chapter prologue-2 Flashcards
What is psychology?
It is a science that uses evidence-based methods and requires scientific attitude (curiosity, skepticism, humility)
Critical Thinking def
examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
Behaviorism
scientific study of observable behavior
Psychology def
science of behavior and mental processes
Behavior def
any action that can be observed or recorded
Mental processes
internal, subjective experience inferred from behavior
Evolutionary psychology
focuses in how humans are alike because of common biology and evolutionary history
Behavior genetics
focuses in differences related to differin genes and interests
cross-cultural psychology
focuses on how culture shapes behavior but recognizes that some underlying processes are universal
gender psychology
focuses on differences; males and females are overwhelming similar
positive psychology
focuses on human flourishing
Sources of of intuition over estimation
-hindsight bias
-overconfidence
-tendency to perceive patterns in random events
hindsight bias
after knowing and outcome, you think you know it confidently
post-truth
describing a modern culture where people’s emotions and personal beliefs often override their acceptance of objective facts
-false news, repetition, powerful examples, group identity
scientific method
observations, theories, hypothesis, replication
descriptive research
systematic, objective observation of people
-case study
-naturalistic observation
-survey and interviews
-big data
-random sampling
case study
lose representatives, good for rare studies, based on one person
naturalistic observation
watch nature, hard bc you might miss out
big data
search histories, big trends, twitter data
random sampling
representative sample, everyone is represented
correlation (general def)
-observation that two traits or attributes are related to each other; no causation
correlation (scientific def)
-measure of how closely two factors vary together, or how well you can predict a change in one from observing a change in one from observing a change in the other
strength (absolute value) (on graph)
-btwn 1-0
-0=not correlated
-1=correlated
-look at the number to determine
Direction (+/-) (graph)
(+) covary in the same direction; positive correlation
(-) inversely correlated; negative correlation
-look at (+/-) to determine if same or inverse
illusory correlation
think they are correlated, but they are not
regression toward the mean
-tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back (regress) toward the average
Phrenology
-bumps on the skin
-tells us about the brain’s localized function
-wrong
localization of function
-various brain regions have particular functions
-correct
neuroplasticity
-brain is able to change throughout life by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
-as you get older, plasticity declines
neuron
nerve cell
dendrites
neuron’s extensions that receives and integrates messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body
axon
segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Gial cells (glia)
support, nourish, and protect neurons
-play a role in thinking, ;earning, memory
synapse
meeting point btwn neurons
refractory period
resting pause
threshold
level of stimulation required to trigger a neutral response
All-or-none response
neurons response to firing with full strength or not firing at all
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap btwn neurons, bind to receptor sites of the receiving neurons
reuptake
neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
myelin sheath
covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
Action Potential
transmission of an electrical signal due to neuron stimulation that reaches the threshold
SSRI
Selective serotonin reuptake (depression inhibitor)
Acetycholine (ACh) (neurotransmitter)
memory and movement
Endorphins (neurotransmitter)
pleasure and pain
Depolarization
loss of the inside/outside charge difference
Dopamine (neurotransmitter)
-movement, learning, attention, positive emotion
-too much leads to schizophrenia
serotonin (neurotransmitter)
-mood, hunger, sleep, arousal
-linked to depression
Norepinephrine (neurotransmitter)
-alertness
-can depress mood
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) (neurotransmitter)
-inhibitory neurotransmitter
-undersupply linked to seizures
Glutamate (neurotransmitter)
-excitatory neurotransmitter
-memory
Agonist
molecules that increases a neurotransmitters action
Antagonists
decrease neurotransmitter’s action by blocking production/release
Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Sensory and motor neurons
-somatic system
-autonomic system
somatic system
-sensory input
-motor output (controls skeletal muscle)
-voluntary
Autonomic system
-Sympathetic (emotions, flight/flight)
-Parasympathetic (calming)
-involuntary
Sensory neurons
carry messages from the body’s tissues to the brain for processing
Motor neurons
carry instructions from the brain to tissue
Interneurons
-within the brain and spinal cord
-supports in carrying messages
simple reflex
-governed by neural pathways
-bypasses the brain
Endocrine system
-body’s slow chemical communication system
-secretes hormones into the bloodstream
-hormones outlast the effect of neural messengers
Adrenal glands
-on top of kidneys
-release epinephrine and norepinephrine
epinephrine
-increases heart rate/BP/blood sugar
pituitary gland
-endocrine system most influenced gland
-pea-sized structure located in the core of the brain
-influences hypothalamus
-regulates growth
-master gland
Feedback system
brain, pituitary, other glands, hormones, body and brain
lesion def
destroy
optogenetics
technique that allows neuroscientists to control the activity of individual neurons
EEG (Electroencephalogram)
-amplified readout of the waves
-record electrical activity
MEG (Magnetoencephalography)
-measures magnetic fields from the brains natural electrical activity
Positron emission tomography (PET)
-detects brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while brain performs task
-see changes across times
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
reveals blood flow therefore brain activity, show brain function and structure
older brain structures
-don’t have outermost cerebral cortex
-does have brainstem
Brainstem
-crossover point (brain connects with opposite side of the body)
-responsible for automatic survival function
- Medulla, pons
medulla
-located at the base of the brainstem
-controls heartbeat and breathing
pons
sits above the medulla and helps coordinate movement
Thalmus
-sensory control center
-relay station for sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
-area at the top of the brainstem
-influences multitasking
reticular formation
-nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus
-controls arousal
cerebellum (little brain)
-have 2
-processes sensory input
-coordinates voluntary movements and life sustaining functions
-helps process and store information outside of awarness
limbic system
-sits between the brains older parts and its cerebral hemispheres
-above brain stem
-includes hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalmus
-linked to emotions, memory, drives
-controls pituitary gland
Amygdala
-two bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system
-linked to negative emotion
hypothalamus
-neural structure lying below the thalamus
-directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp)
-governs endocrine system via pituitary gland
-linked to emotion and reward (hunger and sexual arousal)
Hippocampus
-part limbic system
-processes conscious, explicit memories
-decreases in size and function with age
Cerebral Cortex
-Body’s ultimate control and information processing center
-two hemispheres (each has 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal)
motor cortex
-rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
-can cause body part movement
-no sensory receptors
frontal lobe
-controls impulse and control
-motor cortex in the back of lobe
-is not fully developed till 25
parietal lobe
sensory cortex (front of lobe)
temporal lobe
control Hearing
occipital lobe
controls vision
somatosensory cortex
-front of the parietal lobe
-registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
visual cortex
-occipital lobes
-located at the rear of the brain
-receives input from your eyes
auditory cortex
-part of the temporal lobes
-located above the ears
-recieves info from the ears
prefrontal cortex
-enables judgement, planning, social interactions, processing new memories
-damage to it can alter personality and remove a person’s inhibition
responses to damage
-severed brain and spinal cord neurons usually do not regenerate
-neuroplasticity may occur after serious damage
-master stem cells can develop into any type of brain cell
corpus callosum
-only connects the two sides of the brain by neural fibers
left brain
-where action is
- quick exact interpretations of language
-speaking
-explanation
-reason, invention
right brain
-faces
-drawing
-excels in making inferences
-recognizes faceds
-facilitates self-awareness
split-brain
two halves of the brain are separated
-may be due to epilepsy
-info sharing takes place
