Test 1

activation-synthesis theory

theory that dreams reflect inputs from brain activation originating in the pons, which the forebrain then attempts to weave into a story

altered state of consciousness

state in which there is a shift in the quality or pattern of mental activity as compared to waking consciousness

Alpha waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

beta waves

awake and alert

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

awareness

knowledge or perception of a situation or fact

EEG

electroencephalogram

diurnal

active during the day

nocturnal

active at night

Dreams

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind

dualism

the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact

hypnosis

a social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

materialism

preoccupation with physical comforts and things

melatonin

A hormone manufactured by the pineal gland that produces sleepiness.

Microsleeps

brief sidesteps into sleep lasting only a few seconds

nacrolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

nonconscious

descriptive of bodily processes, such as the growing of hair, of which we are not aware

Preconscious

in Freud's theory, the level of consciousness in which thoughts and feelings are not conscious but are readily retrieveable to consciousness

REM

rapid eye movement

REM Sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

sleep walking

walking or carrying out behaviors while asleep

marijuana

A plant whose leaves, buds, and flowers are usually smoked for their intoxicating effects

Methamphetamine

a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels

LSD

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide)

Nicotine

a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Psychoanalysis

Freud's theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions

stimulants

Drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

animal care and use committee

a federally mandated committee, qualified through the experience and expertise of its members, that oversee its institution's animal care and use program, facilities, and procedures.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee at each institution where research is conducted to review every experiment for ethics and methodology.

placebo effect

experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.

double-blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

empirical

based on observation or experiment

case study

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

descriptive research

marketing research to better describe marketing problems, situations, or markets, such as the market potential for a product or the demographics and attitudes of consumers

naturalistic observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Data Set

A group of individual values or bits of information that are related in some way or have some common characteristic or attribute.

descriptive statistics

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

correlation coefficient

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

mean

average

Median

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it

mode

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution

range

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

ordinal scale

a scale of measurement in which the measurement categories form a rank order along a continuum

outliers

Numbers that are much greater or much less than the other numbers in the set

standard deviation

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

bar graph

A graph that uses horizontal or vertical bars to display data

Histogram

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

pie chart

a chart that shows the relationship of a part to a whole

Scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables

central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord

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.

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

arachnoid mater

middle layer of the meninges

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 of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

cerebral cortex

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

cerebrospinal fluid

Fluid in the space between the meninges that acts as a shock absorber that protects the central nervous system.

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

dura mater

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

hemispheres

we have two, right and left, and some brain functions seem to centered in one or the other

hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Wernicke's area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

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.

endocrine system

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

Agnosia

the inability to recognize familiar objects.

split brain

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

MRI

magnetic resonance imaging

lobotomy

A now-rare psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients. The procedure cut the nerves that connect the frontal lobes to the emotion-controlling centers of the inner brain.

axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Dendrites

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

myelin sheath

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

soma

body

synapses

tiny gaps between dentrites and axons of different neurons

reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

behavioral geneticists

study the role played by our genes and our environment in mental ability, emotional stability, temperament, personality, interests, etc.; they look at the causes of our individual differences

Genotype

genetic makeup of an organism

Epigenetics

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

evolutionary psychology

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

Transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

auditory nerve

the nerve that carries impulses from the inner ear to the brain, resulting in the perception of sound

cochlea

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses

inner ear

the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs

middle ear

the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window

Sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

Perception

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

hue

the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light; what we know as the color names blue, green, and so forth

parallel processing

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

absolue threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time