PSYC 100 Exam 1 Study Guide Flashcards

245 vocabulary flashcards covering Chapters 1–3: History & Research Methods, Biological Psychology, and Sensation & Perception.

Psychology

The scientific and systematic study of human and animal behavior and mental processes.

Empirical

Based on systematic observation, collection, and analysis of data.

Objective (science)

Free from the personal bias of the scientist.

Scientific method

The set of assumptions, rules, and procedures scientists use to conduct research: observe, hypothesize, test, conclude, evaluate.

Determinism

The assumption that all events, including behavior, have causes that can be explained; all sciences assume this.

Indeterminism

The view that events are uncertain or unpredictable; rejected by science.

Nondeterminism

The view that behavior is a product of free will rather than prior causes; rejected by science.

Animism

Pre-philosophic belief that all of nature is alive with spirits; relied on supernatural explanation.

Self-serving bias

The tendency to credit yourself for success but blame outside factors for failure.

False-consensus effect

The tendency to assume your own opinions, beliefs, or behaviors are more widely shared than they actually are.

Hindsight bias

The tendency to believe, after the fact, that you could have predicted an outcome ("I knew it all along").

Phrenology

Discredited theory claiming bumps on the skull reveal personality traits and mental abilities.

Wilhelm Wundt

"The father of experimental psychology"; opened the first psychology lab in Leipzig (1879); studied attention and consciousness.

Kenneth and Mamie Clark

Psychologists whose research on race and self-esteem helped end school segregation.

Lillian Gilbreth

Pioneer of industrial-organizational psychology.

William Marston

Pioneer of lie detection.

Theme 1 (7 Themes)

Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts its conclusions as new data develop.

Theme 2 (7 Themes)

Psychology explains general principles that govern behavior while recognizing individual differences.

Theme 3 (7 Themes)

Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors all influence behavior and mental processes.

Theme 4 (7 Themes)

Psychology values diversity and fosters inclusion in pursuit of a more just society.

Theme 5 (7 Themes)

Our perceptions and biases filter our experience of the world through an imperfect personal lens.

Theme 6 (7 Themes)

Applying psychological principles can change lives, organizations, and communities in positive ways.

Theme 7 (7 Themes)

Ethical principles guide psychology research and practice.

Biopsychosocial approach

The perspective that biological, psychological, and social factors all interact to influence behavior and mental processes.

Nature vs. nurture

The debate over how much genetics (nature) vs. environment and experience (nurture) shape behavior.

Massed practice

Cramming studying into one long session; a less effective study method.

Distributed/spaced practice

Spreading study sessions out over time; more effective than massed practice.

Elaboration

Connecting new concepts to your own experiences and existing knowledge to improve memory.

Retrieval practice

Testing yourself on material (e.g., flashcards) instead of just re-reading it.

Career: Biopsychology/ neuroscience

Studies the physiological bases of behavior — brain areas, hormones, and neurotransmitters.

Career: Clinical and counseling psychology

Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders; largest field of psychology.

Career: Cognitive psychology

Studies memory, language, and thinking using methods like reaction time and brain imaging.

Career: Developmental psychology

Studies the cognitive, emotional, and social changes that occur across the lifespan.

Career: Forensic psychology

Applies psychological principles to the legal and criminal justice system.

Career: Health psychology

Studies how biology, behavior, and social situation influence health and illness.

Career: Industrial-organ izational (I/O) psychology

Applies psychology to the workplace to improve employee performance and well-being.

Career: Personality psychology

Studies individual differences and develops theories explaining personality.

Career: School/educational psychology

Studies how people learn in school and the effectiveness of school programs.

Career: Social/cross-cultural psychology

Studies how people interact with and influence one another (conformity, group behavior, attitudes).

Career: Sports psychology

Studies the psychological factors that influence performance in sports.

SIFT test

Method for evaluating a claim in the news: Stop, Investigate the source, Find other sources, Trace the original claim.

Replication

Repeating a study to see if the same results occur; a cornerstone of good science.

Peer review

Process where other experts in a field evaluate a research manuscript before publication.

Parts of a research article

Title, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References.

Law (scientific)

A principle so general it applies to all situations in a domain.

Theory

An integrated set of principles that explains many, but not all, of the relationships in a given domain.

Research hypothesis

A specific and falsifiable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables.

Operational definition

A precise statement of how a variable is measured for a particular study.

Deception (research ethics)

When research participants are not fully informed about the true nature of the study before taking part; sometimes necessary for the integrity of the study.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee of at least 5 members that determines whether a proposed study using human participants meets ethical guidelines.

