PS101 Flashcards
Exam 1
Psychology
The scientific study of mind and behavior
Behavior
actions and responses directly observable and measurable
(Observable)
Main Goals in Psychology
-describe
-explain/understand
-predict
-control
-influencece/apply
What is critical thinking?
- Taking an ACTIVE ROLE in the world around us
- EVALUATING THE VALIDITY of information presented to us as fact
2 types of research?
Basic – knowledge purely for its own sake
Applied – research
designed to solve a specific problem
Psychology is a multi factorial science formed by
-Learning Experiences
-Mental State
-Biological Make up
-Cultural Biases
Who is the Father of Psychology?
Wilhelm Wundt
What is structuralism & who founded it?
Introspection; Analyzies the elements of mental experiences, such as sensations and mental images.
EX: Describing your experience at the ocean by saying it is windy, salty, and cold
Edward Titchener
What is functionalism & who founded it?
The mind is a functional tool that allows us to adapt to our environments
William James
Why do structuralists ask “HOW?
Structuralists are interested in learning about HOW different thoughts/behaviors occur
EX: structuralist might ask, HOW do I fall asleep? HOW do I grab my coffee? And then identify brain structures and muscles associated with those behaviors.
Why do functionalists ask “WHY”?
Functionalists questioned WHY we behave and think the way we do.
A functionalist might ask WHY do humans experience jealousy? Why is this experience advantageous?
Who came up with the psychodynamic perspective
Sigmund Freud
What is psychodynamic perspective?
- Internal and unconscious psychological forces
- Unresolved conflicts from the past
EX: Ego, wish fulfillment, psychosomatic disorders (mental disorders leading to physical symptoms with no medical explanation), defense mechanisms, repressed memories, free association)
Psychoanalysis
analysis of the internal and unconscious, complex psychological forces.
- Theory, Diagnosis, Treatment
What was Freuds premise?
-Psychodynamic Perspective
1.Human beings have powerful inborn aggressive and sexual drives (Internal and primarily unconscious psychological forces)
2. Adult personality is determined by childhood experiences (Unresolved conflicts from the past)
Defense Mechanisms are formed from…
-Psychodynamic Perspective
(EX: Ego, wish fulfillment, psychosomatic disorders (mental disorders leading to physical symptoms with no medical explanation), defense mechanisms, repressed memories, free association)
Behavioral Perspective
-Behavior caused by external environment
-Knowledge is gained Empirically
-Info learned from experience, knowledge gained through senses
Tabula Rasa
-John Locke (empiricism)
-When people are born, their minds are effectively a blank slate, so their experiences make them who they are.
What is classical conditioning?
-Leaning based on associations between events
-Involuntary & automatic (ex: flinching to a gun)
Ivan Pavlov
-Father of Classical Conditioning
Who is Edward Thorndike?
-Thorndike’s Law of Effect
-behaviors followed by a reward or reinforcement are more likely in the future, whereas behaviors followed by a punishment are less likely in the future.
Who is John Watson?
only subject matter that counts is observable behavior
Who is BF Skinner?
-Operant Conditioning: learning based on consequences of actions
-a form of learning in which the motivation for a behavior happens after the behavior is demonstrated
-Skinner used a hungry rat in a Skinner box to show how positive reinforcement works.
What is the Humanist Perspective
Focuses on the positive image of what it means to be human.
-Emphasizes:
-Free will
-Innate human tendency toward growth
-The attempt to find meaning in one’s existence
-Conscious awareness
Who is Abraham Maslow?
-Self Actualization = Needs Hierarchy
-Humanists started the process of psychotherapy
-Stimulated research on the topic of self-concept
What is cognitive psychology?
-Concerned with HOW we think
-Investigation of perception, problem solving, intelligence
What is Gestalt Psychology?
-Gestalt theory emphasizes that the whole of anything is greater than its parts
-Gestalt is a holistic process. It regards the individual as a totality of mind, body, emotions and spirit who experiences reality in a way unique to themselves.
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The study of how the brain enables the mind.
What is Sociocultural Perspective?
-Investigates how social environment and cultural learning influence thoughts and behaviors
-Emphasizes how environment and cultural learning affect behavior, thoughts, and feelings
Social norms
-Rules for acceptable and expected behavior for members of the group or within the group
-Can specify appropriate behavior based on gender
What is socialization?
-The process by which culture is transmitted to new members and internalized by them
What is Cross-Culture Psychology?
-Explores the similarities and differences in thinking and behavior between individuals from different cultures
-Different ideals
-Individualism, Collectivism
What is the Biological Perspective?
-Examines biological influences on behavior, including brain, hormonal, genetic, and evolutionary processes
Who is Karl Lashley?
-His research led to Brain Mapping
-Lashley would surgically destroy (lesion)
What is Neurotransmitters?
-Brain chemicals that allow neural communication and cause action
Who is Donald Hebb?
-His research led to discovery of Neurotransmitters
What is behavioral genetic research?
-Examines how behavioral tendencies are influenced by genetic factors
-Identical twins are 100% carbon copies of each other at birth, but environmental factors will exert influence eventually
What are neurons?
-Basic building blocks of the nervous system
-Generate electrical activity, communicate with muscles, glands, other neurons
What are the 4 Main Parts of Neuron?
-Cell body (soma)
-Dendrites
-Axon (Axon terminals)
-Myelin (most neurons have this)
What are Glial Cells?
- A type of cell that provides physical and chemical support to neurons and maintain their environment
What does the Myelin do?
-Speed up chemical communication between neurons
What is myelination?
