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Hindsight bias
Where one claims they know something would happen when they didn’t state it would before the something happened
Conformation Bias
Where one only looks at information proving their bias while ignoring all others.
Hypothesis
A prediction or educated guess from the relationship between variables or the outcome
Operational definition
Specifies how a researcher will measure and manipulate in a study. It helps others to be able to replicate the study.
Case study
Research method using in-depth examination of a single individual, group, or phenomenon
Survey
Research method used to collect data from a sample of individuals through self report measures
Naturalistic Observation
Research method where researchers observe and record behavior in the real world without getting involved or manipulating the situation
Experiment
Scientific procedure used to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact
Single blind Experiment
The person being studied doesn’t know what group they belong in.
Double blind Experiment
Nor the researcher or the person being studied knows what group they belong in.
Correlation coefficient
Shows research that quantifies the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.
Negative correlation
When one goes up the other goes down and vice versa
Positive correlation
When goes up the other one goes up and vice versa
Correlation is weaker when
It’s closer to zero
Correlation is stronger when
It’s closer to 1 or -1
Random sampling
Ensures generalization of findings in a bigger population
Random Assignment
Assigns participants to different groups in an experiment randomly.
Mean
Add up every number in the data set then times by the total of numbers in the data set
Median
Put the numbers in order then find the number in the middle
Mode
Find what numbers show up the most
Range
Subtract the smallest value from the biggest value
Standard deviation
A way to measure how spread out or close together numbers are
Statistical significance
States whether research is due to chance or not
Action potential
A brief electrical impulse that travels along the atom of a neuron.
All or nothing principle
A action potential will fire with the right amount of stimulation
Neurotransmitters
Neural communication throughout the nervous system
Hippocampus
Responsible for forming and coordinating new memories
-Curved structure in the temporal lobe
Thalamus
The relay station that processes and relays sensory information besides smell
Reticular formation
Plays a role in regulating arousal, attention, and consciousness
In the brain stem
Cerebellum
Responsible for coordinating movement, balance, and posture
Occipital lobe
Hypothalamus
Responsible for regulating hunger, thirst, body temp, and the sleep wake cycle
Sensation
The process of receiving and representing stimulus energies by the nervous system.
Absolute threshold
The minimum amount of stimulation a person needs to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.
Sensory Adaptation
Where sensory receptors become less responsive to constant stimuli over time.
If you stare at a red square then a white surface you would see
A green square
Place theory
The discovery that high frequency sounds trigger large vibration near the beginning of the basilar membrane
Frequency theory
The frequency of a sound wave directly corresponds to the rate which auditory nerve fibers fire
-Higher frequency sounds lend to faster firing rates, resulting in higher perceived pitches.
Conduction hearing loss
Caused by structural damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea.
Sensorineural hearing loss
Happens when the inner ear, cochlea, or auditory nerve itself is not working properly.
Consciousness
The state of being aware and being able to perceived one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings.
Circadian Rhythm
The natural process that regulates the sleep- wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.
NREM Stage 3
The deepest stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep
REM
Rapid eye movement with vivid dreams and muscle paralysis.
Psychoactive Drugs
Substance that alter brain function, leading to changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior
Stimulants
Drugs that increase neural activity and arousal which leads to heightened alertness, attention, and energy levels
Depressants
Drugs that slow down neural activity and bodily functions. They induce relaxation, sedation, and can lower inhibitions.
Hallucinogens
Drugs that alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes causing hallucinations or changes in consciousness
Opioids
Psychoactive drugs that act on opioid receptors in the brain and body, producing pain relief , euphoria, and sedation.
After losing his left hand in an accident, Jack continued to experience pain in his nonexistent hand. His experience illustrates
Phantom limb
Heuristic
A mental shortcut that simplifies decision-making processes, making it easier.
Prototype
The best example of a category that first comes to mind when thinking of it. It helps categorize objects of concepts
Cognition
All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
Functional fixedness
The tendency to think objects only in terms of their normal use
Spearmans g factor
The mental ability that influences performance on different cognitive tasks
Aptitude tests
Assess a persons abilities in the future and innate abilities.
Achievement tests
Asses persons knowledge or skills in an area
Flynn Effect
Suggest a rise in general intelligence due to environmental and cultural factors
IQ increasing over time
Stereotype threat
Where on under-performs in situations due to feeling that they will express negative stereotypes in their social group
Growth Mindset
Abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and effort
Fixed mindset
Intelligence is predetermined and can’t be changed
Validity
The extent to which is test accurately measures what it intends to.
Reliability
Consistent test results.
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