chapters 1-4 Flashcards
What is psychology, what does it seek to understand, and what are its main goals?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes to describe, explain, predict and change behavior
Nature/Nurture
The ongoing dispute over the relative contributors of nature (biological and genetic factors) and nurture (environment) to the development of behavior and mental processes.
What is a hypothesis?
specific prediction
What is structuralism and what important contribution did it contribute to psychology?
established a model for the scientific study of mental processes
What is sociocultural?
social influences and cultural interactions
What is evolutionary psychology?
evolution of behavior
What is APA?
American Psychological Association
What are the 3 areas of ethical concern?
human, non human and psychotherapy clients
What is informed consent?
a researcher must disclose potential physical risks and potential discomforts
Causation/Correlation
indicates relationship; can predict likelihood
What are experiment?
a carefully controlled scientific procedure that determines whether variables manipulated by the experimenter have a causal effect on other variables
control group
receives no treatment
independent variable
manipulated
dependent variable
measured
What are the advantages of surveys?
can be used on larger samples than other research methods
What are genes?
found on chromosomes and determine what traits you will possess
hormones
chemicals manufactured by the endocrine glands
chromosomes
threadlike strands of DNA
neurons
basic units of the brain and nervous system
dendrites
receive information
What is the central nervous system consist of?
Brain and spinal cord
What is heritability?
Measure of the degree something can be inherited, related to genetics
What is dominant and recessive genes and how do they manifest?
dominant needs 1 gene, recessive you need 2 genes
serotonin
think depression
cortisol
think stress
What is rooting reflex?
stroking infant’s cheek, baby turns to that side and starts sucking motion
What is the hypothalamus?
maintains homeostasis and regulates emotion
What is stress?
non specific response of the body
stressor
trigger
eustress
good stress example - moderate exercise
distress
bad stress
burnout
physical and mental exhaustion
frustration
result of a blocked goal
What are the different conflicts and what do they mean?
approach-approach- 2 equally desirable options
avoidance-avoidance - equally undesirable options
approach-avoidance – one desirable and one undesirable option
What is Type A personality?
intense ambition
What is Type B personality?
calm and patient
What is hardiness?
LEARNED behavior
What is coping?
managing stress in an effective way
What affects ability to cope?
coping strategy used and available resources
What are ulcers associated with?
increase in stress hormones and hydrochloric acid
PTSD
result of traumatic event and characterized by nightmares, flashbacks and impaired functioning
Health psychologists?
study how biological, psychological, and social factors interact in health and fitness
What is sensation?
Detecting, converting and transmitting raw sensory data
What is perception?
Process of 3 things; selecting, organizing and interpreting
Coding
process by which your visual receptors are stimulated and information is sent along the optic nerve to the occipital lobe
What is difference threshold?
minimum amount of stimulus (such as color) that is required to detect a difference
Subliminal stimulus
Any stimulus present below the required threshold of a person’s conscious awareness
Decibels
how loudness is measured
High decibels can lead to?
nerve deafness
Cocktail Party effect
talking to one group of people then your attention is drawn to another group of people when you hear your name mentioned
Depth Perception and visual cliff
inborn because infants and animal babies show fear at the edge of “cliffs”
Bottom-up processing
starting at the bottom with details being important
Top-Down Processing
understanding larger concept; details not as important; example – being able to read a sentence with a lot of misspellings
What is ESP?
the alleged ability to perceive things that cannot be perceived with the usual sensory channels
