General Psychology Final Flashcards Set 1

Vocabulary flashcards based on Units One and Two for General Psychology.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Subfields of Psychology

Specialized areas within psychology, such as clinical, cognitive, and developmental psychology.

Brain

The central organ of the nervous system responsible for thought, emotion, and behavior.

Goals of Psychology

To describe, explain, predict, and control behavior and mental processes.

Bottom-up Processing

Perceptual processing that starts with sensory input and builds up.

Top-down Processing

Perceptual processing that uses prior knowledge and expectations.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through consequences (reinforcement and punishment).

Perspectives of Psychology

Different viewpoints used for understanding behavior (biological, cognitive, etc.).

Critical Thinking

Analyzing information objectively and making reasoned judgments.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight or flight'.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body and conserves energy.

Sleep Disorders

Conditions that disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Classical Conditioning

Learning through association (Pavlov's dogs).

Observational Learning

Learning by watching and imitating others.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that fire both when performing an action and when observing someone else perform the same action.

Memory Stages

Encoding, storage, and retrieval of information.

Retrieval

The process of accessing stored information.

Flashbulb Memory

A vivid and detailed memory of a significant event.

Serial Position Effect

The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than the middle items.

Context Effect

Memory is improved when the context at retrieval matches the context during encoding.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to seek out information that confirms existing beliefs.

Intelligence

The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and adapt to new situations.

Reliability

The consistency of a measurement.

Validity

The accuracy of a measurement.

Achievement Motivation

The drive to excel and succeed in tasks.

Developmental Psychology

The study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the lifespan.

Parenting Styles (Baumrind)

Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved parenting styles.

Hindsight Bias

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

Secure Attachment

A healthy attachment style characterized by trust and security.

Processing

The brain's way of handling information.

Learning

The process of acquiring new knowledge.

Thinking

The process of considering something carefully.

Memory

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.

Developmental

Relating to the process of growth or change.

Motivation

A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.

Attachment

A deep and enduring emotional bond.

Bias

Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group.

Nervous System

The network of nerve cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulses.

Encoding

The process of converting information into a construct that can be stored within the brain.

Storage

The retention of encoded information over time.

Reinforcement

A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior.

Punishment

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior.

Neurons

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, heartbeat, and digestive processes.