psychology fall final FRQ vocab

operational defining variabes

- independent

- dependent

research groups

- experimental

- control

independent variables

- what you control in the experiment

- changes dependent variable

dependent variables

- result of independent variable

- dependent on independent variable

experimental groups

- exposed to the independent variables

- receives the experimental manipulation

control groups

receives no treatment or placebo treatment

correlational research

- relationship between two or more variable when researches are not able to manipulate variables

- used to make predictions and analyze descriptive research methods

- cannot be used to determine cause and effect relationships

CORRELATION ≠ CAUSATION

extraneous/confounding variables (third variable problem)

outside factors that influences dependent variable

random selection/sample

- method of choosing participants from population

- reduces bias

random assignment

- assigns participants to control or experimental group at random

- reduces bias

computer generated selection

how sampling and assignment is done

research ethics

- confidentiality: names kept secret

- informed consent: participants must agree to be part of study

- debriefing: must be told the true purpose of study (done after)

- no mental or physical harm

frontal lobe

- advanced cognitive abilities

- planning, personality, decision-making, movement of voluntary muscles

parietal lobe

- touch and sensory info processing

- general processing like math reasoning spatial processing language and memory

- somatosensory cortex: map of sensory receptors

occipital lobe

- visual info processing

- visual cortex

temporal lobe

- sound info processing

- auditory cortex, wernicke's area

stimulants

- speeds things up

- ex: methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, caffeine, nicotine

depressants

- slows down neuroactivity

- ex: alcohol, heroin

limbic system

- amygdala

- hypothalamus

- hippocampus

- thalamus

amygdala

- responsible for emotional responses, especially fear

- helps recognize facial expression of emotion associated w/anger and aggression

- damaged ex: cannot draw what a fearful expression looks like

hypothalamus

- controls autonomic functions

- hunger, thirst, body temperature, sexual activity

- linked to endocrine system (releases hormones)

thalamus

- sensory switchboard

- all sensory information except smell

sympathetic nervous system

- reacts to stress (fight or flight)

- dilates pupils

- increases heart rate and breathing

- stops digestion and excretion

parasympathetic nervous system

- restores body to normal functioning/homeostasis (rest and digest)

- constricts pupils

- slows heart rate and breathing

- reactivates digestion and excretion

sleep disorders

- sleep apnea

- insomnia

- narcolepsy

sleep apnea

- breathing repeatedly stops and starts which leads to many repeated awakenings

- deprived of slow-wave sleep

- causes: smoking, gaining weight

- treatments: lifestyle changes, air pressure mask, oral appliance to keep mouth open, surgery

insomnia

- chronic problem in getting adequate sleep

- difficulty falling asleep, difficulty remaining asleep, persistent early morning awakening

- causes: stress, jet lag, depression, health issues, medication, caffeine

- treatments: cognitive behavioral treatment, sleeping pills, alcohol

narcolepsy

- overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleepiness

- may collapse directly into REM sleep with episodes lasting 15-30 minutes

- symptoms: cataplexy (loss of muscle tone due to emotional response), hallucinations, sleep paralysis

- causes: absence of hypothalamic neural center

- treatments: neurotransmitters linked to alertness, medications

REM sleep

- brain waves resemble beta (waking) waves

- body temperature rises to near-waking levels, eyes move rapidly, heart rate increases

- 90% of dreams occur in this stage

- occurs more later in the sleep cycle

- nightmares

NREM 1 (light sleep)

- alpha waves decrease, theta waves increase

- breathing slows, brain waves irregular, occasional twitching, hypnagogic images, hypnic jerks

- easy to wake someone up in this stage

NREM 2 (sleep spindles)

- brain wave (theta) cycle slows, EEG sleep spindles develop (lasts 1-2 seconds)

- still relatively easy to wake someone up in this stage

- the first time through this stage lasts approximately 20 minutes

- sleep talking

NREM 3 (deep sleep)

- begin to see large, slow delta waves

- transitional stage

- very difficult to wake someone up in this stage and if they do, they will be disoriented and confused

- lasts only a few minutes

NREM 4 (deep sleep)

- large, slow delta waves regular

- growth hormones are released and peak, body at lowest level of functioning

- very difficult to wake someone up in this stage and if they do, they will be disoriented and confused

- lasts about 30 minutes

- night terrors

selye's general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

- body's adaptive response to stress is like an alarm sounding

- alarm reaction stage: activation of sympathetic nervous system

- resistance stage: coping with stressor

- exhaustion stage: reserves depleted, vulnerable to "collapse" or dissociative amensia/fugue

figure-ground relationship

- the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into objects that stand out from their surrounding

- visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory

foveal vision

- cones

- center of retina, color, clarity

peripheral vision

- rods

- edge of retina (periphery)

- black and white vision

- night vision (dim light)

operant conditioning

- positive reinforcement

- negative reinforcement

- positive punishment

- negative punishment

positive reinforcement

adding something pleasant to increase behavior

negative reinforcement

removing something unpleasant to increase behavior

positive punishment

adding something unpleasant to decrease behavior

negative punishment

removing something pleasant to decrease behavior

proactive interference

- retrieval difficulties

- new info is hard to recall because it's not familiar

- ex: incorrectly writing the date in a new year

retroactive interference

- retrieval difficulties

- can't remember old info when learned new info

- ex: forgetting names of former students in a new school year with new students

internal locus of control

the perception that one controls his or her own fate

external locus of control

- the perception that change or forces beyond one's control determine his or her fate

- "it is what it is"

self-efficacy

- an individual's expectation of how effective his or her efforts to accomplish a goal will be in any particular circumstance

- high levels = self confidence

freud's defense mechanisms

- projection

- displacement

- regression

- repression

- reaction formation

- denial

projection

- attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or issues to another person

- ex: aging woman begins to point out how old her friends look

displacement

- redirecting impulses towards an acceptable/symbolic substitute

- ex: children who fear expressing anger towards parents, may displace it (redirect it) by yelling at or hitting a sibling

regression

- retreating to a more infantile stage; reversing to immature patterns of behavior

- ex: teenager throws a temper tantrum because parents give an early curfew

repression

- blocking thoughts from conscious awareness

- ex: blocking out an upcoming test to prevent stress

reaction formation

- unconsciously switch unacceptable impulses into their opposites

- ex: a young boy "picks on" or teases a girl he likes

denial

- refusing to accept or experience a certain situation

- ex: health issues isn't that serious

big-five trait theory

- openness

- conscientiousness

- extraversion

- agreeableness

- neurtoicism

openness (big-five trait)

- imagination, feelings, actions, ideas

- high/more: curious, wide range of interests, independent

- low/less: practical, conventional, prefers routine

conscientiousness (big-five trait)

- competence, self-discipline, thoughtfulness, goal-driven

- high/more: hardworking, dependable, organized

- low/less: impulsive, careless, disorganized

extraversion (big-five trait)

- sociability, assertiveness, emotional expression

- high/more: outgoing, warm, seeks adventure (extrovert)

- low/less: quiet, reserved, withdrawn (introvert)

agreeableness (big-five trait)

- cooperative, trustworthy, good-natured

- high/more: helpful, trusting, empathetic

- low/less: critical, uncooperative, suspicious

neuroticism (big-five trait)

- tendency toward unstable emotions

- high/more: anxious, unhappy, prone to negative emotions

- low/less: calm, even-tempered, secure