Crash Course Key Terms Flashcards
Humanistic Perspective
Emerged form the pioneering work or Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Emphasizes the importance of self-esteem, free will, and choices in hhuman behavior.
Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Perspective
Emerged from the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud. Emphasizes the role of unconscious conflict in determining behavior and personality.
Cognitive perspective
Influenced by the computer revolution, the cognitive perspective compares the mind to a computer that encodes, processes, and stores information. cognitive psychologists emphasize thinking, perceiving, and information processing
Behavioral Perspective
Emerged from the pioneering work of Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner. Emphasizes observable behavior that can be objectively measured
Biological Perspective
Emphasizes genetics, the roles of various parts of the brain, and the structure and function of individual nerve cells.
Evolutionary Perspective
Influenced by the seminal writings of Charles Darwin. Emphasizes the role played by natural selection and adaptation in the evolution of behavior and mental processes.
Experimental Method
a carefully controlled scientific procedure involving the manipulation of variables to determine cause and effect. The method enables researchers to determine causes and effect relationships
Independent Variable
The factor that is manipulated or controlled by the experimenter
Dependent variable
The factor that is measured by the experimenter. It is affected by, and thus depends on, the independent variable
Experimental group
Group that is exposed to the independent variable
Control group
group that is exposed to all experimental conditions, except the independent variable
Confounding variable
Variables that have an unwanted influence on the outcome of an experiment. Also known as extraneous variables
Double-Blind Study
A procedure in which neither the researcher nor the participant knows which group received the experimental treatment. Designed to reduce experimenter bias.
Case Study
An in-depth examination of a singe research participant
Correlation research
the researcher observes or measures two or more naturally occurring variables to find the relationship between them. In correlation research, the researcher does not directly manipulate the variables
Correlation Coefficient
A numerical value from +1.00 to -1.00 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. A Positive correlation indicates that the two variables move or vary in the same direction. A negative correlation indicates that the two variables move or vary in opposite directions. A zero correlation indicates that there is no relationship between the two variables
Mean
Measure of central tendency that provides the average score. Any change in the highest score in a distribution must result in a change in the mean
Median
A measure of central tendency that divides a frequency distribution exactly in half
Mode
A measure of central tendency that identifies the most frequently occurring score in a distribution
Standard deviation
a measure of variability that indicates the average differences between the scores and their mean
Normal distribution
a bell-shaped curve, describing the spread of a characteristic throughout a population. in a normal distribution, half the scores fall at or above the mean and half the scores fall at or below the mean
Positively skewed distribution
Contains a preponderance of scores on the low end of the scale. The mean will be higher than the median in a ____________.
Negatively skewed Distribution
contains a preponderance of scores on the high end of the scale. The mean will be lower than the median in a _________.
P-Value
the probability of concluding that a difference exists when in fact the difference does not exist. A statistically significant difference is a difference not likely due to chance. By consensus, a statistically significant difference is one that would show up only 5% of the time or less. The smaller the _______ the more significant the results.
Neuron
a highly specialized nerve cell responsible for receiving and transmitting information in electrical and chemical forms.
Myelin Sheath
a white, fatty covering wrapped around the axon of some neurons, which increases the rate at which nerve impulses travel along the axon.
Action Potential
a brief electrical impulse by which information is transmitted along the axon of a neuron
All-or-nothing law
The principle that either a neuron is sufficiently stimulated and an action potential occurs or a neuron is not sufficiently stimulated and an action potential does not occur.
Endorphins
a chemical substance in the nervous system that reduces the perception of pain
Neurotransmitters
Chemical transmitters manufactured by a neuron. For example, acetylcholine is associate with Alzheimer’s disease, dopamine is linked to schizophrenia, and serotonin is related to depression
Sympathetic Nervous System
Branch of the automatic nervous system that produces rapid physical arousal in response to perceived emergencies or threats
parasympathetic nervous system
Branch of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, maintains bodily functions, and conserves energy
Hypothalamus
Small brain structure beneath the thalamus that helps govern the release of hormones by the pituitary gland and regulates drives such as hunger and thirst
Cerebral cortex
A thin surface layer on the cerebral hemispheres that regulates most complex behavior, including sensations, motor control, and higher mental processes such as decision making.
