Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Nature v. Nurture

A

how much genes contribute and how much experience and environment contribute to the development of psychological traits and behaviors

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2
Q

Biopsychosocial approach to human behavior

A

Biological: natural selection of adaptive traits, brain, hormones
Psychological: learned fears and behaviors, cognitive processing
Social-cultural: cultural and societal expectations, peer and group influences, models

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3
Q

Hypothesis

A

testable prediction

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4
Q

Correlation

A

measure of the extent to which two factors vary together; how well either factor predicts the other

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5
Q

Random assignment

A

assigning participants to experimental and control groups; minimizes preexisting differences

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6
Q

Placebo effect

A

experimental results caused by expectations alone

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7
Q

Independent variable

A

experimental factor that is manipulated; variable whose effect is being studied

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8
Q

Dependent variable

A

outcome factor; may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

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9
Q

Confounding variable

A

factor other than independent that might produce an effect in an experiment

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10
Q

Neuron

A

nerve cell

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11
Q

Dendrites

A

neuron’s bushy, branching extensions; receive messages and conduct impulses

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12
Q

Axon

A

Neuron extension passes messages through its branches to other neurons, muscles, or glands

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13
Q

Myelin sheath

A

encases axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed

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14
Q

Glial cells

A

cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; learning and thinking

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15
Q

Action potential

A

neural impulse

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16
Q

Synapse

A

junction between axon tip of sending neuron and dendrite/cell body of receiving neuron

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17
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps; when released they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, influence whether that neuron will generate neural impulse

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18
Q

Brainstem

A

oldest; automatic survival functions

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19
Q

Medulla

A

heartbeat and breathing

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20
Q

Thalamus

A

directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla

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21
Q

Reticular formation

A

controls arousal

22
Q

Cerebellum

A

sensory input, coordinates movement output and balance, nonverbal learning and memory

23
Q

Limbic system

A

emotions and drives

24
Q

Hypothalamus

A

maintenance activities, govern endocrine system via the pituitary gland; emotion and reward

25
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

control and information-processing center

26
Q

Frontal lobes

A

speaking and muscle movements; plans and judgements

27
Q

Parietal lobes

A

sensory input for touch and body position

28
Q

Occipital lobes

A

receive information from the visual fields

29
Q

Temporal lobes

A

receiving information from the opposite ear

30
Q

Motor cortex

A

voluntary movements

31
Q

Sensory cortex

A

body touch and movement sensations

32
Q

Association areas

A

higher mental functions: learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

33
Q

Amygdala

A

emotion rage and fear

34
Q

Traits determined by genes

A

physical - height, hair and eye color; complex traits - happiness, intelligence, or aggressiveness

35
Q

Learning

A

process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

36
Q

Classical conditioning

A

one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

37
Q

Behaviorism

A

psychology should be objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

38
Q

Neutral stimulus

A

elicits no response before conditioning

39
Q

Unconditioned response

A

naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

40
Q

Unconditioned stimulus

A

stimulus that unconditionally - naturally - triggers a response (UR)

41
Q

Conditioned response

A

learned response to a previously neutral stimulus (CS)

42
Q

Conditioned stimulus

A

originally irrelevant, after association with an US comes to trigger a CR

43
Q

Extinction

A

diminishing of a CR; classical - US does not follow a CS; operant - response is no longer reinforced

44
Q

Spontaneous recovery

A

reappearance after a pause of an extinguished CR

45
Q

Operant conditioning

A

behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher

46
Q

Positive reinforcement

A

stimulus that is presented after a response

47
Q

Negative reinforcement

A

stimulus that is removed after a response (removing negative stimuli)

48
Q

Primary reinforcer

A

innately reinforcing stimulus; satisfies biological need

49
Q

Conditioned reinforcer

A

gains power through its association with primary reinforcer

50
Q

Punishment

A

decreases behavior that follows