psych exam 1 Flashcards
chapters 1-4
psychology
the scientific study of how people act, think, and feel (behavior and mental processes)
behavior
observable actions
mental processes
internal states including thoughts, beliefs, and feelings
Describe how psychology helps us
Understanding ourselves:
-Self-awareness
-Motivation and learning
-Mental health
Understanding others:
-Empathy and compassion
-Communication and conflict resolution
-Social and cultural understanding
Solving real-world problems:
-Education
-Workplace
-Public policy
steps of the scientific method
observation > theory > hypothesis > conduct research > analyze results > draw conclusions
How do we use ethics to protect humans and nonhuman animals in research?
protecting nonhuman animals: ensure safety, comfort, health, etc.)
protecting humans: (informed consent, confidentiality, protection from harm/discomfort, debrief)
Neuron
nerve cells that form the basic building blocks of the nervous system
Cell body
contains the nucleus and functions as the cell’s life support center
Dendrites
branches that receive and integrate messages from other cells
Axon
long threadlike part of a nerve cell which sends messages to other neurons, muscles, or glands
Terminal branches
form junctions with other cells to transmit messages
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that transmit information to other neurons
nervous system
the body’s electrochemical communication network that consists of the central and peripheral nervous systems
Central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
autonomic and somatic
Autonomic nervous system
sympathetic (arousing, preparing for fight or flight) and parasympathetic (calming)
Somatic nervous system
monitors sensory input and triggers motor output
Endocrine system
a set of glands and tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
Hormones
chemical messengers that influence growth, reproduction, metabolism, and mood
Pituitary gland
the brain structure that controls endocrine glands
Why do we use neuroimaging?
to visualize the structures of the brain and monitor brain activity (e.g., PET, MRI)
Three main brain divisions
hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain
Lobes of the brain
frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital
Consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
Selective attention
focusing conscious awareness on one thing
Inattentional blindness
failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
Change blindness
failing to notice changes in the environment
How frequently do we cycle through the sleep stages?
4-6 times per night, each is ~90 minutes
Developmental psychology
studies physical, cognitive, and social development throughout the lifespan
In your opinion, why do we dream?
- Memory consolidation and processing
- Emotional regulation
- Problem-solving and creativity
- Evolutionary adaptation
- Biological housekeeping
Cross-sectional study
comparing people of different ages at the same time point
Longitudinal study
follows and retests the same participants over time
zygote
fertilization to 2 weeks
embryo
2 weeks to 9 weeks
fetus
9 weeks to birth
Fraternal twins
developed from two different fertilized eggs
Identical twins
developed from the same fertilized egg
Twin and adoption studies…
help researchers understand how heredity and environmental factors influence individuals
Schema
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
Attachment
an emotional tie with others
Piaget’s theory
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggests that children move through four different stages of intellectual development which reflect the increasing sophistication of children’s thought
Authoritarian
coercive, expect obedience, “because I said so”
Permissive
un-restraining, few limits, demands, or punishments
Neglectful
uninvolved, neither demanding nor responsive, careless, inattentive, not close with children
Sex
the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male, female, and intersex
Authoritative
confrontive, demanding and responsive, set rules and allow for open discussion and exceptions
sex chromosomes
Sex chromosomes: X (found in females and males) and Y (found only in males)
Primary characteristics
Primary sex characteristics are reproductive
Sex hormones
testosterone and estrogen
secondary characteristics
secondary sex characteristics are non-reproductive
Gender
the behavioral characteristics that people associate with boy, girl, man, and woman; gender is socially constructed
role
a set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
gender role
a set of behaviors, expectations, attitudes, and traits for men and women
Cisgender
describes people whose gender identity or expression aligns with their birth-assigned sex
Transgender
describes people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-assigned sex
Sexuality
our thoughts, feelings, and actions related to our physical attraction to another
sexual orientation
the direction of our sexual attractions
