Study Guide Exam 1 (1)

Exam Study Guide Overview

Chapter 1: Historical Figures and Early Schools of Thought

• Wundt

  • Considered the father of psychology; established the first psychological laboratory.

• Titchener (Structuralism)

  • Focused on breaking down mental processes into their basic components.

• James (Functionalism)

  • Emphasized the purpose of mental processes in helping individuals adapt to their environment.

• Freud (Psychoanalytical)

  • Introduced the concept of the unconscious mind and its influence on behavior.

Perspectives in Psychology

• Biological

• Cognitive

• Learning

• Socio-cultural

• Psychodynamic

Professions in Psychology

• Psychologist

  • Typically holds a doctorate degree in psychology.

• Psychiatrist

  • Medical doctor specializing in mental health; can prescribe medication.

• Psychotherapist

  • Can include a variety of methods to treat emotional problems.

Chapter 2: Descriptive Methods

• Case Study

  • In-depth analysis of an individual or group.

• Surveys

  • Questionnaires designed to gather data from a wide audience.

• Tests

  • Standardized assessments used to measure psychological attributes.

• Observation

  • Systematic examination of behavior in natural settings.

• Correlations

  • Assessing the relationship between two variables; does not imply causation.

Research Terminology

• Theory

  • A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world.

• Hypothesis

  • A testable prediction derived from a theory.

• Operational Definition

  • Clearly defining terms in a way that can be measured.

• Independent Variable

  • The variable manipulated by the experimenter.

• Dependent Variable

  • The variable measured in the experiment.

• Random Assignment

  • Randomly assigning subjects to groups to avoid bias.

• Experimental and Control Conditions

  • Experimental: group receiving treatment; Control: group not receiving treatment.

• Single and Double Blind

  • Single blind: participants don't know group assignment; Double blind: neither participants nor experimenters know group assignment.

• Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Studies

  • Cross-sectional: observing different subjects at one point in time; Longitudinal: observing the same subjects over a period of time.

• Principle of Falsifiability

  • The hypothesis must be testable and refutable.

• Confirmation Bias

  • The tendency to focus on information that confirms one’s existing beliefs.

• Descriptive Statistics

  • Mean and standard deviation used to summarize data.

Chapter 4: Nervous System and Its Divisions

• Central Nervous System (CNS)

  • Composed of the brain and spinal cord.

• Peripheral Nervous System

  • Divided into:

  • Somatic: controls voluntary movements.

  • Autonomic: controls involuntary functions; includes the Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Para Sympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems.

Structures of the Brain

• Pons

• Medulla

• Cerebellum

• Reticular Formation

• Thalamus

• Hypothalamus

• Hippocampus

• Amygdala

• Cerebrum

• Hemispheres and Lateralization

• Corpus Callosum (Split Brain)

Page 2: Brain Lobes and Neurons

Lobes of the Brain

• Occipital Lobe

  • Contains the visual cortex; responsible for processing visual information.

• Parietal Lobe

  • Houses the somatosensory cortex; processes sensory information from the body.

• Temporal Lobe

  • Contains the auditory cortex; involved in hearing and language comprehension.

• Frontal Lobe

  • Responsible for motor functions, reasoning, and complex cognitive processes.

Neuron and Its Parts

• Dendrites

  • Receive signals from other neurons.

• Cell Body

  • Contains the nucleus and organelles; integrates signals from dendrites.

• Axon

  • Transmits neural signals away from the cell body to other neurons.

• Myelin Sheath

  • Insulating layer that speeds up transmission of signals along the axon.

• Axon Terminals

  • Release neurotransmitters into the synapse.

• Vesicles

  • Store neurotransmitters before release.

• Neurotransmitters

  • Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapse.

• Synapse

  • Junction between two neurons where communication occurs.

Drugs & Neurotransmitters

• Various substances can impact neurotransmitter activity, affecting mood, perception, and behavior.