Studied by 1 person
Psychology
The science of behavior and mental processes
The definition of Psychology reflects what?
The origins and history of Psychology
What are the goals of Psychology
Describe, Predict, explain, and control
Aristotle
Sleeping and Dreaming
Descartes
Separation of mind and body; Laid the groundwork for nature v. nurture
Wilhelm Wundt
The Founder of Psychology
Structuralism
Titchener; Study of basic components of conscious experiences; Focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes
Functionalism
William James; Emphasized study of the purpose or function of behavior and mental experiences (Consciousness)
Sigmund Freud
Emphasized the role of unconscious behavior; Psychoanalysis
Behaviorism
Emphasized the study of observable behaviors
Ivan Pavlov
Clasical Conditioning; Dog experiement; Behaviorism
John Watson
Behaviorism; How behavior is acquired and modified in response to environmental influences
B.F. Skinner
Behaviorism; Operate Conditioning; Behavior and its consequences
Carl Rogers
Humanistic; Emphasized persons conscious experiences, potential for psychological growth, importance of choice in human behavior
Abraham Maslow
Humanistic; Importance of psychological growth; Theory of Motivation
Nature vs Nurture
Is it genetic or learned behavior
Major steps of the Scientific Method
Formulate
Design
Analyze
Report
Empirical Evidence
Tried and True; its been test and the outcome is repeatedly the same
Clinical Psychology
Focuses on the Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of psycological disorders
Descriptive Research
Focuses on the who, what, when, where; Notes only; Naturalistic Observation, Case Studies, Surveys
Sample
Selected segment of the population used to represent the group being studied
Representative Sample
A sample that closely parallels the population being studied on relative characteristics; WEIRD
Random Selection
Subjects are randomly selected from a large group; equal chance of being selected
Positive Correlation
The two factors go in the same direction
Negative Correlation
The two factors go in opposite directions
Correlation does not equal………
CAUSATION
Experimental Research
Experiements
Independent Variable
factor that is manipulated to change an experiment
Dependent Variable
Factor that is observed/measured for change
Confounding Variables
Variables that are not the focus of an experiment but can affect the outcome
Biological Science
Scietific study of the biological bases of behavior and mental Processes
Neuroscience
Scientific study of the nervous system
Central Nervous System
Brain and Spine
Peripheral Nervous System
Everything Else
Somatic Nervous System
Voluntary Movements; In Peripheral Nervous System
Autonomic Nervous System
Involuntary Movements; In Peripheral Nervous System
Sympathetic Nervous System
Fight or Flight
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Calms you down
Sensory Neurons
Go from your body to your brain
Motor Neurons
Go from your Brain to your body
Neuron
What transmits information in the nervous system
Interneuron
Communicates information between neurons
Basic Components of a Neuron
Cell body (Soma): Nucleus, Chromosomes
Dendrites
Axon
Action Potential
The moment it fires
Stimulus Threshold
minimum level of stimulation required to activate a neuron
Resting Potential
Ready to be fired
Synapse
A communication point between the two neurons separated by the synaptic gap
Synaptic Gap
Fluid gap
Reuptake process
Recycle
Presynaptic Neuron
Sending
Postsynaptic Neuron
Recieving
Acetylcholine
Learning, Memory, Muscle Contractions
Dopamine
Movement, thought process, rewarding sensations
Serotonin
Emotional States, Sleep, Sensory Perception
Norepinephrine
Physical Arousal, learning, memory, Regulation of Sleep
Glutamate
Excitatory Messages
GABA
Inhibitory messages
Endorphins
Pain Perception, Positive Emotions
The Endocrine System
Gland located throughout the body and uses hormones to transmit information through the bloodstream
Pineal Gland (Endocrine System)
In the Brain; Produces melatonin
Hypothalamus (Endocrine System)
In the Brain; Controls the pituitary gland; links nervous and endocrine systems
Pituitary Glands (Endocrine System)
In the brain near the ear; Regulates activities of other glands; produces growth hormone, prolactin, and oxytocin
Thyroid Gland (Endocrine System)
In the throat; Controls body metabolism rate
Adrenal Glands
Behind the pancreas and kidneys; produces adrenaline and norepinephrine; involved in fight or flight response
Pancreas (Endocrine System)
In front the Kidneys; Regulates blood sugar and insulin levels
Ovaries (Endocrine System)
Female; Secrete estrogen and progesterone; regulate female sexual development, reproduction, and behavior
Testes (Endocrine System)
Male; secrete testosterone; regulates male sexual development, reproduction, and behavior
Neuroplasticity
The brain can change
Functional Plasticity
Brains ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged brain areas
Structural plasticity
Ability to change its physical structure in response to learning, active practice, or environmental influences
Brainstem
Region of the brain made up of the hindbrain and the midbrain
Hindbrain
Region at the base of the brain that contains structures that regulate basic life functions; connects brain to spinal chord; Pons, Cerebellum, Reticular formation, medulla
Forebrain
uppermost and largest brain region; Corpus Callosum, Cerebral Cortex
Midbrain
Contains structures involved in processing visual and auditory information
Medulla
In the Hindbrain; controls vital life functions: breathing and circulation
Pons
In the Hindbrain; helps coordinate movements on each side of the body
Cerebellum
In the hindbrain; muscle coordination and maintaining posture and equilibrium
Reticular Formation
In the Hindbrain; nerve fibers located in the center of the medulla; regulates attention, arousal, and sleep
Limbic System
Group of forebrain structures around the brainstem; involved in emotion, motivation, learning, and memory
Hippocampus
Part of the limbic system; embedded in temporal lobe; Forms new memories
Thalamus
In the limbic system; in the cerebral hemispheres; processes sensory information and distributes motor information
Hypothalamus
Limbic System; located below the thalamus; Helps regulate both autonomic nervous divisions; links brain and endocrine system
Amygdala
Limbic system; At the base of the temporal lobe; emotional responses; brains lookout; learning and forming memories
Cerebral cortex
Hills and valleys; gray and white matter
Cerebral hemispheres
Left and right halves of the brain
Corpus Callosum
The highway between hemispheres
Occipital Lobe
Lobe of Cerebral Cortex; at the back of each hemisphere; receiving area for visual information
Parietal Lobe
Lobe of the Cerebral Cortex; located above temporal lobe; processes bodys sensations
Temporal Lobe
Lobe in the Cerebral Cortex; located around the Temples; Auditory Information
Frontal Lobe
Lobe in the Cerebral Cortex; Largest Lobe; voluntary muscle movements
Cortical localization
Different functions are located in different areas of the brain
Aphasia
Partial or complete inability to articulate ideas or understand spoken/written language because of brain injury or damage
Lateralization of Function
Specific psychological or cognitive functions are processed primarily on one side of the brain
Broca
Cant speak but can comprehend; lower left frontal lobe
Wernicke
cant comprehend but can speak; left temporal lobe damage
Sensation
Process of detecting a physical stimulus
Perception
Process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensations
Sensory Receptors
Specialized cells unique to each sense organ that respond to a form of sensory stimulation
Transduction
Physical energy is converted into a neural signal that can be processed by the nervous system
Sensory Threshold
To be detected, a stimulus must be able to activate a sensory receptor cell
Note 
Flashcard (156)