Psych 1100 CSCC EXAM 1

Psychology

The scientific study of behavioral and mental processes

Critical Thinking

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Wilhelm Wundt

german physiologist who founded psychology as a formal science; opened first psychology research laboratory in 1879

biological approach to psychology

Focused on why things happen in the body

Neuroscience approach to psychology

Focuses on the effects of the brain and nervous system on psychology

Behavioral approach to psychology

Studies behaviors and their causes, behaviors are performed for rewards

Psychodynamic approach

founded by Freud Humans act based on terrible subconscious influences, most of what makes us up is subconscious.

humanistic psychology

A clinical viewpoint emphasizing human ability, growth, potential, and free will.

Cognitive Psychology

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

evolutionary psychology

the attempt to explain social behavior in terms of genetic factors that have evolved over time according to the principles of natural selection

Sociocultural Psychology

study of influence of cultural and ethnic similarities and differences on behavior and social functioning

Culture

Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated perspective that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Psychology's Scientific Method

1. Observing some phenomenon

2. Formulating hypotheses and predictions

3. Testing through empirical research

4. Drawing conclusions

5. Evaluating the theory

Theory

a broad idea or set of closely related ideas that attempts to explain observations and to make predictions about future observations

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

descriptive research

research methods that involve observing behavior to describe that behavior objectively and systematically

case study

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

experimental research

studies that seek clues to cause-effect relationships by manipulating one or more factors (independent variables) while controlling others (holding them constant)

Experiment

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process

Random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups

independent variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

dependent variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

experimental group

the group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested

control group

in an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

Correlational Research

research that seeks to identify whether an association or relationship between two factors exists

correlation coefficient

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1) with 1 and -1 being the strongest correlation and 0 meaning there is no correlation

Correlation does not equal causation

Two conditions may appear together but not cause each other.

-Possible presence of a third underlying variable.

Plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

nervous system

the network of nerve cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulses between parts of the body.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

consists of the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

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

somatic nervous system

A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Enables voluntary actions to be undertaken due to its control of skeletal muscles

Automatic Nervous System (ANS)

a set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands

Stess

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

Stressor

Anything that causes stress

Neurons

Individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information.

Dendrites

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

cell body (soma)

the part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive

Axon

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

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.

Action Potential (AP)

a massive momentary reversal of a neuron's membrane potential from about -70 mV to about +50 mV ( The Neuron sending out an electrical pulse)

Synapse

Gap between neurons

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Dopamine

a neurotransmitter that regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal, acts as natures morphine to dull pain

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Cerebellum

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

Brain Stem

Most ancient part of the brain, determines alertness and automatic survival functions

limbic system

neural system located below the cerebral cortex; associated with emotions and memory

Amygdala (Limbic System)

helps process emotions, especially fear and aggression. Tells the brain important objects of survival, mates, food, enemies, etc...

Hippocampus (limbic system)

processes memory: if injured or removed, we cannot process new memories

Thalmus

- Relay station for sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex

-Memory Processing

hypothalmus

brain structure that acts as a control center for recognition and analysis of hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, and body temperature. In charge of choosing the right hormone to secrete from a gland

cerebral cortex

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

frontal Lobes (cerebral Cortex)

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

Somatosensory cortex (parietal lobe)

A brain area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

prefrontal cortex

part of frontal lobe responsible for thinking, planning, and language

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

bottom-up processing

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information (making sense of a new sensation with no context.)

top-down processing

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations (a progression from the whole picture to analyzing a specific element)

Absolute Threshold

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

difference threshold (just noticeable difference)

the smallest level of added or reduced stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation has occurred

selective attention

the ability to focus on only one stimulus from among all sensory input

sensory adaptation

tendency of sensory receptor cells to become less responsive to a stimulus that is unchanging (we become used to a cold pool)

Retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

Rods

retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, best in low light conditions

Cones

retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.

trichromatic theory

theory of color vision that proposes that our color vision is produced by three sets of cones that cover unique but overlapping wavelengths of light. Red, Green and Blue

opponent-process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

Gestalt Psychology

a psychological school of thought based on how people perceive things through patterns

perceptual constancy

perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent lightness, color, shape, and size) even as illumination and retinal images change

cochlea

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

kinesthetic sense

the sense of body position and movement of body parts relative to each other

vestibular sense

the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance

Conciousness

Individuals' awareness of external and internal events and sensations under a condition of arousal, including awareness if the self and thoughts about experiences

Levels of awareness

higher-level consciousness, lower-level consciousness, altered states of consciousness, subconscious awareness, and no awareness

Sleep

Natural state of rest involving a reversible loss of consciousness

biological rhythms

periodic physiological fluctuations in the body, such as the rise and fall of hormones and accelerated and decelerated cycles of brain activity, that can influence behavior. Based off of our natural body clock

Circadian Rhythyms

physiological patterns that repeat approx. every 24 hrs., such as sleep-wakefullnes cycle

Non rem sleep

any of the stages of sleep that do not include REM

Stage N1 (Non-REM1) Sleep

sudden muscle movements (myoclonic jerks), light sleep, theta waves (EEG)

Stage N2 (Non-REM2) Sleep

muscle activity decreases, and the person is no longer consciously aware of the environment

Stage N3 sleep (slow-wave sleep)

In stages 3 and 4 of deep sleep, sleepers are hard to wake, and EEGs reveal large, regular delta waves.

R.E.M 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 Disorders

serious and consistent sleep disturbances that interfere with daytime functioning and cause subjective distress

Insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

Narcolepsy

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

sleep apnea

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

psychoactive drugs

chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain

Tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect

physical dependence

a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued

psychological dependence

a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions

addiction

A physiological or psychological dependence on a drug

substance use disorder

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

Depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Opiods

a class of depressants, suppresses pin by releasing dopamine.

Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Hallucinogens

psychedelic ("mind-manifesting") drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input