Introduction to Psychology 101 Exam 1 Review/Chapters 1-3

Curiosity,Skepticism, and Humility

Three key attitudes of scientific inquiry are

True or False: Psychology is a true science?

True

Empirical Approach

an evidence-based method that draws on observation and experimentation

Functionalism

A school of psychology that focused attention on the adaptive value of thoughts and behaviors.

humanistic psychology

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow's significant approach focusing on human flourishing

Nature vs. Nurture

name for a controversy in which it is debated whether genetics or environment is responsible for driving behavior

cross-cultural research

Dealing with or offering comparison between two or more different cultures or cultural areas.

behavior genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

social psychology

study of why individuals conform to the behaviors and opinions of others.

hindsight bias

"I knew it all along" (undermines the sense of humility regarding the accuracy of our intuitions)

Scientific Method

a self-correcting process for asking questions and observing nature's answers

meta-analysis

A statistical procedure for analyzing the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion.

survey

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported beliefs, attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, sample group.

Correlation

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

correlation coefficient

a statistical measure of both the direction and the strength of a relationship between two variables.

placebo effect

improvement resulting from the mere expectation of improvement

Hippocrates

Ancient Greek physician who correctly located the mind in the brain.

control group

the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

myelin sheath

a fatty tissue layer encasing the axons of some nerve cells (neurons).

action potential

A brief/temporary inflow of positively charged ions through an axon membrane.

Endorphins

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood (depression)

MEG

The brain scan that measures the magnetic fields from the brain's neural electrical activity.

Thalamus

The brain structure that acts as the sensory control center

Hypothalamus

The brain structure that provides a major link between the nervous system and the endocrine system.

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

association areas

The most extensive regions of the brain that are involved in higher mental functions such as memory and reasoning.

Plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

dizygotic twins

fraternal twins

monozygotic twins

identical twins

natural selection

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

epigentic marks

The molecules that can block genetic expression

Behaviorism

The school of thought that turned away from the study of consciousness during the first half of the last century.

selective attention

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

change blindness

a failure to notice large changes in one's environment

parellel processing

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions

ciradian rhythms

The 24-hour biological cycles found in humans and many other species.

N3 sleep

Delta waves: people experience the deepest stage of sleep

Desynchronization

Disruption of our 24-hour biological clock as a result of either overexposure or underexposure to light.

Deep Sleep

Stage of sleep where the production of the human growth hormone necessary for muscle development is most strongly associated with.

sleep apnea

a disorder in which the person stops breathing for brief periods while asleep

erotic wishes

According to Freud, the dreams of adults can be traced back to

substance abuse disorder

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption, social problems, hazards and/or physical risk

disinhibitor

slows brain activity that controls judgement and inhibitions (example of the reckless behavior after large alcohol consumption)

Amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing sped-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes (type of stimulant)

Cocaine

a powerful and addictive stimulant, that blocks the reuptake of neurotransmitters