Psychology Year 12 Reviewer Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts from the Psychology Year 12 Reviewer notes.

Cognition

All mental activities related to thinking, knowing, learning, remembering, and problem-solving.

Cognition Example

Solving a maths problem involves using memory, attention, and reasoning – all cognitive functions.

Sensation

The process by which sense organs detect and respond to raw sensory input from the environment.

Sensation is Passive

Detecting stimuli.

Sensation Example

Eyes detecting light or skin detecting heat.

Perception

The active process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to make it meaningful.

Perception

Involves the brain.

Perception Example

Recognising your friend’s face from just a brief glance.

Difference between Sensation and Perception

Sensation is input; perception is the interpretation of that input.

Consciousness

Awareness of yourself and your environment.

Selective Attention

Focusing on one stimulus while ignoring others.

Selective Attention Example

Listening to your teacher while ignoring classmates chatting.

Divided Attention

Splitting attention between two or more tasks; can reduce performance.

Divided Attention Example

Texting while watching a lecture.

Daydreaming

A naturally occurring altered state of consciousness involving a shift from external to internal thoughts.

Meditation

An intentionally induced altered state of consciousness with focused attention, often on breathing or a mantra; lowers heart rate, relaxes the body.

Hypnosis

A focused state of attention and suggestibility; can be used in therapy.

Sleep

A regular altered state with reduced voluntary movement and lowered awareness, including different stages (NREM and REM).

Brainwaves

Measured using EEG (electroencephalogram); includes beta, alpha, theta, and delta waves.

Beta Brainwaves

Alert, awake.

Alpha Brainwaves

Relaxed but awake.

Theta Brainwaves

Light sleep.

Delta Brainwaves

Deep sleep.

Heart Rate

Increases with alertness, stress, or anxiety; slows during sleep or relaxation.

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

Measures electrical conductivity of the skin (linked to sweat); more sweat indicates higher arousal or stress.

Proximity

Being physically close increases chances of interaction.

Proximity Example

People who sit next to each other in class often become friends.

Similarity

We are more likely to like people who share similar attitudes, values, hobbies, or backgrounds.

Reciprocity

We tend to like people who like us back.

Pro-social Relationships

Behaviour that benefits others or society; involves empathy, helping, cooperation.

Pro-social Relationships Example

Volunteering, helping a friend, donating to charity.

Anti-social Relationships

Behaviour that harms others or society; lacks empathy and social consideration.

Anti-social Relationships Example

Bullying, stealing, aggression.

Informed Consent

Participants must be informed about the research, potential risks, and their right to withdraw; guardian consent required for those under 18 or vulnerable.

Confidentiality

Keep personal info private.

Voluntary Participation

No force or pressure to participate.

Debriefing

Explain the study after it ends.

Objective Quantitative Measures

Collected through equipment; not based on opinion or interpretation.

Physiological Measures

Used to collect objective data from the body; includes heart rate, GSR, EEG brainwaves.

Physiological Measures Examples

Heart rate, GSR, EEG brainwaves

Advantage of Physiological Measures

Reliable, consistent data.

Limitation of Physiological Measures

May not reveal the person’s actual thoughts or feelings.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between two variables.

Hypothesis Example

“If students listen to music while studying, then their memory scores will improve compared to those who don’t.

Supported Hypothesis

The results match the prediction.

Unsupported Hypothesis

The results do not match the prediction.

Descriptive Statistics

Used to summarise and interpret numerical data.

Mean

The average value; add all scores, divide by how many scores; can be affected by outliers.

Mode

The most frequent score; useful for categorical data.

Median

The middle score in an ordered list; not affected by outliers; best when data is skewed.