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PSYCH 101 > Psych 1 (history, methods, neuroscience) > Flashcards

Psych 1 (history, methods, neuroscience) Flashcards

1
Q

Hypothesis

A

A logical idea that can be tested

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2
Q

Theory

A

Group of closely related phenomena or observations

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3
Q

Empirical methods

A

Approaches to inquiry that are tied to actual measurement and observation

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4
Q

Systematic observation

A

The careful observation of the natural world with the aim of better understanding it. Observations provide the basic data that allow scientists to track, tally, or otherwise organize information about the natural world

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5
Q

Empiricism

A

The idea that all knowledge comes from experience, promoted by philosophers like John Locke

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6
Q

Rene Descartes

A

A French philosopher that wondered how our mental and physical states interact with each other (Dualism)

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7
Q

Dualism

A

The idea that our mental and physical states are two separate things

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8
Q

Wilhelm Wundt

A

Founder of the first experimental psychology lab. Was into structuralism and mostly used introspection to get data (also did a little bit of measuring reaction times, but gave up)

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9
Q

Structuralism

A

An approach to identifying the building blocks of human experience

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10
Q

Introspection

A

Wundt used this to get data to try to determine the building blocks of the mind. Asked subjects to reflect on experiences and sensations

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11
Q

Functionalism

A

The attempt to describe human behaviors through their evolutionary purpose

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12
Q

William James

A

Connected with functionalism

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13
Q

Sigmund Freud

A

Thought the mind was made up of the id, ego, and superego. Believed that the unconscious mind rules our behavior. Made theories that were not falsifiable

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14
Q

Id

A

Part of the mind concerned with primal selfish desires like food & sex

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15
Q

Super-ego

A

Part of the mind concerned with morality

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16
Q

Ego

A

Part of the mind that was a balance between id and super-ego

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17
Q

Behaviorism

A

The idea that all behaviors can be explained by experiments with external rewards and punishments

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18
Q

Cognitive psychology

A

The study of mental processes

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19
Q

Hindsight bias

A

Tendency to view past events (or results) as being more predictable than they actually were

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20
Q

Confirmation bias

A

Tendency to notice ad believe information consistent with one’s beliefs (and ignore or be more skeptical of information inconsistent with one’s beliefs)

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21
Q

Why is intuition unreliable?

A

Overconfidence, we tend to see order in random events, hindsight bias, confirmation bias

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22
Q

3 types of research designs

A

Experimental, correlational, descriptive

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23
Q

Falsifiable

A

Able to be disproved. Scientific hypotheses and theories must be falsifiable.

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24
Q

Reliable

A

When a test yields consistent results

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25
Valid
When a test measures what it is supposed to measure. How well does it measure something, how well does it predict something
26
Split-half reliability
A way to determine reliability of a test. Dividing the test into two equal halves and assessing how consistent the scores are
27
Test-retest reliability
A way to determine reliability of a test. Using the same test on two occasions to measure consistency
28
Correlation Coefficients
Numbers between -1 and 1 that tell the direction of, and how strong a correlation between two things is
29
Control group
Receives no treatment
30
Experimental group
Receives treatment
31
Random assignment
A way to minimize third variable influences in an experiment
32
Independent variable
potential cause, the variable we manipulate
33
Dependent variable
potential effect
34
Double-blind procedure
In experiments involving drugs, placebos must be used. Subjects don't know which test group they are in, and researchers don't know until the end
35
WEIRD people
W.estern, E.ducated, I.ndustrialized, R.ich, D.emocratic
36
Pseudoscience
Claims that are presented as science, but have no basis in scientific method, falsifiability, or supporting evidence
37
Cell body
The life-support center of a neuron
38
Dendrites
Receive messages from other cells
39
Axon
Passes messages away from the cell body
40
Neural impulse
Action potential; electrical signal
41
Myelin sheath
Covers the axon of some neurons, helps speed up neural impulses
42
Terminal branches of axon
Form junctions with other cells
43
All-or-none
Neurons will send a message (action potential) if the previous signal is strong enough (at a certain threshold)
44
Synapse
Points of connection between different neurons
45
GABA
Neurotransmitter that makes other cells less likely to fire an action potential (inhibitory)
46
Glutamine
Neurotransmitter that makes other cells more likely to fire an action potential (excitatory)
47
Dopamine
Neurotransmitter involved in processes related to rewards, also generating movement signals
48
Central Nervous System
Brain and spinal cord
49
Peripheral Nervous System
Anything not in the brain+spinal cord, divided into somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
50
Somatic NS
Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
51
Autonomic NS
Controls self-regulated action of internal organs and glands. Made up of the sympathetic NS and parasympathetic NS
52
Sympathetic NS
arousing, involved in fight or flight
53
Parasympathetic NS
relaxing, involved in ‘rest and digest’
54
Hindbrain
basic life functions (e.g. breathing, arousal, heart beat)
55
Cerebellum
Part of the hindbrain, balance and coordinated movements
56
Midbrain
visual and auditory reflexes, major dopamine source
57
Forebrain (subcortical)
Includes corpus callosum, thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary, amygdala, hippocampus
58
Axon hillock
Where the axon connects to the cell body
59
Forebrain (cortical)
Includes cerebral cortex
60
Corpus callosum
Axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres
61
Thalamus
Relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex
62
Hypothalamus
Controls hunger, sex, motivation for basic survival drives
63
Pituitary
Master endocrine gland
64
Spinal cord
Pathway for neural fibers traveling to/from brain; controls simple reflexes
65
Cerebral cortex
Ultimate control and info-processing center
66
Amydala
Associated with fear; other emotions
67
Hippocampus
Linked with memory
68
Limbic system
Amygdala and hippocampus
69
Grey matter
Cerebral cortex. Darker because axons lack myelin
70
White matter
Lighter parts of the brain tissue that appear lighter because they are mainly myelinated axons
71
Association areas
Uncommitted parts of the brain that more intelligent animals have more of (like language)
72
Stress
Mental and physiological response to events (stressors) that we perceive as threatening
73
Fight or flight response
Mobilizes body to attack or escape
74
Epinephrine
Fast response to stress, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands (adrenaline), telling sympathetic NS to go
75
Cortisol
Slow response to stress, a hormone released by the adrenal glands that has many effects, one of which being the suppression of the immune system
76
Frontal lobe
motor (movement)
77
Parietal lobe
touch
78
Occipital lobe
Vision
79
Temporal lobe
audition (hearing)

PSYCH 101 (5 decks)

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