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)
At what sleep stage does your breathing become more regular and your awareness of external stimulation decrease?
Stage 2.
Circadian rhythms can best be described as…
the regulation of biological cycles into regular, daily patterns.
Which statement about hypnosis is true?
Hypnosis can change a person’s pattern of brain activity.
Elizabeth is awake and alert while playing a video game. Her brain activity will most likely be characterized by ________ waves.
beta.
Slowest brain waves, associated with sleep stages 3 & 4.
Delta waves.
Light sleep, creative, and relaxed waves, happens during R.E.M. sleep.
Theta waves.
Active thinking waves, problem-solving. Activated during alert and awake moments.
Beta waves.
Fastest brain waves, high levels of processing, thinking, and problem-solving. Heightened perception and consciousness.
Alpha waves.
Increase alertness, energy, and focus. EX: caffeine, nicotine.
Stimulants.
Cause altered perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. EX: LSD.
Hallucinogens.
Decreases brain activity, leads to relaxation and reduced anxiety. EX: Zoloft, Alcohol)
Depressants
Focusing on one aspect of a situation while ignoring other relevant features. (infants)
Centration. (centering focus on one thing)
The inability to see a situation from another person’s perspective
Egocentrism. (Ego)
Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched.
Object Permanence. (Permanant)
Understanding that certain properties of objects (such as volume, mass, and number) remain the same despite changes in the objects’ form or arrangement.
Conservation. (Conserving form)
Shows distress when care giver leaves but is easily comforted upon their return.
Secure Attachment.
Upon reunion, they may seek contact but then resist it, showing ambivalence.
Ambliviant Attachment.
Appearing indifferent to their caregiver’s presence and often do not express their needs openly.
Avoidant Attachment.
Smallest units of sound. EX: sounds of ‘b’ and ‘p’ in “bat” and “pat.”
Phonemes.
Smallest units of meaning. EX: “Give cat,” or the prefix “un-“ in “undo”.
Morphemes.
Structure of sentences, how they’re ordered.
Syntax.
Repetitive. EX: “Ba-ba” or “Da-da”
Babbling.,
The area where the optic nerve leaves the retina in the eye is called…
the blind spot.
The process of encoding low frequencies of sound is called…
temporal coding.
Does the fovea or periphery have the largest number of cones?
The fovea.
Ability to differ between important stimuli (signals) and background noise.
Signal detection.
Smallest amount of stimulus energy needed for a person to detect a stimulus
Absolute Threshold.
Smallest difference in stimulus intensity that a person can detect
Just-noticeable difference.
Process by which our sensitivity to a constant stimulus decreases over time.
Sensory Adaptation.
Short-wavelength cones that are most sensitive to blue light.
S cones. (detect blue)
Medium-wavelength cones that are most sensitive to green light.
M cones. (detect green and red)
Long-wavelength cones that are most sensitive to red light.
L cones. (detect green and red)
They do not detect color; instead, they provide grayscale vision.
Rods.
Require brighter light levels to function, which is why they are less effective in low light.
Cones.
Sense of smell, flavor perception, and emotional responses. ___ is unique because it bypasses the thalamus.
Olfaction.
An extensive study of a single person or a few people is characteristic of…
a case study.
