Pysch Mid-term Exam Flashcards
1
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Philosophers
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Plato, Socrates, Aristotle
2
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Functionalism
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focused on the functions and purposes of the mind and behavior - William James
3
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Structuralism
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Wilhelm Wundt - aimed to analyze the structure of the mind through introspection
4
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Wilhelm Wundt
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considered the father of psychology, established the first psych lab and is associated with structuralism
5
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Descartes and Locke
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Descartes - proposed mind-body dualism, Locke’s ideas contributed to empiricism and the concept of tabula rasa (“blank slate”)
6
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Biopsychosocial Approach
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An integrated perspective emphasizing the biological, psychological, and social factors influencing behavior and mental processes
7
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7 Perspectives
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Biological, Cognitive, Behavioral, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Evolutionary, and Sociocultural
8
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Circadian Rhythm
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the internal body clock regulating the sleep-wake cycle over roughly 24 hours
9
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Sleep Cycle
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the recurring patterns of sleep stages, including REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non rapid eye movement) sleep
10
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REM Sleep
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a sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movements, vivid dreams, and heightened brain activity
11
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NREM Sleep Stages 1-4
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Different stages of non-REM sleep, each with distinct brain wave patterns and characterisitcs
12
Q
Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Opiates
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types of drugs affecting the central nervous system with varying effects on mood, perception, and consciousness
13
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Stimulants, Depressants, Hallucinogens
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types of drugs with distinct effects on the nervous system and behavior
14
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Manifest Content vs. Latent Content
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Freud Theory: manifest content refers to the apparent storyline of a dream - latent content represents its underlying, often symbolic, meaning
15
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Scientific Method
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a systematic approach to inquiry involving observation, hypothesis formation, experimentation, data analysis, and conclusion drawing
16
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Parts of the Scientific Method
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Observation, Question, Hypothesis, Prediction, Experimentation, Analysis, Conclusion
17
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Independent Variable
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the variable manipulated or controlled by the researcher in an experiment
18
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Dependent Variable
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the variable being measured or observed; its changes are influenced by the independent variable
19
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Experimental Condition
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The group in an experiment exposed to the independent variable
20
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Control Condition
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The group is an experiment that is not exposed to the independent variable; used as comparison to assess the impact of the independent variable
21
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Overconfidence
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The tendency to be overly confident in one’s beliefs or judgements
22
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Hindsight Bias
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the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it
23
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Correlation
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a statistical measure indicating the extent of the relationship between two variables
24
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Correlation Coefficient
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a number between -1 and +1 that represents the strength and directions of the relationship between variables
25
Standard Deviation
A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of data
26
Naturalistic Observation
A research method involving the observation of subjects in their natural environment without any manipulation
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Survey-Wording Effect
The impact of subtle changes in wording or phrasing of survey questions on respondents’ answers
28
Case Study
an in-depth analysis of a single individual or a small group over an extended period to gain insights into a particular phenomenon
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Double-Blind Procedure
An experimental technique where both the participants and the researchers interacting with them are unaware of the treatment or condition to eliminate bias
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Placebo Effect
a phenomenon where a participant’s expectation or belief in a treatment’s effectiveness causes them to experience improvement, even if they’ve received a placebo or inert substance
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Biological Psychology
The branch of psych that focuses on the relationship between behavior and physiological processes
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Parts of a Neuron
Neurons are comprised of the cell body, dendrites, and axons
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Threshold
the level of stimulation needed to trigger a neural impulse or action potential
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Synapse
the junction between two neurons where communication occurs via neurotransmitters
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Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses
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Acetylcholine, Dopamine, Serotonin
neurotransmitters associated with various functions like movement, mood regulation, and pleasure
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Endorphins
neurotransmitters acting as natural painkillers or mood elevators
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Nervous System
the body’s communication network, consisting of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (nerves and ganglia)
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Automatic Nervous System
controls involuntary functions; the parasympathetic division conserves energy, while the sympathetic division mobilizes energy
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Endocrine System
the system of glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate various bodily functions
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Pituitary Gland
often term the “master gland,” it controls the release of hormones from other glands and regulates growth
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Lesions
areas of damage or abnormal tissue in the body, often studied to understand specific functions
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Different Scans
EEG, PET, MRI, fMRI - all used to study brain structure and activity
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Brain Regions
Brainstem, Medulla, Thalamus, Cerebellum, Amygdala, Hypothalamus, Cerebral Cortex, Four Lobes (Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital)
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Motor Cortex vs. Sensory Cortex
areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for motor functions and sensory processing
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Plasticity
The brains ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life
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Corpus Callosum
a structure connecting the two hemispheres of the brain, facilitating communication
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Aphasia
language impairment typically resulting from brain damage
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Secure Attachment vs. Insecure Attachment
refers to the bond between and child and caregiver; secure attachment involves trust and comfort, while insecure attachment may manifest as avoidance or anxiety
50
Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development
Sensorimotor (birth-2) senses and motor skills, Preoperational (2-7) language dev. and egocentric,
Concrete Operational (7-11) logical thinking,
Formal Operation (12-18) abstract thinking & hypothetical reasoning
51
Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development
Trust vs Mistrust
Autonomy vs Shame
Initiative vs Guilt
Industry vs Inferiority
Identity vs Role Confusion
Intimacy vs Isolation
Generativity vs Stagnation
Integrity vs Despair
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Object Permanence
understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched
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Crystallized Intelligence vs Fluid Intelligence
crystallized = accumulated knowledge and skills
fluid = the ability to reason quickly and think abstractly
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Theory of Mind
Understanding that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from one’s own
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Types of Parenting
Authoritative, Permissive, Authoritarian
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Conservation
understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or arrangement
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Imprinting
rapid, innate learning that occurs during a critical period
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Rooting Reflex
Automatic turning of the head in the direction of a touch near the mouth
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Prenatal Development
Stages from conception to birth include germinal (zygote), embryonic (organ development), and fetal (growth and refinement)
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Maturation
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior
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Egocentrism
the inability to see the world from others’ perspectives
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Schemas
Mental frameworks that shape and are shaped by experience
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Assimilation
incorporating new experiences into existing
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Accommodation
adjusting existing schemas to incorporate new information
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Emerging Adulthood
transition period between adolescence and full adulthood
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Lawrence Kohlberg and Moral Development
presented stages of moral development: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional
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Harlow Monkey Experiment
investigated attachment and the need for comfort using surrogate mothers
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Habituation
decreased responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated exposure
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Teratogen
substances that can harm prenatal development
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Zygote
fertilized egg
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Adolescence
transition period from childhood to adulthood
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Social Clock
culturally preferred timing of social events
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Death Deferral Phenomenon
increase in deaths after significant events and decrease immediately before
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Pruning Nerve Cells
the brain’s disposal of unused connections
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Longitudinal vs Cross-Sectional Studies
longitudinal: track the same individuals over time
cross-sectional: compare different groups at one time
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Self-Concept
one’s understanding and evaluation of oneself
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Flashbulb Memory
vivid, detailed memories of significant and emotional events
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Atkinson and Shiffrin Model
proposed the multi-store model of memory consisting of sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory
79
Ebbinghaus
developed the forgetting curve- the rapid loss of info after learning
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Relearning Effect
it’s easier to relearn previously learned information than to learn it initially
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Priming
activation of specific associations in memory, often unconsciously, influencing perception or response
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Three-Step Process of Memory
1. Encoding - processing info into memory
2. Storage - retaining info
3. Retrieval - retrieving stored info
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Serial Position Effect
tendency to recall the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle
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Chunking
organizing information into manageable units to improve memory
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Hierarchies
organizing information into categories or levels to aid recall
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Explicit and Implicit Memory
Explicit: conscious recall
Implicit: unconscious recall and affects behavior
87
Hippocampus and Cerebellum
Hippocampus = crucial for forming new memories
Cerebellum = plays a role in procedural memory and certain forms of classical conditioning
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Iconic Memory
brief sensory memory for visual stimuli
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Echoic Memory
brief sensory memory for auditory stimuli
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Short-Term Memory vs. Working Memory
working memory expanded the concept of short-term memory to include the active manipulation of information, not just its temporary storage.
