Psychology Final Exam Study Guide

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering key concepts from Unit 1 to Unit 7 of the Psychology Final Exam Study Guide, including historical figures, biological structures, developmental stages, and personality theories.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Biological Perspective

A psychological perspective that focuses on the brain, nervous system, and genetics.

Behavioral Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on learning through rewards and punishments.

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on thinking, memory, and problem solving.

Humanistic Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on personal growth and free will.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on unconscious motives and conflicts.

Sociocultural Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on social and cultural influences.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on adaptations that aid survival.

Wilhelm Wundt

The individual who established the first psychology laboratory.

William James

The psychologist associated with Functionalism.

Sigmund Freud

The psychologist associated with Psychoanalysis and the theory that dreams reveal unconscious desires.

Ivan Pavlov

The psychologist associated with Classical conditioning.

B.F. Skinner

The psychologist associated with Operant conditioning.

Carl Rogers

A humanistic psychologist who emphasized Unconditional Positive Regard and self-concept.

Abraham Maslow

A humanistic psychologist who proposed a Hierarchy of Needs and the concept of Self-actualization.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable in an experiment that is measured to see the effect of the manipulation.

Correlation ≠ Causation

A principle stating that a relationship between two variables does not necessarily mean one causes the other.

Dendrites

The part of a neuron that receives messages from other cells.

Axon

The part of a neuron that sends messages to other neurons.

Myelin Sheath

The structure that covers the axon and speeds communication.

Synapse

The gap located between neurons where communication occurs.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with reward and movement.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter associated with mood and sleep.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter associated with memory and muscle action.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter associated with alertness.

GABA

A neurotransmitter that produces a calming effect.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that provide pain relief.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the Autonomic Nervous System responsible for the Fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the Autonomic Nervous System responsible for the Rest-and-digest state.

Thalamus

The sensory relay station in the brain.

Amygdala

A brain structure in the limbic system associated with fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

A brain structure in the limbic system associated with memory formation.

Frontal Lobe

The brain lobe responsible for decision making, personality, and movement.

Parietal Lobe

The brain lobe responsible for touch and body sensations.

Occipital Lobe

The brain lobe responsible for vision.

Temporal Lobe

The brain lobe responsible for hearing and language.

Circadian Rhythm

The internal biological clock that follows a roughly $24$-hour cycle.

REM Sleep

The sleep stage characterized by most vivid dreaming and memory consolidation.

Activation-Synthesis Theory

The theory that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development (ages $0-2$), characterized by the development of object permanence.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's second stage of cognitive development (ages $2-7$), characterized by symbolic thinking.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's third stage of cognitive development (ages $7-11$), characterized by logical thinking about concrete objects.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's fourth stage of cognitive development (ages $12+$), characterized by abstract reasoning.

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing a behavior by adding something pleasant.

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing a behavior by removing something unpleasant.

Positive Punishment

Decreasing a behavior by adding something unpleasant.

Negative Punishment

Decreasing a behavior by removing something pleasant.

Short-Term/Working Memory

A memory system that holds approximately $7 \times \text{items}$ ($\text{plus or minus } 2$).

Explicit (Declarative) Memory

A type of long-term memory for specific facts and experiences.

Implicit (Nondeclarative) Memory

A type of long-term memory for skills and habits.

Id

The part of Freud's personality theory driven by the pleasure principle.

Ego

The part of Freud's personality theory driven by the reality principle.

Superego

The part of Freud's personality theory representing moral standards.

Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN)

A trait theory consisting of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye)

The three-stage model of stress comprising $1.$ Alarm, $2.$ Resistance, and $3.$ Exhaustion.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A type of conflict where one option has both positive and negative aspects.

Problem-Focused Coping

A coping strategy that involves addressing the problem directly.

Emotion-Focused Coping

A coping strategy that involves managing the emotional response to a stressor.