Psychology Exam 1 (Chapters 1-3)

Psychology

Scientific study of mental activity and behavior, which depend on processing in the brain

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> I

Improving (growth mindset)

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> P

Practice (repetition, building skills)

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> M

Monitoring (self-regulated learning)

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> A

Attending (having your full attention on priorities which means having selective attention)

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> C

Connecting (relating it back to your life and/or experiences)

I.M.P.A.C.T. —> T

Thinking Deeply (elaborate or build upon the topic)

Critical Thinking…

.. it uses the evidence we have in front of us to reach various conclusions that will determine our choice in real time.

What are the two fields that psychology is rooted in?

Physiology and Philosophy

How does Physiology contribute to Psychology?

by creating Physiological techniques

How does Philosophy contribute to Psychology?

by creating Philosophical questions

What are the five domains of Psychology?

B.C.D.M.S.

B.C.D.M.S. - Biological

neurological, sensation, conciousness

B.C.D.M.S. - Cognitive

cognition, memory, perception, intelligence

B.C.D.M.S. - Development

learning, life span development, langauge

B.C.D.M.S. - Mental and Physical Health

abnormal, health, therapies

B.C.D.M.S. - Social and Personality

emotion, multicultural, gender motivation

Mary Whiton Calkins

Primary Field: “self-psychology” (memory, association of ideas, perception)

Contributions: Focused on dreams and how our self-conscious has an evolving nature

Francis Cecil Sumner

Primary Field: How to refute racism to conclude the inferiority of African Americans

Contributions: He had a crucial role in Black Psychology and addressed racial bias

Martha Bernal

Primary Field: Ethnic identity development

Contributions: Focused on minority populations and advocated for diversity in the Psychology as a whole

Kenneth Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark

Primary Field: Racial segregation on African American Children

Contributions: Conducted the “Doll Test” and it was used to de-segregate schools through the Brown v. Board of Education

Scientific Method: 1

Formulate a theory

Scientific Method: 2

Develop a testable hypothesis

Scientific Method: 3

Test with a research method

Scientific Method: 4

Analyze the data

Scientific Method: 5

Share the results and conduct more research

Case Studies

intense assessment of one or a few unique individuals (or organizations)

Observational Studies

systematically assessing and coding observed behavior across specific time intervals

Self-Reports

participants directly respond to questions that are posed to them about their opinions, experiences, and activities

Descriptive Methods

Describe what is occurring

Correlational Methods

Test the relationship between variables

Experimental Methods

Investigate what causes an outcome (independent and dependent variables)

Ethical Issues: Privacy

Researchers must respect participants privacy

Ethical Issues: Confidentiality

Participants information for research must be a secret (confidential)

Ethical Issues: Informed Consent

Participants must be verbally told about the research, and they can choose to participant or not.

Ethical Issues: Protection from Harm

Researchers cannot ask participants to endure unreasonable pain or discomfort, they will have to ask the participants if they want to take the risk.

Empiricism

Idea that we acquire knowledge through systematic observation and experimentation

Two Divisions of the Nervous System (C.P.) - C

Central Nervous System

Two Divisions of the Nervous System (C.P.) - P

Peripheral Nervous System

Central Nervous System

Organizes and evaluates that information, then directs the PNS to perform specific behaviors.

Peripheral Nervous System

Registers those sensory signals and transmtis the information the the CNS.

Neurons

Nerve cells that receive, integrate, and transmit information in the nervous system (made up of four parts)

Four Parts of the Neuron (D.CB.A.TB.S.) - Dendrites

short, branch like extensions of the cell body that receive signals from neighboring neurons.

Four Parts of the Neuron (D.CB.A.TB.S.) - Cell Body

Receives info from thousands of other neurons that are collected and integrated (combined)

Four Parts of the Neuron (D.CB.A.TB.S.) - Axons

Where electrical impulses are passed along due to the length of it.

Four Parts of the Neuron (D.CB.A.TB.S.) - Terminal Buttons

Part of the neuron at the end of the axon that release chemical signals from the neuron into the synapse.

