AP Psychology Midterm I

Abraham Maslow

1960s humanistic psychology, hierarchy of needs-needs at a lower level dominate an individual's motivation as long as they are unsatisfied; self-actualization, transcendence

Acetylcholine (ACh)

enables muscle action, learning, and memory, when neurons that produce ACh deteriorate results in Alzheimer's

Action Potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon, transmit when stimulate by sense/neighboring neurons, gen energy from chem events

Adrenal Glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress, fight or flight

Agonist

Increase neurotransmitter action, increase produc/release neurotrans, block reuptake, bind to receptor + mimic inhibitory/excitatory effects

All-or-nothing Response

neuron fire w/ full strength or not at all, strong stim trigger more neurons fire + more often

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion

Animal protection

animal protection mvt protests use animals in psych, bio, medical research, 1) Is it right to place human well being above that of other animals? 2) What safeguards should protect well being of animals in research?, some universities have inst review boards screen proposals

Antagonist

decrease neurotrans action by block produc/release

Applied research

sci study aim solve practical problems

Association Areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Autonomic Nervous System

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart), Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms, self regulating

Axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

B. F. Skinner

1920-60s behaviorism, pioneer in operant conditioning; behavior is based on an organism's reinforcement history, worked with pigeons

Basic research

pure sci aimed to increase sci knowledge base

Behavior genetics

study of relative power + lims of genetic + environ influs on behavior

Behavior Genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

Behavioral psychology

sci study observable behavior + its explanation by principles of learning

Behaviorism

view that psych (1) should be an objective science, (2) study behavior without reference to mental processes, dismiss introspection, study observable + measurable, Watson + B. F. Skinner

Biological psychology

sci study of links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) + psychological processes, connected to nat selec, physical anatomical body (organs, flesh, tissue, bones, joints, genes), use x-rays, MRI, CAT scan, ultrasounds, involve blood pressure, heart rate, chemicals

Biopsychosocial approach

integrated approach incorp biological, psychological, + soci-cultural viewpoints

Blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

Brain damage is because...

1. severed brain + spinal cord where neurons don't regenerate, 2. some brain functions preassigned to specific areas, brain attempt self-repair by reorg tissue

Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

Broca's area

controls language expression - an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Carl Rogers

1960s humanistic psych, founded person-centered therapy: theory that emphasizes the unique quality of humans especially their freedom and potential for personal growth, unconditional positive regard, fully functioning person

Case study

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles, ex. Jean Piaget study children, provide detailed analysis of new phenomena, may not present representative picture of phenomenon

Cell Body

part of neuron contain nucleus, cell's life support center

Central Nervous System

brain and spinal cord

Cerebellum

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance, enable nonverbal learning + memory

Cerebral Cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

Charles Darwin

evolutionary theorist, influ James + functionalism

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

Clinical psychology

study, assess, + treat people w/ psych disorders

Cognitive Neuroscience

study brain activity underlying mental activity

Cognitive Neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language), conscious experience from synchronized activity across brain, if stim trigger enough brain-wide coord neural activity \= cross threshold for consciousness

Cognitive Psychology

sci exploration how we perceive, process, remember info, how thinking/emotion interact in disorders, Jean Piaget observe children, Ulric Neisser father cog psych, buzzwords: create, generate, percieve, decision-making

Community psychology

study how people interact w/ soci environ + how soci institutions affects indivs/groups

Confounding variable

factor other than factor being studied that might influence study's result

Consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment, promote survival + long-term interests, still ? how consciousness arises from material brain

Control group

group not exposed to treatment, contrasts + serves as comparison to evaluate treatment effectiveness

Corpus Callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them, Roger Sperry + Michael Gazzaniga divide cat + monkey brains

Correlation

measure of extent to which two factors vary together + thus how well either factor predicts the other, shown by nat observations + surveys, can test predictions, evaluate theories, suggest new hypotheses, cannot confirm causal relationships

Correlation coefficient

a statistical index of the relationship between to things (from -1 to +1).

