chapter 1 Flashcards
psychological science
is the study, through research, of mind, brain, and behavior
amiable skepticism
being open to new ideas but carefully considering the evidence
critical thinking
systematically questioning and evaluating information using well-supported evidence
confirmation bias
overweighing evidence that supports existing beliefs and downplaying evidence that doesn’t match beliefs
seeing relationships that do not exist
misperception that two events that happen at the same time must somehow be related
hindsight bias
once an outcome is known, interpreting old evidence to make sense of that outcome
heuristics
following simple rules to make decisions, things that come most easily to mind guide
dunning-kruger effect
people lack the ability to evaluate their own performance in areas where they have little expertise
nature/nurture debate
the arguments concerning whether psychological characteristics are biologically innate or acquired through education, experience and culture
mind/body problem
are mind and body separate and distinct, or is the mind simply the physical brain subjective experience
dualism
the mind and body are separate yet intertwined
plato
dualist, the body is from the material world; the soul is from the world of ideas and is therefore immortal
descartes
introduced dualism in the 1600’s
monism
the belief that all the world (including the mind and brain) can be explained by only one category of substance
hippocrates
dualist, brain is the seat of thought and emotions
aristotle
heart is the seat of emotions, brain is the “cooling organ”
hobbes and materialism
(1588-1679) argued for a type of monism called materialism, view that nothing exists except for matter and energy, accordingly, all human thought and behavior can be explained in terms of physical processes in the body- specifically in the brain
phrenology and Franz Gall
-study of the structure of the skull to determine a person’s character and mental capacity
-A false science, led by Franz Joseph Gall
modularity
it is a commonly accepted principle that mental functions can be divided into separate categories or independent processes
localization of mental function
although bumps on the skull are not the tell-tale signs phrenologists thought they were, there is still good evidence that various cognitive functions are carried out (somewhat) by independent parts of the brain
broca’s area
involved in speech production
wernicke’s area
area responsible for language comprehension