Intro to Psychology

Question 1

Which part of the brain is responsible for language?

Answer 1

Left

Question 2

What did patients with Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Lesions on the Iowa Gambling Task exhibit

Answer 2

-Failed
-Dampened anticipatory SCRs
-No difference between decks

Question 3

Sunken Cost Fallacy

Answer 3

A person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action when they have already invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial

Question 4

Confirmation bias

Answer 4

the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories

Question 5

Actor-Observer bias

Answer 5

the tendency to attribute one’s actions to external causes while attributing other people’s behaviors to internal causes

Question 6

Optimism bias

Answer 6

the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of experiencing positive events and underestimate the likelihood of experiencing negative events

Question 7

Anchoring effect

Answer 7

Relying too much on the first piece of evidence heard, and using such to make decisions

Question 8

Representative heuristic

Answer 8

Decision making based on stereotypes or prototypes, rather than on all available information

Question 9

Bias blindspot

Answer 9

When people are more aware of bias in others than in themselves

Question 10

Hyperbolic discounting

Answer 10

Choosing immediate rewards over future rewards, even if the future reward is more valuable

Question 11

What is the goal of psychology?

Answer 11

Produce relatively reliable predictions about human behavior

Question 12

What are the steps in the scientific approach to psychology?

Answer 12

1. Hypothesis, based on theory
2. Information derived on procedures designed to minimize error
3. Study, preferably experiment, is performed
4. Process is opened to questioning
5. Replication is required
6. Theory or model is established or revised

Question 13

What is the difference between a study and an experiment?

Answer 13

Study: any research method used to gather data and investigate a phenomenon

Experiment: specific type of study where a researcher actively manipulates variables to observe the effect on another variable typically with a controlled environment and often with random assignment to groups

Question 14

What are the elements of good scientific design in psychology?

Answer 14

Random Sampling
Observation and Measurement
-Operationaling Variables
Importance of control conditions
Statistical analyses
Generate conclusions consistent with data

Question 15

X Variable

Answer 15

Independent variable
-manipulated or changed by the experimenter

Question 16

Y Variable

Answer 16

Dependent variable
-being measured or tested by the experimenter

Question 17

What is the Rosenzweig study?

Answer 17

Animal research on neuroplasticity
-Enriched vs impoverished cage environments
-Euthanized, brain autopsied, enriched had thicker and heavier brain cortex
-Re ran 16 times
- Tested for “handling effects”
-Tested for “stress effects” (isolation)
-Artificial environment?

Question 18

Dendritic branching

Answer 18

dendrites of neurons make new connections with other neurons

Question 19

Localization of brain funciton

Answer 19

Each area of the brain has a particular function
- is not fixed and can change

Question 20

Psychological Research with Humans must include what?

Answer 20

-Institutional review board
-Informed consent: use of deception
-Can quit the study at any time
-No penalty upon forfeit
-Confidentiality and anonymity maintained
-Right to debriefing

Question 21

Psychological Research with Animals?

Answer 21

-Standards of Care for animals
-Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
-Animals are treated as humanely as possible

Question 22

What is cultural psychology?

Answer 22

The way in which cultures impact on the behavior of individuals: specifics, not universals