EXAM 1 Flashcards
Brain component of Psychology
Biological and Chemical processes
Mind component of Psychology
Subjective experiences and how we interpret information from the environment
Behavior component of Psychology
Our actions and decisions, measurable and observable
Implications
Refer to the broader meaning, consequences and applications that can be drawn from study results
Operationalization
Defining variables in ways that allow them to be measured
Internal validity
examines whether the study design, conduct and analysis answer the research question without bias from other variables
External validity
examines whether the study findings can be generalized to other contexts
Naturalistic observation
An in depth study of a phenomenon in its natural setting
Correlational Methods
research methods that measure the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables
Experimental methods
research methods that test hypothesis and allow researchers to draw conclusions about causality
Between subject-design
Randomly assign participants to two or more groups. Expose each group to a different condition of an independent variable. Compare
Within subject design
Only one group of participants, expose each participants to both conditions , compare
IRB Ethical Principles, Respect for persons
autonomy of individuals should be respected and informed consent must be sought; persons with diminished autonomy are entitled to equal protection
IRB ethical principles, Beneficence
a responsibility to do no harm, to maximize possible benefits, and to minimize the possibility of harm
IRB Ethical Principles
an expectation of fairness in the distribution of benefits realized from research, as well as its burdens
steps of scientific method
Observation, Literature review, Hypothesis, Design a study, collect data, analyze data, draw conclusions, report findings, peer review and theory development
Sensation
The process of detecting stimuli from the environment
Transduction
process of translating sensory information into neural activity, effects of a physical signal like light or sound on the firing of neurons in the brain
Perception
the process of interpreting sensory information
Sensory Adaptation
reduced neural response to an unchanging stimulus
Selective attention
ability to focus on a subset of the available information and ignore the rest
Bottom-up processing
perception based on building simple input into more complex perceptions
Top-down processing
a perceptual process in which memory and other cognitive processes are required for interpreting sensory information
Psychophysics
the study of the relationship between the physical qualities of stimuli and the subjective responses they produce
absolute threshold
the smallest amount of stimulus that can be detected
Difference threshold
the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli
Signal detection theory (SDT)
a method for determining an individuals threshold for making different types of decisions
SDT Hit
detecting a stimulus when a stimulus is present
SDT Miss
not detecting stimulus when stimulus is present
SDT false alarm
believing a stimulus exists when a stimulus is absent
SDT correct rejection
Believing there is no stimulus when stimulus is absent
Cornea
the clear surface at the front of the eye that begins the process of directing light to the retina
Iris
the brightly colored circular muscle surrounding the pupil
Pupil
an opening formed by the iris where light enters the eye
Lens
The clear structure behind the poupil that bends light towards the retina
Retina
layers of visual processing cells in the back of the eye
Fovea
an area of the retina that is specialized for highly detailed vision
Optic nerve
where information leaves the eye and connects to the brain
Photoreceptors
specialized neurons that react to light
Rods and Cones
(R) detect light and dark (C) detect color
Retinal Neurons
pass information from the photoreceptors to the optic nerve which leads to the brain
Horizontal cells
integrate and modulate output of rods and cones
Bipolar cells
receive input from horizontal cells and photoreceptors, causing excitation and inhibition
Amacrine cells
decode signal from bipolar cells
Ganglion cells
relay retinal input to the visual processing centers in the brain via the optic nerve
Neurotransmission
the transfer of information between neurons
Synapse
the point of communication between two neurons
Glutamate
the primary neurotransmitter involved in communication between neurons in the retina
Resting potential
neurons naturally carry a charge of about -70 millivolts
Graded potential
change in membrane potential caused by a neurotransmitter binding to a ligand-gated channel
Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)
reduced
Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)
increased
Action Potential
sudden massive rise and subsequent fall of membrane potential
spike rate
number of action potentials per unit of time
Optic tracts
carry information beyond the optic chiasm to the thalamus
Nervous system
command center of the body; responsible for controlling your movements, body processes, thoughts, and automatic responses to the world around you
Central Nervous system
consists of the brain and spinal cord; central source of any message that needs to be sent to anywhere else in your body
Peripheral Nervous System
consists of the nerves that branch out all over your body; relays information to your organs, arms, legs, fingers, and toes
Somatic nervous system
relays information from the sensory organs to and from the CNS and guides your voluntary movements
Autonomic Nervous System
controls the activities that your body does without thinking about them
Sympathetic Nervous System
Prepares the body for situations that require the expenditure of energy
Parasympathetic Nervous system
prepares the body for rest repair and energy storage
Enteric Nervous system
relays messages related to the gastrointestinal system
Emotion
a combination of arousal or physical sensations and subjective feelings that occur spontaneously in response to environmental stimuli
Arousal
ones physiological level of alertness and intensity
Yerkes-Dodson Law
a description of the relationships among task complexity
Circumflex model of emotion
emotions are distributed in a space with dimensions of arousal
Structuralism
belief that the mind could be broken down into smaller components
Gestalt Psychology
belief that experience is not just the sum of our perceptions but rather is influenced by the organization and grouping of elements into meaningful patterns.
