PSYC 104 (copy)

Confirmation Bias: Tendency to seek out evidence that supports Our hypotheses and deny, dismiss or distort evidence that contr idiots them.

Belief perseverance: Tendency to stick to our initial beliefs even when evidence contradicts them.

Metaphysical Claim: Assertions about the world that are not testable.

Naive Realism: Belief that we see the world as it really is.

Pseudoscience: set of claims that sound scientific but are not.

Ad hoc immunizing hypothesis: Escape hatch or loophole that defenders of a theory will Use to protect it from falsification.

Patternicity: Tendency to detect meaningful patterns in random stimuli.

Terror Management Theory: theory proposing that our awareness of our death leaves us with an underlying sense of terror we cope with by adopting reassuring cultural worldviews.

Logical fallacies: Traps in thinking that lead to mistaken conclusions.

Pseudoscience Harm:

• Opportunity cost: lead ppl to forgo effective treatments

• Direct Harm: some paratices are directly harmful.

• Inability to think scientifically as citizens.

scientific Skepticism: Approach Of evaluating all claims with an Open mind -but insisting on rsersvasive evidence before accepting them.

Occam's Razor: if 2 explanations account equally well for a phenomenon we should generally select the simpler one.

Decline effect: Observation that the size of a certain psychological finding appears to be shrinking over time.

Introspection: method by which trained observers carefully reflect and report on their mental experiences.

structuralism: school of psychology that aimed to identify the basic elements of psychological experience.

Functionalism: School of psychology that aimed to understand the adaptive purpose of psychological characteristics.

Behaviourism: School of psychology that focuses on uncovering the general laws of learning by looking at observable behaviours.

Cognitive psychology: school Of psychology that proposes that thinking is central to understanding behaviour.

Cognitive neuroscience: Field of psychology that examines the relation between brain function, & thinking.

Psychoanalysis: school of psychology founded by Freud Which focuses on internal psychological processes of which we're unaware.

Evolutionary Psychology: Applies Darwin's theory of natural selection to human and animal behaviour. Basic research: examining how the mind works

Applied research: examining how we can use basic research to solve real world problems.

Empiricism: science begins with that knowledge should first be acquired through observations.

Gut hunches: Quick and reflexive type of thinking. Intuitive Analytical: slow & reflective thinking.

Heuristic: mental shortcut or rule of thumb that help us streamline our thinking and make sense of our world.

Reliability: consistency of a measurement.

Validity: Extent to which a measure assesses what it purports to measure.

Naturalistic Observation: Watching behaviour in real world setting without trying to manipulate the situation.

External Validity: Extent to which we can generalize findings to real world setting.

Internal Validity: Extent to which we can draw cause and effect references from a study

Case study: Research design that examines one person or a small number of people in depth, often over an extended time period.

Existence Proof: Demonstration that a given psychological thenomenon can occur.

Response sets: Tendency of research participants to distort their responses to questionnaire items.

Correlational Design: Research design that examines the extent to which 2 variables are associated

Illusory Correlation: Perception Of Statistical association btw 2 variable where none exists. Operational definition: A working definition of what a researcher is measuring

Experimenter expectancy effect: Phenomenon in which researchers' hypotheses lead them to unintentional Dias the outcome of a study. Central Tendency: measure Of the 'central' scores in a dataset, or where groups tend to cluster.

Variability: measure of how loosely or tightly bunched scores are. Sharpening: Tendency to exaggerate the gist or central message of the study.

Pseudo symmetry: Tendency to try to present 2 opposing sides Of an issue as though both sides were equally valid.

Phrenology: Attributed Physical qualities with personality and intellect.

Electroencephalograph (EEG): Recording of brain's electrical activity at the surface of the skull

Computed Tomography (CT): A scanning technique using multiple X-rays to construct three-dimensional images.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Technique that uses magnetic fields to indirectly visualize brain structure.

Positron emission tomography (PET): Imaging technique that measures consumption of glucose-like molecules, yielding a picture of neural activity in different regions of the brain.

functional MRI: MRI that visualizes changes in blood oxygen levels.

Magnetoencephalography: technique that measures brain activity by detecting tiny magnetic fields generated by brain.

