test 1 Flashcards
Psyche
soul
Logos
to study
Wilhelm Wundt (1870s)
combines the disciplines of philosophy and physiology
Psychological Research
- Naturalistic
- observation
- Surveys
- Case Study
- Correlational
- Experimental
correlation
- a measure of association between two variables (-1 < r < +1)
- direction (positive vs. negative/inverse)
- strength
- perfect correlation (1.0)
- strong (0.6 to 0.8)
- moderately strong (0.3 to 0.5)
- no correlation (0)
- cannot tell us about causation
Correlational Research
- Establishes whether there is a relationship between two or more variables
- CANNOT INFER CAUSALITY
- Directionality problem
- Potential for a third variable (confound)
Correlational vs. Experimental Research
- Smoking is correlated with lung cancer
- High grades are correlated with successful careers
- Eating Frosted Flakes is correlated with lower cancer rates
- In Taiwan birth control use is correlated with number of household appliances
Experimental Research
- Considered the most powerful tool for determining causal relationships
- Random Assignment: ensures that every participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the conditions
- This minimizes the chance that a pre-existing difference between groups is the cause of the “experimental effect”
Experimental Research
- Considered the most powerful tool for determining causal relationships
- Random Assignment: ensures that every participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the conditions
- This minimizes the chance that a pre-existing difference between groups is the cause of the “experimental effect”
Bias in Research
- Sampling bias
- Placebo effects
- Social desirability bias
- Response sets
Experimenter bias:
- double blind procedure
Components of the Neuron
(Dendrites)
receive information from other neurons
Components of the Neuron
(cell body)
creates transmitter molecules
Components of the Neuron
(Axon)
- Myelin insulates the nerve cell, speeds up conduction of nerve messages
- Terminal buttons of the axon release transmitter
Graded Potentials
Stimulation of the nerve membrane can open ion channels in the membrane
Graded Potentials NA+
NA+ ions flowing in will depolarize the membrane (movement from -70 mV to say -60 mV
Graded Potentials K+
K+ ions flowing out of membrane will hyperpolarize the membrane (-70 mV to say -90 mV)
The Action Potential
Graded potentials:
- generated at the dendrites
-are conducted along the membrane to the axon hillock
- If summated activity at the axon hillock raises the membrane potential past threshold
- an action potential (AP) will occur
- During the AP, NA+ ions flow into the cell raising the membrane potential to +40 mV, producing the spike
- The restoration of the membrane potential to -70 mV is produced by an opening of channels to K+
- The AP is conducted along the axon toward the terminals
Neurotransmitters
- Acetylcholine (Ach)
- Monoamines:
- epinephrine and norepinephrine
- serotonin
- dopamine
- GABA
- Glutamate
Autonomic Nervous System
(two systems)
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) has two divisions:
- Sympathetic: Emergency system
- Parasympathetic: Vegetative functions (e.g. digestion)
- The two systems often act in opposition (as in the control of heart rate)
- Can act in concert (as in the control of sexual reflexes)
Middle View of Human Brain
(Medulla)
Controls heart rate, respiration
Midline View of Human Brain
(Cerebellum)
Coordinates smooth movements, balance, and posture
Midline View of Human Brain
(Pons)
Involved in the control of sleep
Limbic System Functions
- Septal area is involved in pleasure and in relief from pain
- Amygdala is involved in learning and recognition of fear
- Hippocampus is involved in memory
Limbic System Functions
- Septal area is involved in pleasure and in relief from pain
- Amygdala is involved in learning and recognition of fear
- Hippocampus is involved in memory
Cerebral Cortex
Functions of cerebral cortex:
- Provides for flexible control of patterns of movement
- Permits subtle discrimination among complex sensory patterns
- Makes possible symbolic thinking
- Symbolic thought is the foundation of human thought and language
Frontal Lobe Damage and Personality
- Frontal lobes involve movement, attention, planning, memory, and personality.
- Frontal lobe function in personality is evident in the case of Phineas Gage:
Gage suffered frontal lobe damage after an accident involving a dynamite tamping rod
Gage was a railroad supervisor prior to the damage; after the damage he became childish and irreverent, could not control his impulses, and could not effectively plan.
