AP PSYCHOLOGY MIDTERM - FULL SEMESTER REVIEW

Sensory storage

Fleeting memory activated by 5 senses

Echoic memory

Momentary sensory memory that is sound-based

Iconic memory

Momentary sensory memory that is visual-based

short term memory

Activated sensory memory that holds a few items for a brief period of time

Retrograde amnesia

Inability to retrieve memories from before brain injury

Anterograde amnesia

Inability to form new memories

Hippocampus

Brain structure involved with the formation of memories

Explicit memories

Memories that we are aware of

Implicit memories

Memories that are not part of our consciousness

Semantic memories

Explicit memories of facts and general knowledge

Episodic memories

Explicit memories of personally lived experiences

Procedural memories

Implicit memories for how to perform a habit or skill

Priming

Implicit memory effect that initiates action based on a cue

Flashbulb memory

Detailed recollections of when and where we experienced shocking events

Long term memory

Relatively permanent storage of information

Phonological loop

Part of creating long term memory based on auditory repetition

Visuospatial sketchpad

Part of creating long term memory based on visual repetition

Levels of memory retention

Structural -> phonetic -> semantic

Encoding

Process by which we transform information into an enduring memory

Storage

Retention of encoded information over time

Retrieval

The process of getting information out of memory storage

Distributed practice

Longer practice and rest periods leads to better long-term recall

Massive practice

Speedy short-term learning

Maintenance rehearsal

Repeating information over and over to keep it active in short term memory

Elaborative rehearsal

Linking of new information to material that is already known

Primacy effect

Information presented first usually has the most influence

Recency effect

Tendency to remember words at the end of a list especially well

Serial position effect

The tendency to better recall items at the beginning and end of a list

Eric Kandel

Established that learning produces changes on the neuronal level, holy grail of neuroscience

Long term potentiation (LTP)

Increased firing that occurs in a neuron due to prior activity at the synapse, neural basis for learning and memory - serotonin is released with learning which increases synapse efficacy and transmission

Consolidation

Process by which memories become stable in the brain

Reconsolidation

Memories can become vulnerable to disruption when they are recalled

ebbinghaus' forgetting curve

memories weaken over time, with the biggest drop in retention right after learning

why do we forget

forgetting curve, retrieval curve, absentmindedness, tip of the tounge, repression

proactive interference

OLD blocks NEW

retroactive interference

NEW blocks OLD

imagination inflation

finding that imagining an event that never happened can increase confidence that it actually did happen

psychology

scientific study of mind and behavior

mind

private inner experience of perceptions, thoughts, memories, and feelings

behavior

observable actions of human beings and nonhuman animals

wilhelm wundt

father of psychology, established first psychology lab, studied reactions to stimuli

structuralism

early school of thought that used introspection to break down the structures of the mind

edward tichener

developed structuralism, pioneered introspection

functionalism

early school of thought that explored the purpose of our consciousness and how it enables people to adapt

william james

founder of functionalism, influenced by Darwin's theory of natural selection, focused on whole mind not individual parts

psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud, emphazied ways in which unconscious thought processes and emotional responses to childhood experiences affect later behavior

behaviorism

BF Skinner, science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only

fMRI

technique for revealing blood flow and therefore brain activity

psychotherapist (PhD)

talk therapist, work with clients

clinical psychologist (PhD)

focus more on research and theory, and perform tests, observations, and interviews

licensed clinical social worker

masters degree in social work, works with people to overcome challenges

psychiatrist (MD)

medical degree, may prescribe medications

biological theory

how the brain and body enable sensory experiences, how genes and environment influence our differences

cognitive theory

how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information

behavioral theory

learned behaviors that are observable, environmental causes of the behavior

psychodynamic theory

how behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts

humanistic theory

how we meet our needs for love, acceptance, achievment, and fulfillment

social-cultural theory

how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures

evolutionary theory

how natural selection of traits has promoted survival of genes

biopsychosocial approach

integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

research psychologist

experimental psychologist

industrial/organizational psychologist

how do we motivate people to work

introspection

observation on one's own thoughts, feelings, and experiences

cognitive bias

systematic error in thinking that can lead to faulty reasoning and decisions

hindsight bias

I knew it all along phenomenon

key elements of the scientific attitude

curiosity, skepticism, humility

psychological science

inquiry based on research and empirical evidence

empiricism

relying on observation, experimentation, or measurement

scientific method

approach to a solution through a falsifiable hypothesis involving operationalization

operationalization

carefully worded statement of a procedure so it can be replicated

demand characteristic

cue that makes participants aware of how the experimenter expects them to behave

observer bias

researchers' expectations influence what they are observing

experimental bias

systematic errors in the research process or interpretation of results

experimental methodology

manipulation of an independent variable and random assignment to groups

non-experimental methodology

describes but does not explain behavior

case study

in-depth investigation of one person or small group

naturalistic observation

watching behavior in real-world settings without trying to manipulate the situation

correlation

measure of the relationship between two variables - can be either positive (more is more) or negative (more is less)

meta-analysis

summarizes previous studies on a topic

surveys

collects data in experimental or no experimental design - can be influenced by wording or social desirability

convenience sampling

choosing individuals who are easiest to reach

directionality problem

when it's unclear which variable influences the other

3rd variable problem

when observed correlation can actually be explained by an unaccounted third (confounding) variable

regression toward the mean

tendency for extreme or unusual scores to regress toward their average

effect size

large size means research findings have practical significance

inferential statistics

drawing conclusions about a sample population to make a generalization

random sample

fairly represents a population so results can be generalized

random assignment

groupings that give all participants an equal chance of being the experimental group

single blind experiment

participants are unaware of which experimental group they are assigned to

double blind assignment

neither participant nor person giving the study knows who is in which group

placebo effect

phenomenon in which some people experience some type of benefit after the administration of a placebo

quantitative measure methods

numerical, ask "what" and "how much"

qualitative measure methods

ask "why" and "how"

descriptive statistics

skewed distributions, central tendencies, variability

IRB (Institutional Review Board)

reviews and approves research conducted on human participants - 5 members (at least 1 scientist and 1 non-scientist)

Ethical Code of APA

Informed consent must be given, students may not be coerced to participate, deception is only allowed under certain conditions, information must remain confidential, participants should be debriefed, participants cannot be put at risk

replication

ability to replicate the essence of the research to get the same results

Likert scales

ordinal-level scales containing seven points on an agree or disagree continuum

correlation coefficient

statistic index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)

informed assent

agreement to participate in the absence of full understanding (minor's version of consent)