine behavioral choices.

What does the Sociocultural Approach examine?

The Sociocultural Approach examines similarities in cultures that explain behavior within that culture, as well as differences across cultures.

What is the basis of the Evolutionary Approach?

The Evolutionary Approach focuses on the natural selection of behaviors that promote the reproductive success of a species.

What does the Behavioral Genetic Approach explore?

The Behavioral Genetic Approach explores environmental influence on genetic expression.

How do Individualism and Collectivism differ in their view of the self and group priority?

In Individualism, the self is independent and the individual is more important than the group. In Collectivism, the self is interdependent and the group is more important than the individual.

What is empirical knowing?

Empirical knowing is knowing through observation.

What is a Naturalistic Observation (field study)?

A descriptive research method involving observation in a real-world context.

What is a random sample in survey research?

A sample where each person in the population of interest has an equal chance of being selected, ensuring the sample represents the population as a whole.

What is a Case Study?

An intense and deep study of one particular case, best used to study rare subjects.

What is a correlation?

A measure of linear association between two variables.

What do the sign and absolute value of a correlation coefficient ($r$) indicate?

The sign indicates the direction/quality of the association (positive or negative), while the absolute value indicates the strength of the association ($-1 \le r \le +1$), where $1$ is perfectly related and $0$ is not related at all.

Does correlation imply causation?

No, correlation is not a measure of cause.

Why are experiments used instead of descriptive methods?

Experiments are the only research method that allows control over the situation to assess cause and effect.

What is an Independent Variable?

The variable that the experimenter manipulates to create two or more conditions to which participants are randomly assigned.

What is a Dependent Variable?

The outcome variable that is measured by the experimenter.

What three basic processes support neural communication?

1) Input, 2) Processing, and 3) Output.

What are the functions of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems?

The Sympathetic NS turns on the 'fight or flight' response, while the Parasympathetic NS turns off the 'fight or flight' response.

What is the function of the Medulla, and what happens if it is damaged?

The Medulla controls basic life functions such as breathing or heart rate. Damage results in death or coma.

What is the function of the Cerebellum, and what is the outcome of damage to it?

The Cerebellum coordinates fine motor skills. Damage causes trouble writing and deficits in basic motor skills.

What is the function of the Pons, and what happens if damaged?

The Pons connects the hindbrain, regulates brain activity, and sleeping. Damage causes life-threatening, total paralysis.

What is the role of the Reticular Formation?

Regulating the sleep/wake cycle, alertness, and motor function. Damage can lead to coma or death.

What function do the Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area share?

They produce dopamine, which is critical for movement, mood, reward, and addiction. Damage causes tremors, movement disorders, and coordination deficits.

What functions are managed by the Cerebral Cortex?

Consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, and memory.

What is the primary function of the Hippocampus, and what condition occurs if it is damaged?

The Hippocampus forms new memories and stores them. Damage stops the brain from forming new memories, causing anterograde amnesia.

What happens during the Germinal Stage of prenatal development?

Occurring from Week 1 to Week 2, conception creates a zygote that divides and multiplies (remaining undifferentiated) with the goal of implanting in the uterus.

What occurs during the Embryonic Stage of prenatal development?

Occurring from Week 3 to Week 8, the product of conception becomes an embryo, cells differentiate (embryo, amnion, placenta), all major systems form, and it is a critical period vulnerable to teratogens.

What occurs during the Fetal Stage of prenatal development?

Occurring from Week 9 to Week 40, the product of conception is called a fetus, which grows all the systems previously laid down in the embryonic stage.

How do Altricial species differ from Precocial species?

Altricial species are not well-developed at birth, require a lot of parenting, and have facial features that provoke a caregiving response. Precocial species are well-developed at birth.

What were the findings of the 1935 Spitz Prison Studies?

Babies raised in a nursery prison (1 child to 1 mom) were healthier, hit developmental milestones sooner, grew better, and had better cognitive development than babies in an orphanage (8 children to 1 nurse).

What did the Harlow Monkey Studies demonstrate about attachment?

Baby monkeys separated from their mothers preferred the cloth 'mother' providing contact comfort (covered in sheepskin) over the wire 'mother' that provided a feeding bottle.

What four attachment styles were identified by Mary Ainsworth using the 'Strange Situation'?

1) Secure (calms quickly upon reunion and returns to play), 2) Ambivalent/Resistant (cries when leaving and keeps crying upon reunion), 3) Avoidant (avoids contact upon reunion), and 4) Disorganized (inconsistent and disturbing behavior).

What are the four parental socialization styles based on warmth and discipline?

1) Authoritarian (low warmth, high discipline), 2) Authoritative (high warmth, high discipline), 3) Neglectful (low warmth, low discipline), and 4) Permissive (high warmth, low discipline).

What are the three categories of infant temperament?

1) Easy (predictable, easy to comfort), 2) Difficult (unpredictable, fussy), and 3) Slow to warm up (avoidant but slowly warms up).

What characterizes Piaget's Sensorimotor Period?

From birth to ~2 years, thinking consists of sensory input and motor response, and children lack mental representation (lack object permanence).

What characterizes Piaget's Preoperational Period?

From ~2 to 6 years, children have object permanence, think using intuition rather than rational logic, cannot conserve matter, and demonstrate egocentrism.

What characterizes Piaget's Concrete Operational Period?

From ~6 to 11 years, children can conserve matter, are no longer egocentric, and think logically/rationally about concrete objects, but cannot think abstractly or deal with hypothetical situations.

What characterizes Piaget's Formal Operational Period?

From ~11 years onward, individuals can reason in the abstract, and egocentrism reemerges in an abstract way known as the 'imaginary audience'.