Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Psych Unit 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| psychology | scientific study of human behavior and mental process (animals as well) |
| Wilhelm Wundt | Father of psychology |
| dualism | the mind and body are distinct entities that interact with each other |
| structuralism | breaking down mental processes to most basic components to understand elements of consciousness |
| functionalism | looks at how organisms use learning and perception to function in their environment |
| Gestalt psychology | looks at info as organized wholes instead of isolated elements |
| psychodynamic approach | based on the belief that behaviors are motivated by internal factors unavailable to the conscious mind (theory of Sigmund Freud) (unconscious mind) |
| psychoanalysis | emphasis on the influence of the unconscious through relationships or behaviors (could be based on parents beliefs) |
| Behavioral approach | based on behavior and environmental factors |
| humanistic approach | takes into account personal choice/free will |
| self actualization approach | being all you can be or be the best you can be; a drive to connect with God |
| cognitive psychology | studies mental processes; you are who you are based on how you think |
| biological | you are who you are based on your biology/nervous system |
| neurotransmitters | chemicals that send info through your body |
| sociocultural perspective | impact of society and culture through the individual |
| psychologist | usually has a doctorate and studies it |
| psychiatrist | an actual doctor that prescribes medication for psychology |
| scientific method | identify the problem, hypothesis, prove/disprove hypothesis |
| naturalistic observations | researchers observe/record behavior in natural setting without manipulation or control |
| case study | in depth study of a specific thing or person. Not a generalization only one outcome |
| correlational study | type of study that allows researchers to measure the degree to which 2 variables are related; CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION |
| experiment | enables researchers to determine causality by manipulation of 1+ independent variables and observing effects on some outcome. SHOWS CAUSATION |
| Independent variable | a change or manipulation to the variable to see if there's an effect |
| dependent variable | stays the same to see how much the independent variable changes things |
| Placebo effect | effect of your belief system; person experiences positive change even if they're given treatment with no active therapeutic effect |
| Neuroscience | study of the nervous system and the brain |
| dendrite | bushy end of the neuron responsible for receiving the incoming signal from the previous neuron |
| soma | cell body of the neuron; contains nucleus which houses cell's genetic info |
| axon | long thin fiber responsible for carrying information to the end of the neuron |
| terminal buttons | located at end of each neuron; contains vesicles holding neurotransmitter, which is released into the synapse during action potential |
| myelin sheath | acts as an insulator of a neuron allowing for faster and more efficient transmissions of nerve impulses |
| synapse | small space between the presynaptic neuron and the post synaptic neuron; filled with the neurotransmitter after an action potential |
| reuptake | reprocesses info and sends it back out; some drugs are designed to slow down reuptake |
| agonist | enhances the effect of original; makes something better |
| antagonist | works against something |
| synaptic plasticity | brain's ability to to strengthen/weaken connections between neurons (synapses) over time |
| neurogenesis | lifelong process of forming new neurons in the brain |
| central nervous system | largest part of the nervous system which includes brain and spinal cord |
| amygdala | central processing center for emotions |
| frontal lobes | part of the brain that lies behind forehead that performs a variety of integration and management functions |
| prefrontal cortex | responsible for complex processes referred to as executive function |
| neuropsychology | focused on relationship between brain/behavior; how brain injuries or illness effect cognitive and behavioral functions |
| corpus callosum | enables communication between right and left hemispheres of the brain |
| Pituitary glands | "master gland" tells the other glands what to do; controls bodily function |
| Hindbrain | evolutionarily oldest part of the brain at top of spinal cord; responsible for the majority of basic functions required for survival |
| Midbrain | part of the brain between the hindbrain and forebrain; serves as a relay station for visual and auditory info and is center of auditory and visual reflexes |
| reticular formation | collection of neurons, primarily in the midbrain, involved in consciousness and arousal |
| sensation | picking up on stuff with senses; sensory receptors detect/convert external stimuli into neural signals transmitted to brain for interpretation |
| transduction | body's ability to take things you pick up and send to the brain; convert physical/chemical stimulus from environment to electrical signals the brain can process/interpret |
| perception | brain selects, organizes, and interprets sensory info to create understanding of the world and interact with it; "is it good/bad, etc" |
| signal detection theory | experience makes us more alert of a particular sound; certain sounds are more important than others |
| sensory adaptation | can filter out unimportant info and focus on new/changing sensations in the environment |
| rods | responsible for night vision and detecting shapes in low light; black and white |
| cones | allow sight of color and fine detail in bright light conditions; the more cones, the higher the threshold |
| opponent process theory | there is a counteracting process to balance out emotions and/or colors; it is 3 specialized receptors working in pairs |
| negative after image | afterimage where the colors seen are the opposite of those originally presented |
| proprioceptors | sensory receptors that provide info about body position/movement |
| limbic system | network of brain structures beneath the cerebral cortex involved in emotion, motivation, memory, and behavior. |
| bottom-up processing | as you put things together you eventually come to a conclusion; processing raw data |
| top-down processing | relies on past knowledge/experience |
| perceptual constancy | perception of a stimulus remains the same even though some characteristics may have changed |
| What are the 3 areas of perceptual constancy? | size, color, shape |
| closure | Gestalt principle of perception involving tendency to perceive images as complete objects |
| depth perception | ability to judge distances of objects and see them in 3D |
| perceptual illusions | experience where perception of stimulus is different than what we are seeing |
| consciousness | awareness of yourself and your enviornment |
| Circadian rhythm | the body’s natural 24-hour sleep/wake cycle |
| REM | Dreaming stage with brain activity like waking |
| insomnia | trouble falling or staying asleep |
| Narcolepsy | sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks |
| sleep apnea | Breathing stops briefly during sleep |
| Parasomnias | unusual behaviors during sleep (talking or moving) |
| Sleep terrors | Intense fear or panic while asleep, hard to wake |
| psychoactive drug | substance that changes thoughts, feelings, or behavior |
| psychological dependence | needing a drug to feel good or cope |
| Tolerance | needing more of a drug to get the same effect |
| withdrawal symptoms | negative effects when stopping a drug |
| depressants | slow down brain activity(alcohol) |
| stimulants | speed up brain activity(caffeine, Cocaine) |
| marijuana | can act as a depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogen:alters mood and perception |
| dreams | Mental experiences during sleep that include thoughts, images, emotions, and sensations |
| Latent content | the hidden,symbolic meaning of a dream, according to Freud |
| manifest content | the actual events, images, and story of a dream that you remember |
| SIDS | The unexpected death of a healthy infant, usually during sleep, with no clear cause |
Created by:
auweb921
Popular Psychology sets