Descriptive research

Research designed to create a snapshot of current thoughts, feelings, or behavior; includes case studies, surveys, and naturalistic observation.

Case study

An in-depth investigation of a single person, family, event, or other entity; does not generalize.

Survey

A group of participants selected via random sampling and asked about their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors; can generalize.

Naturalistic observation

Research based on observing everyday events as they naturally occur; sometimes generalizes.

Generalizability

Whether research results can be applied to the entire population of interest.

Random sample

Participants chosen randomly from a population to take part in a survey.

Population

The entire group of people a researcher wishes to know about in a descriptive research design.

Correlational research

Research that measures the relationship between two or more variables; cannot determine causation.

Positive correlation

Two variables increase (or decrease) together.

Negative correlation

One variable increases while the other decreases.

Scatter plot

A visual graph of the relationship between two variables (X-axis and Y-axis).

Spurious correlation

A correlation between two variables that is coincidental rather than causal.

Experimental research

Research designed to determine if changes in one variable cause changes in another variable.

Independent variable (IV)

The variable the researcher manipulates in an experiment.

Dependent variable (DV)

The variable that is measured, expected to be affected by the independent variable.

Random assignment

A procedure where each participant's experimental condition is determined through a random process, to control for confounds.

Confounding variable (supplemental)

An outside factor that could affect the dependent variable, making it unclear whether the IV actually caused the change.

Control group (supplemental)

The group that does not receive the experimental treatment; used as a baseline for comparison.

Experimental group (supplemental)

The group that receives the treatment or manipulation being tested.

Placebo effect (supplemental)

Improvement in a participant caused by their belief in a treatment, not the treatment itself.

Double-blind study (supplemental)

A study design where neither participants nor researchers know who is in the treatment vs. control group, to reduce bias.

Correlation coefficient (supplemental)

A number from $-1$ to $+1$ indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.

Nativism vs. Empiricism

Persistent question in psychology: how much of a trait (e.g., intelligence) is innate (nativism) vs. learned through experience (empiricism).

Mind-body problem

Persistent question in psychology: how are the mind and body related? Studied through cognitive neuroscience.

Multiple levels of explanation

The idea that behavior can be explained at different levels: brain processes ("hardware," like all other people), information processing ("software," like some other people), and individual differences (personality, motivation — like no other person).

Nervous system

Consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that run throughout the body; communicates via electro-chemical signals.

Endocrine system

The body's second communication system; communicates via hormones (chemical messengers) through the bloodstream. Works together with the nervous system to regulate the body.

Neuron

A cell that carries information; the "wires" of the brain's circuits.

Sensory (afferent) neuron

Neuron that carries information from the senses toward the brain and spinal cord.

Motor (efferent) neuron

Neuron that carries commands from the brain and spinal cord out to the muscles.

Interneuron

Neuron that connects other neurons to each other, mostly within the brain and spinal cord.

Soma (cell body)

Part of the neuron containing the nucleus; found in all neurons.

Axon

The long fiber of a neuron that carries the electrical signal away from the cell body.

Axon terminals

The endpoints of the axon where neurotransmitters are released into the synapse.

Dendrites

Branch-like parts of a neuron that receive incoming signals.

Myelin

Fatty coating on the axon that speeds up signal transmission.

Node of Ranvier

Gap in the myelin sheath along the axon.

Action potential

The electrical signal that fires down a neuron's axon; what's measured is the rate of firing, not its size — low intensity stimuli produce slow firing, high intensity stimuli produce fast firing.

Threshold (neural firing)

The level of stimulation that must be reached for a neuron to fire an action potential.

Synapse

The space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron.

Synaptic vesicles

Small sacs in the axon terminal that store neurotransmitters and open to release them when an action potential arrives.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical stored in vesicles of the presynaptic cell, released in response to an action potential, that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors on the postsynaptic cell; each has a specific shape that only fits matching receptors.

Excitatory (neurotransmitter effect)

Increases the chance that the receiving neuron will fire.

Inhibitory (neurotransmitter effect)

Decreases the chance that the receiving neuron will fire.

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; generally involved in muscle movement and memory.

Substance P

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; generally involved in pain signaling.

Glutamate

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, generally involved in learning and memory.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; generally involved in reward, motivation, and movement.

GABA

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; the brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter, generally calms neural activity.

b-endorphin

Neurotransmitter named on his slide; generally reduces pain and can produce feelings of pleasure.