East Carolina University- PSYC 1000: Exam 1

science

systematic methods used to observe the natural world.

behavior

everything we do that can be observed.

mental processes

thoughts, feelings and motives that people experience privately.

academic

34% of psychologists work in what kind of field?

structuralism

founded by Wilhelm Wundt, it is all of the structures in the mental processes.

functionalism

founded by William James, this is the functions and purposes of the mind and behavior in the individual's adaptation to the environment.

introspection

"looking inside" the mental processes.

Choosing a variable

Along with developing a theory, what is the first step in the scientific method?

Formulate a hypothesis

What is the second step in the scientific method?

Collecting and analyzing data

Along with establishing an operational definition, what is the third step in the scientific method?

Drawing and evaluating conclusions

What is the fourth and final step in the scientific method?

descriptive

a type of psychological research where you find out about some variable.

correlational

a type of psychological research where you discover relationships between variables.

experimental

a type of psychological research where you establish causal relationships.

case studies

a type of descriptive research where you take an in-depth look at an individual.

third variable problem

also called confounds, this is a type of problem where some other variable accounts for relationship between two variables.

longitudinal designs

obtaining measures of variables of interest in multiple waves over time and suggests potential causal relationships.

within-participant design

participants serve as their own control group.

independent variables

variables that are manipulated.

dependent variables

variables that are measured.

population

Random samples are likely the representative of what?

double-blind experiment

a type of experiment where the experimenter and participants don't know who's in the experiment and control group until the results are calculated.

informed consent

an APA ethics guideline where participants must know what their participation will involve and what risks may develop.

confidentiality

an APA ethics guideline where researchers keep all data completely anonymous.

debriefing

an APA ethics guideline where researchers inform the participants of its purpose and the methods they use.

deception

an APA ethics guideline where experimenters tell the participants beforehand what the study is, which in turn, invalidates the participant's input.

nervous system

the electrochemical communication circuitry that has billions of communicating cells.

plasticity

the brain's capacity to change.

afferent nerves

sensory nerves that sent information to the brain and spinal cord.

efferent nerves

motor nerves that send information out of brain and spinal cord.

neural networks

the integration of sensory input and motor output.

central nervous system

a primary division of the nervous system that is composed of the brain and spinal cord.

99

the percentage of all nerve cells that are located in the central nervous system.

peripheral nervous system

a primary division of the nervous system that has a network of nerves that connect the central nervous system to the body.

somatic and autonomic

What are the two nervous system subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system?

somatic

the nervous system that carries sensory information from skin and muscles to the central nervous system.

autonomic

the nervous system that messages to and from internal organs.

sympathetic and parasympathetic

What are the two nervous system subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system?

sympathetic

the nervous system that arouses the body.

parasympathetic

the nervous system that calms the body.

corticosteroids

stress hormones.

neurons

nerve cells that process information.

glial cells

cells that provide support and nutritional benefits.

cell body

the structure of a neuron that contains a nucleus.

dendrites

tree-like fibers that project from neurons and the receptors hold neurotransmitters.

axon

carries information from cell body toward other cells.

myelin sheath

a layer of fat cells that encase and insulate most axons.

resting potential

the stable, negative charge of an inactive neuron.

action potential

the brief, positive electrical charge, or firing of a neural impulse and abides by the all-or-nothing principle.

all-or-nothing principle

once the electrical impulse reaches its threshold, it fires and moves down the axon without losing any of its intensity.

synapses

the space between neurons (synaptic gap).

neurotransmitters

stored in synaptic vesicles (sacs) within terminal buttons and are chemicals signals that allow electrical impulses to cross synaptic gaps. Furthermore, these are excitatory, inhibitory, or both.

acetylcholine

stimulates firing of neurons and is involved in action of muscles, learning and memory. In addition, Alzheimer's disease occurs from a deficiency of this.

GABA

keeps many neurons from firing.

norepinephrine

a neurochemical messenger that inhibits firing of neurons in the central nervous system. In addition, it excites heart muscle, intestines and urogenital tract.

depression

a symptom caused by a too little amount of norepinephrine and lowered levels of dopamine.

agitated, manic states

a symptom caused by too much norepinephrine.

anxiety

a symptom caused by low levels of GABA.

dopamine

a neurochemical messenger that helps to control voluntary movement. In addition, it affects sleep, mood, attention, learning and rewards.

Parkinson's disease

disorder caused by low levels of dopamine.

schizophrenia

disorder caused by high levels of dopamine.

serotonin

a neurochemical messenger that is involved in regulation of sleep, mood, attention and learning.

endorphins

natural opiates that mainly stimulate firing of neurons, shield body from pain and elevate feelings of pleasure.

oxytocin

hormone and neurotransmitter that plays an important role in experience of love and social bonding.

agonist

drug that mimics or increases effects of neurotransmitter.

antagonist

drug that blocks effects of neurotransmitter.

brain lesioning

abnormal disruption in the tissue of the brain resulting from injury or disease.

electrical recording

detects brain wave activity.

X-Ray images

brain imaging that is two-dimensional.

CT/CAT scan images

brain imaging that is three-dimensional.

PET scan

brain imaging that shows metabolic changes.

MRI

brain imaging that shows a brain's structure.

f MRI

brain imaging that focuses on the brain's function.

hindbrain

adjacent to top part of spinal cord.

midbrain

rises above hindbrain and is involved in stereotyped patterns of behavior, such as sleeping or walking.

forebrain

uppermost region of brain.

medulla

located in the hindbrain, it controls vital functions (such as breathing and heart rate) and regulates reflexes.

cerebellum

located in the hindbrain, it controls motor coordination.

pons

located in the hindbrain, it controls sleep and arousal.

brain stem

includes much of hindbrain and midbrain and determines alertness and regulates basic survival functions.

limbic system

located in the forebrain, it is important in both memory and emotion. In addition, it has two principal structures: amygdala and hippocampus.

amygdala

discrimination, or fear, of objects necessary for survival.

hippocampus

plays a special role in storage of memories

thalamus

located in the forebrain, it serves as a relay station for information.

basal ganglia

located in the forebrain, it works with cerebellum and cerebral cortex and controls and coordinates voluntary movements.

hypothalamus

located in the forebrain, it monitors eating, drinking, sex, emotion, stress and reward. In addition, it helps direct endocrine system, regulates the body's internal stage and is involved in pleasurable feelings.

occipital lobes

located in the cerebral cortex of the forebrain, they respond to visual stimuli.

temporal lobes

located in the cerebral cortex of the forebrain, they focus on hearing, language processing and memory.

frontal lobes

located in the cerebral cortex of the forebrain, they focus on personality, intelligence and control of voluntary muscles.

prefrontal cortex

located in the forebrain, this is used for planning, reasoning and self-control.

parietal lobes

located in the cerebral cortex of the forebrain, they register spatial location, attention and motor control.

somatosensory cortex

located in front of parietal lobes, it processes information about body sensations.

motor cortex

located just behind frontal lobes, they process information about voluntary movement.

association cortex

makes up 75% of cerebral cortex and integrates information.

corpus callosum

large bundle of axons connecting the brain's two hemispheres and relays the information between two sides.

left hemisphere

receives information from right side of body and processes language such as speech and grammar.

right hemisphere

receives information from left side of body and processes nonverbal information, such as spatial perception, visual recognition, and emotion.

endocrine system

a set of glands that regulate activities of certain organs.

glands

organs or tissues that create chemicals that control bodily functions in the endocrine system.

hormones

chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands.