Psy 1010 Exam 1

Wilhelm Wundt

-Father of Psychology

-Developed objective introspection

-believed that consciousness could be broken down into thoughts, experiences, and emotions(basic elements)

Structuralism

Focused on the structure of the mind experiences could be broken down into emotions and sensations

William James

-Created functionalism

-wrote Principles of Psychology

Functionalism

how the mind allows people to adapt live, work, and play

John B. Watson

-created Behaviorism

Behaviorism

Focus on observable behavior only and must be directly seen and measured

Sigmund freud

-founder of psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis

a theory of the mind and a therapeutic method developed by Sigmund Freud that explores the unconscious mind to understand and treat psychological issues

Humanistic perspective

Free will; Rogers’ person-centered therapy & Maslow’s hierarchy of needs with self-actualization (achieving full potential)

Objective Introspection

The process of objectively examining and measuring one’s own thought and mental activities

Naturalistic Observation

Watching animals or humans behave in their normal environment

Case study

Study of one individual in great detail

surveys

Researchers ask a series of questions about the topic under study

Experiment

A deliberate manipulation of a variable to see whether corresponding changes in behavior result, allowing the determination of cause-and-effect relationships

Independent variable

A variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter

Example of IV: violent tv

Dependent variable

A variable in an experiment that represents the measurable response or behavior of subjects in the experiment

Example of DV: aggressive play

Placebo effect

A phenomenon in which the expectations of participants in a study can influence their behavior

Double-blind study

Neither the experimenter nor the subjects know which subjects are in the experimental or control group

Random assignments

process of assigning subjects to experimental or control groups randomly, so that each subject has an equal chance of being in either group

confounding

extraneous, interfering variables

Psychiatrist

specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorder

Psychologist

treatment of mental health

Social Work

professional who provides critical support and resources to individuals, families, groups, and communities, helping them navigate complex life situations, advocate for their needs, and connect to essential services.

Neuron

The basic cell that makes up the nervous system and receives and sends messages within that system

Dendrites

branch-like structures; receive messages from other neurons

Soma

cell body of the neuron; maintains the life of the cell

Axon

long, tubelike structure; carries neural message to other cells

Myelin

fatty substances produced by certain glial cells that coat the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse

All-or-none

a neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all

Reuptake

process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicle

Dopamine

Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in the control of movement and sensations of pleasure

Agonists

mimic or enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter on the receptor sites of the next cell, increasing or decreasing the activity of that cell

Antagonists

block or reduce a cell’s response to the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters

Somatic nervous system

nerves controlling voluntary muscles of the body

Autonomic nervous system

nerves controlling involuntary muscles, organs, and glands

Sympathetic

Activates the "fight-or-flight" response, which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate

Parasympathetic

the division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the "rest and digest" functions that promote a state of calm, relaxation, and recovery

Cerebellum

-part of the lower brain located behind the pons

-Controls and coordinates involuntary, rapid, fine motor movement

Medulla

-the first large swelling at the top of the spinal cord, forming the lowest part of the brain

-Responsible for life-sustaining functions such as breathing, swallowing, and heart rate

hippocampus

-curved structure located within each temporal lobe

-Responsible for the formation of long-term declarative memories

Hypothalamus

-small structure in the brain located below the thalamus and directly above the pituitary gland

-Responsible for motivational behavior such as sleep, hunger, thirst, and sex

Frontal lobes

areas of the cortex located in the front and top of the brain; responsible for higher mental processes and decision-making, as well as the production of fluent speech

Occipitial lobe

A section of the brain located at the rear and bottom of each cerebral hemisphere containing the visual centers of the brain

Parietal lobes

Sections of the brain located at the top and back of each cerebral hemisphere contain the centers for touch, taste, and temperature sensations

Temporal lobes

areas of the cortex along the sides of the brain, starting just behind the temples, containing the neurons responsible for the sense of hearing and meaningful speech

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

a device records the electrical activity of cortical neurons using scalp electrodes

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

A Brain-imaging method using radio waves and magnetic fields of the body to produce detailed images of the brain

Functional MRI (fMRI)

A computer makes a sort of “movie” of changes in the activity of the brain using images from different time periods

Positron emission tomography (PET)

radioactive sugar is injected into the subject and a computer compiles a color-coded image of brain activity of the brain; e.g., lighter or brighter colors might be used to indicate more activity

Peripheral nervous system

all nerves and neurons that are not contained in the brain and spinal cord but that run through the body itself

Central nervous system 

part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord