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Psyc1200 > Midterm 1 > Flashcards

Midterm 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Pyschology

A

Scientific discipline concerned with behaviour and mental processes and how they are affected by physical state, mental state, and external environment

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2
Q

Empirical evidence

A
  • what physiological science based on
  • evidence based on research and experiment
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3
Q

“Pop psych” and pseudoscience

A
  • hard to access and misleading
  • not based on actual hard evidence or science
  • often mistaken for empirical based psychology
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4
Q

Examples of pseudoscience

A
  • fortune telling
  • astrology
  • numerology
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5
Q

Why do people still believe in pseudoscience and psychic abilities?

A
  • Gives us easy answers to unknown things
  • try to believe its true when something challenges our beliefs
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6
Q

T or F: science and psychology is always changing

A

True

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7
Q

Critical thinking

A
  • ability and willingness to assess claims and make objective judgements on the basis of reasons and evidence rather than emotion or anecdote
  • important as we sort through information in the digital age
  • check sources to make sure its true
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8
Q

Steps to being a good critical thinker

A
  1. Ask questions, be willing to wonder
  2. Define your terms
  3. Analyze assumptions and biases
  4. Examine the evidence
    5.Weigh conclusions
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9
Q

2 scientific fundamental beliefs

A
  1. Empiricism: philosophical tenet that knowledge comes through experience
  2. Determinism: the belief that all events are governed by lawful, cause-and-effect relationships
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10
Q

Zeitgeist

A

Refers to a general set of beliefs of a particular culture at a specific time in history
- delayed the science of psychology

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11
Q

Materialism

A

The belief that humans, and other living things, beings, are composed exclusively of physical matter

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12
Q

Case of phrenology

A
  • terrible blunder
  • brain was made up of a bunch of different organs and the size and shape of the bumps/organs made up personality traits
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13
Q

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

A
  • setup first lab dedicated to studying human behaviour
  • used introspection: a process of ‘looking within’ to describe psychological sensations
  • volunteers would come in and describe sensations/emotions they felt
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14
Q

T or F: introspection and structuralism are subjective

A

True

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15
Q

Structuralism

A
  • analyzing conscious experience by breaking it down into basic elements and to understand how these elements work together
  • all the things together created a whole
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16
Q

William James (1842-1910)

A
  • wrote the first modern textbooks in psychology “the principles of psychology”
  • influenced by Darwins Evolutionary principles
  • proposed functionalism: the study of purpose and function of behaviour and conscious experience
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17
Q

Sigmund Freud’s theory

A
  • theory of psychoanalysis emphasized unconscious causes of psychological problems
  • focuses primarily on unconscious thoughts
  • argued that conscious awareness is the tip of a mental iceberg
  • everybody has an ego, superego and ID
    -evolved into a broad theory of personality and a method of psychotherapy
  • rejected by majority of empirically oriented psychologists
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18
Q

Behaviourism

A

Classic vs operant conditioning
- study of observable behaviour

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19
Q

Classical conditioning

A

Associate an involuntary response and a stimulus

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20
Q

Operant conditioning

A

Associate a voluntary behaviour and a consequence

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21
Q

Pillars of modern psychology

A
  1. Biological
  2. Cognitive
  3. Developmental
  4. Social and personality
  5. Mental and physical health
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22
Q

Biological pilar

A
  • emphasizes bodily events associated with actions, thoughts and feels as well as genetic contributions to behaviour
    - electrical impulses, hormones, brains ability to sense sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches
  • biological psychologists study how these events interact with events in the external environment to produce perceptions, memories and behaviour
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23
Q

The cognitive pillar

A
  • memory and conscious
  • emphasizes how people: reason and remember, comprehend language, solve problems, explain experiences, acquire moral standards
  • cognitive research explores: insight, false memory and “thinking” outside of conscious awareness
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24
Q

Developmental Pillar

A
  • perspective explores ways in which preferences, attitudes, identities and social patterns change over a lifetime
  • developmental researchers: ask questions about how we come to gain the skills and tendencies we have now and how these processes continue to evolve for the rest of our lives
  • ex. How watching violent TV effects someone personality growing up
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25
Q

Social and personality Pillar

A
  • spectrum of personality traits
  • examines the power of situations that shape peoples thoughts, feelings and behaviours
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26
Q

Mental and physical health pillar

A
  • most common
  • focuses on healthy functioning and addressing threats to it
  • range of factors that encourage mental and physical well bring: social support, emotion regulation, good nutrition, effective coping styles
  • common obstacles to feeling healthy: stress, racism, discrimination, addiction and imbalances in the chemicals that transmit messages from one neuron to the next
  • diagnosing mental illness and therapy
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27
Q

Types of psychologists

A
  1. Academic/research psychologists
  2. Clinical psychologists
  3. Psychologists in other settings
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28
Q

Basic psychology

A

Study of psychological issues for the primary purpose of expanding scientific knowledge rather than specific practical applications
- ex. How sleep affects GPA

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29
Q

Applied Psychology

A

Study of psychological issues for the primary purpose of address a specific real-world problem
- ex. How can we use basic psych knowledge to increase a students GPA

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30
Q

Counseling psychologists

A

Help people deal with problems of everyday life such as test anxiety, family conflict, low job motivation

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31
Q

School psychologists

A

Work with parents, teachers, students to enhance students’ performance and resolve emotional difficulties

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32
Q

Clinical psychologicals

A
  • diagnose, treat and study mental or emotional problems
  • trained to do psychotherapy with severely disturbed people, as well as those who are troubled or unhappy or who want to learn to handle their problem better
  • has a ph. D, Ed. D or a Psy. D
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33
Q

Psychotherapist

A

Can have anything from no degree at all to an advanced professional degree
- the term is unregulated

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34
Q

Psychoanalyst

A
  • have training needed for specific approach
  • can treat any kind of emotional disorder or pathology
  • advanced degree needed but Ph.D is not necessary
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35
Q

Psychiatrist

A
  • needs M.D first then specializes in psychiatry
  • similar work to a clinical psychologist
  • takes a more biological approach
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36
Q

Licensed clinical social worker, marriage, family and child counselor

A
  • treats common individual and family problems
  • also deals with problems like addiction or abuse
  • generally needs at least an M.A. in psychology or social work
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37
Q

Theory

A

An organized system of assumptions and principles that explains certain things and how they are related
- built from hypothesis
- can be updated with new information

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38
Q

Hypothesis

A

Testable prediction about processes that can be observed and measured
- you do NOT prove a hypothesis (you want to disprove the opposite of your hypothesis)
- must be falsifiable (can prove the opposite is not true)
- must be stated in precise and relevant terms

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39
Q

Operational decisions

A
  • need to be clear
  • specify how the concepts in question are to be observed and measured
  • ex. “Anxiety” might be defined operationally as a score on an anxiety questionnaire or “threatening situation” as the threat of an electric shock
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40
Q

Theories

A
  • not the same as opinions
  • all theories are not equally plausible
  • validity not determined by number of people who believed it to be true
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41
Q

Cycle of scientific research

A

Theory-hypothesis-predictions, with operational definitions- evidence-theory…

  • based on the evidence the theory is revised and it goes through the entire process again

Scientific measurements-objectivity

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42
Q

Willingness to make risky predictions

A
  • scientists must states an idea in such a way that it can be refuted, or disproved by counter evidence
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43
Q

Principle of falsifiability

A
  • instructs scientists to design studies in such a way that evidence can either: confirm or disconfirm the existence of a phenomenon
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44
Q

Confirmation bias

A
  • the tendency to look for or only pay attention to information that confirms ones beliefs and to ignore or reject evidence that contradicts our beliefs
  • we should look for evidence before making decisions
  • everyone does this even if its subconscious
  • we will see stuff differently depending on what we believe in
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45
Q

Transparency in research

A
  • researchers need to be able to tell others how they tested ideas and what the results were, with complete honesty (so people can’t cheat results)
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46
Q

Peer review

A

Ensures that the work lives up to accepted scientific standards (3-6 people)

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47
Q

Replication/repeating of previous studies

A

Essential part of the scientific process because sometimes a finding turns out to be a fluke

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48
Q

Representative sample

A

A group of individuals, selected from a population for a study that matches the populations important characteristics

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49
Q

“Convenience samples”

A
  • Something researchers must often use
  • often undergraduate students
    -caution is needed when generalizing with convenience samples
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50
Q

Objective measurements

A
  • the measure of an entity or behaviour that, within an allowed margin of error, is constant across instruments and observers
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51
Q

Variable

A
  • refers to the object, concept or event being measured
  • ex. Behaviour measures, MRI, blood or saliva and self-reporting
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52
Q

Operational definitions

A

Statements that describe the procedures (or operations) and/or specific measures that are used to record observations
- need definitions to state what you mean by each variable

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53
Q

Reliability

A

When a measure provides consistent and stables answers across multiple observations and points in time

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54
Q

Test-retest reliability

A
  • do the same test twice and get the same results
  • Myers Brigg doesnt have this
  • similar to alternate forms reliability
  • ex. Taking the same test twice and getting the same grade
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55
Q

Alternate-forms reliability

A
  • similar tests but not the same so they don’t know all the answers
  • similar to test-retest reliability
  • ex. Changing something on the test
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56
Q

Inter-rather reliability

A
  • behaviour test
  • 2/3 of people do the same behaviour measurment
  • ex. Chewing nails
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57
Q

Validity

A

Does the test measure what is was designed to measure?

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58
Q

Content validity

A

Do items broadly represent the trait in question?

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59
Q

Criterion validity

A

Do the rest results predict outcomes relevant to the trait?

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60
Q

Case studies

A
  • detailed descriptions of particular individuals being studied or treated
  • individualized and illustrate psychological principles in a way that abstract generalizations and Cole statistics never can
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61
Q

Case studies drawbacks

A
  • into is often missed or hard to interpret
  • observers have biases that affect which facts are reported or overlooked
  • one person is usually not representative of an entire group, limiting case studies usefulness for deriving general principles of behaviour
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62
Q

Observational studies

A
  • generally have lots of participants
  • descriptive method, in which the research systematically measures and records behaviour, taking care to avoid intruding on those being observed
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63
Q

naturalistic observation

A
  • use to find out how animals and people act in their normal environments
  • researchers try and stay hidden
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64
Q

Laboratory observation

A
  • allows more control and the use of special equipment
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65
Q

Psychology tests

A
  • objective tests, or inventories
  • measure: beliefs, feelings, and/or behaviours
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66
Q

Projective tests

A
  • can tap unconscious feelings or motives
  • every therapist has a different opinion
  • all good tests have excellent reliability and validity
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67
Q

Surveys

A
  • questionnaires or interviews that ask people directly about their experiences, attitudes or opinions
  • good for getting lots of data but have lots of issues
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68
Q

Survey issues

A
  • low response rates
  • unrepresentative bias
  • people might lie or misinterpret the question
  • hold inaccurate perceptions of their own behaviour
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69
Q

Correlational research

A
  • this research involves measuring the degree of association between 2 variables
  • every correlation (more related) has a direction (positive or negative) and a magnitude between -1.0 to +1.0
  • if both go up or both go down = positive
  • if one goes up and one goes down = negative
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70
Q

Magnitude

A
  • strength of the relationship
  • closer to 0 = smaller correlation (less related), closer to -1 or 1 = larger correlation (more related)
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71
Q

Positive correlation

A
  • as one variable increases so does the other variable
  • ex. Increase studying for test will increase your test score
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72
Q

Negative correlation

A
  • as one variable increases the other variable decreases
  • amount you drink goes up, how good you are at driving goes down
73
Q

No correlation

A
  • there is no relationship between the 2 variables
  • ex. Shoe size and test score
74
Q

T or F: when 2 things are related that means they are correlated. We can use one as proof of the other

A

False

75
Q

Illusory correlations

A
  • Relationships that really exist only in the mind rather than in reality
76
Q

Third variable problem

A

Correlation does not equal causation

77
Q

Experimental group

A

Receives special treatment in regard to the IV

78
Q

Control group

A

Similar subjects who do not receive the special treatment

79
Q

Random assignment

A

A technique for dividing samples into two or more groups

80
Q

Experimenter control

A

Variables are manipulated

81
Q

Independent variable

A
  • Presumed cause
  • unaffected by the dependent variable
  • where the researcher manipulates
82
Q

Dependent variable

A
  • presumed effect
  • affected by independent variable
  • result of changing variable
83
Q

Cofounding variables

A

Variables outside of the researchers control that might affect the results

84
Q

Between-subjects design

A
  • Participants who are in different groups are compared
  • more variation
  • A large sample and random assignment makes equal groups likely, but not guaranteed
85
Q

Within-subjects design

A
  • all participants respond to all types of stimuli or experience all experimental condition
  • less participants
  • Order effects: separating measurements in time, counterbalancing (split in half and then swap)
  • counterbalancing ex. 1/2 class studies 1st 2 tests and 1/2 doesn’t then they swap for the 2nd 2 tests
86
Q

Experiment advantages

A
  • you can determine causation
  • used “experimental groups” that receive the same drug as the control, which is called a placebo (makes people think a drug is working when it’s just a sugar pill)
87
Q

Single- blind and double-blind studies

A
  • can be used to prevent the results from being affected
  • single- blind= participant doesn’t know they took the placebo
  • double- blind= participant and researcher don’t know the participant took the placebo
88
Q

Limitations of experimental design

A
  • participants, often students, may not represent larger population
  • researcher has an artificial situation; participants may act in a way they wouldn’t otherwise
89
Q

Field research

A
  • allows study of behaviour in more natural context, such as school and workplace
90
Q

Descriptive statistics

A
  • a set of techniques used to organize, summarize and interpret data (frequency, central tendency, variability)
91
Q

Frequency

A
  • number of observations that fall within a certain category or range of scores
  • normal distribution has mean, median and mode in the same spot
  • negatively skewed ex. Hard test
  • positively skewed ex. Easy test
92
Q

Central tendency

A
  • a measure of the central point of distribution (mean, median and mode)
  • mean= average
  • median= always between lowest and highest numbers
  • mode = most frequent number
93
Q

Variability

A
  • the degree to which scores are dispersed in a distribution
  • ex. If we had 100 parts of data, how much is the data spread out?
  • least variability= shortest horizontal, highest vertical
  • most variability= longest horizontal, shortest vertical
94
Q

Standard deviation

A
  • a measure of variability around the mean or the average distance from the mean
  • the SD is used as it can turn any unit into a standardized score to be used
  • ex. Height, weights memory accuracy
95
Q

Inferential statistics

A
  • psychological scientists use inferential statistics to rigorously assess potential difference Des or relationships in data
    -a growing number of psychologists and other researchers use a statistical formula that creates a confidence interval
96
Q

Significance (hypothesis) tests

A
  • tell the researchers how likely it is that the results of a study occurred merely by chance
97
Q

Hypothesis testing

A
  • null hypothesis (assumes that any differences between groups are due to chance (control group))
  • experimental/alternative hypothesis (assumes any differences are due to a variable controlled by the experimenter (experimental group))
  • we want to find a difference between the groups that it is so large, it is virtually impossible for the null to be true, therefore we reject the null and accept the alternative hypothesis
98
Q

Independent variable

A

Experimental and control groups

99
Q

Dependent variables

A

Loneliness scores

100
Q

Limits of statistical hypothesis testing

A
  • testing more people, makes significant results more likely, even for meaningless differences
    - statistically significant doesn’t mean practical significance
  • effect size
    - calculated value indicates the degree of the difference between groups rather than reducing the significance decision to a yes/no decision
101
Q

Cross-sectional study

A

Different groups compared at one time
- ex. 20 year olds, 50 year olds and 80 year olds

102
Q

Longitudinal study

A

Same group compared at different times
- ex. When group A is 20, when group A is 50 and when group A is 80

103
Q

Informed consent

A
  • a potential volunteer must be informed of the purpose, tasks, and risks involved in the study and give consent to participate based on:
  • topic
  • nature of stimuli
  • nature of tasks
  • duration
  • risks
  • steps taken to minimize risks
104
Q

Deception

A
  • misleading or only partially informing participants of the true topic or hypothesis under investigation
105
Q

Full consent

A
  • can refuse participation without fear of penalty
  • given equal opportunities
  • the right to withdraw
  • withhold responses
106
Q

Animals in research

A

Used when
- treatments can’t be applied to humans
- heritability studies require species with short lifespan
- examining evolutionary origins of behaviour and cognition

107
Q

Ethical collection, storage and reporting of data

A
  • data kept for 3 to 5 years (replication)
  • honesty with data paramount
108
Q

Behavioural genetics

A
  • an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with genetic contributions to individual differences in behaviour and personality
  • adopt a nature and nurture approach in their investigations
109
Q

Genetic code

A
  • Xmes (structures in the cell nucleus that contains the genes and individual inherits)
  • DNA (double-helix molecule that contains nucleotides)
  • Nucleotides (sequences represent the instructions used to create all the proteins in the human body
  • every cell other than egg and sperm contrail the same xmes and genes, depending on the cell, different genes are expressed and those proteins will be made
110
Q

Genotype vs phenotype

A
  • genotype: genetic makeup of an organism ex. Bb
  • Phenotype: observable characteristics, including physical structures and behaviours ex. Blue eyes
111
Q

Human genome

A
  • all of our genes together with no coding DNA make up the human genome
  • most traits depend on more than one gene pair
  • human genome project finished mapping entire human genome in 2003
112
Q

Genome-wide association studies

A
  • scientists look for genes that vary across people and determine whether those genetic variants are consistently observed in those who have a specific disease or trait, compared to those without it
113
Q

Linkage studies

A
  • take advantage of the tendency of genes lying close together on a chromosome to be inherited together across generations
  • look at inheritance patterns ex. Genetic violence
  • researchers start looking for genetic markers, which are DNA segments that vary considerably amount individuals and whose locations on the xme are already known
114
Q

“Worry gene” and “procrastination gene”

A
  • probably aren’t true
  • due to activation and genes with those traits working together
115
Q

Epigenetics

A
  • studies stable changes in the expression of a particular gene that occurs without changes in DNA base sequences
  • Genomes are NOT statistic blueprints or sets of coded messages that never change
116
Q

Evolution and natural selection

A
  • evolutionary psychologists are interested in the origins of many human behaviours, such as smiling and laughter, which are universal amount primates and are part of our shares evolutionary heritage
  • they trace these to the processes of evolution, especially the process of natural selection
117
Q

Evolutionary psychology

A
  • evolution can now be thought of as the change in frequency of genes occurring in a population over generations
118
Q

Natural selection

A
  • the evolutionary process in which individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in an environment tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers result in those traits becoming more common
  • natural selection in still happening today to people but in much less obvious ways
  • can’t see evolution (change over 100s of years)
119
Q

Mental modules

A
  • our mind has a collection of specialized mental modules to handle specific survival problems
  • these modules do not have to correspond to one specific brain area
  • critics are concerned that the notion of mental modules might lead to the misguided assumption that virtually every human activity and capacity is innate
  • we are born with a mental module that wants us to be nice to others
  • most likely NOT true
120
Q

Innate human characteristics

A
  1. Infant reflexes (born with reflexes needed to survive)
  2. An interest in novelty (when born, new things we see become more interesting to us)
  3. A desire to explore and manipulate objects (want to explore things ex. “Don’t touch” makes us want to touch)
  4. Impulse to play and fool around
  5. Basic cognitive abilities (can tell the difference between As and Bs)
121
Q

Sociobiology

A
  • an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes evolutionary explanations of social behaviour in animals, including humans
  • sociobiologists contend that evolution breeds tendency to act in ways maximizing chances of passing on our genes and to help our close biological relatives do the same
  • males and females are different (believe men want to have multiple partners but females only want to please one male)
122
Q

Challenges to the evolutionary view of human sexual strategies

A
  • stereotypes vs actual behaviour: based on simplistic stereotypes of gender differences
  • what people say vs what they do: rely too heavily on answers to questionnaires, which often do not reflect real life choices
  • convenience vs representative samples: convenience samples use in questionnaire studies are not necessarily representative of people in general
  • the Pleistocene period is over: the evolutionary emphasis on the Pleistocene period may not be warranted
123
Q

Heritability

A
  • an estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals in a group (scores range from 0-1)
    1. An estimate of heritability applies only to a particular group in a particular environment
    2. Heritability estimates do not apply to a specific person, only to variations within a group of people
  • ex. 0.2 heritability score means 20% chance of the gene being passed down, 80% chance the trait is coming from the environment
124
Q

twin studies

A
  • identical twins have almost 100% of the same DNA
  • fraternal twins have about 50% of the same DNA
  • can test if something is heritable of a cause of the environment
125
Q

Adoption studies

A
  • compare traits of a child between their biological parents and there adopted parents
  • can test if something is heritable or a cause of the environment
126
Q

Behavioural studies

A
  • IQ scores of identical twins are always much more highly correlated than those of fraternal twins, difference reflects the influence of genes
  • adopted children’s scores correlate more highly to those of biological parents than nonbiological relatives
127
Q

nervous systems

A

Function
- gather and process information, produce responses to stimuli, coordinate the working of cells
Divided into
- central nervous system
- peripheral nervous system

128
Q

nervous systems

A

Function
- gather and process information, produce responses to stimuli, coordinate the working of cells
Divided into
- central nervous system
- peripheral nervous system

129
Q

Central nervous system

A
  • includes brain and spinal cord
  • receives, processes, interprets and stores information
  • sends out messages destined for muscles, glans and organs
  • spinal cord produces some behaviours on its own without help from brain and require no conscious effort
130
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • handles the central nervous systems input and output
  • consists of the following systems:
  • somatic (permits sensation and voluntary actions)
    -autonomic (regulated blood vessels, glans and internal organs)
  • sympathetic (mobilizes the body for action)
  • parasympathetic (conserves energy)
131
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • handles the central nervous systems input and output
  • consists of the following systems:
  • somatic (permits sensation and voluntary actions)
    -autonomic (regulated blood vessels, glans and internal organs)
  • sympathetic (mobilizes the body for action)
  • parasympathetic (conserves energy)
132
Q

Dendrites

A
  • small branches radiating form the cell body that receive signals from other cells and transmit them to the axons
133
Q

Cell body/soma

A
  • part of the neural that houses the nucleus
  • where the DNA of the cell is stored
134
Q

Axon

A
  • transports information in the form of electrochemical reactions form the cell body to the end of the neuron
135
Q

Axon hillock/nodes of ranvier

A
  • if stimulation is strong enough and action potential is reached at the hillock is moves down the axon
  • the action potential is propagated at each node and jumps to the next, regenerating the charge of the transmission
136
Q

Myelin Sheath

A
  • insulating layer that forms around the axon of the nerves
  • allows electrical impulses to be transmitted quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells
137
Q

Glial cells

A
  • variety of cell types that serve support functions for neurons
  • microglia: engulf debris and mounts immune response
  • oligodendrocytes: produce extensions that wrap axons in myelin
  • astrocytes: provide physical support and delivers energy to neurons
138
Q

Neurogenesis

A
  • the birth of neurons
  • 2 disproven assumptions:
    1. Severed axons in the spinal cord cannot regrow if you treat them with certain nervous system chemicals
    2. Mammals produce no new CNS cells after infancy
  • the production of new neurons from immature stem cells
139
Q

Stem cells

A
  • immature cells that renew themselves and have the potential, given encouraging environments to developed into mature cells of any type
140
Q

3 main neurons

A
  1. Sensory neuron: gather info from inside and outside the body
  2. Interneuron: receive info from sensory neurons and decide what to do
  3. Motor neuron: responds to the stimulation from the sensory neuron if it is deemed strong enough
141
Q

How neurons communicate

A
  • communication between two neurons occurs at the synapse
  • when a wave of electrical voltage (action potential) reaches the end of a transmitting axon
  • neurotransmitter molecules are released into the synaptic cleft
142
Q

Action potential

A
  • axon will either fire or not fire, they can’t half fire
143
Q

Resting potential

A
  • at rest, the neuron cell membrane is polarized (more positive outside than inside) to -70mV
144
Q

Depolarization

A
  • a stimulus depolarizes the membrane allowing Na+ into the cell
  • if the impulse is strong enough (reaches the threshold) an action potential is generated (goes down the length of the axon)
145
Q

Replaraization

A
  • K+ ions rush out of the cell in response to the Na+ coming in
146
Q

Hyperpolarization

A
  • prevents another action potential from starting before one is finished
147
Q

Multiple sclerosis

A
  • The myelin sheath and nodes of Ranvier facilitate the rapid conduction of neural impulses
  • diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are the result of the malfunctioning glial cells
148
Q

Neurotransmitters

A
  • key in a lock is a metaphor of receptors (only certain neurotransmitters can go to the right receptor cite, just like only one key will fit in a certain lock)
149
Q

