Exam 1 Flashcards
Cognitive Psychology
Focuses on higher mental processes (thinking, memory, reasoning, problem solving, judging, decision making, and language)
Developmental Psychology
Studies how people grow and change from the moment of conception through death
Personality psychology
Focuses on consistency in people’s behavior across their lives as well as traits that differentiate one person from another
Counseling Psychology
Focuses primarily on educational, social, and career adjustment problems
Clinical neuropsychology
Focuses on the orgin of psychological disorders in biological factors
Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Functionalism
How mental processes help people adapt to their environment; William James
Gestalt Psychology
A series of principles to describe how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes
Neuroscience Perspective
The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, nervous system, and other biological functions
Behavioral perspective
Observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interactions with the enviornment
Humanistic Perspective
Individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behaviors; free will
Scientific method
A systematic approach to researching and observing behavior and other phenomena of interest
Scientific method model
- Identify problem
- Formulate an explanation
- Carry out research
- Communicate the findings
Theories
Broad explanations and predictions concerning observations of interest
Hypothesis
A predictions, stemming from a theory, stated in a way that allows it to be tested
Research
A systematic inquiry aimed at the discovery of new knowledge and is a central ingredient of the scientific method
Archival research
EXISTING data are examined to test a hypothesis
Naturalistic Observation
An investigator observed some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in the situation.
Survey Research
People chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes
Case study
An in-depth, intensive investigation of an individual or a small group of people
Variables
Behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or vary, in some way
Correlation
The strength and direction of the relationship between two variables (+1.0 to -1.0)
Experiment
The investigation between two or more variables by producing a change in one variable in the situation and observing the effects on the second variable
Random Assignment to Condition
Participants are assigned to different experimental groups or “conditions” on the basis of chance alone.
Significant Outcome
Indicates that the findings of a research study are statistically meaningful
Debriefing
After a participation in a study, participants receive an explanation of the study and the procedures that were involved
Informed consent
A document signed by participants affirming that they have been told about the basic outlines of the study and are aware of what their participation will involve
Neurons
Nerve cells, the basic components of the nervous system
Myelin Sheath
A protective coating of fat and protein that wraps around the axon
All-or-None Law
Neurons either fire completely or not at all
Mirror neurons
Specialized neurons that fire not only when a person enacts a particular behavior but also when a person simply observes another individual carrying out the same behavior
Synapse
Where the neurons connect and communicate with each other
Reuptake
Reabsorption of neurotransmitters by a terminal button
Somatic division
Voluntary movements and communication of information to and from the sense organs
Autonomic Divison
Involuntary movements
Sympathetic divison
Flight or fight response
Parasympathetic Divison
Acts to calm the body after an emergency has ended
Pituitary gland
Major component of the endocrine system that is a tiny gland found near and regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain
Thalamus
Relays information about the senses
Limbic System
Controls eating, aggression, reproduction, memory, and emotion
Motor Area
Largely responsible for the body’s voluntary movement
Sensation
The activation of the sense organs by a source of physical energy
Perception
How a person recognizes and interprets sensory information
Absolute Threshold
The lowest intensity of a stimulus that an organism can detect
Difference Threshold
The smallest level of added or reduced stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation has occurred
Weber’s Law
The larger the original stimulus, the larger the just noticeable difference needs to be for it to be detected
Adaptation
An adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli
Trichromatic Theory of color
There are three kinds of cones in the retina, each of which responds primarily to a specific range of wavelengths
Place theory of hearing
Different areas of basilar membrane respond to different frequencies
Frequency Theory of hearing
The entire basilar membrane acts like a microphone, vibrating as a whole in response to a sound
Top-down Processing
Perception is guided by higher level knowledge, experience, expectations, and motivations
Bottom-up Processing
Perception that consists of the progression of recognizing and processing information from individual components of a stimuli and moving to the perception of the whole
