Psychology - Semester 1 Final Vocabulary

Psychology

Psychology is a scientific study of human and animal behavior and mental processes.

Behaviors

-Body Language

-Facial Expressions

-Tone

Mental Processes

-Thinking

-Problem Solving

-Decision Making

Describe

Describe particular behaviors by careful observation.

Describe Key Words

-Observe

-Document

-Gather Data

-Categorize

Explain

Explain behaviors by conducting experiments.

Explain Key Words

-Understand

-Cause And Effect

Predict

Predict when a behavior that is being studied will happen in the future.

Predict Key Words

-Relationship

-Correlate

-Anticipate

-Forecast

Control Or Change

Modify inappropriate behavior.

Control Or Change Key Words

-Change

-Control

-Adjust

-Implement

-Introduce

Ethical Practices

Legal protection for participants in research studies.

Human Research Guidelines

-Informed Consent

-Deception

-Coercion

-Debriefing

-Protection From Harm

-Anonymity

Psychologist

Conduct research and provide professional services.

Most Popular Psychology Careers

-Clinical Psychology

-Counseling Psychology

Psychiatrist

Conduct research and provide professional services, with a medical degree.

Basic Research

Research done to increase our scientific knowledge.

Basic Research Psychologists

-Research Psychologist

-Developmental Psychologist

-Neuropsychologist

-Cognitive Psychologist

Applied Research

Research intended to solve practice problems.

Applied Research Psychologists

-Forensic Psychologist

-School Psychologist

-Health Psychologist

-Consumer Psychologist

Pseudoscience

Collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method.

Examples Of Pseudoscience

-Psychic

-Tv Mentalist

-Extrasensory Perception

-Phrenology

-Astrology

Scientific Method Steps

1. Ask A Question

2. Do Background Research

3. Construct A Hypothesis

4. Select A Research Method

5. Participant Selection

6. Make Sure Procedure Working

7. Analyze Data And Draw Conclusions

8. Report Findings

Operation Definition

A carefully worded statement of how variables are measured. Must be a number that researcher can record.

Experimental Research Methods

1. Independent Variable Controlled By Researcher.

2. Randomly Assigning Participants Into Groups.

Independent Variable

What is being controlled.

Dependent Variable

What is being measured.

Confounding Variable

Variable that might affect results of the study.

Experimental Group

Receive the independent variable or treatment.

Control Group

Does not receive the independent variable and used to compare.

Random Assignment

Divide participants within the study. Everyone has an equal chance of inclusion.

Random Sampling

Chooses people for the study.

Case Study

A research study focusing on one person or just a few individuals with a rare condition.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in its natural setting, no experimenter influence.

Meta-Analysis

Combining results from lots of research studies on the same topic to find patterns or trends.

Correlation

Studies the relationship between two or more variable such as one variable changes, so does the other.

Positive Correlation

Variables move together.

No Correlation

Variables are not related.

Negative Correlation

Variables move in opposite.

Correlation Coefficient

A number from -1 to +1 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between variables.

Nature

The influence of our inherited characteristics on our personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions.

Nurture

The influence of the environment on personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions.

Identical Twins

Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

Fraternal Twins

Twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

Twin Studies

A common method of investigating whether nature or nurture affects behavior.

Biopsychology

The study of the biological basic of behavior and metal processes, brain, genetics, hormones, feelings, and actions.

Nervous System

The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Central Nervous System

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.

Sensory Neurons

Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

Motor Neurons

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

Brain

The mass of nerve tissue that is the main control center of the nervous system.

Spinal Cord

Nerves that run up and down the length of the back and transmit most messages between the body and brain.

Somatic Division / Nervous System

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

Autonomic Division / Nervous System

A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Controls involuntary activity of visceral muscles and internal organs and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations. Fight or flight.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.

CT Scan

A series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body. (Black/White)

PET Scan

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task. (Multicolor/Yellow/Red)

MRI Scan

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue, allows us to see structures within the brain. (Black/White)

fMRI Scan

A technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function. (White/Blue/Red)

Neurons

A nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system.

Action Potential

A neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

All Or None Principle

Refers to the fact that the action potential in the axon occurs either full blown or not at all.

Dendrites

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Soma / Cell Body

Contains the nucleus and other parts of the cell needed to sustain its life.

Axon

A threadlike extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.

Myelin Sheath

Covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses.

Axon Terminal

The endpoint of a neuron where neurotransmitters are stored.

Synapse

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Receptor Sites

Holes in the surface of the dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neurotransmitters.

Presynaptic Neuron

Neuron that sends the signal.

Postsynaptic Neuron

Neuron that receives the signal.

Resting Potential

The state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse.

Refractory Period

The time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

Brain Stem

The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull. The brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular Activating System

Brain area that plays a key role in alertness and awakeness.

Cerebellum

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

Thalamus

The brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem. It directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Limbic System

Neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres. Associated with emotions and drives.

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature). Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

Cerebrum

Area of the brain responsible for all voluntary activities of the body.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain.

Corpus Callosum

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Motor Cortex

An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

Braca’s Area

Controls language expression, an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Parietal Lobe

Receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Somatosensory Cortex

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Occipital Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information.

Temporal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Auditory Cortex

The area of the temporal lobe responsible for processing sound information.

Wernicke’s Area

Controls language reception, a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression, usually in the left temporal lobe.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction.

Serotonin

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

Pituitary Gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Neuroscience

How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.