UC Berkeley Psychology 1 Exam 1

Psychology

the systematic study of behavior and experience

Three general themes of Psychology

Almost any behavior depends on many influences, and few statements apply to everyone all the time. Research progress depends on good measurement. Some conclusions in psychology are based on stronger evidence than others.

Determinism - free will

the view that everything, including human behavior, has a physical cause. This view is difficult to reconcile with the feeling that humans have free will—that we deliberately, consciously decide what to do.

Dualism

the mind is separate from the brain but somehow controls the brain and therefore the rest of the body.

Nature-nurture

Behavior depends on both nature (heredity) and nurture (environment).

Mind-brain

the question of how conscious experience relates to the activity of the brain.

monism

the view that conscious experience is inseparable from the physical brain

clinical psychologist

have an advanced degree in psychology (master's degree, doctor of philosophy [PhD], or doctor of psychology [PsyD]), with a specialty in understanding and helping people with psychological problems.

Psychiatry

a branch of medicine that deals with emotional disturbances.

Psychoanalysts

therapy providers who rely heavily on the theories and methods pioneered by the early 20th-century Viennese physician Sigmund Freud and later modified by others.

developmetal psychologist

study how behavior changes with age

learning and motivation

how behavior depends on the outcomes of past behaviors and current motivations

Cognition

thought and knowledge

cognitive psychologist

studies and focuses on how people make decisions, solve problems, and convert their thoughts to language

Who can prescribe drugs?

Psychiatrists, most psychoanalysts, and a few clinical psychologists

Research fields in Psychology

biological psychology,

learning and motivation, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology,

social psychology

Neuron

specialized cells that receive/transmit information throughout the body and brain; 80-100 billion in body by adulthood; mainly in CNS. Vary widely in shape

postsynaptic neuron

the neuron on the receiving end of the synapse. When a neurotransmitter excites the postsynaptic neuron, the time for it to happen varies from one synapse to another.

How do Neurons communicate?

A neuron communicates with an- other neuron by releasing a chemical called a neurotransmitter at a specialized junction called a synapse. A neurotransmitter can either excite or inhibit the next neuron, with varying durations of effect.

Diffusion/Metabolized

Neurotransmitter can be broken down, washed away, or used up by other cells and enzymes located in the synapse

Glia cells

Supports the nervous system: allows neurons to communicate better, removes waster, synchronizes activity, and insulates neurons

Oligodendrocyte

gets neurons to communicate all together(uniformly); goes through process of mylenation, which speed up communication process

terminal branches

reaches out to neurons so information can physically leave

Dopamine

important in reward/positive emotional sensation, motivation; high levels associated with schizophrenia, low levels parkinson's disease

neurotransmitters

chemicals released from pores of terminal buttons of neurons; released to synapse to communicate with cell. Can attach to several types of receptors with different properties.

Serotonin

implicated in psychological wellness/mood; linked to areas that control hunger, sleep cycles, and arousal

activation

(excite/inhibit) neurotransmitter temporarily cling onto dendrites of another neuron and influence the neuron based on type of neurotransmitter released

Synapse

small gap between dendrites and terminal buttons; neuron releases a chemical that either excites or inhibits the next neuron

dendrites

branch look alike; grabs information from neurons; receivers for the cell; accumulate information to decide whether or not to communicate with others

axon

longest part of the cell body; only one axon for each neuron. Sends messages out (some covered with myelin to speed up transmission of impulses along the axon)

Central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord

Action Potential

An impulse that flows down an axon by movement of chemical ions. Starts at axon hillock and ends @ terminal buttons; involves flow of + and - charged ions along the length of the ion

All-or-none law of the axon

Either the axon produces an action potential, or it doesn't

central nervous system

made up of the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

collection of nerves throughout the body. nerves connecting the spinal cord with the rest of the body.

Hemispheres of the brain

The human brain is divided into two halves called the left and right hemispheres

Left brain functions

Analytical thought, logic, language, science and math

Right brain functions

Holistic thought, intuition, creativity, art and music

cerebral cortex

outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of nerve cells; gray matter of the brain

Neuroplasticity

the brain ability to relearn/ regain function

Wernicke's aphasia

Patient didn't realize that he wasn't making sense

Broca's aphasia

Patient was able to realize that he wasn't making sense

Occipital lobe

at the rear of the head, is responsible for vision

temporal lobe

Located toward the left and right sides of the head, is the main area for hearing and certain aspects of vision involved in a lot of different tasks like processing language.

parietal lobe

specialized for the body senses, including touch, pain, temperature, and awareness of the location of body parts in space. (somatosensory)

Frontal lobe

at the anterior (forward) pole of the brain, includes the primary motor cortex, important for controlling fine movement

Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage. New neurons can form there.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

measurement tool that looks for electrical changes due to action potential; amazing temporal resolution ~1 ms