Deep brain stimulation: technique in which electrodes and a battery source are implanted in brain to deliver electricity to specific brain areas.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation: technique that applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to surface of skull that can either enhance or intercept brain function

Glial cell: in nervous system that Plays a role in the formation of myelin and the blood-brain barrier, responds to injury, removes debris, facilitates communication among neurons, and enhances learning & memory.

Myelin Sheath: Glial cells wrapped around axons that act as insulators Of the neuron's signal.

Resting Potential: Electrical charge difference (60mV) across the neuronal membrane when the neuron is not being stimulated or inhibited.

Threshold of excitation: membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential.

Action potential: Electrical impulse that travels down the axon tigger ing the release of neurotransmitters.

Absolute refractory period: Time during which another action potential is impossible; limits the maximal firing ate.

Receptor site: location that uniquely recognizes a neurotransmitter. Reuptake:Means of recycling neurotransmitter.

Glutamate GABA: Glutamate excites neurons. GABA inhibit- Play a role in learning & memory.

Acetylcholine: plays role in arousal. Selective attention, memory & sleep.

Monoamine: Neurotransmitters that 0h14 Contain one amino acid. Anandamide: plays role in eating, motivation, memory, and sleep.

Neuropeptides: Short strings of amino acids in the nervous system. Specialized in their jobs.

Plasticity: Ability of nervous system to change.

Cerebral ventricles: Pockets in the Train that contain cerebrospinal fluid, which provide the brain with nutrients and cushion against injury.

Cerebral Cortex: Outermost part of the forebrain, responsible for analyzing sensory information and higher brain functions. Forebrain: Top part of the brain that allows advanced intellectual abilities.

Cerebral Hemisphere: 2 halves of the cerebral cortex, each Of which serves distinct yet highly integrated functions

Corpus callosum: large band of fibre connecting 2 Cerebral hemispheres.

Lateralization: Cognitive function the relies more on one side of the brain than other.

Split brain surgery: procedure involved severing the Corpus callosum to reduce the spread of epileptic seizures.

Frontal lobe: toward part of the ere brat cortex responsible for motor unction, language, decision making, and tanning.

Motor cortex: Part of frontal lobe esponsible for body movement. Prefrontal Cortex: Part of frontal lobe esponsible For thinking, planning, and anqvage.

Broca's area: Language area in the ore frontal cortex that helps to control speech production

Parietal lobe: upper middle part of the cerebral cortex lying behind in the frontal lobe that's specialized for touch and perception

Temporal lobe: Lower part of the cerebral cortex that plays a role in hearing, understanding language, and memory.

Wernicke's area: part of temporal lobe involved in understanding speech and language.

Occipital lobe: Back part Of the cerebral cortex specialized for vision.

Primary sensory Cortex: Regions of the cerebral cortex that initially process formation from the senses.

Association Cortex: Region of Cerebro cortex that integrate simpler functions perform more complex functions.

Basal Ganglia: Structures in ore brain that help to control movement.

limbic system: a network of regions involved in emotion, motivation, learning and memory.

Thalamus: gateway from the sense organs to the primary sensory cortex.

Hypothalamus: Part of brain responsible for maintaining a constant internal state.

Amygdala: part of the limbic system that modulates attention, perception, and memory based on our emotions.

Hippocampus: Part of brain that plays a role in spatial memory.

Cerebellum: Brain structure responsible for our sense of balance. Brain stem: part of brain b/w spinal core and cerebral cortex that contains the midbrain, pans, and medulla.

Midbrian: contributes to movement, tracking of visual stimuli, and reflexes triggered by sound.

Reticular activating system: plays key role in arousal

Hindbrain: Region below the midbrai that contains the cerebellum, Pons an medulla.

Pons: Part of brain stem that connec the cortex with cerebellum.

Medulla: involved in basic functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

Interneurons: neuron that sends messages to other neurons.

Reflexes: automatic motor response to sensory stimulus.

Somatic nervous system: conveys info btw CNS and the body, control in and coordinating voluntary movement.

Automatic nervous system: controls involuntary actions of our internal organs and glands, which partcipates in emotion regulation.

Sympathetic nervous system: Division Of the automatic nervous system engaged during a crisis or after actions requiring fight or flight.

Parasympathetic nervous system: division of the autonomic nervous system that controls rest and digestion.

Pituitary gland: Master gland that under control of hypothalamus, directs other glands Of the body.

Adrenal gland: on top of kidney that releases adrenaline and cortisol during states of emotional arousal.