AP Exam Prep Flashcards
Which of the following types of scientists were the first to contend that an individual’s ways of thinking are shaped primarily by cultural values and ideas?
Anthropologists
The primary research method used by developmental psychologists is
cross sectional research
John Locke
tabula rasa
mind is a blank slate
Wilhelm Wundt
Structuralist
titchener
structuralist
introspection
wiliam james
functionalist
structuralism
an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
funtionalism
early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function- how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
empiricism
the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation
decartes
mind is separate from body and lives on after death. knowledge is innate. animal spirits flow & control movement and contain memories.
jean piaget
Four stage theory of cognitive development:
1. sensorimotor
2. preoperational
3. concrete operational
4. formal operational.
rogers
Humanisic; self-concept and unconditional positive regard drive personality
psychometrics
the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
operational def
a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study
inferential statistics
numerical data that allow one to generalize- to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population
statistical significance
a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
patient HM (henry molaisson)
A patient who, because of damage to medial temporal lobe structures, was unable to encode new declarative memories.
gazzaniga and sperry
studied split brain patients; showed that left/right hemispheres have different functions
hilgard and orne
hypnosis
Hobson and McCarley
Proponents of the Activation-Synthesis Theory and argued that REM sleep furnishes the brain with an internal source of needed stimulation
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
depolarization (think depo)
The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.
synapse vs synaptic cleft
synapse: includes the axon terminal end, gap, and start of the dendrite
vs.
cleft: just the space between the two neurons
acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction
GABA
A major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Undersupply linked to anxiety. Oversupply linked to overly relaxed/sedated
Glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory. Undersupply linked to insomnia, concentration problems, mental exhaustion. Oversupply linked to overstimulation, migranes, and seizures.
endorphins
“morphine within”–natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure. Undersupply linked to aches, pain, depression, mood swings, & addiction. Oversupply linked to addiction-intense feelings of happiness
sensory neurons
afferent
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
motor neurons
efferent
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
somatic nervous systems
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles
sympathetic NS
fight or flight
parasympathetic NS
rest and digest
pituitary gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, this regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
hypothalamus
Regulates the autonomic nervous system by producing & releasing hormones. A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
CT scan
Series of x-ray beams. Creates 3D cross-sectional images of the brain that shows abnormalities (shows structures)
PET scan
Shows brain activity using radioactive form of glucose while the brain performs a given task (shows function). Used in experiments to see where brain is activated as we engage in different activities & cognitive tasks.
MRI
Uses magnetic fields & radio waves. Distinguishes among different types of brain tissue (shows structure)