91
Types of Interference
Proactive Interference: old info disrupts new
Retroactive Interference: new info disrupts old
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Repressed Memories
memories that are unconsciously blocked due to their emotionally painful or traumatic nature
93
Effortful Processing
actively working to encode, store, and retrieve info
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Freud
known for psychoanalysis and theory of the unconscious mind
95
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s therapeutic approach focusing on uncovering unconscious conflicts and desires
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Psychosexual Stages of Development
Freud’s theory emphasizing the stages of childhood where pleasure-seeking energies are focused on specific erogenous zones (oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital) ; purpose was to explain personality development through unresolved conflicts at these stages
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Free Association
Freudian technique where patients freely express thoughts and feelings, often revealing unconscious material
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Iceberg Analogy
metaphor representing the mind; conscious mind is above the water, unconscious remains under water, influencing behavior
99
Id, Ego, Superego
Id: instinctual desires
Ego: mediator between id and superego
Superego: internalized moral standards
100
Defense Mechanisms
unconscious strategies used to protect oneself from anxiety or unacceptable impulses
101
Alfred Adler
inferiority complex and emphasized social motives
102
Karen Horney
focused on social and cultural factors in personality development, emphasizing the need for security
103
Carl Jung
collective unconsciousness
104
Projective Tests
Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test - assess personality through ambiguous stimuli to reveal unconscious thoughts and feelings
105
Psychoanalyst
emphasis on unconscious conflicts
106
Humanist
human potential and growth
107
Neo-Freudian
social and cultural influences
108
Social Cognitive
role of cognition and environment in shaping behavior
109
Myers-Briggs Test
a questionnaire assessing personality types based on Jung’s theory of psychological types
110
Factor Analysis
statistical technique used to identify clusters of related traits
111
Personality Inventory
questionnaire assessing various personality traits
112
The Big Five Factors
CANOE: Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, Extraversion
113
Social-Cognitive Theory
Kelly - emphasizes the interaction between individuals and their environment, particularly how people perceive and interpret situations
114
Spotlight Effect
overstimulating to extent to which others notice and judge our appearance or behavior
115
Self-Esteem
one’s overall evaluation or feeling self-worth
116
Self-Efficacy
belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish tasks
117
Self-Serving Bias
tendency to attribute successes to oneself and failures to external factors
118
Individualism vs Collectivism
Individualism: emphasizes personal goals and independence
Collectivism: focuses on group goals and interdependence
119
Neuronal Communication
neurons use electrical signals within themselves (action potentials) and chemical signals between them (neurotransmitters) to transmit information in the nervous system.
120
Importance of Neurotransmitters
neurotransmitters are essential messengers that impact mood, memory, muscle movement, sleep, pain perception, attention, and various other bodily functions and behaviors. Imbalances in neurotransmitter levels can contribute to various neurological and psychiatric conditions.
121
Agonists vs Antagonists
agonists boost neurotransmitter effects, while antagonists hinder or block them. Understanding these substances helps in designing treatments for various conditions by modulating neurotransmitter activity.
122
Endocrine System and Pituitary
the endocrine system uses hormones to regulate bodily functions, and the pituitary gland, acting as the master regulator, plays a pivotal role by releasing hormones that control other endocrine glands and maintain overall hormonal balance.
123
Pituitary and Hypothalamus Relationship
the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which, in turn, releases hormones to regulate other endocrine glands, forming a crucial axis for maintaining hormonal balance in the body.
124
Fork Exercise (Cerebral Cortex)
This exercise demonstrates the brain's ability to process and interpret sensory stimuli, showcasing the role of the cerebral cortex in our sensory experiences.