Cerebral Lateralization
The structures of the cortex and sub-cortex appear to specialize in function:
- Hemispheric Specialization
- Left hemisphere is dominant for language, logic, and complex motor behavior.
- Right hemisphere is dominant for non-linguistic functions including recognition of faces, places, and sounds (music)
The hemispheric specializations are evident from studies of
- Damage to one hemisphere (I.e. Broca’s area)
- Split-brain subjects
The Split-Brain Study
- Information from the one visual field is usually transmitted to the opposite visual cortex
- The corpus callosum serves to integrate the two hemispheres
- Cutting the corpus callosum can result in information reaching only one hemisphere
- Language is a left-hemisphere function
- Information reaching the left hemisphere will be reported by the subject, but not information reaching the right hemisphere
The Endocrine System
- Glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream to help control bodily functioning
- Hypothalmus connected to pituitary gland (master gland)
- adrenal glands = fight or flight
- Gonads = secondary sex characteristics
Endocrine Systems
- Endocrine glands release hormones into blood stream
- Have effects at diffuse target sites throughout the body
- Hormones bind to receptors
- Hormones can have organizational effects (permanent change in structure and function)
- Hormones can have activational effects:
Lack of testosterone reduces sexual behaviour
psychology
the scientific study of behaviour and mental process
- the goal is to describe, predict and explain behaviour
behaviour
everything to do with what we directly observe
- two people kissing, a baby crying
mental process
the thoughts, feelings and motives that each of us experiences privately that cannot be seen directly
- thoughts and feelings
Scientific approach 4 attitudes:
- critical thinking
- skepticism
- objectivity
- curiosity
critical thinking
(scientific approach)
reduces likelihood that conclusions will be based on unreliable personal beliefs, opinions, biases and emotions
skepticism
people challenge whether a fact is really true
pseudoscience
information that is couched in scientific terminology but is not supported by scientific research
empirical method
gaining knowledge through the observation of events, the collection of data and logical reasoning
Sigmund Freud(1856-1939)
belived most human behaviour is casued by dark, unpleasant, unconscious impulses to show
- did not use trials or controlled experiamnts
positive psychology
emphasizes human strengths
- centers topics like hope, optimism, happiness, and grattitude
A psychologist who studies information processing and decision making would probably be considered a __________ psychologist.
A. physiological
B. developmental
C. social
D. cognitive
cognitive
Which of the following best characterizes people’s understanding of reality?
A. highly objective
B. highly subjective
C. genetically determined
D. a passive process
highly subjective
The first two major “schools” of psychology were
A. behaviorism and psychoanalysis
B. functionalism and behaviorism
C. structuralism and functionalism
D. behaviorism and Gestalt psychology
structuralism and functionalism
In the Featured Study on the use of subliminal self-help tapes, one of the independent variables was
A. the actual purpose of the tape (memory or self-esteem)
B. the group that the subject was assigned to (experimental or control)
C. the actual improvement in memory or self-esteem
D. the subject’s beliefs about their personal improvement
In the Featured Study on the use of subliminal self-help tapes, one of the independent variables was
Nature is to nurture as heredity is to
A. environment
B. instincts
C. genetics
D. maturation
environment
In a study designed to test the effects of a new drug developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease half the patients were given the actual drug while the other half of the patients were given a placebo (sugar pill). In this study, the experimental group is
A. the patients who show evidence of an improvement in their memory
B. the group who received the actual drug
C. the group who received the placebo
D. the patients who were not included in the study
the group who received the actual drug
Dr. Hackle has found that no matter how students score on the first midterm, all the students in her class tend to score between 75% and 80% on her final exam. This suggests that
A. the scores on the final exam and the first midterm are negatively correlated
B. the scores on the final exam and the first midterm are positively correlated
C. the scores on the final exam and the first midterm are not very highly correlated
D. Dr. Hackle should change the final so it is more fair to the students who are doing well in her course
the scores on the final exam and the first midterm are not very highly correlated
Theories permit researchers to move from
A. understanding to application
B. concept to description
C. application to control
D. description to understanding
application to control
a hormone is
A. a chemical secreted into the blood by a gland
B. a brain structure below the hypothalamus
C. a location in the brain where a specific memory is stored
D. none of these
a chemical secreted into the blood by a gland
We would expect the greatest degree of phenotypic similarity among
A. fraternal twins
B. identical twins
C. siblings
D. parents and their children
identical twins
If a key part of the __________ is destroyed, an animal will lose all interest in food and may well starve to death.