Cerebral Hemispheres
the nearly symmetrical left and right halves of the cerebral cortex. The left hemisphere specializes in verbal and analytical functions. The right hemisphere focuses on nonverbal abilities such as art and music and visual recognition tasks
Corpus Callosum
The bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain’s left and right hemispheres. In a procedure known as split-brain surgery, neurosurgeons cut the ___________ to prevent the spread of epileptic seizures by disrupting communication between the right and left hemispheres.
Amygdala
An almond-shaped part of the limbic system linked to the regulation of emotional responses, especially fear.
Hippocampus
A curved forebrain structure that is part of the limbic system and is involved in learning and forming new memories
Absolute threshold
The minimum intensity at which a stimulus can be dectected at least 50% of the time. Ex: humans can barely detect a candle flame from 30 miles away on a clear, dark night
Sensory Adaptation
The decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus. Ex: the longer an individual is exposed to a strong odor, the less they are aware of it.
Transduction
process by which sensory receptors convert the incoming physical energy of stimuli, such as light waves, into neural impulses that the brain can understand.
Signal Detection Theory
States that sensation depends on the characteristics of the stimulus, the background stimulation, and the detector. Selective attention enables you to filter out the focus on only selected sensory messages. Ex: while practicing your piano you don’t hear your cell phone ring but if you are expecting an important call you will hear it ring.
Gate-control theory
theory that explains how the nervous system blocks or allows pain signals to pass to the brain
rods
the long, thin visual receptor cells in the retina that are highly sensitive to light, but not to color. The ____ are primarily responsible for peripheral vision and black and white vision. Cats have better vision than humans because they have a higher proportion of rods to cones
cones
the short, think visual receptor cells, concentrated near the center of the retina, responsible for color vision and fine detail. People who are color blind typically have deficiencies in their ____.
Blind-spot
The point at the back of the retina where the optic nerve leaves the eye. Since there are no visual receptor cells, this creates a small gap in field vision called the _____.
Cochlea
The coiled, snail-shaped structure in the inner ear containing receptors for hearing.
Circadian Rhythm
Biological processes that systematically vary over a period of about 24 hours. Ex: sleep=wake cycle, blood pressure, and pulse rate.
REM Sleep
Rapid Eye Movement. often referred to as paradoxical sleep because it is simultaneously characterized by active eye movements and loss of muscle movement.
Hypnosis
A trancelike state of heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation, and intense focus. can be used to treat pain.
Dissociation
The splitting of consciousness into two or more simultaneous streams of mental activity
Classical conditioning
Based upon the pioneering work of IVAN PAVLOV. The learning process that occurs when a previously neutral stimulus (bell) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (food) to elicit a conditioned response (salvation)
Unconditioned stimulus
A natural stimulus (food) that reflexively elicits a response (salvation) without the need for prior learning
Unconditioned response
An uncleared response (salvation) that is elicited by an unconditioned stimulus (food)
Neutral Stimulus
a stimulus (ringing bell) that produces no conditioned response prior to learning
Conditioned stimulus
when systematically paired with the unconditioned stimulus (food) the neutral stimulus (ringing bell) becomes the _________ and causes a response
Conditioned Response
a learned response elicited by the conditioned stimulus
Extinction
The gradual weakening of a conditioned behavior when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus
Stimulus Generalization
occurs when the stimuli that are similar to the original stimulus also elicit the conditioned response.
Stimulus discrimination
the ability to distinguish between two similar stimuli
operant conditioning
a learning process in which behavior is shaped and maintained by consequences (rewards or punishments) that follow a response. in contrast, in classical conditioning behavior is controlled by the stimuli that precede a response.
Reinforcement
strengthens a response and makes it more likely to occur.
Positive reinforcement
A situation in which a behavior or response is followed by the addition of a reinforcing stimulus. The stimulus increases the probability that the response will occur again
Negative reinforcement
a situation in which a behavior or response is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus. ______ increases the likelihood of a behavior by enabling a person to either escape and existing aversive stimulus or avoid an aversive stimulus before it occurs
Premack Principle
States that the opportunity to engage in a preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less-preferred activity
continuous reinforcement
a reinforcement schedule in which all correct responses are reinforced