PSYC 101 - MIDTERM 1

Psychology

The scientific study of mind and behaviour.

Mind

A set of private events that happen inside a person, including thoughts and feelings.

Behaviour

A set of public events, including actions and words observable by others.

Philosophical Dualism

The view that mind and body are fundamentally different.

Philosophical Materialism

The view that all mental phenomena are reducible to physical phenomena.

Philosophical Realism

The idea that perceptions of the physical world are a faithful copy of information from the world.

Philosophical Idealism

The notion that perceptions of the physical world are the brain’s best interpretation of incoming information.

Philosophical Empiricism

The view that all knowledge is acquired through experience.

Philosophical Nativism

The view that some knowledge is innate rather than acquired.

Introspection

The analysis of subjective experience by trained observers.

Functionalism

An approach to psychology emphasizing the adaptive significance of mental processes.

Natural Selection

The process by which attributes that promote survival become more prevalent.

Hysteria

A loss of function with no obvious physical origin.

Unconsciousness

The part of the mind containing information of which individuals are not aware.

Psychoanalytic Theory

A general theory highlighting the influence of the unconscious on feelings, thoughts, and behaviours.

Behaviourism

An approach that restricts scientific inquiry to observable behaviour.

Reinforcement Principle

Any behaviour that is rewarded will be repeated; unreinforced behaviours will not.

Gestalt Psychology

An approach emphasizing how the mind creates a perceptual experience.

Cognitive Psychology

The study of human information-processing.

Empiricism

The belief that accurate knowledge of the world is acquired through observation.

The Scientific Method

A procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts.

Hypothesis

A falsifiable prediction made by a theory.

Operational Definition

A description of a property in measurable terms.

Sample

A partial collection of people drawn from a population.

Frequency Distribution

A graphic representation showing the frequency of measurements of a property.

Normal Distribution

A distribution with the highest frequency in the middle and symmetrical decreases in both directions.

Independent Variable

A variable that is manipulated by the experimenter.

Dependent Variable

A variable that depends on the value of the independent variable.

Self-Selection

A problem occurring when participant characteristics determine their exposure to conditions.

Random Assignment

A procedure assigning participants to conditions by chance.

Type I Error

Occurs when researchers incorrectly conclude a causal relationship exists when it does not.

Type II Error

Occurs when researchers incorrectly conclude that no causal relationship exists when it does.

Neurons

Cells in the nervous system that communicate for information processing.

Dendrites

Structures that receive information from other neurons.

Action Potential

An electric signal conducted along a neuron’s axon.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information across synapses to receiving neurons.

Synapse

The junction between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of another.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter involved in voluntary motor control and other functions.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty insulating layer covering the axon.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Connects the central nervous system to the body’s organs and muscles.

Cerebral Cortex

The outermost layer of the brain, responsible for complex functions.

Endocrine System

A network of glands producing hormones that influence various body functions.

Pituitary Gland

The master gland of the body's hormone-producing system.

Frontal Lobe

Brain region involved in movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of the relationship between the brain and the mind.

Gene

The major unit of hereditary transmission.

Heritability

A measure of the variability of traits among individuals due to genetic factors.

Epigenetics

The study of environmental influences on gene expression.

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

A device used to record electrical activity in the brain.

Psychology

The scientific study of mind and behaviour.

Philosophical Dualism

The view that mind and body are fundamentally different things.

Philosophical Materialism

The view that all mental phenomena are reducible to physical phenomena.

Natural Selection

The process by which specific attributes that promote an organism’s survival and reproduction become more prevalent over time.

Psychoanalytic Theory

A general theory that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious on feelings, thoughts, and behaviours.

Behaviourism

An approach to psychology that restricts scientific inquiry to observable behaviour.

Cognitive Psychology

The study of human information-processing.

Endorphins

Chemicals that act within the pain pathways and emotion centres of the brain.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron’s dendrites.

Hawthorne Effect

When our performance changes if we are being watched.