A. medulla
B. cerebellum
C. thalamus
D. hypothalamus
hypothalamus
In evolutionary theory, __________ refers to the reproductive success (number of descendants) of an individual organism relative to the average reproductive success in the population.
A. selection
B. fitness
C. mutation
D. adaptation
fitness
by definition, a population
A. is the group of people to whom the conclusion of the study will apply
B. is a subset of the sample
C. consists of those individuals who actually participate in the study
D. is any group that contains more than 100 people or animals
is the group of people to whom the conclusion of the study will apply
Empiricism refers to a
A. “school” of psychology
B. sub-field of psychology
C. position on how information should be acquired
D. theoretical orientation about life
position on how information should be acquired
Which of the following neurotransmitters is primarily involved in the activation of motor neurons controlling skeletal muscles?
A. GABA
B. dopamine
C. serotonin
D. acetylcholine
acetylcholine
The notion that all behavior is fully governed by external stimuli is most consistent with which of the following schools of thought?
A. behaviorism
B. humanism
C. structuralism
D. functionalism
behaviourism
For John B. Watson, the appropriate subject matter of psychology was
A. animal behavior
B. the unconscious
C. consciousness
D. human physiology
animal behaviour
The tendency to view one’s own group as superior to others and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways is called
A. racism
B. egocentrism
C. ethnocentrism
D. functionalism
ethnocentrism
MRI scans of schizophrenic patients have indicated that
A. schizophrenic subjects have higher levels of dopamine than nonschizophrenic subjects
B. schizophrenic subjects have larger ventricles than nonschizophrenic subjects
C. schizophrenic subjects have lower levels of catecholamines than nonschizophrenic subjects
D. the amygdala of schizophrenic subjects is structurally defective relative to nonschizophrenic subjects
schizophrenic subjects have larger ventricles than nonschizophrenic subjects
Which of the following techniques is most likely to prove useful in determining why a particular child is afraid to go to school?
A. experiment
B. descriptive study
C. naturalistic observation
D. case study
case study
In computers, the keyboard receives input and passes that information along to the computer’s central processing unit (CPU). In comparing a computer to a neuron, the keyboard would be equivalent to
A. the soma
B. the axon
C. the dendrites
D. the terminal buttons
the dendrites
Strict behaviorists would be most sympathetic to which one of the following statements?
A. Human behavior is primarily caused by inherited factors.
B. Human behavior is primarily caused by environmental factors.
C. Human behavior is primarily caused by equal contributions of inherited and environmental factors.
D. No one really knows what the primary causes for human behavior are.
Human behaviour is primarily caused by environmental factors.
Experimenter bias occurs when
A. experimenters explicitly instruct the subjects to behave in a way that will be consistent with the hypothesis
B. experimenters desire to make a favorable impression on their subjects
C. experimenters’ beliefs in their own hypotheses affect either the subjects’ behavior or their observations of the subjects
D. experimenters conduct their studies in a completely objective manner
experimenters’ beliefs in their own hypotheses affect either the subjects’ behavior or their observations of the subjects
The brain structure that controls your ability to understand speech is
A. Wernicke’s area
B. the thalamus
C. the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex
D. Broca’s area
Wernickes area
Which of the following is not true regarding commonsense analyses of behavior?
A. they tend to be vague and ambiguous
B. they often tolerate contradictory generalizations
C. they usually involve little effort to verify ideas or detect errors
D. they are typically based on precise definitions and hypotheses
D. they are typically based on precise definitions and hypotheses
Which of the following kinds of studies can truly demonstrate that specific traits are indeed inherited?
A. family studies
B. twin studies
C. adoption studies
D. none of the above
none of the above
If you were having problems with depression, which of the following kinds of psychologists would be the greatest help to you?
