psychology 200 test one

wilhelm wundt

established the first psych lab in germany

Psychology

the study of consciousness

g. stanley hall

established the first psych lab in the US

john locke

Who established the tabula rasa?

structuralism

study of consciousness at its most basic elements (the structure of consciousness)

what year was the first psych lab established?

1879

introspection

systematic observations of one’s own conscious

What does introspection relate to?

structuralism

functionalism

study of the purpose of consciousness (function)

nature

peoples traits/personalities are GENETIC

nurture

people’s traits/personalities are based on your ENVIROMENT

behaviorism

focuses on observable behaviors not feelings

psychoanalysis

when your personality/mental is controlled unconsciously

sigmund freud

came up with psychoanalysis

neuroses

forces that create tension/anxiety which leads to unconscious forces

humanism

study focuses on human value and reason

humanism is related to

freedom and growth

the current definition of psychology

t”he science of mental processes and human behavior!”

clinical psychology

the study/treatment of mental disorders

experimental psychology

the study of the other areas of human interest

the scientific approach

finding reliable answers through observation, measurement, testing, and evidence.

what is basic assumption?

events governed by some kind of lawful order

what is the first step of the scientific approach?

observe phenomenons

what is the second step of the scientific approach?

forming a hypothesis

what is the third step of the scientific approach?

conduct your research

what is the fourth step of the scientific approach?

draw conclusions!

what is the fifth step of the scientific approach?

evaluate conclusions (peers)

what is the main question of step one of the scientific approach?

why does ‘x’ happen?

variable

anything that can change

what is a theory?

a broad explanation

what is a hypothesis?

your prediction from your theory, an educated guess

when do you form your hypothesis?

step two

when do you form your theory?

step one

what must a hypothesis be?

testable

what step do you collect data?

step three

what is an operational definition?

description of how a variable will be tested

how do you analyze data is step three?

statistical analysis

what do you do if a theory is wrong?

revise it

when does replication take place?

step four

replication

term for when you revise your hypothesis

what step do you evaluate conclusions?

step five

what do you need to evaluate conclusions?

peer review

can reviews/evaluations be rejected?

yes

what is an experiment?

manipulating one variable in order to observe changes in another variable

what is the changed/manipulated variable?

an independent variable

what is the variable you change/control?

ind. variable

what is the variable affected by manipulation/change?

dependent variable

what is the outcome/effect that is measured in a study?

dep. variable

what is an experimental group?

participants who receive special/specific treatment or manipulated variable

what is a control group?

participants who do not receive the special/specific treatment

what is a random assignment?

participants have equal chance of being in either group

correlational research

measures the numerical relationship between two variables

number in a correlation coefficient

between -1.0 and +1.0

in correlation coefficients, what does it mean when the number is closer to 1?

it has a stronger relationship

what do the positive/negative signs in correlation coefficients mean?

indicates direction ONLY

positive correlation

variables move in the same direction

what does a positive correlation mean?

both variables increase for decrease

negative correlation

one variable decreases, and the other increases

what is a third variable problem in correlational research?

when a hidden, unmeasured factor causes a link between the two variables

strengths of the scientific method:

conclusions of causes-and-effect can be drawn

weaknesses of the scientific method:

practical, artificial problems in experiments

strengths of correlational research:

more realistic

central nervous system (cns):

brain and nervous system

peripheral nervous system (pns):

nerves that lay outside of the cns

somatic nervous system:

voluntary muscle movement

what controls the sensory receptors?

somatic nervous system

what is the function of the sympathetic (autonomic nervous system)?

fight-or-flight

what is the function of the parasympathetic (autonomic nervous system)?

conserves energy

what is the most complex structure in the universe?

the human brain

neurons:

brain cells that transfer information

what type of neurons are discussed?

sensory and motor

glia cells:

structural support and insulation for neurons

plasticity

the brains ability to adapt and change

plasticity can repair damage how?

reconnect neurons around damaged areas

what else can plasticity do?

form new connections to store info and memories

what do dendrites do?

receive information

what is a soma?

cell body

what does the axon do?

transmit information away from the soma

what is a myelin sheath?

axon insulation, guarding it

what is a terminal button?

end of the axon

what does the terminal button do?

secretes neurotransmitters

what are synaptic vesicles?

bubbles inside terminal buttons

what do synaptic vesicles store?

neurotransmitters

what is a synapse?

micro space between 2 neurons

neural impulse

electrically charged ions in the fluid inside/outside the neuron

resting potential:

negative stable charge inside

action potential:

a neuron fires

what causes action potential?

charge becomes positive, electrical message reveals through neuron

how does an action potential start?

stimulation from other cells causes the cell membrane to open

positive ions enter the cell and the charge inside becomes positive, which creates:

a charge

all-or-nothing law:

all action potentials are the same strength

can a neuron partially fire?

NO! either fires or doesn’t

when an electric charge reaches reaches terminal button,

synaptic vesicles POP

neurotransmitters are released where?

in the synapse

where do released neurotransmitters bind?

dendrites

neurotransmitter:

chemical that passes messages from one neuron to another

when neurotransmitters bind on the dendrites, they can behave as

agonists or antagonists

agonist:

chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter

dopamine:

voluntary movements, pleasurable emotions

what chemical is released for pleasurable emotions?

dopamine