for exam 1-3
Psychology
the study of the mind and behavior
Chunking
the process by which the mind divides large pieces of information into smaller units (chunks) that are easier to retain in short-term memory
Encoding
the act of getting information into our memory system through automatic or effortful processing
Incidental learning
learning that occurs unintentionally, from activities where learning is not a conscious goal for the learner
Intentional learning
learning that occurs as a result of activities where learning is a deliberate—and often primary—goal for the learner
Hypothesis
a tentative explanation regarding a specific behavior
Theory
a broad explanation for some aspect of the natural world
Empirical method
based on observed and measured phenomena and derives knowledge from actual experience rather than from theory or belief
Structuralism
to identify the components of conscious experience through introspection(Willhelm Wundt)
Functionalism
describes the mind as a functional tool that allows us to adapt to our environments
Gestalt
whole
What were Kohler, Koffka, and Wertheimer known for?
introducing psychologists in the United States to various Gestalt principles
Psychology theory
focuses on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior
Behaviorism
a theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, and conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment
Humanism
focuses on each individual's potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization
Cognitive revolution
an intellectual shift in psychology in the 1950s focusing on the internal mental processes driving human behavior. The study of human thought became interdisciplinary by directing attention to processing skills including language acquisition, memory, problem-solving, and learning
Biological or neuroscience perspective
relates to the way that people act in terms of how they came to be. With this perspective, genetics in the human body affect the way that they react to certain situations or the way that they act in different situations
Psychoanalytic theory
says that our childhood experiences and unconscious desires influence behavior
John B Watson
is famous for having founded classical behaviourism, an approach to psychology that treated behaviour (both animal and human) as the conditioned response of an organism to environmental stimuli and inner biological processes
Noam Chomsky
argued that linguistics should be a branch of cognitive psychology, or the study of mental processes like critical thinking, problem solving, and, of course, language
Margaret Floy Washburn
was the first woman to earn a doctoral degree in American psychology
Inez Beverly Prosser
was the first Black, (African-American), woman to have earned a PhD in Psychology
Biological psychology
biological basis of behavior, thoughts, and emotions
Developmental Psychology
moral reasoning, cognitive skills, and social skills
Personality psychology
general traits, behaviors and thought patterns unique to each individual
Social psychology
how individuals interact and relate with others and how such interactions can affect our behaviors
Health Psychology
is directly related to or affected by biological, psychological and sociocultural influences.
Clinical psychology
diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and problematic patterns of behavior
Industrial-organizational psychology
applies psychological research to industrial and organization settings
Deductive reasoning
results are predicted based on a general premise (top down)
Example the world is round (premise) mallean sailed around it conclusion supports premise
Inductive reasoning
conclusions are drawn from observations (bottoms-up reasoning)
Example observe moon and sun rising east and setting in the west; conclude moon and sun orbit around the earth in similar ways
Clinical or case studies
focus on one individual or a small group. It allows for a lot of insight into a case. Difficult to generalize results to the larger population.
Naturalistic observation
in its natural setting, not a lab It is influenced while under scrutiny or observation
Observer bias
results can be affected to align with expectations
Surveys
can be used to gather a large amount of data from a sample. One major flaw is people tend to lie to make them seem better
Archival research
uses past records or data sets to answer various research questions
Longitudinal
studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly over an extended period of time.
Cross sectional research
compares multiple segments of a population at a single point.
Attrition
reduction in number of research participants as some drop out of the study over time
Correlation Coefficient
number indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables (+1.0 to -1.0) Represented by r
Positive correlation
two variables change in the same direction both becoming either larger or smaller
Negative correlation
Two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes; a negative correlation is not the same thing as no correlation.
Cause and effect relationship
changes in one variable cause changes in the other variable
Confounding variable
unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest
Illusory Correlation
seeing relationship between two things when in reality no such relationship exists
Example the relationship between the full moon and a person
Confirmation Bias
tendency to ignore evidence that disproves ideas or beliefs
Illusory correlations can be involved in the formation of prejudicial attitudes that lead to discriminatory behavior
Operational definition
description of what actions and operations will be used to measure the dependent variables and manipulate the independent variables
The spinal cord
The two hemispheres
Forebrain structures
Midbrain and hindbrain structures
Brain imaging
Central nervous system
Is encased by bone
Is associated with processing sensory information
Spinal cord
Routes messages to and from the brain
Neuroplasticity- how the nervous system changes and adapts
Neurons change in structure and function
Can change location to help damaged areas
Most plastic when we are young
Still able to change and reorganize into older adulthood
The two hemispheres
Cerebral cortex- surface of the brain
Gyri and sulci
Longitudinal fissure, deep groove that separates the brain hemispheres
Lateralization of hemispheres
Left hemisphere- body movements on the right side, forming associations in memory, selective attention, and positive emotions, our ability to communicate
Right hemisphere- body movement on the left side, pitch perception, arousal, negative emotions
Corpus callosum
links the two hemispheres
Functions of the frontal lobes
Involved in executive functioning (planning organization, judgment
Parietal lobes
involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information they are located at the top
Temporal lobes
associated with hearing, memory, emotion and some aspects of language
Occipital lobes
sit at the back of the head and are responsible for visual perception, including color, form and motion