Psy 120 exam 1 self made v2

empirical method

gaining knowledge through the OBSERVATION OF EVENTS, the collection of data, and logical reasoning

Wilhelm Wundt

German physiologist who founded psychology as a formal science

Introspection

A method of self-observation in which participants report their thoughts and feelings (Wilhelm Wundt)

Structuralism

reported their conscious sensations and feelings in response to stimuli (Beach) (Wilhelm Wundt)

Titchener's 3 ElementaryStates of Consciousness

sensations, images, and feelings (building blocks of all perceptions)

Functionalism

He emphasized the "function" or purpose of the mind (e.g., consciousness as a continuous stream) rather than its structure, as opposed to structuralism

Psychoanalytic Theory

focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior (Sigmund Freud)

Behaviorism

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only

John Watson and B.F. Skinner

founders of behaviorism

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events (Ivan Pavlov) (Pavlov's Dog)

operant conditioning

Learning based on the consequences of responding. (B.F. Skinner)

Humanism

A perspective that emphasizes looking at the whole person, and the uniqueness of each individual (Abraham Maslow)

Hierarchy of needs

Maslow's theory of the most important motivations people have (pyramid of needs)

Carl Rogers

Developed "client-centered" therapy

WEIRD populations

Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic

Multicultural psychologists

focuses on understanding the psychological experiences within diverse societies, especially minority groups, emphasizing how race, ethnicity, and culture interact in a single context

cross-cultural psychology

compares psychological traits across different cultures to find universal patterns

Biopsychology

study of how biology influences behavior

Evolutionary Psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Cognitive Psychology

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Developmental psychology

the study of continuity and change across the life span

Personality Psychology

the study of an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Social Psychology

the study of the causes and consequences of sociality

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

Clinical and Counseling Psychology

diagnose and treat people with psychological problems

Careers in Psychology

-academic(34%)

-clinical(24%)

-private practice(22%)

difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist

Psychiatrists = medication

psychologists = behavioral intervention

4 occupations for graduates with a bachelor's degree in psychology

- Mid and Top - Level Management (executive,administrator) - Sales

- Social Work

- Human resources (personnel, training)

Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning

Deductive: general to specific

Inductive: specific to general

How are hypotheses related to theories?

Theories are used to form hypotheses.

cross-sectional study

a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another

longitudinal study

research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period

correlational study

a research project designed to discover the degree to which two variables are related to each other

illusory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists (ice cream to robberies)

confounding variable

in an experiment, a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect

experimenter bias

researcher expectations skew the results of the study

quasi-experimental

an experimental design that lacks random assignment

Reliability vs. Validity

reliability (consistency) and validity (accuracy)

IRB (Institutional Review Board)

any academic research needs to be proposed to their IRB, review for ethical violations and/or procedural errors

4 components of informed consent

disclosure, comprehension, competency, and voluntariness

DNA

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

Alleles

alternative versions of a gene

Dominant vs. Recessive Alleles

Dominant: will always display in offspring- even heterozygous

Recessive: only displayed when homozygous recessive

single gene inheritance

Characteristics or traits inherited by the participation of a single gene

Polygenic inheritance

occurs when multiple genes determine the phenotype of a trait

Epigenetics

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Soma

cell body of a neuron

Dendrites

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

terminal buttons

Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

synaptic vesicles

Tiny pouches or sacs in the axon terminals that contain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Synapse

A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.

Threshold of Excitation

the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire

Action Potential

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

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

Major neurotransmitters

Acetlycholine, GABA, Dopamine, Nitric oxide

GABA

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter (blocking signals and slowing brain activity)

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward system.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter involved in arousal, as well as in learning and mood regulation

Agonists vs. Antagonists

Agonists enhance the activity of neurotransmitters

Antagonists inhibit the activity of neurotransmitters

Central Nervous System

brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

A division of the nervous system consisting of all nerves that are not part of the brain or spinal cord.

somatic nervous system

Division of the PNS that controls the body's skeletal muscles.

autonomic nervous system controls

involuntary functions of the internal organs

sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight

parasympathetic nervous system

rest and digest

left hemisphere of brain

controls right side of the body and is logical, contains mathamatics, lauguage, & speech

right hemisphere of brain

controls left side of the body and contains creativity and the arts

Corpus Callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

forebrain (cerebrum)

forward part of the brain that allows advanced intellectual abilities

cerebral cortex

Outer layer "grey matter" "wrinkled" and does higher level processes

Thalamus

sensory relay controls most senses (excluding smell)

Hypothalamus

links the nervous system and endocrine system by controlling the pituitary gland

Also

regulates homeostatic processes including body temperature, appetite and blood pressure (sleep too)

pituitary gland

serves as the master gland,controlling the secretions of all other glands (sleep too)

limbic system

Circular and regulates emotion and memory circuit

Cerebral cortex's frontal lobe

associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving

Cerebral cortex's parietal lobe

receives sensory input for touch and body position

Cerebral cortex's occipital lobe

visual processing

Cerebral cortex's temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Thalamus

relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex (sleep

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

Midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

Reticular formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal (Midbrain)

substantia nigra

An area of the midbrain that is involved in motor control and contains a large concentration of dopamine-producing neurons

Ventral Tegmental Area

where dopamine is produced; associated with mood, reward, and addiction. (when triggered rats use it until they starve)

Hindbrain

medulla, pons, cerebellum (oldest part of the brain)

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing (Hindbrain)

Pons

connects the brain and the spinal cord involved in regulating brain activity during sleep (Hindbrain)

Cerebellum

controls our balance, coordination,movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory (Hindbrain)

PET scan

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

CT scan

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body

MRI vs fMRI

MRI studies brain anatomy

fMRI studies brain function

EEG

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

endocrine system

A series of glands that produce hormones to regulate normal body functions.

Thyroid

regulates metabolism