Four Parts of the Neuron (D.CB.A.TB.S.) - Synapse

Gap between the terminal buttons of a sending neuron and the dendrites of a receiving neuron.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty material that covers and insulates some axons to allow for faster movement of electrical impulses along the axon.

Plasticity

The ability for the brain to adapt and change in structure through new experiences and learning which causes the neurons to creating new connections.

Action Potential

Neural impulse that travels along the axon and then causes the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse

Localized Functions

Broca’s Area (responsible for speech production) and Wernicke’s Area (responsible for speech comprehension)

Phrenology

A study in the 1700’s based on the size of the skull and bumps on it determined how talented and mentally intellectual you were.

Electroencephalograph

Electrodes attached to the skull cap that shows neurons firing and brain activity

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

measures oxygen and blood flow inside of the brain

Forebrain

Motivation, emotion, complex thought

Midbrain

Movement

Hindbrain

Survival functions, movement

4 Lobes (F.P.O.T.) - Frontal

Complex thought, planning, movement, paying attention

4 Lobes (F.P.O.T.) - Parietal

Touch, spatial relations

4 Lobes (F.P.O.T.) - Occipital

Vision

4 Lobes (F.P.O.T.) - Temporal

Hearing and memory

Acetylcholine

Motor control over the muscles

Norepinephrine

States of arousal and alertness

Serontonin

Emotional states, impulse control, and dreaming

Dopamine

Motivation and reward

GABA

inhibitor of signals

Glutamate

Aids learning and memory by strengthening synaptic connections

Endorphins

Reduces natural pain

Somatic Nervous System

Transmits signals to and from the CNS through nerves

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulates the body’s internal environment

Sympathetic Division

Fight or flight response

Parasympathetic Division

Controls the smooth cardiac muscles and glands

Left Brain/ Right Brain Myth

The notion that one side of the brain is more dominant than the other to a talent and attribute conversation

Stage 1 of Sleep

Brain Activity: Decreasing

Stage 2 Sleep

Being truly asleep and less aware of the outside world

Stage 3 Sleep

Deep sleep and hard to wake up, when woke often disoriented with the world

Stage R/Stage REM

Where the dreams are from and rapid eye movement

REM Dreams

Bizarre dreams (intense emotions, visual and auditory hallucinations, uncritical acceptance of illogical events)

Non-REM Dreams

Normal, everyday life type of dreams

Insomnia

disorder characterized by a repeated inability to sleep

Sleep Apnea

A disorder in which a person, while asleep. stops breathing because the throat closes, the condition results in frequent awakenings during the night.

Narcolepsy

A disorder in which a person experiences excessive sleepiness during normal walking hours sometimes going limp and collapsing

REM Behavior Disorder or Sleepwalking

Acting out their dreams while sleeping

Sleep Paralysis

The feeling of being awake but not being able to move or talk while being aware of your surroundings.

Sociocognitive Theory of Hypnosis

Theory that hypnotized people are not in an altered state of consciousness, but they behave in a way that hypnotized people are expected to behave

Dissociation Theory of Hypnosis

The idea that hypnotized people are in a trancelike state in which conscious awareness is separated, or dissociated from other aspects of consciousness

Hypnosis is good for..

pain

Global Workspace Model of Consciousness

conscious awareness of different aspects of the world is associated with processing in different parts of the brain.

Attention

Focusing of mental resources on specific info to become consciously aware of it.

How does attention and driving relate?

Focusing on the road or where you are determined to go blinds all distractions as in what cars are passing by or what stores are near.

Three Primary Benefits of Sleep: Restorative Theory

Sleep lets the body, including the brain, rest and repair itself

Three Primary Benefits of Sleep: Circadian Rhythm Theory

Sleep has evolved to preserve humans from harm

Three Primary Benefits of Sleep: Consolidation Theory

Strengthens neural connections

Stimulants

Increases behavior and mental activity

Depressants

Decreases behavior and mental activity

Opioids

Reduces pain and produce pleasure

Hallucinogens

Changes perceptions, thoughts, and emotions; they may also increase or decrease behavior or mental activity