Studied by 36 people
Humanistic Perspective
Emphasizes the study of your potential, the good in you, and your strengths.
Evolutionary Perspective
Examines how human behavior has been shaped by natural selection and adaptation over time.
Behavioral/Learning Perspective
Focuses on how observable behaviors are learned and influenced by the environment.
Psychodynamic Perspective
Explores how unconscious processes and childhood experiences influence behavior.
Biological Perspective
Examines the biological systems and processes which affect behavior.
Socio-Cultural Perspective
Examines how social and cultural factors influence an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Cognitive Perspective
Examines mental processes such as perception, memory, and thinking.
Biopsychological Perspective
An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and socio-cultural analysis to understand human behavior.
Informed Consent
Research participants must be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate.
Protection from Undue Mental Stress and Physical Harm
Research participants must be protected from undue physical or psychological harm.
Debriefing
Participants must receive a post-experimental explanation of the study, including its purpose and any deceptions used.
Deception
Research participants must not be so misled as to invalidate the informed consent.
Confidentiality
Identities of research participants must not be revealed.
Right to Withdraw
Allows a research participant to drop out of a study at any time without penalty.
IRB Approval
Approval must be in place to implement the research protocol.
Survey
Involves asking participants a set list of questions to assess their attitudes or opinions.
Correlation Study
Examines the relationship between two or more variables.
Experiment
Seeks to understand the relationship between cause and effect.
Interview
Involves the researcher asking participants face-to-face questions and recording their answers.
Naturalistic Observation
Involves observing participants in their natural environment without manipulation.
Case Study
An in-depth examination of a single subject or small group.
-can't be replicated
Independent Variable
The manipulated factor in an experiment.
Dependent Variable
The measurable factor being studied in an experiment.
EEG Scan
Reads electrical activity of the brain.
PET Scan
Measures metabolic energy used in different parts of the brain.
MRI Scan
Produces a clear 3D image of the structure of the brain.
Lesioning
Destruction of a specific brain part to observe effects on behavior.
Soma
The cell body of a neuron.
Dendrites
Receive messages from other neurons.
Axon
Passes along messages to other neurons.
Myelin Sheath
Insulates axons and speeds impulse transmission.
Nodes of Ranvier
Gaps in the myelin sheath that facilitate ion exchange.
Axon Terminal
Releases neurotransmitters into the synapse.
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses.
Serotonin
Affects mood; low levels are associated with depression.
Dopamine
Involved in motor movements and provides feelings of pleasure and reward; imbalance is related to Parkinson's and schizophrenia.
Acetylcholine
Crucial for memory and learning; low levels associated with Alzheimer's.
Endorphins
Natural painkillers; can lead to addiction.
Norepinephrine/Epinephrine
Boost energy, attention, and focus; high levels can lead to ADHD.
GABA
Inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates neuronal excitability.
Substance P
Transmits pain signals to the brain.
Glutamate
Facilitator of neurotransmission; excess can lead to cognitive disorders.
Depressants
Calm neural activity and slow the body’s functions ; e.g., alcohol.
Stimulants
Excite neural activity; e.g., caffeine.
Painkillers
Drugs that alleviate pain by interrupting pain signals.
Hallucinogens
Distort perceptions and evoke sensory images; e.g., marijuana.
Gestalt Psychology
Focuses on how we perceive the whole rather than the sum of its parts.
Gestalt Principles
Patterns our brain uses to organize sensory information.
Sensory Adaptation
The way our senses adjust to different stimuli
Transduction
Conversion of stimuli into electrical signals for processing.
Sensation
The process of gathering information about the world.
Perception
The brain's interpretation of sensory information.
Absolute Threshold
The minimum stimulus needed for detection 50% of the time.
Difference Threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli necessary for detection.
Signal Detection Theory
Describes how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus.
Linear Perspective
Depth cue where parallel lines converge in the distance.
Relative Height
Objects higher up in the visual field are perceived as further away.
Relative Size
Larger objects are perceived as closer, smaller as further.
Interposition
When one object obscures another, the obscured object is perceived as further away.
Motion Parallax
Closer objects move faster in our field of vision than farther objects.
Shadows/Light
Light and shadows help determine object position in space.
Circadian Rhythm
The 24-hour cycle regulating sleep and wakefulness.
Narcolepsy
Excessive daytime sleepiness with uncontrollable sleep attacks.
Sleep Apnea
Repeated stopping and starting of breathing during sleep.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Acting out dreams due to lack of normal REM paralysis.
Insomnia
Difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep.
Somnambulism
Also known as sleepwalking, occurring in NREM sleep.
Night Terrors
Severe nightmares occurring during deep sleep, usually in children.
Sleep Paralysis
State where one remains conscious but unable to move after waking from REM.
NREM Stage 1
Light sleep where relaxation begins and hypnagogic sensations occur.
NREM Stage 2
Light sleep characterized by sleep talking and bursts of electrical activity.
NREM Stage 3
Deep sleep important for bodily restoration, more difficult to wake.
REM Stage
Rapid eye movement period associated with dreaming and memory consolidation.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
Stimulus that naturally triggers an unconditioned response.
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Natural reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.
Neutral Stimulus (NS)
Stimulus that initially has no effect until conditioned.
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Originally neutral stimulus that triggers a conditioned response after association.
Conditioned Response (CR)
Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.
Stimulus Generalization
Responding similarly to stimuli that resemble the conditioned stimulus.
Stimulus Discrimination
The ability to distinguish between different stimuli.
Extinction Principle
Diminishing of a conditioned response when reinforcement is no longer presented.
Spontaneous Recovery
The re-emergence of a conditioned response after a pause.
Ivan Pavlov
Scientist known for classical conditioning through dog experiments.
John B. Watson
Behaviorist who applied classical conditioning principles to human behavior.
B.F. Skinner
Pioneer of operant conditioning and reinforcement principles.
Albert Bandura
Conducted the Bobo Doll experiment demonstrating social learning theory.
Edward Thorndike
Introduced the Law of Effect in the context of operant conditioning.
Martin Seligman
Studied learned helplessness in dogs.
Wolfgang Kohler
Examined insight learning in chimpanzees.
Positive Reinforcement
Adding a stimulus to encourage behavior.
Negative Reinforcement
Removing an unfavourable stimulus to strengthen behavior.
Positive Punishment
Introducing a negative consequence to reduce behavior.
Negative Punishment
Removing a positive stimulus to decrease behavior.
Social Learning Theory
Learning through observation and imitation of others.
Primary Reinforcer
Basic biological needs that satisfy immediate requirements.
Secondary Reinforcer
Stimuli that acquire reinforcing qualities through association.
Latent Learning
Learning that occurs but is not immediately reflected in behavior.
Classical Conditioning
Learning to associate two stimuli to anticipate an outcome.
Operant Conditioning
Learning through consequences of behavior.
Intelligence
The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and adapt.
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