Ch.1,2,3,4,5 & 6 Flashcards
American Psychological Association
an organization representing psychologists in the United States
Behaviorism
focus on observing and controlling behavior
Biopsychology Model
a point of view that biology, psychology, and social all determine an individual’s health.
Clinical Psychology
the area that focuses on diagnosing and treating psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior.
Cognitive Psychology
study of cognitions, thoughts, and their relationship to experiences and actions.
Counseling Psychology
an area that focuses on improving emotional, social, vocational, and other aspects of the lives of psychologically healthy individuals.
Developmental Psychology
scientifically studying a human’s lifespan.
Dissertation
a long research paper that a doctoral student conducts as part of their training.
Empirical Method
method for acquiring knowledge based on observation and experimentation.
Forensic Psychology
an area that applies science/practice of psychology to issues within/related to the justice system.
Functionalism
a focus on how mental activities helped an organism adapt to its environment.
Humanism
a perspective that humans are good by nature.
Introspection
a person examined their conscious experience to break them down into its component parts.
Personality Psychology
the study of patterns and behaviors that make individuals unique.
Personality Trait
a pattern of thought and behavior.
Psychoanalytic Theory
focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior.
Psychology
the scientific study of the mind and behavior
Sport and Exercise Psychology
focus on interactions between mental and emotional factors and physical performance in sport/exercise-related activities.
Structuralism
understanding the conscious experience through introspection.
Archival Research
method of research using past records or data sets to answer various research questions/ search for interesting patterns or relationships.
Attrition
reducing the # of participants as some drop out of the study over time.
Cause-and-Effect
changes in one variable cause changes in the other variable.
Clinical or Case Study
an observational research study focusing on one or a few people.
Confirmation Bias
ignoring evidence that disproves ideas of beliefs.
Confounding Variable
an unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest.
Control Group
a group separated from the rest of the experiment.
Correlation
a relationship between two or more variables.
Cross-Sectional Research
compares multiple segments of a population at a single time.
Debriefing
When deception is involved in an experiment the participants are told the complete truth of the experiment afterward.
Deception
misleading the participants an experiment to maintain the experiment’s integrity.
Deductive Reasoning
results are predicted based on a general premise.
Dependent Variable
the measured variable to see the effects that the independent variable had.
Double-Blind Study
an experiment where the researchers and participants are unaware of the group assignments.
Empirical
fact-based evidence that can be observed repeatedly no matter the observer.
Experimental Group
a group designed to answer a research question.
Experimenter Bias
researcher expectations skew the results of the study.
Illusory Correlation
seeing relationships between two things when there isn’t one.
Independent Variable
the variable that is influenced or controlled by the experimenter.
Inductive Reasoning
conclusions are drawn from observations.
Informed Consent
a participant knows what to expect during an experiment and then gives consent to participate.
Inter-Rater Reliability
a measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular event.
Longitudinal Research
studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed/measured repeatedly over a long period of time.
Naturalistic Observation
observation of behavior in its natural setting.
Negative Correlation
two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes smaller.
Observer Bias
when observations may be skewed to align with observer expectations.
Operational Definition
description of what actions and operations will be used to measure the dependent variables and manipulate the independent variables.
Placebo Effect
people’s expectations or beliefs influencing or determining their experience in a given situation.
Positive Correlation
two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller.
Random Assignment
when participants have an equal chance of being assigned to either group.
Random Sample
chosen from a larger set of the population by chance.
Reliability
consistency and reproducibility of a given result.
Replicate
repeating an experiment using different samples to determine the research’s reliability.
Sample
subset of individuals selected from the larger population.
Single-Blind Study
an experiment in which the researcher knows which participants are in the experimental group and which are in the control group.
Statistical Analysis
determines how likely any difference between experimental groups is due to chance.
Theory
well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena.
Validity
accuracy of a given result in measuring what it is designed to measure.
Action Potential
electrical signal that moves down the neuron’s axon.
Adrenal Gland
secretes hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other critical bodily functions.
Agonist
drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitter.
