Psychology-1

What are the main modern perspectives in psychology?

Biological, Behavioral, Cognitive, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Sociocultural, Evolutionary

What are two key ideas from Freud’s psychoanalytic theory?

The unconscious mind influences behavior, and early childhood experiences shape personality

What is a major belief of behaviorism?

Behavior is learned through conditioning; only observable behaviors should be studied

What is pseudoscience?

A claim or belief that appears scientific but lacks empirical evidence and cannot be tested or falsified through scientific methods.

What are the steps in the scientific method?

Question, hypothesis, experiment, data collection, analysis, conclusion, and replication

What are three descriptive research methods?

Case studies, naturalistic observation, and surveys

What factors make a survey accurate?

Clear wording, random sampling, honest responses, and large sample size. Use of unbiased questions, representative sample, and appropriate data analysis.

What is a correlation?

A measure of the relationship between two variables

What’s the difference between positive and negative correlation?

Positive: both variables increase together; Negative: one increases, the other decreases

What is the range of a correlation coefficient and what does it tell us?

Ranges from -1 to +1; closer to -1 or +1 means stronger relationship

Can correlations prove causation?

No, they only show relationships, not cause-and-effect

What's the difference between an independent and dependent variable?

Independent: manipulated variable; Dependent: measured result.

What is the placebo effect?

When participants experience changes from an inactive substance due to expectations

What is a double-blind procedure?

Neither participants nor researchers know who gets the treatment

What is random assignment?

Randomly placing participants into groups to reduce bias

What is the purpose of a control group?

It provides a baseline to compare the experimental group to

What is a random sample?

A sample where everyone in the population has an equal chance of being chosen

What are confounding variables?

Uncontrolled factors that affect the dependent variable, possibly distorting results

What are key rules of the scientific method?

Be objective, use empirical evidence, and allow for replication

Name key parts of a neuron and their functions

Dendrites (receive signals), axon (sends signals), soma (cell body), axon terminals (release neurotransmitters), myelin sheath (speeds signals)

What does dopamine do?

Controls pleasure, motivation, and motor control. Imbalance may cause Parkinson’s or schizophrenia

What does serotonin do?

Regulates mood, sleep, and appetite. Low levels linked to depression

What are the two major parts of the nervous system?

Central nervous system (brain/spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (nerves)

What are reflexes?

Automatic responses to stimuli, processed by the spinal cord

What is the master gland of the endocrine system?

The pituitary gland; it controls other glands and hormone release

How do the nervous and endocrine systems interact?

The brain sends signals to glands via the hypothalamus, affecting hormones and behavior

What are the four brain lobes and what do they do?

Frontal (decision-making), Parietal (touch), Temporal (hearing/language), Occipital (vision)

How do brain parts work together?

Different regions communicate to coordinate complex behavior and thought

What’s the difference between left and right brain functions?

Left: logic, language; Right: creativity, spatial skills—they work together

What are association areas?

Parts of the cortex involved in integrating and interpreting information

How do you think like a scientist?

Be skeptical, seek evidence, avoid bias, and think critically

What is the testing effect?

The idea that testing improves memory more than just reviewing