psych midterm Flashcards
Fundamental Attribution Error
tendency to overestimate dispositional causes and underestimate situational causes in others.
Stereotype Threat
when your performance and behavior are negatively affected by the knowledge of stereotypes others likely have about your identity.
Stereotype
a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Cognitive Dissonance
mental conflict occurring when your beliefs are contradictory to your actions
Conformity
tendency for people to change their beliefs to more closely match held by groups they want to be in good standing with
roles
set of expectations about how someone is supposed to behave in a given situation
obedience
behavior in compliance with a direct command, often one issued by a person in a position of authority
groupthink
tendency for people in groups to want to or to actually think the same
group polarization
tendency for people in a group to hold more extremist views compared to when outside the group
deindividuation
a feeling of anonymity and extreme conformity in a crowd / mob mentality
prejudice
a negative attitude toward another person or group formed before having any experience with that person or group
discrimination
differential treatment of the members of different ethnic, religious, national, or other groups.
Just World Phenomenon
tendency for people to believe that good things happen to people and etc
What is the role of neurons and how do they function?
Neurons transmit information between the brain and the rest of the body. They function by receiving information in their dendrites, sending the signal down the axon, and releasing it to another neuron in the terminal.
How do neurotransmitters function?
Neurotransmitters are released from the terminal of a neuron and then attach to a specific receptor on another neuron.
How does the nervous system compare to the endocrine system?
Neurons send electrical signals through neurons, while the endocrine system sends hormones through the bloodstream.
Medulla
Regulates automatic functions of the body (breathing, heart beating) and controls reflexes
Thalamus
Takes information from all senses (except smell) and redirects them to rest of brain
Cerebellum
Regulates coordination, balance, and emotions
Hippocampus
Deals with memory
Reticular Formation
Large network of neurons from spinal cord to thalamus; involved in arousal/alertness
Pituitary Gland
Manages brain hormone levels; Controls other glands in the brain
Corpus Callosum
Connects the two hemispheres of the brain
Amygdala
Controls emotions; linked to reward system
Hypothalamus
Controls pituitary gland; manages sleep patterns and hunger; controls autonomic (involuntary) bodily functions
Cerebral Cortex
Layer of gray matter around the outside of the cerebral hemispheres; associated with higher cognitive function
Occipital Lobe
Controls vision; located in back of brain
Temporal Lobe
Processes audio and short-term memory; located near ears
Parietal Lobe
Discriminates between different objects and processes speech; located in upper central part of brain hemisphere
Frontal Lobe
Makes decisions & controls personality; located in front of brain hemisphere
Unconditioned Stimulus
Stimulus that elicits an unlearned response (UCR)
Unconditioned Response
Unlearned response from UCS
Neutral Stimulus
Stimulus that does not normally elicit a response
Conditioned Stimulus
Stimulus that has been associated with UCR; same as NS
Conditioned Response
Learned response to CS; same as UCR
Positive Reinforcement
Encouraging a behavior by giving something wanted
Negative Reinforcement
Encouraging a behavior by removing something unwanted
Positive Punishment
Discouraging a behavior by giving something unwanted
Negative Punishment
Discouraging a behavior by taking away something wanted
Fixed-Ratio Partial Schedule
For a fixed number of behaviors, a reward is given (ex: press button 5 times = 1 reward)
Fixed-Interval Partial Schedule
A reward is given at a specific interval (ex: 1 reward every 30 min)
Variable-Ratio Partial Schedule
For a random number of behaviors, a reward is given (ex: gambling)
Variable-Interval Partial Schedule
A reward is given at a random interval
Which partial schedule is the most effective?
Variable Ratio
Which partial schedule is the least effective?
Variable Interval
Which part of the neuron receives information?
Dendrites
Which part of the neuron transmits information to other neurons?
Terminal
Which part of the neuron sends information from one end to the other?
Axon
What part of the neuron insulates the axon and improves conduction?
Myelin sheath