-the change or maturation of certain nerve cells whereby a layer of myelin forms around the axons which allows the nerve impulses to travel faster
-Occurs after you are born
-This increases continuously from when you are born to when its developed
What is a synapse?
The places where neurons connect and communicate with each other
What are the Chemical Communication/Synaptic Transmission Stages?
- Synthesis: Neurotransmitters manufactured inside the neuron
Storage: Neurotransmitters stored in synaptic vesicles - Release: Action potential leads to movement of vesicles to axon terminal surface and release of neurotransmitters
- Binding: Neurotransmitters bind themselves to sites on receiving (postsynaptic) neuron’s membrane
- Deactivation:
A)
Reuptake: gets sucked back up into the presynaptic neuron to be used later (recycling!)
B)
Breakdown: another chemical comes in and breaks down neurotransmitter
What is Acetylcholine (Ach)?
Too much/too little?
-Long term memory processes, present at junction of every motor neuron
-Too little: Alzheimer’s disease,
blocking ach causes muscles can’t move
(botox)
-Too much: Spasm → too much muscle contraction
What is serotonin?
Too much/too little?
-Mood regulation, drives (hunger, sleep, sex, thirst) “Appetites”
-Too little: Lack of appetite Depression/Antidepressants
What is Dopamine?
Too much/too little?
-Pleasure experience, large muscle motor movement, working memory
-Cocaine and Marijuana affect dopamine levels
-Too little: Parkinson’s Disease
-Too much: Schizophrenia
What is Norepinephrine?
Too much/too little?
-Effects attention, fight or flight, mood
-Too little: ADHD – Medications adjust norepinephrine levels
-Too much: anxiety, high blood pressure and heart rate,
What is the Central Nervous System?
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System:
-Nervous system outside of brain and spinal cord
What are the 3 types of neurons?
-Sensory: Carry input messages from sense organs to spinal cord and brain
-Motor neurons: Transmit messages from brain and spinal cord to muscles and organs
-Interneurons: Connective and associate functions and make mental functions, emotions, and behavior possible
Somatic Nervous System
-Voluntary movements
Autonomic Nervous System (2 parts)
-Dual system
-Sympathetic: Activation or arousal function, fight or flight response
-Inhale
-Parasympathetic: Slows down body processes; maintains calm
-Exhale
Methods for studying the brain
-Observation
-Destruction and stimulation
-Neuropsychological tests
-Electrical recording (e.g. EEG)
-Brain imaging
What are CT Scans?
-Clear images of brain structures,
What are PET Scans?
-Positron Emission Tomography
-Produces an image of the brain’s activity after radioactive material is injected into the brain
What are MRI scans?
-Can study both structures and activity
What are fMRI scans?
-Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
-Shows how different parts of your brain are working
-very fast
What is the function of the medulla?
-Important in vital body functions:
heartbeat, breathing, blinking
-Decussation (left-right crossover)
What is the function of the pons?
-Carries nerve impulses between higher and lower levels of the nervous system
What is the function of the Reticular Activating System?
-Attention
-Arousal
-Filters incoming info
-Relays sensory info to other brain areas
Whats the brain stem?
-Medulla
-Pons
Reticular Activating System Cerebellum
What is the cerebellum?
-Muscular movement coordination
-Learning and memory
What is the function of thalamus?
-Organizes input from senses and sends to brain
-Sensory Switchboard
What is GABA?
-Gamma-aminobutyric acid
-40% of your neurons
-Involved a LOT in movement
-Released in antidepressants to create calming and relaxing feeling
Whats the midbrain?
-Thalamus
-Hypothalamus
-Limbic System: Amygdala & Hippocampus
What is the function of hypothalamus?
-Regulates appetites/drives
-Role in motivation and emotion (Serotonin)
-(hunger, thirst, sleep, sex)
What is the function of hippocampus?
-Involved in forming, retrieving memories
What is the function of amygdala?
-Organizes motivational and emotional responses
-Picks up social cues from others and helps determine intent
What is the limbic system?
Hippocampus and amygdala
What is the Cerebral Cortex? (4)
-Frontal
-Parietal
-Temporal
-Occipital
What is the frontal lobe function?
-CEO
-Executive Functions
-Broca’s Area (speech production)
-Motor Cortex (how you move)
-Association Cortex
-personality changes, difficulty concentrating or planning, and impulsivity (Phineas Gage)
What is the parietal lobe function?
-Sensory cortex ( touch, pressure, heat, cold, and pain)
L – language
R – visuospatial, geometry, music
What is the temporal lobe function?
-Auditory Cortex
L – Wernicke’s area: speech understanding
R – Face and object recognition
What is the occipital lobe function?
-Vision
-Primary Visual Cortex
Left hemisphere of the brain function?
-Controls speech, comprehension, arithmetic, and writing.
Right hemisphere of the brain function?
-Controls creativity, spatial ability, artistic, and musical skills
What is the Corpus Callosum?
-Structure that connects hemispheres and allows communication between them
-Exchange information between the two hemispheres
-A large set of myelinated axons connecting the right and left hemispheres
What is Lateralization?
-A functional dominance of one hemisphere over the other, in which one is more responsible or entirely responsible for control of a function in comparison to the other
Split Brain Studies?
-Investigations on split-brain patients, people whose left and right brains lack the normal connections between them. These people sometimes exhibit brain-side dominance, but they also display a range of distinctive behaviors from only one side or the other.
William James
functionalism
Sigmund freud
psychodynamic
Wilhelm Wundt
structuralism
John Watson
behavioral
Ivan Pavlov
behavioral
Edward Thorndike
behavioral
B.F Skinner
behavioral/ operant conditioning process
Abraham Maslow
humanist
Carl Rogers
humanist/self actualization
