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The Scientific study of thought and behavior
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Psychology is best defined as the study of
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Psych 107 test 1

Chapters 1-4 and syllabus

QuestionAnswer
The Scientific study of thought and behavior Psychology
Psychology is best defined as the study of Human thought and behavior
As a field psychology is The practice of diagnosing and treating mental illness, a social science, and a biological science.
The study of how people perceive, remember, think, speak and solve problems Cognitive psychology
The study of how thought and behavior change and remain stable across the life span Developmental psychology
The study of the links among the brain, mind, and behavior Behavioral neuroscience
The study of the relationship between bodily systems and chemicals and how they influence behavior and thought Biological psychology
The study of the treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders and the promotion of psychological health Clinical psychology
The study of what makes people unique and the consistencies in people's behavior across time and situations Personality psychology
The study of how living among others influences thought, feeling, and behavior Social psychology
The study of how the role that psychological factors play in regard to physical health and illness Health psychology
The study of how students learn, the effectiveness of particular teaching techniques, the social psychology of schools, and the psychology of teaching School psychology
The study of psychological factors in sports and exercise Sports psychology
Application of psychological concepts and questions to work setings Industrial/organizational psychology
Field that blends psychology, law, and criminal justice Forensic psychology
Medicine men or women who treat people with mental problems by driving out their demons with elaborate rituals, such as exorcisms, incantations, and prayers Shamans
Facilities for treating the mentally ill in Europe during the Middle Ages and into the 19th century Asylums
Sigmund Freud developed this form of therapy Psychoanalysis
A clinically based approach to understanding and treating psychological disorders; assumes that the unconscious mind is the most powerful force behind thought and behavior Psychoanalysis
The view that all knowledge and thoughts come from experience Empiricism
The first scientific form of psychology; laboratory studies of the subjective experience of physical sensations Psychophysics
Wundt In 1879 he set up a psychology laboratory in Germany. The birthplace of experimental psychology
Argued that breaking down experience into its elemental parts offers the best way to understand thoughts and behavior Structuralism
The main method of investigation for structuralists; involves looking into one's own mind for information about the nature of conscious experience Introspection
Argued that it is better to look at why the mind works the way it does than to describe its parts. Influenced by Natural selection Functionalism
Proposed that psychology can be a true science only if it examines observable behavior, not ideas, thoughts, feelings, or motives Behaviorism
Focuses on personal growth and meaning as a way of reaching one's highest potential Humanistic psychology
Shares humanistic beliefs. Studying, understanding, and promoting healthy and positive psychological functioning Positive psychology
Maintains that we perceive things as wholes rather than as a compilation of parts Gestalt psychology
The change over time in the frequency with which specific genes occur within a breeding species Evolution
Inherited solutions to ancestral problems that have been selected for because they contribute to reproductive success Adaptations
Studies human behavior by asking what adaptive problems it may have solved for our early ancestors Evolutionary psychology
Things that evolve because they solved one problem and they happen to solve another to Exaptations
What science is Cumulative, a process more than a product, and an attitude
The procedures by which scientists conduct research, consisting of five basic processes: observation, prediction, testing, interpretation, and communication Scientific method
A specific, informed, and testable prediction of the outcome of a particular set of conditions in a research design Hypothesis
A set of related assumptions from which scientists can make testable predictions Theory
The repetition of a study to confirm the results; essential to the scientific process Replication
Claims presented as scientific that are not supported by evidence obtained with the scientific method Pseudoscience
Plans of action for how to conduct a scientific study Research design
A characteristic that changes. Such as age, gender, weight, intelligence, anxiety, and extraversion Variable
The entire group a researcher is interested in. A humans, all boys, all girls, all college students Population
Subsets of the population studied in a research project Samples
The tendency toward favorable self-presentation that could lead to inaccurate self reports Social desirability bias
Study designs in which the researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but makes no prediction and does not control or manipulate anything Descriptive designs
A study design in which a psychologist, often a therapist, observes one person over a long period of time Case study
Examines in detail the lives of historically important people and provides an example of the richness and value of case studies and studying individual lives over time Psychobiography
A study in which the researcher unobtrusively observes and records behavior in the real world Naturalistic observation
A research sample that accurately reflects the population of people one is studying Representative sample
Studies that measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another; not designed to show causation Correlational designs
A statistic that ranges from -1.0 to 1.0 and assesses the strength and direction of association between two variables Correlation coefficient
A research design that includes independent and dependent variables and random assignment of participants to control and experimental groups or condition Experiment
A property that is manipulated by the experimenter under controlled conditions to determine whether it causes the predicted outcome of an experiment Independent variable
