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Glossary Flashcards

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1
Q

Accommodation

A

A principle of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. It occurs when cognitive structures are modified because new information or new experiences do not fit into existing cognitive structures

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2
Q

Acetylcholine

A

A neurotransmitter found in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Linked to Alzheimer’s disease and used to transmit nerve impulses to muscles

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3
Q

ACT Model (Adaptive Control of Thought)

A

A model that describes memory in terms of procedural and declarative memory

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4
Q

Agnosia

A

Impairments in visual recognition

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5
Q

Alternate-Form Method

A

In psychometrics, it is the method of using two or more different forms of a test to determine the reliability of a particular test

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6
Q

Aphagia

A

Impairment in the ability to eat

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7
Q

Aphasias

A

Language disorders which are associated with Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas in the brain

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8
Q

Apraxia

A

Impairment in the organization of voluntary sction

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9
Q

Assimilartion

A

Principle of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. The process of understanding new information in relation to prior knowledge or existing schemata

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10
Q

Association Areas

A

Areas in the brain that integrate information from different cortical regions

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11
Q

Atkinson-Shiffin Model

A

Model of memory that involves three structures (sensory, short term, long term)

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12
Q

Construct Validity

A

How well test measures intended construct

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13
Q

Content Validity

A

How well the content items of a test measure the construct they intend to measure

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14
Q

Conversion Disorder

A

Used to be “hysteria”

Unexplained symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory functions

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15
Q

Criterion Validity

A

How well the test can predict performance on another established test of same construct

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16
Q

Declarative Memory

A

Explicit, fact information

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17
Q

Distal Stimulus

A

In perception, the actual object in the world as opposed to its perceived image

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18
Q

Duplexity/Duplicity Theory

A

Theory holding that the retina contains two types of photoreceptors

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19
Q

EEG

A

Records gross average of electrical activity in different parts of the brain

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20
Q

Episodic Memory

A

Type of declarative memory concerned with particular events/experiences

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21
Q

Extirpation

A

Process of removing part of the brain and observing behavioral consequences

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22
Q

Face Validity

A

Type of validity that refers to whether items appear to measure what they’re supposed to measure

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23
Q

Fechner’s Law

A

Law that expresses the relationship between the intensity of the sensantion and the intensity of the stimulus. Says that sensation increases more slowly as intensity of stimulus increases

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24
Q

Fictional Finalism

A

Concept in Adler’s theory of personality. The notion that an individual is motivated more by his/her expectations of the future based on a subjective or fictional estimate of life values, than by past experiences

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25
Q

Field Independence/Dependence

A

A personality style characterized by an ability/inability to distinguish experiences from its context

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26
Q

Fluid Intelligence

A

Cattell

Ability to quickly grasp relationships in novel situations and make correct deductions from them

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27
Q

Crystallized Intelligence

A

Cattell

Uses knowledge acquired as a result of schooling or life experiences

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28
Q

Frequency Theory of Pitch Perception

A

Theory suggesting that:

  1. The basilar membrane if the ear vibrates as a whole
  2. The rate of vibration equals the frequency of the stimulus
  3. The vibration rate is directly translated into the appropriate number of neural impulses per second
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29
Q

g

A

Charles Spearman

Individual difference in intelligence that refers to a general, unitary factor of intelligence

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30
Q

Gonadoptropic Hormones

A

Hormones produced by the pituitary gland during puberty that activate a dramatic increase in the production of hormones by the testes or ovaries

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31
Q

Idiographic

A

Approach to studying personality that focuses on individual characteristics

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32
Q

Induced Motion

A

An illusion of motion that is created when everything around the spot of light is moved

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33
Q

Innate Releasing Mechanism

A

Mechanism in an animal’s nervous system that links the stimulus with the right response

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34
Q

Interposition

A

Depth cue related to overlap of objects - we see one being in front

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35
Q

Isomorphism

A

Theory that suggests there is a one-to-one correlation between the object in the perceptual field and the pattern of stimulation in the brain

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36
Q

James-Lange Theory of Emotions

A

People become aware of their emotions after they notice physiological reaction to an external event

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37
Q

Klinefelter’s Syndrome

A

Possession of an extra X chromosome in males that leads to sterility and mental retardation

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38
Q

Lateral Inhibition

A

In visual perception, the process of inhibiting the response of adjacent retinal cells resulting in the sharpening and highlighting of the borders between light and dark areas

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39
Q

Law of Prägnanz

A

From Gestalt psychology - the tendency of perceptual organization to be as parsimonious as possible

40
Q

Law of Specific Nerve Energies

A

Müller

Each sensory nerve is excited by only one kind of energy (e.g. light or air vibrations)

41
Q

Levels of Processing Theory

A

Craik and Lockart

Only one memory system. Items entering memory are analyzed in one of three stages

  1. physical (visual)
  2. acoustical
  3. semantic
42
Q

Whorfian Hypothesis

A

aka Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis

Perception of reality is determined by the content of language

43
Q

Luteinizing Hormone

A

Hormone associated with ovulation

44
Q

Monoamine Theory of Depression

A

Too much serotonin and norepinephrine leads to mania, too little leads to depression

45
Q

Motion Parralax

A

Cue of depth perception that occurs during movement when objects that are closer appear to move (i.e. when in the car)

46
Q

Neologisms

A

Newly invented words

47
Q

Nomothetic

A

Approach to personality that focuses on groups - try to find commonalities between individuals in groups

48
Q

Norepinephrine

A

Controlling alertness and wakefulness

49
Q

Opponent-Process Theory of Color Vision

A

Ewald Hering

Four primary colors in opposing pairs (red, blue, green, yellow)

50
Q

Osmoreceptors

A

Receptors in the hypothalamus that control the maintenance of water balance in the body

51
Q

Dual-Code Hypothesis

A

Paivio

Information can be encoded/stored in two ways

  1. Visually
  2. Verbally

Abstract info = verbally
Concrete info = both

52
Q

Parallel Distributed Process

A

Theory that holds that information processing is distributed across the brain and is done in a parallel fashion

53
Q

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

A

Degenerative disease of the nervous system occurring when a child lacks the enzyme needed to digest phenylalanine - an amino acid found in milk and other foods

54
Q

Phi Phenomenon

A

Illusion of movement when two dots are flashed in different locations on a screen and are perceived as one moving dot

55
Q

Place Theory

A

Helmholtz and Young

Each different pitch causes a different place on the basilar membrane to vibrate

56
Q

Predictive Validity

A

Use of some criterion scores obtained in advance, and validating them against scores obtained later

57
Q

Proactive Inhibition

A

What you learned earlier interferes with new learning

58
Q

Procedural memory

A

How things are done (aka implicit)

59
Q

Progesterone

A

Hormone produced and secreted by the ovary to prepare the uterus for implantation of the fertilized egg

60
Q

Projection Area

A

Areas in the brain receiving incoming sensory information or sending out motor-impulse commands

61
Q

Scales of Measurement

A

Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio

62
Q

Regional cerebral blood flow (rcbf)

A

Noninvasive procedure that detects broad patterns of neural activity base don increased blood flow to different parts of the brain

63
Q

Retroactive Inhibition

A

Learning something new interfering with old knowledge

64
Q

Semantic Feature-Comparison Model

A

Smith, Shoben, Rips

Concepts are represented by sets of features - some required for a concept and some typical of a concept

65
Q

Social Comparison Theory

A

Festinger

Tendency to evaluate self in comparison to others drives affiliation

66
Q

Split-Half Consistency

A

Dividing a test into equal halves and correlating scores on one half to scores on the other half

67
Q

Steven’s Power Law

A

Law that relates the intensity of a stimulus to the intensity of sensation

68
Q

Tardive Dyskinesia

A

Resting tremors and jerky movements caused by disruptions in dopamine transmission

69
Q

Theory of Motivation

A

Clark Hull

Behavior = drive reduction, which is reinforcing

70
Q

Theory of Multiple Intelligences

A

Gardner

Seven intelligence factors

71
Q

Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Processing

A

Top-Down = concept driven, recognize objects by using conceptual processes such as memory, expectations

Bottom-Up = data driven, recognizing object by compiling components

72
Q

Transduction

A

Second step of sensory information processing (after reception) where physical energy is translated into neural impulses/action potentials

73
Q

Triarchic Theory

A

Sternberg

Theory of intelligence that suggests there are three aspects to intelligence

  1. Componential (test performance)
  2. Experiential (creativity)
  3. Contextual (street/business smarts)
74
Q

Tricyclic Antidepressants

A

Behavioral stimulants thought to reduce depression by facilitating the transmission of norepinephrine and serotonin at the synapse

75
Q

Turner’s Syndrome

A

Caused by the lack of one X chromosome in females. Results in the failure to develop secondary sex characteristics and cognitive impairment

76
Q

Two-Factor Theory of Emotion

A

Schacter-Singer

Subjective experience of emotion is based on the interaction between changes in physio arousal and cognitive interpretation of that arousal. Influenced by the environment

77
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Law that states that changes in stimulus intensity needed to produce a jnd, divided by the stimulus intensity of the standard stimulus, is constant (ratios!)

