Psych Test 1 Flashcards
If a researcher wants to be able to generalize about a population using data pulled from a sample, it is best to use…
a random sample.
Your nephew is fascinated with human memory and the strategies that help people remember large amounts of information. If he were to become a psychologist, you suspect that he would be best suited for a career in…
cognitive psychology or neuroscience (cognitive has to do with memory)
When a researcher manipulates a variable to see what effect the manipulation has on another variable, the research design is a(n)…
experiment.
Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’ had its strongest influence on the school of thought called…
functionalism.
Functionalism is the school of thought concerned with…
the adaptive purposes of the mind and behavior.
The person who is most closely associated with the study of the unconscious is…
Sigmund Freud.
The spinal cord is part of the ________ nervous system.
central.
Mrs. Fine is highly interested in learning about the emotions of her fourth graders. Which of the following journal articles would be a good fit for her interests?
“The Amazing Amygdala” (amygdala focuses on emotional processing)
A post office receives lots of incoming mail, organizes it, and then sends it out to various locations. Which part of the brain is a lot like a post office?
Thalamus. (takes sensory information, organizes it, sends it to appropriate areas of brain)
The basic building blocks of the nervous system are the…
neurons.
In the nervous system, each neuron communicates with…
many others in an organized work.
Your sister’s eyes are blue. What is this a result of?
Phenotype AND environment. (observable traits of an individual)
Phenotype:
observational traits of individual
Genotype:
genetic makeup of an individual, specific genes, and variations that determine traits.
EEGs (electroencephalographs):
used to monitor and record the electrical activity of the brain. (sleep studies)
Neurotransmitters are ____ by agonists.
increased.
Neurotransmitters are ____ by antagonists.
decreased.
What’s a neurotransmitter?
Transmits signals between neurons.
What is GABA?
A neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates mood, reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation by decreasing the excitability of neurons.
The protective covering of a neuron is called…
the myelin sheath.
Automatic Processing:
effortless activity, auto-pilot mode.
Your roommate says that you seem to wake up dozens of times in the night, gasping for air, but are unaware of it. Based on this information, you may be experiencing…
sleep apnea. (interruptions in breathing during sleep, which can lead to gasping or choking sensations)
R.E.M. Behavior Disorder:
acting out dreams in sleep. (Movement, talking)