In an experiment, the outcome or response to the experimental manipulation Dependent variable
The method used to assign participants to different research conditions so that all participants have the same chance of being in any specific group Random assignment
A group of research participants who are treated in exactly the same manner as the experimental group, except that they do not receive the independent variable or treatment Control group
A substance or treatment that appears identical to the actual treatment but lacks the active substance Placebo
A group consisting of those participants who will receive the treatment or whatever is predicted to change behavior Experimental group
Variable whose influence on the dependent variable cannot be separated from the independent variable being examined Confounding variable
Studies in which participants do not know the experimental condition to which they have been assigned Single-blind studies
Studies in which neither the participants nor the researchers administering the treatment know who has been assigned to the experimental or control group Double-blind studies
Result that occurs when the behavior of the participants is influenced by the experimenter's knowledge of who is in the control group and who is in the experimental group Experimenter expectancy effects
A statement that affects events to cause the prediction to become true Self-fulfilling prophecy
A research and statistical technique for combining all research results on one question and drawing a conclusion Meta-analysis
A measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables or the magnitude of an experimental effect Effect size
Experimental design must have Random assignment of participants to conditions and manipulation of an independent variable
Written or oral accounts of a person's thoughts, feelings, or actions Self-reports
Measures based on systematic observation of people's actions either in their normal environment or in a laboratory setting Behavioral measures
Measures of bodily responses, such as blood pressure or heart rate, used to determine changes in psychological state Physiological measures
The use of several measures to acquire data on one aspect of behavior Multiple measurement
Collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data Statistics
Measures used to describe, organize, and summarize research data Descriptive statistics
The arithmetic average of a series of numbers Mean
The score that separates the lower half of scores from the upper half Median
A statistic that represents the most commonly occurring score or value Mode
A statistical measure of how much scores in a sample vary around the mean Standard deviation
The rules governing the conduct of a person or group in general or in a specific situation. Standards of right and wrong Ethics
Guidelines for ethical research Informend consent, respect for persons, beneficence, privacy and confidentiality, and justice
The explanation of the purposes of a study following data collection Debriefing
Organizations that evaluate research proposals to make sure research involving humans does not cause undue harm or distress Institutional review boards
Research method similar to an experimental design except that it makes use of naturally occurring groups rather than randomly assigning subjects to groups Quasi-experimental design
The most rigorous study design that can be used to study the effects of enrichment on brain development in humans Quasi-experimental design
A living situation that provides ample opportunity for play and activity Enriched environment
A large molecule that contains genes DNA
Small segments of DNA that contain information for producing proteins Genes
All the genetic information in DNA Genome
Different forms of a gene Alleles
Genes that show their effects even if there is only one allele for that trait in the pair Dominant gene
The scientific study of the role of heredity in behavior Behavioral genetics
the hereditary passing on of traits determined by a single gene Monogenic transmission
The process by which many genes interact to create a single characteristic Polygenic transmission
The extent to which a characteristic is influenced by genetics Heritability
Twins that develop from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm Fraternal twins
Twins that develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two independent cells Identical twins
Research into hereditary influence comparing pairs of fraternal and identical twins Twin studies
Research into hereditary influence in which adopted people are compared to their biological and adoptive parents Adoption studies
Research into hereditary influence on twins, both identical and fraternal, who were raised apart and who were raised together Twin-adoption studies
A method of studying heritability by comparing genetic markers that allow researchers to assess how genetic differences interact with environment to produce certain behaviors in some people but not in others Gene-by-environment interaction research
Concerns changes in the way genes are turned on or off without a change in the sequence of DNA Epigenetics
The part of the nervous system that comprises the brain and spinal cord Central nervous system
The part of the nervous system that comprises all the nerve cells in the body outside the central nervous system Peripheral nervous system
Transmits sensory information to the CNS and from there to the skeletal muscles Somatic nervous system
Controls all actions and automatic processes of the body Nervous system
Serves the involuntary systems of the body, such as internal organs and glands Autonomic nervous system
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that activates bodily systems in times of emergency Sympathetic nervous system
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that usually relaxes or returns the body to a less active, restful state. Parasympathetic nervous system
CNS cells that provide structural support, promote efficient communication between neurons, and serve as scavengers, removing cellular debris. Glue that holds the CNS together Glial cells
The cells that process and transmit information in the nervous system Neurons
Chemicals that transmit information between neurons Neuro-transmitters
The cell body of the neuron Soma
Long thing that transmits electrical impulses toward the adjacent neuron and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters Axon
