Psych 101 Vocabulary

uncritical acceptance

failure to evaluate claims with sufficient logical effort

Confirmation bias

the tendency for someone to remember or notice only the things that confirm our beliefs and expectations

Superstition

a belief that is unfounded and isn’t supported by any evidence, or it may be help even though it was proven incorrect

Pseudoscience

false science

psychologist

a person who is trained in the methods, knowledge, and theories of psychology

Animal model

an animal whose behavior is studied to learn principle that may apply to humans

Basic research

seeking knowledge for themselves

applied research

researching to solve immediate problems

clinical psychologist

a psychologist who works with patients to treat psychological and behavioral disturbances or researches those disturbances

counseling psychologist

a psychologist who treats milder emotional and behavioral disturbances

psychiatrist

a medical doctor that has training to allow them to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders and prescribe medications if necessary

psychoanalyst

mental health professional (often a doctor) that is trained to practice psychoanalysis

counselor

an advisor who helps people with problems that don’t involve serious mental disorders

Stimulus

physical energy that an organism senses

introspection

personal observation of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviorused as a method of psychological study, where individuals examine their own internal processes.

structualism

study of sensations and personal experience analyzed as basic elements

imageless thought

the inability of introspectors to be aware of certain mental processes

cognitive unconcious

part of the mind that we aren’t aware of subjectively

Gestalt Psychology

the study of thinking, learning, and perception in full units

functionalism

the study that considers behaviors in terms of active adaptations

natural selection

Darwin’s theory of certain traits being favored in populations

Behaviorism

a school of thought that focuses on the study of actions over the study of the mind

radical behaviorist

a psychologist who rejects the study of thinking

dynamic unconcious

parts of the mind beyond our awareness

psychoanalysis

exploration of the unconscious mind with tactics such as free association, dream interpretation, etc.

neo freudians

people who accept parts of Freud’s theories, but reject other parts

Psychodynamic theory

a theory of behavior that emphasizes internal conflicts, motives, and unconscious forces

cognitive psychology

when introspection is rejected and the role of thinking is ignored; relies on object observation instead of introspection

operational definition

defining a concept by stating actions or procedures used to measure it

determinism

all behavior has prior causes that explains the choices a person makes

humanistic psychology

the study of people as inherently good and motivated to learn and improve

self actualization

the process of fully developing personal potentials

Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

biopsychosocial model

an approach that follows biological, psychological, and social factors interactions and how they influence human behavior

biological perspective

attempting to explain behavior in terms of underlying biological principles

evolutionary psychology

emphasizes inherited, adaptive aspects of behavior and mental processes

neuroscience

broader field of biopsychologists who study the brain and nervous system

psychological perspective

views behavior as shaped by psychological processes

social perspective

focuses on social context in influencing behaviors

social norms

rules that define accepted behavior for a group

cultural realativity

how behavior is judged in relation to the cultural standards and values of a culture

gender bias in research

the tendency for women and their problems to be under represented

Description

the process of naming and classifying something in a study

Understanding

the ability to state the causes of behavior

Prediction

the ability to accurately forecast behavior

control

altering conditions that influence behavior

critical thinking

type of thinking that involves the support of beliefs through scientific observation

the principles of critical thinking

most things can be explained by science

don’t believe everything you hear

judge the quality of the evidence

have an open mind

think about how something could be false

falsification

a deliberate attempt to show how a belief or scientific theory could be false

Steps of the scientific method

examine past research

define the question

propose a hypothesis

gather evidence

build a theory

publish/replicate

self report data

information provided by participants on their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

biased sample

sub part of a larger population that doesn’t reflect the population as a whole

extraneous variable

a condition or factor that may change the outcome, so it is excluded from influencing the outcome

research participant bias

changes in behavior of participants caused by their own unintended influence or expectations

Quasi experiments

studies where the researcher wants to compare groups of people but can’t assign groups randomly

correlational research

studies in which the association of events, measures, or variables are quantified

correlation coefficient

statistical index ranging from -1.00 to +1.00 which shows strength and correlation direction

bigger number means there is a stronger relationship

the symbol (+ or -) represents the direction of the correlation

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and the spinal cord

Spinal Cord

column of nerves that transmits information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system

Spinal nerves

major nerves that carry sensory and motor messages in and out of the spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

the parts of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord

neuron

a cell in the nervous system that transmits information

Nerves

a bundle of neuron axons

Cranial Nerves

major nerves that leave the brain without passing through the spinal cord

somatic nervous system (SNS)

a network linking the spinal cord with the body and sense organs

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

The collection of axons that carry information to and from internal organs and glands

Sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that coordinates arousal

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that quiets the body and conserves energy

Dendrites

neuron fibers that receive incoming messages

Cell Body (soma)

the part of the neuron or other cell that contains the nucleus of the cell

axon

a fiber that carries information away from the cell body of a neuron

axon terminals

bulb shaped structures at the ends of axons that form synapses with the dendrites and cell bodies of other neurons

Resting potential

the electrical charge of an inactive neuron

threshold

in neurons, the point at which a nerve impulse is triggered

action potential

a brief change in a neuron’s electrical charge

myelin sheath

insulating material that covers some axons

ion channels

tiny opening through the axon membrane

Negative after-potential

a drop in electrical charge below the resting potential

synapse

a microscopic space over which messages pass between two neurons

synaptic transmission

the chemical process that carries information from one neuron to another

neurotransmitter

a chemical that moves information from one nervous system cell to another

Acetylcholine

excitatory; participates in movement, autonomic function, learning and memory

dopamine

excitatory; participates in motivation, reward, and planning of behavior

GABA

inhibitory; major inhibitory effect in the CNS; participates in moodsG

Glutamate

excitatory; major excitatory effect in the CNS; participates in learning and memory

Norepinephrine

excitatory; participates in arousal, vigilance, and mood

serotonin

inhibitory; participates in mood, appetite, and sleep

Neuropeptides

brain chemicals, such as enkephalins and endorphins, that regulate the activity of neurons

Neuroplasticity

the capacity of the brain to change in response to experience

Neurogenesis

the production of new brain cells

Computed Tomography Scan (CT Scan)

A computer-enhanced xray image of the brain or body

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

an imaging technique that results in a three-dimensional image of the brain or body, based on its response to a magnetic field

localize function

the research strategy of linking specific structures in the brain to specific psychological or behavioral functions

Electrical Stimulation of the Brain (ESB)

direct electrical stimulation and activation of brain tissue

electrode

any device used to stimulate or destroy nerve tissue electrically or to record its activity

ablation

in biopsychology, the surgical removal of tissue from the surface of the brain

deep lesioning

removal of tissue within the brain by the use of an electrode

electroencephalograph (EEG)

a device that records electrical activity in the brain

Positron emission tomography (PET)

a high resolution imaging technique that captures brain activity by attaching radioactive particles to glucose molecules

Functional MRI (fMRI)

an MRI technique that records activity levels in various areas of the brain