Exam 1 Psych

What is psychology?

Study of the mind and behavior.

What is the Dead Man Test?

If a dead man can do it, it’s not a behavior; if they can’t, it is a behavior.

What is dualism?

The idea that the brain and the mind are separate.

What is monism?

The idea that the brain and the mind are one.

What are the six major historical schools of psychology?

Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalytic, Behaviorism, Humanistic, Cognitive.

What is structuralism?

A “periodic table of the mind” and consciousness.

What is functionalism?

Understanding memory in relation to survival

What is psychoanalytic theory?

Talking out feelings to diagnose mental conditions.

What is behaviorism?

Studying directly observable behavior.

What is humanistic psychology?

Focusing on personal growth and self-actualization.

What is the cognitive revolution?

The use of computers to indirectly measure cognition.

What are the seven modern fields of psychology?

Biopsychology, Developmental, Behavior and Learning, Cognitive, Psychological Disorders & Therapy, Social, I/O Psychology.

What does biopsychology study?

It examines how biological processes influence behavior, thoughts, and emotions.

What does developmental psychology study?

Human growth and development.

What does behavior and learning psychology study?

How people learn and behave.

What does cognitive psychology study?

Memory, attention, emotion, intelligence, etc.

What does social psychology study?

How social environments influence behavior.

What does I/O psychology study?

Psychological processes in the workplace.

What is falsifiability?

A good hypothesis must be able to be proven wrong.

What is an operational definition?

A clear description of a behavior and how it is measured

What are the steps of the scientific method?

1. Identify a research question. 2. Develop a hypothesis. 3. Design a study. Conduct an empirical test. 4. Evaluate results with statistics. 5. Compare results with existing research. 6. Decide on future action (publish, continue, or change research)

What is naturalistic observation?

Observing behavior naturally without interference.

What is a case study?

In-depth observation of a single person or small group.

What is self-report?

Data collected through surveys or interviews.

What is the role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

Ensuring minimal harm, informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing.

Experimental control

Minimizing outside influence.

Environmental realism

Making the study environment similar to real life.

What is a positive correlation?

When one variable increases, the other increases.

What is a negative correlation?

When one variable increases, the other decreases.

What is an independent variable?

The variable that is manipulated.

What is a dependent variable?

The variable that is measured

What is a confounding variable?

An uncontrolled factor that may influence behavior.

What are neurons?

Nerve cells responsible for transmitting information.

What are glial cells?

Support cells that help neurons function.

What is the central nervous system (CNS)?

The brain and spinal cord.

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Connects the body to the CNS.

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movements.

Autonomic nervous system

Controls involuntary functions.

sympathetic nervous system

Prepares the body for action (fight or flight).

parasympathetic nervous system

Helps with digestion and relaxation.

How does information travel through an axon?

Information travels through an axon as an electrical signal known as an action potential, which is generated when a neuron is activated. (soma → axon → myelin sheath → axon terminal → synapse)

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, and Occipital Lobes

Frontal Lobe

Thinking, identity, motor control.

Parietal Lobe

Touch, spatial navigation.

Temporal Lobe

Auditory processing, language, object recognition.

Occipital Lobe

Visual processing.

What is the function of the hippocampus?

Memory.

What does the amygdala do?

Detects threats and triggers aggression.

What are the Four F’s of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis?

Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing, Mating.

What does the cerebellum do?

Helps with balance, movement, and coordination.

Medulla

Controls breathing and cardiovascular function.

Pons

Connects the brain and spinal cord.

What are neurotransmitters?

Chemical messengers between neurons.

Adrenaline

Fight or flight Neurotransmitter

Dopamine

Pleasure and reward Neurotransmitter

Serotonin

Mood regulation Neurotransmitter

GABA

Calming effect Neurotransmitter

Acetylcholine

Learning and memory Neurotransmitter

Glutamate

Memory Neurotransmitter

Endorphins

Euphoria Neurotransmitters

What is consciousness?

Awareness of internal and external experiences.

What is the Stroop task?

A psychological test that measures cognitive interference by requiring participants to name the color of the ink used to print a word, which can conflict with the name of the word itself.

What are the different sleep stages?

Awake (Beta waves), Stage 1 (Theta waves), Stage 2 (Sleep spindles and K-complexes), Stages 3-4 ((Delta waves) (deep sleep)), REM sleep (Beta waves): vivid dreaming.

Insomnia

Difficulty sleeping.

Sleep apnea

Breathing interruptions during sleep.

Narcolepsy

Sudden sleep attacks.

Parasomnias

Sleepwalking and night terrors.

What are the four main categories of psychoactive drugs?

• Stimulants: Increase mental and physical activity.

• Depressants: Decrease mental and physical activity.

• Opioids: Reduce pain and increase pleasure.

• Hallucinogens: Alter thoughts and perceptions.