Fingerlike projections from a neuron's soma that receive incoming messages from other neurons (looks like crab claws) Dendrites
Fatty substance wrapped around axons which insulate them making the impulse travel quicker Myelin sheath
The junction between the axon and the adjacent neuron where information is transmitted from one neuron to another Synapse
Little knobs at the end of the axon that contain tiny sacs of neurotransmitters Terminal buttons
Nerve cells that receive incoming information from the sense organs Sensory Neurons
Nerve cells that carry commands for movement from the brain to the muscles of the body Motor neurons
Nerve cells that are active when we observe others performing an action as well as when we are performing the same action Mirror neurons
Neurons that communicate only with other neurons. The most common kind of neuron in the brain Interneurons
The impulse of positive charge that runs down an axon Action potential
Chemically charged particles that predominate in bodily fluids; found both inside and outside cells Ions
The difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the axon when the neuron is at rest Resting potential
The span of time after an action potential has been generated when the neuron is returning to its resting state and the neuron cannot generate an action potential Refractory period
The idea that once the threshold has been crossed, an action potential either fires or it does not; there is no halfway All-or-none principle
Point of no return; once the charge inside the neuron exceeds this, the action potential fires and it is always fired with the same intensity. Threshold
Tiny sacs in the terminal buttons that contain neurotransmitters Synaptic vesicles
A way of removing excess neurotransmitters from the synapse and sending them to the presynaptic neuron for storage in vesicles and future use Reuptake
A way of removing excess neurotransmitters from the synapse, in which enzymes specific for the neurotransmitter bind with it and destroy it Enzymatic degradation
Small changes in membrane potential that by themselves are insufficient to trigger an action potential Graded potential
A neurotransmitter that controls muscle movement and plays a role in mental processes such as learning, memory, attention, sleeping, and dreaming Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter released in response to behaviors that feel good or are rewarding to the person Dopamine
Also known as adrenaline, a neurotransmitter that arouses bodily systems (such as increasing heart rate) Epinephrine
A neurotransmitter that plays an important role in the sympathetic nervous system, energizing bodily systems and increasing mental arousal and alertness Norepinephrine
A major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain that tells postsynaptic neurons not to fire GABA
A major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain that increass the likelihood that a postsynaptic neuron will fire; important in learning, memory, neural processing, and brain development Glutamate
Part of the brain that regulates breathing, heart rate, arousal, and other basic functions for survival Hindbrain
A hindbrain structure that serves as a bridge between lowerbrain regions and higher midbrain and forebrain activity Pons
A hindbrain structure that extends directly from the spinal cord; regulates breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure Medulla
A hindbrain structure involved in body movement, balance, coordination, fine-tuning motor skills, and cognitive activities such as learning and language Cerebellum
Inborn and involuntary behaviors-- such as coughing, swallowing, sneezing, or vomiting-- that are elicited by very specific stimuli Reflexes
The midbrain, the medulla, and the pons Brain stem
Controls the eye muscles, process auditory and visual information, and initiate voluntary movement of the body Midbrain
A network of nerve fibers that runs up through both the hindbrain and the midbrain; it is crucial to waking up and falling asleep Reticular formation
Controls cognitive, sensory, and motor function and regulate temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions Forebrain
A forebrain structure that receives information from the senses and relays it to the cerebral cortex for processing Thalamus
Important to emotion and motivation. Contains the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the cingulate gyrus Limbic system
A limbic structure; the master regulator of almost all major drives and motives we have, such as hunger, thirst, temperature, and sexual behavior; also controls the pituitary gland Hypothalamus
A limbic structure that wraps itself around the thalamus; plays a vital role in learning and memory Hippocampus
A small, almond shaped structure located directly in front of the hippocampus; has connections with many important brain regions and is important for processing emotional information, especially that related to fear Amygdala
A beltlike structure in the middle of the brain that plays an important role in attention and cognitive control Cingulate gyrus
A collection of structures surrounding the thalamus involved in voluntary motor control Basal ganglia
Each of the large halves of the brain that are covered with convolutions or folds Cereburm
The thin outer layer of the cerebrum, in which much of human thought, planning, perception, and consciousness takes place Cerebral cortex
The fact that one side of the brain controls movement on the opposite side Contralaterality
Lobe that holds attention, holds things in the mind while we solve problems, abstract thinking, control of impulses, creativity, and social awareness Frontal lobe
Top and rear sections of the brain. Play a role in the sensation and perception of touch Parietal lobes
Directly below the frontal and parietal loves and right behind the ears. Main function is hearing Temporal lobes
In the rear of the brain. The optic nerve travels from the eye to the thalamus and then to these. Visual information is processed in the visual cortex. Occipital lobes
A small structure inside the cerebrum that plays an important role in the perception of bodily sensations, emotional states, empathy, and addictive behavior Insula
The nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain Corpus callosum
Deficit in the ability to speak or comprehend language Aphasia
An area in the left frontal lobe responsible for the ability to produce speech Broca's area
