Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

psychology > chapter prologue-2 > Flashcards

chapter prologue-2 Flashcards

(97 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is psychology?

A

It is a science that uses evidence-based methods and requires scientific attitude (curiosity, skepticism, humility)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Critical Thinking def

A

examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Behaviorism

A

scientific study of observable behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Psychology def

A

science of behavior and mental processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Behavior def

A

any action that can be observed or recorded

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Mental processes

A

internal, subjective experience inferred from behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Evolutionary psychology

A

focuses in how humans are alike because of common biology and evolutionary history

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Behavior genetics

A

focuses in differences related to differin genes and interests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

cross-cultural psychology

A

focuses on how culture shapes behavior but recognizes that some underlying processes are universal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

gender psychology

A

focuses on differences; males and females are overwhelming similar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

positive psychology

A

focuses on human flourishing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Sources of of intuition over estimation

A

-hindsight bias
-overconfidence
-tendency to perceive patterns in random events

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

hindsight bias

A

after knowing and outcome, you think you know it confidently

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

post-truth

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

scientific method

A

observations, theories, hypothesis, replication

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

descriptive research

A

systematic, objective observation of people
-case study
-naturalistic observation
-survey and interviews
-big data
-random sampling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

case study

A

lose representatives, good for rare studies, based on one person

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

naturalistic observation

A

watch nature, hard bc you might miss out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

big data

A

search histories, big trends, twitter data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

random sampling

A

representative sample, everyone is represented

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

correlation (general def)

A

-observation that two traits or attributes are related to each other; no causation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

correlation (scientific def)

A

-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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

strength (absolute value) (on graph)

A

-btwn 1-0
-0=not correlated
-1=correlated
-look at the number to determine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Direction (+/-) (graph)

A

(+) covary in the same direction; positive correlation
(-) inversely correlated; negative correlation
-look at (+/-) to determine if same or inverse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
illusory correlation
think they are correlated, but they are not
26
regression toward the mean
-tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back (regress) toward the average
27
Phrenology
-bumps on the skin -tells us about the brain's localized function -wrong
28
localization of function
-various brain regions have particular functions -correct
29
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
30
neuron
nerve cell
31
dendrites
neuron's extensions that receives and integrates messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body
32
axon
segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
33
Gial cells (glia)
support, nourish, and protect neurons -play a role in thinking, ;earning, memory
34
synapse
meeting point btwn neurons
35
refractory period
resting pause
36
threshold
level of stimulation required to trigger a neutral response
37
All-or-none response
neurons response to firing with full strength or not firing at all
38
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap btwn neurons, bind to receptor sites of the receiving neurons
39
reuptake
neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
40
myelin sheath
covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
41
Action Potential
transmission of an electrical signal due to neuron stimulation that reaches the threshold
42
SSRI
Selective serotonin reuptake (depression inhibitor)
43
Acetycholine (ACh) (neurotransmitter)
memory and movement
44
Endorphins (neurotransmitter)
pleasure and pain
45
Depolarization
loss of the inside/outside charge difference
46
Dopamine (neurotransmitter)
-movement, learning, attention, positive emotion -too much leads to schizophrenia
47
serotonin (neurotransmitter)
-mood, hunger, sleep, arousal -linked to depression
48
Norepinephrine (neurotransmitter)
-alertness -can depress mood
49
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) (neurotransmitter)
-inhibitory neurotransmitter -undersupply linked to seizures
50
Glutamate (neurotransmitter)
-excitatory neurotransmitter -memory
51
Agonist
molecules that increases a neurotransmitters action
52
Antagonists
decrease neurotransmitter's action by blocking production/release
53
Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and spinal cord
54
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Sensory and motor neurons -somatic system -autonomic system
55
somatic system
-sensory input -motor output (controls skeletal muscle) -voluntary
56
Autonomic system
-Sympathetic (emotions, flight/flight) -Parasympathetic (calming) -involuntary
57
Sensory neurons
carry messages from the body's tissues to the brain for processing
58
Motor neurons
carry instructions from the brain to tissue
59
Interneurons
-within the brain and spinal cord -supports in carrying messages
60
simple reflex
-governed by neural pathways -bypasses the brain
61
Endocrine system
-body's slow chemical communication system -secretes hormones into the bloodstream -hormones outlast the effect of neural messengers
62
Adrenal glands
-on top of kidneys -release epinephrine and norepinephrine
63
epinephrine
-increases heart rate/BP/blood sugar
64
pituitary gland
-endocrine system most influenced gland -pea-sized structure located in the core of the brain -influences hypothalamus -regulates growth -master gland
65
Feedback system
brain, pituitary, other glands, hormones, body and brain
66
lesion def
destroy
67
optogenetics
technique that allows neuroscientists to control the activity of individual neurons
68
EEG (Electroencephalogram)
-amplified readout of the waves -record electrical activity
69
MEG (Magnetoencephalography)
-measures magnetic fields from the brains natural electrical activity
70
Positron emission tomography (PET)
-detects brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while brain performs task -see changes across times
71
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
reveals blood flow therefore brain activity, show brain function and structure
72
older brain structures
-don't have outermost cerebral cortex -does have brainstem
73
Brainstem
-crossover point (brain connects with opposite side of the body) -responsible for automatic survival function - Medulla, pons
74
medulla
-located at the base of the brainstem -controls heartbeat and breathing
75
pons
sits above the medulla and helps coordinate movement
76
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
77
reticular formation
-nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus -controls arousal
78
cerebellum (little brain)
-have 2 -processes sensory input -coordinates voluntary movements and life sustaining functions -helps process and store information outside of awarness
79
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
80
Amygdala
-two bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system -linked to negative emotion
81
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)
82
Hippocampus
-part limbic system -processes conscious, explicit memories -decreases in size and function with age
83
Cerebral Cortex
-Body's ultimate control and information processing center -two hemispheres (each has 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal)
84
motor cortex
-rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements -can cause body part movement -no sensory receptors
85
frontal lobe
-controls impulse and control -motor cortex in the back of lobe -is not fully developed till 25
86
parietal lobe
sensory cortex (front of lobe)
87
temporal lobe
control Hearing
88
occipital lobe
controls vision
89
somatosensory cortex
-front of the parietal lobe -registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
90
visual cortex
-occipital lobes -located at the rear of the brain -receives input from your eyes
91
auditory cortex
-part of the temporal lobes -located above the ears -recieves info from the ears
92
prefrontal cortex
-enables judgement, planning, social interactions, processing new memories -damage to it can alter personality and remove a person's inhibition
93
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
94
corpus callosum
-only connects the two sides of the brain by neural fibers
95
left brain
-where action is - quick exact interpretations of language -speaking -explanation -reason, invention
96
right brain
-faces -drawing -excels in making inferences -recognizes faceds -facilitates self-awareness
97
split-brain
two halves of the brain are separated -may be due to epilepsy -info sharing takes place

psychology (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions