Quick cram 340 study guide

Cognitive psychology

The scientific study of mental processes like perception, attention, memory, reasoning, and language.

Memory

Memory supports nearly all other cognitive functions (perception, learning, problem-solving).

H.M.'s case

The hippocampus is crucial for forming new long-term memories.

Amnesia

Loss of memory due to brain injury or disease; provides insight into memory systems.

Introspection

Examining one's own conscious thoughts; used by Wundt but limited by subjectivity.

Behaviorism

Focus on observable behavior shaped by environment; ignored mental processes.

Chomsky's challenge to behaviorism

Language is too complex to be explained only by reinforcement; children learn it naturally.

Cognitive revolution

A shift in mid-20th century psychology toward studying mental processes, influenced by computers and linguistics.

Computers' influence on cognitive psychology

They modeled the mind as an information-processing system.

Transcendental method

Reasoning backward from observable effects to infer hidden mental processes.

Response time (RT)

To infer hidden steps in cognition based on the speed of responses.

Capgras syndrome

Belief that a loved one has been replaced by an impostor due to amygdala + prefrontal cortex dysfunction.

Capgras and recognition

Familiarity requires both perceptual recognition and emotional appraisal.

Cognitive neuroscience

The study of how brain structures give rise to mental processes.

Corpus callosum

The largest commissure connecting the brain's hemispheres.

Split-brain studies

Hemispheres have specialized functions and need communication to share info.

Contralateral control

Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body.

Four lobes of the cortex

Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital.

Frontal lobe function

Planning, reasoning, problem-solving, voluntary movement, language production.

Occipital lobe function

Visual processing.

Temporal lobe function

Auditory processing and memory.

Parietal lobe function

Sensory processing and spatial awareness.

Cerebellum function

Balance, coordination, and fine motor skills.

Thalamus function

Relay station for sensory input to the cortex.

Hippocampus function

Memory formation and retrieval.

Amygdala function

Emotional evaluation and threat detection.

Fusiform face area (FFA)

Brain region specialized for face recognition.

Action potential

An electrical impulse that travels down the axon when threshold is reached.

All-or-none law

Neurons fire fully once threshold is met; strength does not vary.

EEG

Imaging technique with the best temporal resolution.

fMRI

Imaging technique with the best spatial resolution.