psych final

psychology subfields

neurological, evolutionary, behavior genetics, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, socio-cultural

hindsight bias

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

critical thinking

thinking that does not automatically accepts arguments and conclusions. it examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

theory

explains behaviors or events by offering ideas that organize observations

hypothesis

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

operational conditioning

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

replication

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with the different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced

random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

case study

in depth analyses of individuals or groups

survey

asking people questions

wording effects

small changes in the order or wording of questions can change meaning

naturalistic observation

recording the natural behavior of many individuals

positive correlation

indicates direct relationships

negative correlation

indicates inverse relationships

experiment

a method in which an investigator manipulates 1 or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process

random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

independent variables

the factor that is being manipulated

dependent variables

the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

neuron

nerve cell

dendrite

receive messages from other cells

axon

passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

action potential

a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

synapse

meeting point between neurons

vesicles

store various neurotransmitters that are released at the synapse

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons

endorphins

opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

agonist

a molecule that increases a NT’s action

antagonists

a molecule that inhibits or blocs a NT’s action

nervous system

the body’s electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

CNS

brain and spinal cord re

reflexes

a simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus

PNS

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system

somatic

transmits information to CNS, voluntary muscle control

automatic

automatic internal

sympathetic

arousal, awake, alert

parasympathetic

homeostasis, natural resting rate

sensory neurons

information goes inward

interneurons

decides what to do

motorneurons

relay information to body tissues

brainstem

central core, automatic survival functions

medulla

heartbeat and breathing, crossover of nerves

thalamus

routes sensory information to correct part of cerebral cortex

reticular formation

controls arousal (sleeping/waking), controls attention

cerebellum

coordinate voluntary muscle movement and balance, muscle memory

corpus callosum

band of axon

limbic system

emotions and drives

amygdala

regulates primitive emotions (fears, aggression)

hypothalamus

regulate pituitary gland (hunger, thirst, body temp, sexual)

hippocampus

processing site for explicit memories (name, family)

cerebral cortex

frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

frontal lobe

higher reasoning, speaking, personality

parietal lobe

association, information is being routed

occipital lobe

receives incoming visual information

temporal lobe

receives incoming auditory information

motor cortex

controls voluntary muscle movement

sensory cortex

receives sensory information

brain plasticity

flexibility of the nervous system to adapt when there is injury

split brain

decreases seizures

behavior genetics

the study of how the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

twin studies

fraternal vs identical

monozygotic, dizygotic

evolutionary psych

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

natural selection

the inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will most likely be passes on to subsequent generations

consciousness

our subject awareness of ourselves and our environment

selective attention

focus conscious awareness on specific stimulus

inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when your attention is directed else where

circadian rhythm

biological internal clock

sleep stages & cycles

N-1 : drowsy, falling asleep in class

N-2 : brain activity slows, deeper sleep

N-3: super deep and heavy sleep, sleep walk

REM : dreams, pituitary glands active, genital arousal

insomnia

troubles falling asleep/staying asleep

1/5 adults

narcolepsy

passing out to deep sleep

sleep apnea

breathing stops during sleep to to CNS malfunction ni

night terrors

stage 3 sleep disorders

manifest content

underlying content

latent content

sexual meaning

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

hypnosis

an induced temporary state of heightened suggestibility

dissociation

a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others

drug tolerance

requires more of the drug to feel the effects

dependence

use of drugs or alcohol that continues even when significant problems related to their use have developed

addiction

compulsive substance use despite a verse of consequences

withdrawal

discomfort and distress you feel when you don’t have the drug

psychoactive drugs

a chemical substance that alters the brain, causing changes in perceptions and moods

depressants

alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

stimulants

caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, meth, ecstacy

hallucinogens

LSD, weed

developmental psychology

physical, cognitive, and social development throughout the life span

brain development

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

cognition

mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Piaget’s stages

sensorimotor, pre operational, concrete operational, formal operational

sensorimotor

0-2 years

sensory impressions and motor activities

pre operational

2-7 years

use language but cannot comprehend concrete logic

concrete operational

7-11 years

logical thinking about concrete events f

formal operational

12+ years

logical thinking about abstract events

egocentrism

child’s difficulty taking anothers point of view

object permanence

awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

conservation

properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

attachment

an emotional tie with others, shown in young children by their seeking closeness to caregivers and showing distress on separation

adolescence

the time period that begins with puberty and ends at adult independence