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Uses MRI techniques to determine where blood has just left oxygen

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

magnetic pulses temporarily deaden areas of the brain; 1 minute of stimulation=1 minute of deaden area

Positron Emission Tomography (PET SCAN)

Radioactive Isotopes that determine where blood is pulling towards; poor temporal resolution

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

uses spinning magnet to determine density of the brain

Drug

any chemical substance that alters normal bodily function

agonist

any substance that increases activity at the synapse

antagonist

any substance that decreases activity @ synapse

Reuptake Inhibitor

Slows return of released transmitter

Stimulants

Drugs that increase energy, alertness, and activity. Reuptake inhibitor; affects dopamine or serotonin; enhances attention, confusion, impaired attention, impulsiveness (cocaine, meth, nicotine, caffeine)

Marijuana

contains THC; antagonist; hard to classify; feeling of calm, softened pain, reduce nausea

Narcotics

Drugs that produce drowsiness, insensivitity to pain, and decreased responsiveness. Ex: Opiates (vicodin), morphine, heroin; agonist; produces drowsiness and insensitivity to pain

Depressants

Drugs that decrease arousal. EX: alcohol/tranquilizers; agonist; relaxed muscles, reduce inhibitions

Tranquilizers

A form of depressants that helps people relax. EX: xanax

GABA

the neurotransmitter is is released when alcohol and anxiolytic drugs (tranquilizers) are used

THC action on neurons

It decreases relate of glutamate or GABA

How does cocaine affect neurons?

They block reuptake of dopamine and serotonin by the presynaptic neuron.

Reuptake

axon terminal eventually suck back up neurotransmitters that were released

Hallucinogens

Drugs that induce sensory distortions. Ex: mushrooms, LSD, ecstacy; agonist/antagonist; distorted sensation, dreamlike.

Post synaptic

the neuron receiving the message when its receptors are activated by specific chemicals

Pre synaptic

Neuron sending a message by releasing chemicals when signaled to do so

Sensation

conversion of energy from the environment into a pattern of response by the nervous system

Perception

the interpretation of the information of sensation

light

composed of pulses of electromagnetic energy that vary in both wavelength and amplitude

Amplitude

determines intensity(brightness) of light

Wave length

determines the color or light; how fast light hits our eyes; visible light: ~300-700 nm.

Pupil

The opening through which light enters the eye

Iris

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening

Cornea

the transparent outer covering of the eye

lens

Focuses light on the retina

Retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

Fovea

the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster

Aqueous and Vitreous Humor

clear watery fluid - nourishment; jelly-like substance giving shape to the eye

Cones

color vision, daytime detailed vision (5-10% of cells). common within the fovea

Rods

Night vision, dim light, detect motion; 90-95% of cells within retina mostly along periphery

Opponent Process Theory

We perceive colors in terms of paired opposites; red vs green, blue vs yellow, white vs black

Cocktail effect

the ability to block everything out and focus on one specific thing

Color Constancy

determine color through more than the frequencies being projected, we also use ambient lighting and surrounding colors

Trichromatic theory of Color vision

Young-Helmholtz; 3 different types of cells sensitive to color; Short, Medium, and Long; blue, green, red; Problem; light and dark contrast & after image effect

Ganglion cells

connect rods and cones of the eyes to the cells along the optic nerve

Retinex Theory of color vision

Our expectations and processing of visual information is used to determine color

Gestalt Psychologist

Group of perceptual psychologist that attempted to understand perception by studying and defying rules and tricks that our minds use to perceive the chaotic world of stimuli that surrounds us.

Constructivist Approach

Top down processing; applying experience and expectations to interpret each item in context. Our expectations of the world around us, what we focus on, and our manipulations of the information presented to us shapes what we perceive (top-down processing)

Ecological approach

Bottom up Processing; tiny elements combine to produce larger items; environment effects on what we perceive. What we perceive in our environment can be explained entirely through the characteristics of the stimuli in our environment that our sensory organs are processing (bottom-up processing)

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory of Color Vision

the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors—one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue—which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.

Trichromats

most of us have three types of cones (L-cones, M-cones, and S-cones)

Oppoent-Process theory of Color Vision

supported by ecological approach. Our vision of color is also determined by a contrast between opposing colors

Color constancy

we determine color through more than the frequencies being projected, we also use ambient lighting and surrounding colors.

The retinex theory of color vision

our expectations and processing of visual information are used to determine color

Gestalt Psychologists

a group of perceptual psychologists that attempt to understand perception by studying and defining the rules and tricks that our minds use to perceive the chaotic world of the stimuli that surround us

Muller-Lyer Illusion

A famous visual illusion involving the misperception of the identical length of two lines, one with arrows pointed inward, one with arrows pointed outward.

The Ponso Illusion

Blocks and lines are same length

The Ames Room

Trapezoidal room; creates an optical illusion with one large and one small person