Synaptic cleft

A
  • the small space between the terminal button and the dendrite of another neuron
150
Q

Reuptake

A
  • a process whereby released neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the axon terminals of the pre-synaptic neuron
  • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
151
Q

Excitatory neurotransmitters

A
  • increase the likely hood of an action potential occurring
152
Q

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

A
  • decrease the likelihood of an action potential occurring
153
Q

Drug effects on neurotransmitters

A
  • Agonists: drugs that enhance or mimic the effects of neurotransmitters action
  • antagonistic: inhibit neurotransmitter activity by blocking receptors or preventing synthesis of the neurotransmitters
154
Q

Hormones

A
  • Long- distance messengers
  • produced mainly by the endocrine glands, pancreas, ovaries, testes, adrenal glands
  • all have different functions
  • work with neurotransmitters
  • released directly into the bloodstream
  • affect and are affected by the nervous system
155
Q

Melatonin

A
  • secreted by the pineal gland
  • help biological sleep rhythm
156
Q

Melatonin

A
  • secreted by the pineal gland
  • help biological sleep rhythm
157
Q

Oxytocin

A
  • secreted by another small gland in the brain, in the pituitary gland
  • important during child birth, increases breast milk
158
Q

Adrenal hormones

A
  • produced by adrenal glands
  • involved in emotions and stress
  • cortisol= outer part
  • epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (increases arousal levels= inner part
159
Q

Sex hormones

A
  • androgens, testosterone, estrogen (enhance learning and memory) and progesterone
160
Q

Lesion method

A
  • removal or disabling of a non-human animals brain stucture to gather better understanding of its function
  • can’t be done on humans
161
Q

Electrical stimulation

A
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
  • Transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS)
  • Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) (can redirect brain waves)
  • all 3 use electrical stimulation or suppress different areas of the brain
162
Q

Tools that allow researchers to investigate the brain

A
  • electroencephalogram (EEG)
  • event-related potentials (ERPs)
  • positron emission tomography (PET) scan
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • functional MRI (fMRI)
163
Q

EEG

A
  • recording of neural activity detected by electrodes
164
Q

ERPs

A
  • waveforms of neural activity associated with specific stimuli or events
  • still don’t know where activity is occurring, but we know when it is occuring
165
Q

PET scan

A
  • not super detailed
  • more glucose drawing to parts of your brain shows up in scan
  • red= brain is being used a lot
166
Q

MRI

A
  • very detailed image from different angles of the brain
  • can’t see things that are going on
167
Q

fMRI

A
  • takes photo of brain
  • detects blood O2 levels in brain at any given time
  • shows what part of your brain is being used
  • best option but very expensive
168
Q

Medulla

A
  • in the brain stem, in the lower part of the brain
  • controls automatic functions: heart beating and breathing
169
Q

The Pons

A
  • involved in: sleeping, walking and dreaming
  • where melatonin is produced
170
Q

Reticular activating system (RAS)

A
  • dense network of neurons
  • screens incoming information
  • responsible for alertness
171
Q

Cerebellum

A
  • contributes to balance and muscle coordination
  • plays a role in cognitive and emotional learning
  • if damaged you would: become more clumsy, lack fine motor skills like using a pencil, threading a needle and walking
172
Q

Thalamus

A
  • directs sensory messages to appropriate higher centers in the brain
  • smells is the only sense that bypasses the thalamus
  • specialized cells are located in the olfactory bulb
173
Q

Hypothalamus

A
  • body’s boss, keeps body maintaining homeostasis
  • is involved in emotion and drives that are vital to survival
  • controls the operations of the automatic nervous system
  • sends out chemicals that tell the pituitary glands when to “talk” to other endocrine glands
174
Q

Amygdala

A

Emotions, decides if we can be worried

175
Q

Hippocampus

A

Formation of new memories

176
Q

Cerebrum

A

Allows left and right side of brain to communicate

177
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Lobes of the cortex
- occipital (vision)
- parietal
- temporal
- frontal

178
Q

Occipital lobe

A

Also dubbed as vision cortex
- when damaged language is affected

179
Q

Temporal lobe

A

Hone to auditory cortex
- also where wernicks area is which is involved in language comprehension

Psyc1200 (2 decks)

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