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Psychology MCAT > Psych 5 > Flashcards

Psych 5 Flashcards

1
Q

When various combinations of alleles are associated with different behaviours, behavioural variation accompanies genetic variation

A

Genetically based behavioural variation

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2
Q

The extent to which they contribute to survival in the given environment

A

Adaptive values

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3
Q

The conversion of physical stimuli into electrical signals that are transferred through the nervous system by neurons

A

Sensation

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4
Q

The use of sensory information and pre-existing knowledge to create a functional representation of the world

A

Perception

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5
Q

The lowest intensity of a stimulus that can be sensed

A

The absolute threshold

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6
Q

The smallest difference that is sufficient for a change in a stimulus to be noticed

A

Difference Threshold

Just noticeable difference

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7
Q

The change required to meet the difference threshold is a certain fraction of the originally presented stimulus

A

Weber’s Law

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8
Q

Focuses on how an organism differentiates important or meaningful stimulus (signals) from those that are not of interest (noise) in an environment where the distinction is ambiguous

A

Signal Detection Theory

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9
Q

Selects sensory information for perceptual processing

A

Attention

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10
Q

The focus of attention on one particular stimulus or task at the exclusion of other stimuli

A

Selective Attention

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11
Q

Splits perceptual resources between multiple stimuli or behaviours

A

Divided Attention

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12
Q

Involves the construction of perceptions from individual pieces of information provided by sensory processing

A

Bottom up processing

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13
Q

Brings the influence of prior knowledge into play to make. Perception more efficient

A

Top down processing

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14
Q

Describes the criteria that are used to distinguish between figure and background or between objects in a group and objects out of the group

Describes the top down processing that organizes sensory information into distinct forms (objects) according to distinct regions of the sensed surroundings

A 
Gestalt Principles:
Principle of nearness
Principle of similarity
Principle of common region
Principle of continuity 
Principle of closure
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15
Q

Type of perceptual organization that deals with the problem of distinguishing between information received by the retina and changes in the surroundings

A

Constancy

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16
Q

The interpretation of otherwise raw sensory data to produce visual perception

A

Visual Processing

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17
Q

The use of multiple pathways to convey information about the same stimulus

A

Parallel Processing

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18
Q

A type of serial processing, where increasingly complex aspects of the stimulus are processed in sequence

A

Feature Detection

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19
Q

Awareness of oneself, one’s surroundings, thoughts, and goals

A

Consciousness

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20
Q

Default state of consciousness

A

Alertness

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21
Q

Maintains daily balance between wakefulness and sleep

Regulates the body’s functions on a predictable schedule

A

Circadian Rhythm

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22
Q

Suprachiasmatic nucleus; this group of cells regulates the timing of many of the body’s circadian rhythms, such as body temperature, and are located in this part of the brain

A

Hypothalamus

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23
Q

Associated with characteristic patterns of brainwaves

A

The stages of sleep

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24
Q

Light sleep; includes alpha waves (associated with a state of wakefulness)

A

Stage 1 of sleep

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25
Associated with bursts of brain wave activity that indicate full transition into sleep
Stage 2 of sleep
26
Delta waves are first seen, reflecting the transition into deep sleep
Stage 3 of sleep
27
Almost entirely delta waves
Stage 4 of sleep
28
Stages of sleep are repeated throughout the night
Sleep Cycles
29
Characteristic eye movements and is a period of high brain activity that occurs during stage 1 sleep The brain relives the massive amount of stimuli experienced during the day
Rapid eye movement sleep | REM
30
The largest portion of sleep, lower brain activity
Non-REM Sleep
31
Occurs throughout REM Sleep
Dreaming
32
Some aspect of sleep is abnormal, leading to negative health consequences
Sleep Disorders
33
A state if relaxation, focused attention and increased willingness to relinquish control over one's actions
Hypnosis
34
An intentional, self produced state of consciousness induced by relaxing and systematically shifting attention away from day to day concerns
Meditation
35
Raise the level of activity in the central nervous system | Many act by increasing the amount of monoamine neurotransmitters, such as epinephrine and dopamine
Stimulants
36
Cause a decrease of activity in the central nervous system
Depressants
37
Drugs that cause an alteration in sensory and perceptual experience
Hallucinogens
38
Associated with both feelings of reward in day to day life and the feelings of pleasure that lead to cravings and addiction
Reward Pathway | Pathway within the Limbic System
39
The representation and maintenance of information by the nervous system
Memory
40
Memory is transformed into the type of representation that is used by that particular form of memory storage
Encoding
41
The first phase in memory formation | Temporary storage for incoming sensory stimuli
Sensory Memory
42
Information held in short term memory can be used, applied, or elaborated Usually encoded through an auditory representation
Working Memory
43
Maintained outside of conscious awareness and can be called back into working memory when needed
Long term memory
44
The ability of the brain's networks of neurons and their synapses to change
Neural Plasticity
45
The molecular process underlying the formation of long term memories through the strengthening of synapses. Describes the increase in likelihood that presynaptic input will trigger an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron
Long term potentiation (LTP)
46
Information stored in long term memory can return to working memory for the purpose of problem solving and guidance of behaviour
Retrieval
47
Organize information in networks of meaningfully related memories
Semantic Networks
48
One item triggers an activation of related memories
Spreading activation
49
The retrieval of a memory from scratch
Recall
50
The correct identification of information that is presented
Recognition
51
Environmental stimuli or pieces of information that are associated in some way with the memory being sought
Retrieval Cues
52
Memory retrieval is strongest when the emotional state during retrieval us similar to that of memory formation
Role of emotion
53
Allows for the detection of long term memories that can become inaccessible to conscious recognition or recall and thus are experienced as lost
Relearning
54
The fading of a memory
Decay
55
Recall is reliably the strongest for items at the beginning of a list
Primacy Effect
56
Recall is reliably strongest for items at the end of a list
Recency Effect
57
Similar information prevents the retrieval of a memory
Interference
58
Newly learned material that prevents successful retrieval of related older materials
Retroactive Interference
59
Previously held knowledge prevents successful retrieval of more newly learned information
Proactive Interference
60
Memories can be updated with new information and experiences
Memory Construction
61
Occurs when a person attributes a memory to a particular source, correctly or not, such as recalling that a story was told by a particular person
Source Monitoring
62
Associated with aging but is not considered part of normal age related cognitive change, and has a characteristic pattern of neurodegeneration. Loss of the ability to form memories of recent events; mediated by hippocampus and surrounding areas
Alzheimer's Disease
63
Caused by nutritional deficiency rather than age related neurodegeneration. Almost always associated with a deficiency in vitamin B1 (often due to severe alcoholism)
Korsakoff's Syndrome
64
A neurodegenerative disease associated with deterioration within the substantia nigra, located within the midbrain; leads to the impairment of motor abilities Associated with deficiency in dopamine
Parkinson's Disease
65
Used in current research to regenerate neurons in the central nervous system
Stem cell based therapy
66
Gene regulation in response to the environment can promote or repress the transcription of a gene
Regulatory Genes

Psychology MCAT (5 decks)

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