Psychology Modules 1-4 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms, definitions, brain structures, research methods, and psychological perspectives across Modules 1 to 4.

Consciousness

The state of awareness of internal and external stimuli.

Circadian Rhythm

A biological rhythm that takes place over a period of 24 hours, such as the human sleep-wake cycle.

Blindsight

A phenomenon in which individuals who are blind in a particular area of their visual field, due to damage to the primary visual cortex, are still able to respond to visual stimuli in that area without consciously perceiving them.

Sleep Debt

The cumulative result of chronic, insufficient sleep.

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep

A stage of sleep characterized by darting eye movements under closed eyelids, with brain activity patterns similar to wakefulness.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by episodes in which a sleeper's breathing stops for 10–20 seconds or longer multiple times in an hour.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder involving consistent difficulty in falling or staying asleep for at least three nights a week for at least one month's time.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by an inability to resist falling asleep at inopportune times.

Depressants

A class of psychoactive drugs, such as alcohol, that suppress central nervous system activity and act as agonists of the GABA neurotransmitter system.

Stimulants

A class of psychoactive drugs, including cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine, and caffeine, that increase overall levels of neural activity and act as agonists of the dopamine system.

Opioids

A class of drugs, such as heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine, that bind to opioid receptors in the body to reduce pain and produce euphoria.

Hallucinogens

A class of psychoactive drugs, including marijuana, psilocybin, mescaline, and LSD, that produce profound alterations in sensory and perceptual experiences.

Hypnosis

A state of extreme self-focus and attention in which minimal attention is given to external stimuli.

Meditation

The practice of clearing the mind in order to achieve a state of relaxed awareness and focus.

Glial Cells

Nervous system cells that provide physical and metabolic support to neurons, including neuronal insulation, communication, and nutrient and waste transport.

Synapse

The microscopic space between two neurons where intercellular chemical communication takes place.

Resting Potential

The electrical charge of a neuron at rest, maintained by a higher concentration of $\text{Na}^+$ outside the cell and $\text{K}^+$ inside the cell near the membrane.

Reuptake

The process of moving a neurotransmitter back from the synapse into the presynaptic axon terminal from which it was released.

Agonist

A substance or drug that mimics a neurotransmitter at its receptor site and strengthens its overall effects.

Antagonist

A substance or drug that blocks or inhibits the normal activity of a neurotransmitter at its receptor site.

Frontal Lobe

The anterior lobe of the forebrain containing the motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, and Broca's area, involved in movement, higher-level cognitive functioning, and language production.

Somatosensory Cortex

A topographically organized area in the parietal lobe responsible for processing sensory information from across the body.

Temporal Lobe

The lateral forebrain lobe containing the auditory cortex and Wernicke's area, involved in processing auditory information, speech comprehension, memory, and emotion.

Occipital Lobe

The posterior forebrain lobe containing the primary visual cortex, organized retinotopically to interpret visual information.

Thalamus

A forebrain structure that acts as the sensory relay center of the brain, routing most sensory signals to appropriate cortical areas.

Amygdala

A structure in the limbic system involved in processing emotions and tying emotional meaning to memories.

Hippocampus

A limbic system structure associated with learning and memory formation.

Hypothalamus

A limbic system structure that regulates sexual motivation and behavior, oversees homeostatic processes, and serves as an interface between the nervous and endocrine systems.

Medulla

A hindbrain structure controlling key automatic processes of the autonomic nervous system, such as breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Cerebellum

A hindbrain structure that controls balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of neural fibers connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres, enabling interhemispheric communication.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system involved in preparing the body for stress and fight-or-flight responses.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system associated with returning the body to normal, relaxed functioning.

5 Pillars of psychology

Biological-BIOpsychology

Developmental- lifespan DEVELOPMENT

Cognitive- THINKING, memory

Social & Personality- SOCIAL & PERSONALITY

Physical & Mental Health- mental HEALTH

Empirical Evidence

Objective, tangible evidence grounded in observation that can be repeatedly verified regardless of who observes it.

Hypothesis

An EDUCATED guess. Tentative and testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables.

Theory

A well-developed set of ideas that proposes an explanation for observed phenomena.

Falsifiability

The capacity of a scientific theory or hypothesis to be disproved by experimental results.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee tasked with reviewing research proposals involving human participants to ensure safety, ethical standards, and informed consent.

Naturalistic Observation

An observational research method involving the recording of behavior in its natural setting without experimental manipulation.

Archival Research

A research method using pre-existing records or data sets to answer research questions or identify data patterns.

Longitudinal Research

A research design in which the same group of participants is measured or surveyed repeatedly over an extended period.

Cross-Sectional Research

A research design that compares multiple segments of a population simultaneously at a single point in time.

Correlation Coefficient

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

Confounding Variable

An unmeasured outside factor that influences both variables in a study, creating a false impression of a cause-and-effect link.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated or controlled by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

The variable in an experiment measured by the researcher to determine the impact of the independent variable.

Operational Definition

A clear, precise description of how variables are measured and defined within a research study.

Double-Blind Study

An experimental procedure in which both participants and researchers are kept unaware of group assignments to prevent bias and placebo effects.

p-value

The probability that an experimental result occurred purely by chance assuming no real effect exists.

Reliability

The consistency and reproducibility of a given research result.

Validity

The accuracy of a given result or test in measuring what it was designed to measure.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Structuralism

An early school of psychology led by Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener that aimed to break down conscious experience into its basic components via introspection.

Functionalism

An early school of psychology influenced by William James that focused on how mental activities help an organism adapt to its environment.

Gestalt Psychology

A psychological approach emphasizing that sensory experiences are organized as unified wholes rather than simple sums of individual parts.

Behaviorism

A school of psychology pioneered by John Watson and B.F. Skinner focused exclusively on observing and controlling overt, measurable behavior.

Humanism

A perspective championed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers emphasizing the whole person and the innate potential for personal growth.

Cognitive Psychology

The branch of psychology dedicated to studying internal mental states and processes, such as perception, memory, THINKING , and language.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

A subfield of psychology that applies psychological theories, principles, and empirical findings to workplace and organizational settings.

Forensic Psychology

A branch of psychology that applies psychological science and clinical practice to legal and judicial systems.

William James

who Focused on functionalism and natural selection.

Edward Titchener

Student of Wilhelm Wundt who focused on structuralism.

Sigmund Freud

Who Developed psychoanalytic theory, focusing on the unconscious mind, childhood experiences, and the id, ego, and superego.

B.F. Skinner

Behaviorist known for studying reinforcement and punishment.

Noam Chomsky

Key figure in the cognitive revolution.

Wilhelm Wundt

German philosopher and physician who studied conscious experience through introspection.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on the role of the UNCONSCIOUS.

Behavioral Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on LEARNING.

Humanistic Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on the whole HUMAN.

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on THOUGHTS.

Sociocultural Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on ENVIRONMENTAL influences.

Biological Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on PHYSIOLOGICAL processes.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on EVOLUTIONARY adaptations.