General Psychology Unit 1 Exam Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts across Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Sensation and Perception for the General Psychology Unit 1 Exam.

7 Perspectives of Psychology

The seven main lenses through which to view behavior: Biological / Neuroscience, Evolutionary, Humanistic, Psychodynamic (Psychoanalytic), Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social-Culture.

Scientific Method Steps

The systematic research process consisting of Research Questions, Hypotheses, Evidence, and Conclusion.

Correlational Relationships

Relationships between variables categorized as Direct (positive) or Indirect (negative), quantified by a correlation coefficient.

Variables in Research

Factors in an experiment that include independent, dependent, and confounding variables.

Experimental Control Techniques

Methods used to isolate variables, including random sampling, random assignment, control groups, experimental groups, and double-blind procedures.

Psychology Research Ethics

Ethical safeguards in psychological research, overseen by an IRB, that require informed consent and debriefing.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistical measures that describe data, including measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and measures of variability (range, standard deviation, normal curve).

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change, adapt, and reorganize structure and function in response to experience or injury.

Neuron Structure

The physical parts of a nerve cell, consisting of the cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, axon terminals, and the synapse or synaptic gap.

Neuronal Communication

The electrical and chemical process through which neurons send signals, involving action potential, refractory period, and reuptake.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers in the nervous system, including endorphins, epinephrine, norepinephrine, GABA, dopamine, acetylcholine, and glutamate.

Three Types of Neurons

The three classifications of nerve cells: sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons.

Nervous System Divisions

The structural branches of the nervous system: Central vs. Peripheral, Somatic vs. Autonomic, and Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic.

Brain Study Methods

Techniques used to examine the brain, including lesions, EEG, MEG, PET, MRI, and fMRI.

Brain Hemispheres

The left and right divisions of the brain involved in logic, analytical thought, language generation, language comprehension, spatial orientation, and creativity.

Split Brain & Corpus Callosum

A condition resulting from the severing of the corpus callosum, the nerve bundle connecting the left and right hemispheres.

Phineas Gage

A historic case study of brain trauma where localized brain damage significantly altered the individual's personality.

Endocrine System Glands

Hormone-secreting glands including the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, testes/ovaries, adrenal glands, and pancreas.

Older Brain Structures

Evolutionarily older parts of the brain responsible for basic survival functions, including the brainstem, medulla, and cerebellum.

Limbic System

A neural system associated with emotions and memory that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus.

Kinship Studies

Research methods used in the nature-nurture debate, including family association studies, twin studies, and adopted children studies.

Sensation and Perception

Sensation is the detection of sensory stimuli via transducer cells, while perception is the interpretation of sensory information.

Sensory Thresholds

Limits of sensory detection, including absolute threshold, difference threshold, subliminal detection, and sensory adaptation.

Parts of the Eye

Anatomical structures of vision, including the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, retina, rods, cones, fovea, optic nerve, and blind spot.

Theories of Color Vision

Explanations for color perception: Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic theory and Hering's Opponent Process theory.

Parts of the Ear

Structures divided into Outer Ear (pinna, auditory canal, eardrum), Middle Ear (eustachian tubes, ossicles: malleus, incus, stapes), and Inner Ear (semicircular canals, cochlea).

Ossicles

The three tiny bones in the middle ear: the Malleus (hammer), Incus (anvil), and Stapes (stirrup).

Gestalt Principles

Perceptual grouping rules including figure-ground, grouping, proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, and perceptual constancy.

Gate-Control Theory

The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological gate that blocks or allows pain signals to pass to the brain.

Gustation and Olfaction

The sensory terms for taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction).

Kinesthesia and Vestibular Sense

Kinesthesia is the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts, while the vestibular sense monitors head movement and body balance.