Gen. Psych Study Guide 1

Psychology

The study of behavior and mental processes.

Dualism

Mind exists after body dies

Father of Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt

Structualism

Studies individual elements of consciousness. (Think more than memorize, structure)

Functionalism

Focuses on how organisms use their learning and abilities to function in their environment. (How we function, perception)

Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt-whole. Sum is more than the parts. Vacancy > Va n cy > still see vacancy

Paychodynamic Approach

Based on belief that behaviors are motivated by intentional facts not available to (un)conscious mind. (Theory of Froyd,

Psychoanalysis

Anxious, told not to be, feel guilty when still anxious

Behavioral Apporach

Focuses on how people learn through their interactions with the environment (chew nails because of oral fixation)

Humanistic Approach

Values and dignity front and center.(Takes personal choice into account, free will.)

Self-actualization

Realization of fulfillment of one’s talents and potentials

Cognitive Psychology

Shows and understands how people think (you are who you are because of how you think)

Biological

Neurotransmitter-chemicals that pass information through the body. Nervous system and relationship between genetics and behavior.

Socioculture

Impact of society of culture on the individual. How individuals interact eith social groups

Clinical Psychology

Addresses behavioral and mental heath issues to individuals over lifespan.

Applied Psychology

Study to solve problems of human behavior such as health issues, work place, or education. (industrial organization psychology)

Scientific method

Relationship or possibilities between two or more variables (Identifying problem)

Naturalistic observation

Studying something in it’s natural habitat.

Case Study

An independent study of a particular person over time. Can’t be generalized

Survey

General view, examination or description of someone.

Correlational Studies

Dives into relationships between variables without them being controlled or manipulated. (Looks at connections between two things. No + or - 98 is higher than 8)

Experimental research

Shows cause and effect causation

Independent variable

What researcher changes. (Control over medication, IV)

Dependent variable

Dependent on independent variable, pain level.

Placebo effect

An effect due to the patience belief in a placebo drug or treatment.

Dendrites

1st Neurosequence (extension of a nerve cell)

Soma

2nd neurosequence, parts of an organism minus the reproduction organs

Axon

3rd Neurosequence, carries fibers away, impulse from one to another.

Myelin Sheath

Insulation layer that surrounds nervse. (Scholiosis is a disorder when someone has NO myelin sheath)

Terminal button

4th Neurosequence, small knobs at end of axon. Release neurotransmitters.

Synapse

#8, junction across two cells,

Reuptake

Reabsorption of a type of substance by the cell that produced it. (Dendrite to cleft, takes it and reproceses it and takes it back to dendrite)

Agonist

Enhances ability of transmitter. An example would be caffeine may enhance anxiety

Antagonist

Substance that makes a blockage or lives in the function of a neurotransmitter

Serotonin

Drug reduces depression, body produces, works against, defensive line

Synaptic plasticity

Neuron's being able to change the strength of their connections

Neurogenesis

Nervous tissue growth and development (can retrain brain)

Central nervous system (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

What comes out of brain and spinal cord

Pituitary Gland

The MASTER gland, sends chemicals to control other glands

Reticular formation

Collection of neurons in mid-brain, deals with consciousness and arousome

Limbic System

Responsible for motivation and emotions, smell is connected to memories, goes straight to Limbic system.

Amygdala

Almond shaped mass, responsible for anger, motions, survival instincts, fear. Part of limbic system. OCD

Neuropsychology

Study of the brain

Corpus callosum

Nerve fiber joining the two hemispheres of the brain. Chinese is in right brain, other languages in left. Boys more linear in thinking, women more global.

Sensation

1. Picking up things with senses. (Process where physical energy from the environment is converted into neutral signals to be interpreted by the brain)

Transduction

2. (Ability to pick up things to the brain.) Physical energy, such as light or sound. Formed into an electrical charge

Perception

3. How we organize and interpret energy. (Like hand on hot stove, remove hand immediately). Process in which the brain selects, organizes, and interprets sensory information.

Signal Detection Theory

Explains differences in people’s responses to stimuli based on varying circumstances. (Our experiences make us more alert. Able to grab hold of particular sound)

Sensory Adaptation

Happens when a sense is exposed to an unchanging stimulus and eventually stops registering the existence of that stimulus. (Smell, get used to it like it’s gone)

Rods

Retinal receptors that respond to varying degrees of light and dark. Best in dimly light. (Black and White, activated sooner)

Cones

Visual receptors specializing in the perception of color. (Color, higher threshold, needs more light to see colors)

Opponent-process theory

Theory of color stating there are 3 special visual receptors thay work in pairs and opposing manner. (Ser red, red is lit up while green is inhibited. Negative after image)

Smell and Taste

Smell goes straight to the limbic system.

Bottom-up processing

Type of perception that involves processing information from the raw data, or environmental stimuli up to the brain. (Raw information, sights and sounds, come to conclusion.)

Top-down processing

Been here before even though I can't see it. (Like stumbling around in your room in the dark, you know where the objects are but can't see them) Relies heavily on previous knowledge and experience. (Knowledge based processing)

Perceptual constancy

3 constancies, size, color, and shape. Airplane doesn't shrink making the people shrink after it takes off. Remains the same even though some characteristics may have changed.

Gestalt Principals

Whole-Sum is more than parts

Closure

Perception involving the tendency to perceive images as complete objects. Like a Zebra with the stripes only.

Depth perception

The ability to judge distances of objects and to see them in three dimensions.

Perceptual Illusions

An experience where the stimulus is different than the actual evoking stimulus. (What is true is different than what you are seeing.)

Consciousness

Awareness of the internal and external environment.

Multitasking

Attention divided among two or more things. One task while setting to another and back.

Sleep deprivation

1. Decreases immune system function

2. Releases cortisol

3. Obesity

4. Depression

Circadian Rythm

Biological clock, 24 hrs. Clock, but internal clock is 25 hrs.

Stage R/Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

Deep stage of sleep, biological activity increases, paradoxical sleep, increased brain activity, and body movement suppressed

Manifest content

Remembered content of a dream, invluding storyline, characters, and specific details. List of facts.

Latent content

Latent means hidden. The part of the dream you interpret. Unconcious wishes.

Psychoactive drug

Drug that deals with brain function

Psychological dependence

Emotional or motivational symptoms associated with repeated drug use. Often connected with addiction

Tolerance

Form of physiological dependence where the body becomes use to a drug and a higher dosage is needed to get the effects of the drug.

Withdrawl symptoms

Physiological symptoms produced by a body when you suddenly stop daking a drug. Shakiness and sweating can occur as a result of this.

Depressants

Alcohol is a depressants. This is a class of drugs that slow down the central nervous system and other functions.

Stimulants

Drug that excites or increases the functioning of the central nervous system. (Example, cigarettes, you become jittery when you stop using them but feel calm upon reuse

Marijuana

A motivational syndrome, “All they care about is getting the next joint”