Final Exam Review

Final Exam Review First Semester

Operational definitions

Need these for replication; Quantify how you will measure your DV

Population

All the cases in a group being studied from which samples may be drawn

Correlation coefficient

indicates the strength, or lack thereof, of 2 variables. r=.32

Experiment

Research method in which a researcher manipulates one or more factors(independent variable) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental processes

Correlational study

Study that looks at the relationship between two variables

Random assignment

Placement of your sample (equal chance) into experimental or control groups

Placebo

Experimental results caused by expectations alone

Control group

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment

Independent variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated

Confounding variables

A factor other than independent that might produce an effect in the experiment

Median

Middle score in a distribution

Mean

Average of a distribution obtained by adding the scores then dividing by the number of scores

Standard deviation

Computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Statistical significance

Statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result is due by chance

Case study

Observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Resting potential

Normal state, a neuron has a negative charge

Action potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Depolarization

Where the neuron goes from resting to action potential; the neuron gains a positive charge.

Endorphins

natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure

Agonist

Mimics the effects of the receiving neuron (similar in structure)

Epinephrine(adrenaline)

Triggers the fight or flight response

Motor neurons

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

Sympathetic nervous system

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Pituitary gland

The endocrine systems most influential gland, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

PET scan

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form a glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

Medulla

The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Lesion

Tissue destruction; naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Reticular formation

The nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

Cerebellum

The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions in processing implicit memories and coordinating movement and balance

Amygdala

Brain part linked to strong emotions like fear and anger

Occipital lobes

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes area that receives information from visual fields

Sensory cortex

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body, touch, and movement sensations

Broca's area

Controls language expression; directs muscle movement (ability to speak)

Lateralization

The development of specialized functioning in each hemisphere of the brain (left vs. right brain)

Evolutionary psychology

Study of the mind using principles of natural selection

Motor cortex

Area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movements

Heritability

Proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes

Split brain research

Condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain in 2 hemispheres by cutting the corpus callosum connecting them

Fight or flight response

Reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack or threat to survival

Absolute threshold

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

Signal detection theory

Assume no single absolute threshold and detection depends partly on persons experience, expectations, motivations and alertness

Transduction

Conversion of one form of energy into neural impulses

Hue

The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light

Fovea

The central focal point in the retina around which the eye cones cluster

Wavelength

The distance from the peak of one light or soundwave to the peak of the next

Cones

Retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well lit conditions, detect fine detail, and give rise to color sensations

Rods

Retinal receptors that detect black, white, and grey; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when cones dont responsd

Place theory

(Hearing) theory that links the pitch we hear with place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated

Semicircular canals

Located in the ears; has fluid in to keep the balance (fluid moves as head moves)

Kinesthesis

System for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts

Gate control theory

Theory that spinal cord contains neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass onto the brain.

Phantom limb syndrome

An amputee or person without a limb will feel a pain sensation from the missing limb

Olfactory receptors

Sense of smell; certain smells can evolve emotion laden memories; odor triggers receptor cells to send messages to olfactory bulbs

Top down processing

Information processing guided by higher level metal processes as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

Similarity

Grouping similar figures together

Relative height

Assume lower part of illustration is closer and higher part is farther

Color constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even if changing illumination alters wavelengths reflected by the object

Relative size

Perceive smaller image as farther away

Closure

Filling in gaps to create a complete, whole object

Phi phenomenon

Illusion of movement created when 2 or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession

Circadian rhythm

The biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle

Insomnia

Reoccurring problems in falling asleep or staying asleep

NREM 3

Delta (slow wave) sleep; restorative to health and important for growth.

REM

Reoccurring sleep stage during vivid dreams commonly appear

Latent content

According to Freud, underlying meaning for a dream(hidden meaning)

Activation synthesis theory

Random neural activity from the brain stem when you sleep; dreams try to make sense of the nonsense

REM rebound

Tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

Hypnosis

Social interaction which hypnotist suggests on other (subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

Stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Unconditioned stimulus

Stimulus that unconditionally triggers a response (food)

Unconditioned response

Unlearned naturally occurring response to unconditioned stimulus (salivating)

Conditioned stimulus

Originally irrelevant stimulus that after association with unconditioned stimulus triggers a conditioned response (salivating)

Conditioned response

Learned response to previous neutral stimulus

Little Albert

Baby that was scared of fluffy white things

Variable interval schedule

Reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals

Successive approximations

Series of rewards the provide positive reinforcement for behavior changes that are steps toward destined behavior

Positive reinforcer

Any stimulus that when presented (add) after a response, strengthens the response

Negative reinforcer

Any stimulus that when removed after a response, strengthens the response

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

Partial reinforcement

Reinforcing a response only part of the time; slower acquisition of response but much greater resistance to extinction

Punishment

Event that decreases the behavior that it follows

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

Positive punishment

Adding something undesirable the decreases the probability of behavior happening again

Latent learning

Learning that occurs but not apparent until there is incentive to demonstrate it (hidden)

Cognitive psychology

The study that deals with anything associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Insight

Sudden and often novel realization of a solution to a problem

Confirmation bias

Tendency to search for information the supports our preconceptions and ignore or distort contradictory bias

Spacing effect

Tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long term retention

Semantic encoding

Encoding of meaning; including meaning of words

Iconic memory

A momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; photograph or picture image; memory lasting no more than a few seconds

Echoic memory

Momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3-4 seconds

Long term potentiation

Increase in synapse firing potential after brief rapid stimulation; believed to be neural basis for learning and memory

Explicit memory

Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and "declare"

Implicit memory

Retention independent of conscious recollection

Hippocampus

Neural center that is located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage

Recall

Measure of memory in which person must retrieve information learned earlier(fill in the black tests)

Recognition

Measure of memory in which person needs only to identify items previously learned (MC tests)

Hermann Ebbinghaus

Person who thought those who learn quickly also forget quickly (spacing effect) and created the forgetting curve

Proactive interference

Disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information

Misinformation effect

Incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event