Exam 1 Flashcards
Hindsight Bias
tendency for people to exaggerate how much they could have predicted an outcome after it occurred
A Thought Experiment
Tell one group one thing and ask their opinion and then tell another group the opposite and ask their opinion.
Theory
An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations.
Hypothesis
A testable prediction implied by a theory
Correlation Coefficient
a statistical index (-1 to 1) between two variables
Serendipity
discovering something while looking for something else
positive relationships
variables go in the same direction (whether positive or negative)
research question
questions that can be answered through objective observations; develop with everyday observations or behavior
conceptual variable
a factor/construct that’s not observed directly
operational definition
turn a conceptual variable into a variable that can be measured
correlation method
measure variables as they already exist in nature (scatterplots)
independent variable
variable that is manipulated
dependent variable
variable that is observed
grouping variable
variable that is independent but cant be manipulated
control variables
held constant in experiment (random variables that affect)
random assignment
each participant has an equal chance of being in any condition (necessary to establish causality in a true experiment)
extraneous/confounding variable
any variable that the experimenter wants to hold constant (eliminates alternate explanations)
Four Research Ethics
- Obtain informed consent
- Protect them from harm
- Maintain confidentiality
- Debrief
Animal research ethics
Replacement- use alternatives if possible
Refinement- minimize distress
Reduction- use fewest animals possible
phrenology
a popular wrong theory that claimed bumps on the skull could reveal mental abilities (Mark Twain)
sensory neurons
carry messages from the body tissues and sensory organs inward to the brain and spinal cord
(out>in)
motor neurons
carry messages from brain out to body tissues
in>out
dendrites
receive messages
cell body
the cells life support center
myelin sheath
covers axon of some neurons to speed them up
axon
passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, and glands
nerve impulse
electrical signal traveling down the axon
terminal branches of axon
form junctions with other cells
central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
autonomic nervous system
controls self-regulated actions of organs and glands
somatic nervous system
controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
sympathetic nervous system
expands energy; accelerates heart rate and raises blood pressure
parasympathetic nervous system
conserves energy; decelerates heart rate and lowers blood pressure
brainstem
oldest, innermost part and is responsible for primitive functions; contains medulla and reticular formation
Thalamus
receives information from senses (except smell) and routes it
Cerebellum
attached to brainstem; coordinates voluntary movements and balance, also plays a role in learning motor skills
The Limbic System
associated with emotion, drives, and memory formation; contains hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus
hippocampus
involved in acquisition of memories (patient H.M.)
amygdala
regulates fear and aggression
hypothalamus
regulates fighting, fleeing, feeding, and reproduction
The Cerebral Cortex
2/3 of mass, convoluted, enables higher level functions including perceiving, thinking, and speaking
Occipital Lobe
involved vision; contains visual cortex
Temporal lobes
involved in hearing, understanding language, and storing autobiographical memories; contains auditory cortex
Parietal lobes
involved in sensations of touch, pain, and temperature; contains somatosensory cortex
Frontal lobe
involved in motor functions, language, memory, executive functions
Wernicke’s area
spans the region between left temporal and parietal lobes; associated with the processing of words
Broca’s ares
area of left frontal lobe and is associated with the production of language
motor cortex
area at the rear off frontal lobes that control voluntary movement
association areas
found in all four lobes; responsible for integrating information, linking sensory inputs with stored memories
Behavioral Genetics
the study of environmental and genetic factors and their interplay on differences in psychological traits
chromosomes
each cell has 23 from each parent
DNA
2 strands make a chromosome
genes
small segments of DNA molecules; provide the code for making protein molecules
genome
genetic material of an organism; includes genes and DNA
fraternal twins
develop from separate eggs and share half their genes
Goal of molecular genetics
to identify specific genes that influence normal human traits such as body weight, sexual orientation, and basic personality rights.
heretability
mathematical estimate of the extent to which variation among individuals can be attributes of their differing genes(0-1)
medulla
base that controls involuntary functions
reticular formation
filters incoming stimuli and relays info
corpus callosum
fibers that connect to brain hemispheres