All-or-None
phenomenon that incoming signal from another neuron is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of extinction.
Allele
specific version of a gene.
Amygdala
structure in the limbic system involved in our experiences of emotions and tying emotional meaning to our memories.
Antagonist
drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter.
Auditory Cortex
strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory information.
Autonomic Nervous System
controls our internal organs and glands.
Axon
major extension of the soma.
Biological Perspective
psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitter systems.
Broca’s Area
region in the left hemisphere that is essential for language production.
Central Nervous System
brain and spinal cord.
Cerebellum
hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory.
Cerebral Cortex
surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities.
Chromosome
long strand of genetic information.
Computerized Tomography Scan
imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area.
Corpus Callosum
thick band of neural fibers connecting the brain’s two hemispheres
Dendrite
branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurons.
Dominant Allele
allele whose phenotype will be expressed in an individual that possesses that allele.
Diabetes
disease related to insufficient insulin production.
Endocrine System
series of glands that produce chemical substances know as hormones.
Epigenetics
study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different phenotypes.
Fight or Flight Response
activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.
Forebrain
largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures. `
Frontal Lobe
part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language; contains motor cortex.
Gene
sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics.
Genetic Environmental Correlation
occurs when there are genetically influenced differences in exposure to environmental risk factors.
Genotype
genetic makeup of an individual.
Glial Cells
nervous system cell that provides physical and metabolic support to neurons, including neuronal insulation and communication, and nutrient and waste transport.
Gonad
secretes sexual hormones, which are important for successful reproduction, and mediate both sexual motivation and behavior.
Gyrus
bump or ridge on the cerebral cortex.
Hemisphere
left or right half of the brain.
Heterozygous
consisting of two different alleles.
Hindbrain
division of the brain containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
Hippocampus
structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory.
Homeostasis
state of equilibrium.
Homozygous
consisting of two identical alleles.
Hormone
chemical messenger released by endocrine glands.
Hypothalamus
forebrain structure that regulates sexual motivation and behavior and a number of homeostasis processes.
Lateralization
concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions.
Limbic System
collection of structures involved in processing emotion an memory.
Longitudinal Fissure
deep groove in the brain’s cortex.
Medulla
hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Membrane Potential
difference in charge across the neuronal membrane.
Midbrain
division of the brain located between the forebrain and the hindbrain; contains the reticular formation.
Motor Cortex
strip of cortex involved in planning and coordinating movement.
Mutation
sudden, permanent change in a gene.
Myelin Sheath
fatty substance that insulates axons.
Nueron
cells in the nervous system that act as interconnected information processors, which are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system.
Occipital Lobe
part of the cerebral cortex associated with visual processing; contains the primary visual cortex.
Pancreas
secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body.
Parietal Lobe
part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information; contains the primary somatosensory cortex.
Peripheral Nervous System
connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs and senses in the periphery of the body.
Phenotype
individual’s inheritable physical characteristics.
Pituitary Gland
secretes a number of key hormones, which regulate fluid levels in the body, and a number of messenger hormones, which direct the activity of other glands in the endocrine system.
Polygenic
multiple genes affecting a given trait.
Pons
hindbrain structure that connects the brain and spinal cord; involved in regulating brain activity during sleep.
Prefrontal Cortex
area in the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning.
Psychotropic Medication
drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance.
Range of Reation
asserts our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate, and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in that range we will fall.
Receptor
protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach.
Recessive Allele
allele whose phenotype will be expressed only if an individual is homozygous for that allele.
Resting Potential
the state of readiness of neuron membrane’s potential between signals.
Reticular Formation
midbrain structure important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity.
Reuptake
neurotransmitter is pumped back into the neuron that released it.
Semipermeable Membrane
cell membrane that allows smaller molecules or molecules without an electrical charge to pass through it, while stopping larger or highly charged molecules.
Soma
cell body
Somatic Nervous System
relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS.
Somatosensory Cortex
essential for processing sensory information from across the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain.