GenPsych+Exam+1+Study+Guide 1

Popular Areas of Psychology

  • Clinical Psychology

  • Cognitive Psychology

  • Developmental Psychology

  • Social Psychology

  • Biological Psychology

Themes of Psychology

  • Nature vs. Nurture

  • Mind and Body Connection

  • Stability vs. Change

  • Diversity and Universality

Key Definitions

Dualism

  • The view that the mind and body are separate entities.

Wilhelm Wundt

  • Known as the "father of modern psychology"; established the first psychological laboratory in 1879.

Introspection

  • The process of examining one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings.

Structuralism

  • An early school of psychology that aimed to identify the structure of the mind. Created by Wilhelm Wundt.

Functionalism

  • A school of psychology that focuses on the purpose of mental processes in adapting to the environment. Created by William James.

Evolution

  • The gradual development of organisms over time through natural selection.

Theories in Psychology

Freud’s Theory

  • Emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior; introduced concepts like repression and psychosexual stages.

Behaviorism

  • A theory that focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal mental states; pioneered by John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner.

Gestalt Psychology

  • Focuses on the perception of whole structures rather than the sum of parts; emphasizes holistic processing.

Experimental Methods

Steps of Performing an Experiment

  1. Identify research question

  2. Formulate hypothesis

  3. Design the experiment

  4. Collect data

  5. Analyze data

  6. Interpret results

Parts of a Strictly Controlled Experiment

  • Theory: Systematic explanations of behaviors.

  • Hypothesis: Testable prediction.

  • Support Theory or Not: Assessing if data supports the hypothesis.

  • Population: Entire group being studied.

  • Sample: Subset of the population used for experimentation.

Types of Studies

Descriptive/Observational Studies

  • Case studies

  • Surveys

  • Naturalistic observation

  • Longitudinal studies

Ethical Considerations in Experiments

Animal Experiments

  • Minimizing harm, providing appropriate care, and ensuring ethical treatment.

Human Experiments

  • Obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and minimizing deception.

Correlational Studies

  • Examines the relationship between two variables. Calculated using correlational coefficients (e.g., Pearson's r).

Neuroscience Basics

Neuron Diagram

  • Be familiar with parts: dendrites, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, synaptic terminals.

Steps of Neuron Firing

  1. Resting potential

  2. Action potential

  3. Repolarization

  4. Refractory period

Removal of Neurotransmitters from Cleft

  • Reuptake

  • Enzymatic degradation

  • Diffusion

Types of Medications

  • Agonists: enhance neurotransmitter action.

  • Antagonists: block neurotransmitter action.

Neurotransmitters Overview

  • Know six neurotransmitters discussed in class and their functions.

Nervous System Divisions

Central Nervous System

  • Comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

  • Comprises all other neural elements outside the CNS.

Brain Functions

  • Familiarize with labeled parts of the brain and their functions as discussed in class.

Hormonal Release Steps

  1. Stimulus triggers hormone production.

  2. Hormones released into the bloodstream.

  3. Target organs respond.

Brain Scans

  • Types of brain scans covered:

    1. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

    2. fMRI (Functional MRI)

    3. PET (Positron Emission Tomography)

    4. CT (Computed Tomography)

Autonomic Nervous System

Sympathetic Nervous System

  • Prepares the body for "fight or flight" response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

  • Responsible for "rest and digest" functions.

Homunculus

  • A representation of the body's sensory and motor cortices; special organization illustrates the functional structure of brain areas associated with respective body parts.