Mid-term Exam Review - Intro to Psychology

Flashcards to help review key concepts in Psychology for the mid-term exam.

What is Psychology?

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

What does the scientific method use to gain knowledge?

Empirical evidence.

What is a Theory in Psychology?

Broad explanations predicting phenomena of interest.

What is a Hypothesis?

A prediction stated in a testable way.

What is an Operational Definition?

Translation of a hypothesis into measurable procedures.

What is Archival Research?

Existing data used for psychological research.

What is Naturalistic Observation?

Observing naturally occurring behavior without intervention.

What is Correlational research?

Examines two sets of variables to see if they are associated.

What distinguishes Experimental Research?

It establishes cause-and-effect relationships through experiments.

What is the difference between Independent and Dependent variables?

Independent variables are manipulated to observe effects on dependent variables.

Define Nature versus Nurture debate.

The discussion about the impact of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on behavior.

What does Cognitive Psychology study?

Higher mental processes including thinking, memory, and decision-making.

What is Structuralism?

Emphasizes uncovering fundamental mental components of perception and consciousness.

What are the roles of Dendrites and Axon?

Dendrites receive messages; Axon carries messages away from the neuron.

What does the Central Nervous System consist of?

The brain and spinal cord.

What is the 'fight or flight' response related to?

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.

What is the role of the Pituitary gland?

It is the master gland controlling the functioning of the endocrine system.

Define REM Sleep.

A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement, increased brain activity, and dreaming.

What are Stimulants?

Drugs that increase arousal in the central nervous system.

What is Classical Conditioning?

A type of learning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a natural response.

What is Operant Conditioning?

Learning where behavior is strengthened or weakened based on consequences.

What is a Positive Reinforcer?

A stimulus that, when added, increases the likelihood of a preceding response.

What is Latent Learning?

Learning that occurs without apparent reinforcement but is not demonstrated until incentive is present.

What is Semantic Memory?

Memory for general knowledge and facts about the world.

What is the capacity of Short-Term Memory?

Holds information for 15 to 25 seconds, typically about 7 \pm 2 chunks.

What is Schema in the context of memory?

An organized body of information that biases interpretation and recall.

What is Recall?

A process of retrieving specific information from memory.