Final Review - E1

Question 1

Dualism

Answer 1

The idea that mind and body are separate but intertwined – most psychologists reject it (Descartes) – objectification = seeing as an object, separate from ourselves – is the problem with dualism

Question 2

Monism

Answer 2

Mind = Brain, that mental and physical spheres are not separate

Question 3

Psychological Approaches

Answer 3

Biological
Behavioral (Watson, B.F. Skinner)
Cognitive (George Miller, Jean Piaget)
Psychodynamic (Sigmund Freud)
Humanistic (Carl Rogers)
Evolutionary (David Buss, Leda Cosmides)
Social (Floyd Allport, Stanley Milgram, Kurt Lewin)

Question 4

Biological Approach

Answer 4

the study of the mind by looking at the brain –> how bodily events affect behavior, feelings, and thoughts (ex. through electrical impulses in nerves or blood flow thru body) – dominant today

Question 5

Operational Definition

Answer 5

Measurable definition of a construct

Question 6

Parts of Neuron

Answer 6

Cell body, dendrites, axon

Question 7

Myelin sheath

Answer 7

firing processes faster (protective coding) – made of glial cells

Question 8

Acetylcholine

Answer 8

muscle actions, learning, memory and first neurotransmitter found

Question 9

GABA

Answer 9

chief inhibitory function of the brain

Question 10

Dopamine

Answer 10

voluntary movement and reward anticipation - pleasure centers

Question 11

Serotonin

Answer 11

regulation of sleep, mood, attention, learning

Question 12

Agonist

Answer 12

drug or substance that enhances or mimics action of neurotransmitter(s)

Question 13

Antagonist

Answer 13

drug or substance that blocks action of neurotransmitter(s)

Question 14

EEG

Answer 14

(electrocardiogram) - records electrical activity in the brain
(pro: easiest method to administer; con: only gives rough estimate of brain activity)

Question 15

MRI

Answer 15

(magnetic resonance imaging) - most powerful imaging technique, can produce very detailed pictures of the structures of the brain

Question 16

PET

Answer 16

(position emission tomography) - changes in blood flow and metabolic activity shows what areas are active, focuses on active breakdown of glucose in the brain

Question 17

fMRI

Answer 17

(functional magnetic resonance imaging) - oxygen levels show what areas are active, brain uses more oxygen where it is more active

Question 18

TMS

Answer 18

(transcranial magnetic stimulation) - briefly disrupting brain activity, non-invasive way to look at brain

Question 19

Neuron charge

Answer 19

at resting potential – negative inside and positive outside

Question 20

Experiencing Reward

Answer 20

the nucleus accumbens of the basal ganglia are important for experiencing rewards

Question 21

Basal Ganglia

Answer 21

critical for planning and producing movement

Question 22

Action Potential

Answer 22

electrical charge that travels down an axon – Ions involved = sodium and potassium

Question 23

Psychological Science

Answer 23

the study of mind, brain, and behavior

Question 24

Directionality Problem

Answer 24

find correlation between two variables but can’t figure out what variable caused the other variable to change

Question 25

Structuralism

Answer 25

idea that conscious experience can be broken down into its basic underlying components (Titchner) – used introspection to study subjective mental experiences

Question 26

Functionalism

Answer 26

approach concerned with function of mind and behavior (James)

Question 27

Gestalt Theory

Answer 27

idea that the whole of personal experience is different from simply the sum of its constituent elements

Question 28

Plasticity

Answer 28

a property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience, drugs, or injury

Question 29

Introspection

Answer 29

ppl to inspect and report on the content of their own thoughts (Wundt)

Question 30

Hawthorne effect

Answer 30

(aka - Reactivity) the participant will answer or do things differently/better because they know they are being watched/observed (Rosenthal)

Question 31

Hippocampus

Answer 31

memory: formation and recall of memories (“sea horse” shape)

Question 32

Amygdala

Answer 32

arousal and regulation of emotion

Question 33

Alcohol

Answer 33

an antagonist that disrupts cell membranes, which resukts in an increase in the binding of GABA (and other neurotransmitters)

Question 34

“Spread”

Answer 34

Need measure of variability, usually use standard deviation to measure

Question 35

Thalamus

Answer 35

way station or traffic officer, sensory relay – doesn’t receive or relay smell

Question 36

Interpreter

Answer 36

the left hemisphere, because it is vital in constructing a world that makes sense (Gazzangia)

Question 37

Limbic System

Answer 37

grouping of subcortical structures between higher and lower parts of the brain (includes: amygdala, hippocampus) - involved in emotional reactions and motivated behavior