Psych Midterm Exam Oct. 21 Flashcards
Who had the first laboratory in psychology?
William Wundt, in 1879
Who is the father of American Psychology?
William James (1842-1910)
Functionalism
An early school of thought promoted by William James, explored how mental processes function in relation to survival, how they enable organisms to adapt, survive, and flourish.
Clinical Psychology
The branch of psychology that studies, assess, and treats people with psychological disorders.
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
A specialty in professional psychology that employs psychology’s concepts and methods in the workplace or business environment.
Forensic Psychology
A specialty in professional psychology characterized by providing psychological expertise within the judicial and legal systems.
Peer Review
When other experts in the same field evaluate a research articles theory, originality, and accuracy.
What are the four sections of a scientific journal?
- Intro
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
Descriptive Study
Describes characteristics of occurring phenomenon, does not ask the how/when/why. Includes observational, survey, and case study research designs.
Correlation Study
Measures the relationship between variables, without altering the conditions of the variables, in order to see if there is a possible correlation.
Positive Correlation
Values of one variable increase as values of the other variable increase.
Negative Correlation
Values of one variable increase as the values of the other variable decrease.
Spurious Correlation
When two variables appear to correlate but do not, and have nothing in common.
Experiment
When a researcher manipulates a variable to determine cause and effect.
Independent Variable
The changed/manipulated variable.
Dependent Variable
Measured and not altered variable, “responds” to independent variable.
Institutional Review Board
Researchers who screen research proposals and safeguard the rights, welfare, and well-being of human participants.
Informed Consent
Giving a participant enough details on an experiment so they may decide whether or not they wish to partake in it.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
A committee, commonly at a university, that screens research proposals, regulates and inspects laboratories, to ensure the fair treatment of animals involved in the experiments.
Neuron
Brain cells that receive, integrate, and transmit information via neural impulses.
Dendrites
A neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that are designed to receive and integrate information from synaptic impulses.
Soma
The cell body of a neuron, contains the nucleus and other organelles.
Axon
A neuron’s single, longer extension that passes messages via sending synaptic impulses through it’s branches to other neurons, muscles, and glands.
Axon Terminal
Branches off the axon that forms junctions with other cells, the part of the cell that makes the synaptic connections.
What are the 3 components to a synapse?
- Presynaptic Neuron, sends information.
- Synaptic Cleft, the small space between the presynaptic and post synaptic membranes.
- Postsynaptic Neuron, receives information.
Neurotransmitter
The chemicals released at the end of a nerve fiber.
Acetylcholine
Important for motor control, causes muscles to contract.
Dopamine
Feelings of reward; regulation of movement.
Endorphins
Natural pain reduction; rewarding effects; “runners high”; many drugs interact with endorphins.
The Peripheral Nervous System 4 Major Parts
- Autonomic (controls internal organs/involuntary movements)
- Somatic (voluntary movement)
- Sympathetic (excites)
- Parasympathetic (calms)
Hippocampus
Neural center in the limbic system that helps process explicit (conscious) memories - of facts and events - for storage. Conscious memory.
Thalamus
Relays messages, usually body senses, between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex, where the information is interpreted.
Hypothalamus
Controls maintenance functions such as eating and drinking, helps govern endocrine system; linked to emotion, reward, and body temperature.
What is in the brains limbic system?
The hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, and hypothalamus.
Medulla
controls heartbeat and breathing, rules autonomic functions, spinal cord joins brain stem at the medulla.
Cerebellum
Coordinates voluntary movement and balance, and supports skill learning and memory.
Amygdala
Linked to emotion, aggression, fear, and recognizing emotional responses in others.
Nucleus Accumbens
Reward center of the brain.
Corpus Callosum
The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.