Counseling psychology

assist people w/ problems in living (related to school, work, marriage) + in achieving greater well-being, help people cope + improve soci/personal functioning

Critical thinking

thinking does not blindly accept arguments/conclusions, examine assumptions, appraise source, discern hidden biases, evaluate evidence, assess conclusions

Cross-sectional study

study portion @ each age group, results are faster, not same person so cannot control all variables

CT scan

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body

Culture

shared ideas + behaviors one gen passes onto next, shapes behavior, specific attitudes vary but underlying processes same

Debrief

postexperimental explanation of study including purpose + deceptions

Dendrites

a neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body, (listen)

Dependent variable

outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

Depolarization

neuron fires + causes axon channels open, +Na ions flood in, loss inside/outside charge diff, inflow +ions \= action potential, excitatory signal push pedal, inhibitary signal push brake

Descriptive statistics

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups, includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation.

Developmental psychology

studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

Diffusion Spectrum Imaging

a type of MRI technology that maps long-distance brain fiber connections

DNA

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes

Dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion, oversupply \= schizophrenia, undersupply \= tremors + Parkinson's

Dorothea Dix

rights activist on behalf of mentally ill patients - created first wave of US mental asylums

Double-blind procedure

experimental procedure in which both research participants + staff blind about whether participants have received treatment or placebo

Dual Processing

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

Educational psychology

study how psych processes affect + can enhance teaching + learning

Edward Bradford Titchener

student of Wundt's, intro structuralism, aim classify + understand elements of mind's structure

EEG (electroencephalogram)

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

Empiricism

idea knowledge from experience, observation + experimentation enable sci knowledge

Endocrine System

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Endorphins

"morphine w/in," nat opiate-like neurotransmitter linked to pain con + pleasure, when brain flooded w/ drug suppress own nat opiate but when drug w/drawn brain no opiate

Environment

every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

Epigenetic Marks

org methyl attached to part of DNA strand, if mark instruc cell ignore genes present in segment genes turned off + no protein produc, affected by environ (diet, drugs, stress)

Epigenetics

"above" or "in addition to" genetics; the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change, genes self-reg

Ethics codes

1) obtain informed consent, 2) protect indiv from greater than usual harm/discomfort, 3) keep info about indiv participants confidential, 4) fully debrief participants

Evolutionary psychology

study of evolution of behavior + mind using nat selec principles, study behavior genetics + nature vs nurture, @ gene level (adapt + survive), weakest psych perspective

Evolutionary Psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Exceptions to Prevailing Greek Thought About Psychology

Hippocrates - physician, emotion + behavior had nat causes, Socrates/Plato - body + mind separate, knowledge + intelligence innate, Aristotle - loved data, sci approach, intelligence learned

Experiment

research method where investigator manipulates 1+ factors (IV) to observe effect on behavior/mental processes (DV), random assignment of participants aim control other relevant factors, can est cause-effect relationship, confounds may prevent valid conclusions

Experimental group

group exposed to treatment/one version of IV

fMRI

A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans, show brain struc + function

fraternal (dizygotic) twins

develop from separate fertilized eggs, they are genetically no closer than ordinary brothers and sisters, but they share a prenatal environment, shared genes \= shared experiences

Frontal Lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

Functionalism

explore how mental + behavioral processes function/how enable organism adapt, survive, flourish, senses adaptive, consciousness crucial, James + influ by Darwin

G. Stanley Hall

student of Wundt's, 1883 est first US psych lab @ JHU

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, undersupply \= seizures, tremors, insomnia

Genes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein

Genetic vs. environmental relatives

genetic - biological parents/siblings, environ - adoptive parents/siblings

Genome

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes

Glial Cells

cells in nervous system that provide nutrients + insulate myelin, guide neural connections, mop up ions + neurotransmitters, play role in learning, thinking, + memory

Glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory, oversupply \= stim brain result in migraines/seizures

Goals of Psychology

observe, describe, explain, predict, control

Heredity

the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.

Heritability

The proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.

Hindsight bias

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage

Histogram

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues, some chem identical to neurotrans, slower than nervous system but longer effects

Human factors psychology

allied w/ I/O psych, explore how people + machines interact, how machines + physical environ made safe + easy to use

Humanistic Psychology

emph human growth + potential not conditioned responses/childhood memories, find behaviorism + Freudian psych too limiting, Roger + Maslow, buzzwords: choices, free will, freedom, growth, potential, hierarchy of needs - physiological, safety, love + belonging, esteem + achievement, self-actualization, self-transcendence

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Hypotheses

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

identical (monozygotic) twins

develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms, same genes but not always same \# copies, most share placentas but some separate, more behaviorally sim than fraternal

Illusory correlation

perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger than actual relationship