An area deep in the left temporal lobe responsible for the ability to speak in meaningful sentences and to comprehend the meaning of speech Wernicke's area
The brain's ability to adopt new functions, reorganize itself, or make new neural connections throughout life,as a function of experience Neuroplasticity
The development of new neurons Neurogenesis
The growth and formation of new dendrites Arborization
The formation of entirely new synapses or connections with other neurons synaptogenesis
A method for measuring brain activity in which the electrical activity of the brain is recorded from electrodes placed on a person's scalp Electroencephalography
A special technique that extracts electrical activity from raw EEG data to measure cognitive processes Event-related potential
Brain imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of the structure of the brain and other soft tissues Magnetic resonance imaging
Brain imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of activity in areas of the brain and other soft tissues Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Brain imaging technique that measures blood flow to active areas in the brain Positron emission tomography
System of glands that secrete and regulate hormones in the body The endocrine system
Chemicals secreted by glands that travel in the bloodstream and carry messages to tissues and organs all over the body Hormones
The master endocrine gland that controls the release of hormones from glands throughout the body Pituitary gland
Endocrine structures that release hormones important in regulating the stress response and emotions Adrenal glands
Chemicals released from the adrenal glands that function as hormones and as neurotransmitters to control ANS activation Catecholamines
A hormone released by the adrenal glands; responsible for maintaining the activation of bodily systems during prolonged stress Cortisol
The process by which our sensitivity diminishes when an object constantly stimulates our senses Sensory adaptation
The conversion of physical into neural information Transduction
The study of how people psychologically perceive physical stimuli such as light, sound waves, and touch Psychophysics
The lowest intensity level of a stimulus a person can detect half of the time Absolute threshold
The viewpoint that both stimulus intensity and decision-making processes are involved in the detection of a stimulus Signal detection theory
The smallest amount of change between two stimuli that a person can detect half of the time Difference threshold
The finding that the size of a just noticeable difference is a constant fraction of the intensity of the stimulus Weber's law
The effect of frame of mind on perception; a tendency to perceive stimuli in a certain manner Perceptual set
The opening in the iris through which light enters the eye Pupil
The clear hard covering that protects the lens of the eye Cornea
The muscle that forms the colored part of the eye; it adjusts the pupil to regulate the amount of light that enters the eye Iris
The structure that sits behind the pupil; it bends the light rays that enter the eye to focus images on the retina Lens
The process by which the muscles control the shape of the lens to adjust to viewing objects at different distances Accommodation
The thin layer of nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye Retina
Cells in the retina (called rods and cones) that convert light energy into nerve energy; they are transducers Photoreceptors
Photoreceptors that function in low illumination and play a key role in night vision; responsive to dark and light contrast Rods
Photoreceptors that are responsible for color vision and are most functional in conditions of bright light Cones
Process of adjustment to seeing in the dark Dark adaptation
The ability to see clearly Visual acuity
Spot on the back of the retina that contains the highest concentration of cones in the retina; place of clearest vision Fovea
Structure composed of the axons of ganglion cells from th retina that carry visual information from the eye to the brain Optic nerve
The point at which strands of the optic nerve from half of each eye cross over to the opposite side of the brain Optic chiasm
Neurons in the visual cortex that analyze the retinal image and respond to specific aspects of shapes, such as angles and movements Feature detectors
The ability to see things in three dimensions and to discriminate what is near from what is far Depth perception
Aids to depth perception that rely on input from both eyes Binocular depth cues
A binocular depth cue: the way in which the eyes move inward as an object moves closer to you Convergence
Aids to depth perception that do not require two eyes Monocular depth cues
The ability of the brain to preserve perception of objects in spite of changes in retinal image when an object changes in position or distance from the viewer Perceptual constancy
The Gestalt tendency to group like objects together in visual perception Similarity
The Gestalt tendency to see points or lines in such a way that they follow a continuous path Continuity
The Gestalt tendency to group objects together that are near one another Proximity
The Gestalt tendency to see a whole object even when complete information isn't available Closure
Assembling a perceptual experience Bottom-up processing
Perception of the whole based on our experience and expectations, which guide our perception of smaller elemental features of a stimulus Top-down processing
The theory that all color that we experience results from a mixing of three colors of light Trichromatic color theory
Visual images that remain after removal of or looking away from the stimulus Afterimages
The theory that color vision results from cones linked together in three opposing pairs of colors so that activation of one member of the pair inhibits activity in the other Opponent-process theory
The eardrum Tympanic membrane
Structure of the inner ear involved in maintaining balance Semicircular canals
A bony tube of the inner ear, which is curled like a snail's shell and filled with fluid Cochlea
A membrane that runs through the cochlea; contains the hair cells Basilar membrane
Inner ear sensory receptors that transduce sound vibrations into neural impulses Hair cells
The nerve that receives action potentials from the hair cells and transmits auditory information to the brain Auditory nerve
Created by: adm2595
 

 



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