Psychology Test 1 Vocab Terms

Empirical Approach

an evidence based method that draws on observation and experimentation

critical thinking

thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

structuralism

an early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener, used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind

functionalism

an early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin, explored how mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

behaviorism

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without refrence to mental processes. Most psychologists today agree with 1 but not 2

humanistic psychology

a historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential

cognitive psychology

the study. of mental processes, such as occur when we perceive, learn, remember, think, communicate, and solve problems

cognitive neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition including perception thinking memory and language

psychology

the study of behavior and mental processes

nature vs nurture issue

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture.

natural selection

the principle that the inherited traits enabling an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind using principles of natural selection

behavior genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

positive psychology

the scientific study of human flourishing with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological psychological and social-cultural levels of analysis

levels of analysis

the differing complementary views from biological to psychological to social cultural for analyzing any given phenomenon

basic research

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

applied research

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

counseling psychology

a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living often related to school work or relationships and in achieving greater well being

clinical psychology

a branch of psychology that studies assessses and treats people with psychological disorders

psychiatry

a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders, practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy

community psychology

a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions such as schools and neighborhoods affect individuals and groups

tesing effect

Enhanced memory after retrieving rather than simply rereading information. also referred to as a retrieval practice effect or test enhanced learning

SQ3R

a study method incorporating five steps Survey Question Read Retrieve Review

hindsight bias

the tendency to believe after learning an outcome that one would have foreseen it

theory

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors of events

hypothesis

a testable prediction often implied by a theory

operational definition

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures operations used in a research study fore example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures (aka operationalization)

replication

repeating the essence of a research study usually with different participants in. different situations to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced

preregistration

publicly communicating planned study design hypotheses data collection and analyses

meta analysis

a statistical procedures for analyzing the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion

case study

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

naturalistic observation

a descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

survey

a descriptive technique for obtaining the self reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group usually be questioning a representative, random sample of the group

random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

population

all those in a group being studied, from which random samples may be drawn

correlation

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and thus of how well either factor predicts the other

correlation coefficient

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to 1)

variable

anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. the slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. the amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation

illusory correlation

Perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger than actual relationship

regression toward the mean

the tendency for extreme or unusual score or events to fall back toward the average

experiment

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process. by random assignment of participants the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors

experimental group

in an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance this minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

double blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have recieved the treatment or a placebo

placebo effect

experimental results caused by expectations alone any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition which the recipient assumes is an active agent

independent variable

in an experiment the factor that is manipulated the variable whose effect is being studied

confounding variable

in an experiment a factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a study’s results

dependent variable

in an experiment, the outcome that is measured the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

informed consent

giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

debriefing

the post experimental explanation of a study including its purpose and any deceptions to its participants

mode

the most frequently occurring scores in a distribution

mean

the arthimetic average of a distrubution obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the numbers of scores

median

the middle score in a distrubution half the scores are above it and half are below it

range

the difference between teh highest and lowest scores in a distrubution

standard deviation

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

normal curve

a symmetrical bell shaped curve that describes the distrubution of many types of data, most scores fall near the mean about 68 percent fall within one standard deviation of it, and fewer and fewer near the extrememes

statistical significance

a statement of how likely it is that a result such a difference between samples occurred by chance assuming there is no difference between teh populations being studied

biological psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes

neuroplasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

neuron

a nerve cell the basic building block of the nervous system

cell body

the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus, the cell’s life support center

dendrites

a neuron’s often bushy branching extensions that recieve and integrate messages conduction impulses toward the cell body

axon

the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons, enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support nourish and protect neurons, they also play a role in learning thinking and memory

action potential

a neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

refractory period

in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired, subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

all or none response

a neurons reaction of either firing with a full strength response or not firing

synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons

reuptake

a neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron

endorphins

natural opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action

antagonist

molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitters action

nervous system

the bodys speedy electrochemical communication network consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

CNS

the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system PNS

the sensory and motor neurons tha tconnect the central nervous system to teh rest of teh body

nerves

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles glands and sensory organs

sensory (afferent) neurons

neurons that carry incoming information fromt he tissues and sensory receptions to teh brain

motor (efferent) neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from teh brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord, they communicate internally and process information between teh sensory inputs and motor outputs

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system ANS

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs such as the hearth - sympathetic and parasympathetic division

sympathetic nervous system

the division of the ANS that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body conserving its energy

reflex

a simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus such as the knee jerk reflex

endocrine system

the bodys slow chemical communication system - glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactures by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sits just above the kidneys and secretes hormones (epinephrine, and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress

pituitary gland

the endocrine system’s most influential gland, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

lesion

tissue distruction a brain lesion is anturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

EEG

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

MEG

a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brains natural electrical activity

PET

a technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

MRI

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue- shows brain activity

fMRI

a technique for revealing blood flow and therefore brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans show brain function as well as structure