78
Q

Trichromatic Theory

A

Young and Helmholtz

Theory of color vision that states that the retina contains three different types of cones that are differentially sensitive to red, blue, and green. All colors are produced by combined stimulation of these receptors.

79
Q

Stages of Prenatal Development

A
  1. Zygote = fertilized egg
  2. Germinal = implant into uterine wall
  3. Embryonic = grows 1 inch, spine, genitals, fingers, toes, movement of limbs
  4. Fetal = measurable brain activity
80
Q

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

A
  1. Trust vs mistrust (0-1)
  2. Autonomy vs shame and doubt (1-3)
  3. Initiative vs guilt (3-6)
  4. Industry vs inferiority (6-12)
  5. Identity vs role confusion (adolescence)
  6. Intimacy vs isolation (young adult)
  7. Generativity vs stagnation (adult)
  8. Integrity vs despair (approaching death)
81
Q

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

A 
PRECONVENTIONAL
- Punishment and obedience
- Rewards
CONVENTIONAL
- Good girl, nice boy (approval)
- Law and order
POST CONVENTIONAL
- Social contract (greater good)
- Universal ethics (personal code)
82
Q

Master Gland of Endocrine System

A

Pituitary gland - secretes hormones into blood to activate other glands

83
Q

Major Theories of Emotion

A
  1. James-Lange = recognize emotions based on physio
  2. Cannon-Bard = Emotions and physio simultaneously
  3. Schacter-Singer = two-factor theory: arousal and labeling based on environment
84
Q

Theories of Color Perception

A
  1. Triarchic (Young-Helmholtz)

2. Opponent-Process (Hering)

85
Q

Theories of Pitch Perception

A
  1. Place Theory (Helmholtz)
  2. Frequency Theory (Wever and Bray)
  3. Traveling Wave Theory (Békésy) (vibration maximal at different locations for each frequency)
86
Q

Deductive vs Inductive Reasoning

A 
Deductive = general --> specific
Inductive = specific --> general
87
Q

Nervous System

A
  • Central
  • Peripheral
    • Somatic
    • Autonomic
      • Sympathetic
      • Parasympathetic
88
Q

Levels of Long Term Memory

A
  • Procedural (implicit, not purposeful)
  • Declarative (explicit, purposeful)
    • Semantic = general knowledge
    • Episodic = personal experience
89
Q

Normal Distribution

A

34, 14, 2

90
Q

Hindbrain

A
  • Cerebellum (balance, motor, breathing, digestion, sleep)
  • Pons (regulates brain activity during sleep)
  • Medulla (autonomic NS, heat, lungs)
  • Reticular Formation (sleep/wake, alertness, attention)
91
Q

Midbrain

A
  • Inferior colliculus (auditory info)

- Superior colliculus (visual info)

92
Q

Forebrain

A
  • Thalamus (sensory relay station)
  • Hypothalamus (hunger, thirst, emotion, fight/flight)
    • Lateral = hunger
    • Ventromedial = satiation
    • Anterior = sexuality
  • Cerebral cortex (complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes)
  • Basal Ganglia (muscle movement)
  • Limbic System (emotion and memory)
93
Q

Limbic System

A
  • Septum (pleasure center, inhibits aggression)
  • Amygdala (aggression, defensive behavior)
  • Hippocampus (memory and learning)
  • Hypothalamus (hunger, thirst, fight or flight)
94
Q

Frontal Lobe

A
  • Prefrontal cortex (executive functioning, memory)
  • Motor cortex (initiates motor movements by sending impulses down spinal cord to muscles)
  • Broca’s area (speech production)
95
Q

Parietal Lobe

A

Somatosensory cortex

96
Q

Occipital Lobe

A

Visual cortex

97
Q

Temporal Lobe

A
  • Auditory cortex
  • Wernicke’s area
  • Hippocampus (memory and emotional control)

Psychology GRE (10 decks)

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