PSYC 1020 Midterm

Psychology

The scientific study of human mind and behavior.

Empirical method

A systematic observation approach used to answer questions.

Probabilistic findings

Psychological findings that show generalized trends about groups, not specific individuals.

Neurons

Specialized nerve cells that receive and transmit information.

Glial cells

Support and helper cells in the nervous system that provide nutrition and maintenance for neurons.

Synapse

The junction where neurotransmitters are transmitted between neurons.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that carry signals across the synapse.

Classical conditioning

Learning to associate two antecedent stimuli to create a new conditioned response.

Operant conditioning

Learning that occurs through the consequences of behavior, such as reinforcement or punishment.

Action potential

The electrical signal that travels along the axon of a neuron.

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

A learned trigger that elicits a conditioned response.

Unconditioned response (UR)

A natural reflexive reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.

Cognitive perspective

Focus on information processing and subjective construal of events.

Behaviourism

The approach focusing exclusively on observable behaviors, excluding mental processes.

Third variable problem

An unmeasured extraneous factor that may affect the relationship between two variables.

Internal validity

The extent to which a change in the dependent variable is attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable.

External validity

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

Biopsychosocial model

An integrative view that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in behavior.

Reinforcement

A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Punishment

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Phobia

An excessive, irrational fear response that impairs daily functioning.