AP Psychology Unit 2 Vocab

correlational studies

study of relationship between two variables

statistical significance, p value

probability that results are due to chance

correlational coefficient

number to measure how strong a relationship is (-1,1)

survey

resarch method that collects self-reported infromation

naturalistic observation

observing unaware subject

case study

investigation of unusual case

hawthorne effect

idea that pariticpants change thier behavior when being watched

demand characteristic

idea that when one is being observed, they will give off behaviors they think the researcher is looking for

longitudinal study

study over a long period of time

cross sectional reserach

compares 2 groups at once

confounding variable

things that may affect the dependent variable that’s not the independent variable

placebo

mimics actual substance but has no active ingredientsp

placebo effect

idea that an oberserver has when they have taken a placebo and have convinced themselves theyve taken the real thing so they feel the effects that they may have had of the real substance

double blind study

study where researcher and participant are unaware of group/assignments

placebo treatment

given to half of the participants, control group

experimenter vias

conformation bias, researcher may only find what they’re looking for and ignore other results

single blind study

pariticpants are unaware of their group/hypothesis

representation bias

a bias from participants in a study due to lack of diverse sample

random sample

subjects are randomly selected for a study

random assignment

participants randomly assigned treatment

IRB

intstitutional research board that reviews reserach and ensures its ethical

fiduciary responsibility

responsibility of researcher to act in best interest of sample

informed consent

sample agrees to take part in study

debriefing

post study where resarcher explains the experiment and findings in full

voluntary participation

free to participate in an activity without coercion or pressure and right to withdraw

confidentiality

researcher not leaking unwanted information.

empiricism

idea that knowledge is logcal and from experience

operational definition

measurable and observable definition of variables

hypothesis

an if then prediction

type 1 error

false alarm when analyzing datat

type 2 error

error from data that you interpret as your null hypothesis being correct while it is not and you dont notice it

phrenology

study of bumps on skull to determine behaviors

localization of function

idea that specific brain regions have specific functions

biological psychologists

study links between biological and psychological processes

plasticity

brain is adaptive to mishaps/experiences

neurons

building blocks of brain

biopsychological

a framework that views health and illness as the result of interactions between biological, psychological, and social factors

cell body

the neuron's central hub that contains the nucleus

axon

fiber of neuron that transmits signals to other cells

terminal button

end of axon terminals that releases neurotransmitters

dendrites

a short branched extension of a nerve cell, along which impulses received from other cells at synapses are transmitted to the cell body.

myelin sheath

myelin covering of axon

multiple sclerosis

myelin sheath degeneration which leads to loss of muscle control

glial cells

glue cells that support neurons

action potential

firing of impulse sent down to travel down axon

selectively permable

property of axons surface that allows some things to pass through

resting potential

state of axon where outside consists of Na+ ions and inside is K-

depolarization

loss of the difference of charges between the outside Na+ ions and K- ions as they flood into the same place

excitatory signal

signal that acts as pushing the gas pedal

inhibitory signal

signal similar to that of pushing the brake of a neuron

synapse

gap inbetween terminal buttons and dendrites of next neuron

neurotransmitter

the chemical messages released when the firing reaches the synapse

reuptake

process of excess neurotransmitters being reabsorbed

acetylcholine

neurotransmitter mainly for muscle learning and memory

endorphins

neurotransmitter that percieves pain/pleasure

agonist

molecules that increase neurotransmitter action by increasing production

antagonist

molecules that decrease neurotransmitter action by blocking release

nervous system

commmunication network that orders body network

central nervous

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

gathers info and transmitts to other body parts

nerves

electric cables formed by bundles of axons

optic nerve

bundle of axons that carry info from eye to brain

sensory neurons

carry messages from body tissue and receptors inward

motor neurons

carry instructions from brain and spinal cord to body

interneurons

how info is processed and transmitted between sensory and motor neurons

somatic

voluntary control of muscles

autonomic

controls internal organs, things your body automatically does

sympathetic

arouses or expends energy that alerts you

parasympathetic

conserves energy and calms down 

homeostasis

intermediate stage that is steady in between parasympathetic and sympathetic

neural networks

clusters of neurons that communicate with each other

spinal cord

info highway that connects peripheral nervous system and brain

reflexes

bodys natural automatic reaction to stimilus

endocrine system

second communication system through bloodstreams

adrenal glands

glands on top of kidneys that release adreneline or noradreneline

epeniphrine

adrenaline

norepeniphrine

noradrenaline

pituitary gland

pea sized structure in brain that controlls other pituitary glands and is controlled by hypothalamus

oxytocin

hormone that has to do with contractions and social trust

hypothalamus

influences pituitary glands

cortisol

stress hormone

optogenics

control of brain activity of one individual neuron

electroencephalogram

amplifies brain waves and makes it easier for scientists to analyze

magnetoencephalography

measures brains magnetic waves from natural electric waves

PET scan

shows brain areas consumption of glucose

MRI

distorts brains molecules and releases signals that provides images of tissues in brain

fMRI

reveals brain functions as well as structure

brainstem

oldest most inter region of brain

medulla

base of brainstem that is connected to spinal cord

pons

region of brainstem that links thalamus and medulla

thalamus

top of brain stem that is brains sensory control center

reticular formation

resides in brain stem in between ears , nerves that connect spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebrum

cerebellum

extends from rear of brainstem , used for nonverbal learning and memory

limbic system

newest brain system that contains amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus

hypothalamus

below thalamus, regulates hunger thirst, and sexual behavior

reward deficiency syndrome

a theoretical model that proposes a biological basis for certain addictive and compulsive behaviors

cerebrum

2 cerebral hemispheres

cerebrel cortex

layer of interconnected neurons covering cerebrum

fissues

folds in the brain