Functionalism
Belief that mental processes exist because they serve specific functions in helping individuals survive
James-Lange Theory
proposes that physical sensations lead to subjective feelings
Cannon-Bard Theory
Proposes that physical sensations and the subjective feelings of an emotion occur simultaneously and independently
Limbic System
part of the brain that interprets stimuli and regulates physical sensations
Nature Perspective
we are born with emotions, and we evolved to experience specific emotions in response to different stimuli
universal emotions
humans are born 6 basic emotions
Nurture Perspective
emotional experiences and expressions are learned and are defines by culture and socialization
hypothalamus
involved in regulating and coordinating the body’s physiological responses
Amygdala
processes the emotional significance of stimuli
Thalamus
Receives input from sensory systems and projects information to the appropriate region of the cerebral cortex
Hippocampus
Primary function is the formation of memories for facts and events
Fast Pathway
Sensory Information goes to the thalamus and directly to the amygdala
Slow pathway
Sensory information goes to the thalamus, cortex and then amygdala
Appraisals
Detection and assessment of stimuli with relevance for one’s personal well-being
Cognitive reappraisal
reinterpreting the meaning and significance of the situation in a more positive or adaptive way
CBT
a form of psychological treatment that has. been demonstrative to be effective for a range of problems
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Basic needs (food, water, warmth, rest) Psychological needs(intimate relationships, friends) , Self-fulfillment needs (self actualization, creative activities)
Learning
a relatively permanent change in ehavior due to experience
Associative learning
the formation of associations or connections among stimuli and behavior
Classical Conditioning
a type of learning in which associations are formed between two stimuli that occur sequentially in time
Operant Conditioning
a type of learning in which associations are formed between voluntary behaviors and their outcomes
Contingency
stimuli repeatedly occur together
Contiguity
stimuli must occur close together in time
Generalization
a conditioned response to one object is exhibited in the presence of similar stimuli
Neuroplasticity
the selective organizing of connections between neurons in our brain, based on our experiences
Counterconditioning
substituting one conditioned response with another
Aversion Therapy
conditioning an organism to be repelled by an addictive substance; add bad-tasting agent to cigarettes or alcohol to condition the user to no longer enjoy them
Systematic Desensitization
associations between the phobic stimulus and fear are replaced with a positive emotion; Mary Cover Jones paired feared object (rabbit) with beloved snack (cookies) so that Little Peter would no longer fear rabbits
Primary reinforcers
support our natural need for survival; food, water, safety
Secondary reinforcers
gain value and ability to influence behavior from being associated with other things that are valued
Ventral tegmental area
structure that initiates dopamine release to a behavior
Nucelus accumbens
integrates dopamine signaling from the VTA with prediction error
Prefrontal Cortex
assesses value of rewards and exert control over behaviors
Phoneme
the smallest component in speech sound
morpheme
the smallest component of speech that carries meaning
synaptic pruning
as the brain matures some synaptic connections are strengthened and maintained
Heuristics
shortcuts to problem solving
Recognition Heuristic
Higher value is placed on the more easily recognized alternative
Availability Heuristic
Frequency of an event’s occurence is predicted by the ease with which the event is brought to mind
representativeness heuristic
stimuli that are more similar to a prototype are believed to be more likely
Affect Heuristic
Choosing between alternatives based on emotional or gut reactions to stimuli
Robert sternbergs Triarchic theory of intelligence
Divides intelligence into domains of analytical creative and practical
Fluid intelligence
the ability to think logically without learned knowledge
Crystallized intelligence
the ability to think logically using specific learned knowledge