A. a developmental psychologist
B. a social psychologist
C. a clinical psychologist
D. an experimental psychologist
a clinical psychologist
The conservation of body resources, including blood pressure reduction and the promotion of digestion, is handled by the
A. somatic division
B. parasympathetic division
C. sympathetic division
D. unsympathetic division
parasympathetic division
Contemporary psychologists generally assume that human behavior is determined by
A. heredity
B. environment
C. heredity and environment acting jointly
D. heredity, environment, and free will
C. heredity and environment acting jointly
The branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders is called
A. counseling psychology
B. social psychology
C. developmental psychology
D. clinical psychology
clinical psychology
The area of the frontal lobe that plays an important role in the production of speech is called
A. Wernicke’s area
B. Broca’s area
C. Cannon’s area
D. Sperry’s area
Broca’s area
__________ receive information from other neurons; __________ transmit information to other neurons.
A. Axons; synapses
B. Dendrites; axons
C. Synapses; dendrites
D. Axons; dendrites
Dendrites; axons
A good analogy for the way in which a neurotransmitter binds to receptor sites is
A. the opening and closing of a window
B. a key fitting in the lock of a door
C. the lowering of a drawbridge
D. the pulling of the trigger of a gun
a key fitting in the lock of a door
The function of the hypothalamus is to regulate
A. hunger
B. thirst
C. body temperature
D. hunger, thirst, and body temperature
hunger, thurst, and body temperature
“Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.” These words would most likely have been said by which of the following individuals?
A. Wilhelm Wundt
B. William James
C. B. F. Skinner
D. Abraham Maslow
B.F. Skinner
A person’s current weight and height could be said to exemplify his or her
A. genotype
B. phenotype
C. both of the above
D. none of the above
phenotype
The endocrine system
A. connects the two cerebral hemispheres of the brain
B. secretes hormones
C. manufactures myelin
D. forms the basis of reflexive behaviors
secretes hormones
The fact that many times researchers unintentionally influence the outcome of their studies implies the existence of
A. experimenter bias
B. a placebo effect
C. sampling bias
D. social desirability
experimenter bias
According to John Watson, behavior is governed primarily by
A. heredity
B. personal motives
C. the environment
D. unconscious desires
the enviroemnt
Placebos are used in research to control for
A. nontreatment effects
B. the subjects’ expectations about treatment
C. secondary drug effects
D. random fluctuations in the independent variable
the subjects’ expectations about treatment
In the Featured Study on the use of subliminal self-help tapes, one of the dependent variables was
A. the actual purpose of the tape (memory or self-esteem)
B. the actual improvement in memory or self-esteem
C. the group that the subject was assigned to (experimental or control)
D. the labeling of the tape (accurate or mislabeled)
the actual improvement in memory or self-esteem
When the scores for a recent Chemistry exam were calculated the mean was 60 and the median was 65. Later the professor discovered that one score had been recorded incorrectly; it had been entered into the computer as a 5, instead of as a 50. When this correction is made
A. the median for the exam will change, but the mean will stay the same
B. both the mean and the median for the exam will change
C. the mean for the exam will change, but the median will stay the same
D. neither the mean nor the median for the exam will be affected
the mean for the exam will change, but the median will stay the same
Jolyn believed that there were gender differences in driving habits. To test this assumption she stood near a quiet intersection. Jolyn recorded the gender of each driver who approached a stop sign, and also whether the individual came to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection. Jolyn is conducting
A. an experiment with two dependent variables
B. case study research
C. naturalistic observation
D. psychological testing
naturalistic observation
Which of the following statements about the theory of evolution is not accurate?
A. In some respects, evolution is about how organisms respond to changing environments.
B. The central hypotheses of evolutionary theory are well-supported by empirical evidence.
C. Evolutionary theory assumes that most organisms have a motive to maximize reproductive fitness.
D. The assertion that organisms are the product of evolutionary processes is well-established.
Evolutionary theory assumes that most organisms have a motive to maximize reproductive fitness.
Which of the following statements is the most accurate?
A. Social trends influence psychology’s development.
B. Psychology influences social trends and practices.
C. Interconnections exist between what happens in psychology and what happens in society at large.
D. There is little relationship between what happens in psychology and what happens in society at large.
Interconnections exist between what happens in psychology and what happens in society at large.
The idea that you should reward yourself for achieving study goals is based on which of the following concepts?
A. empiricism
B. genetic predisposition
C. unconscious motivation
D. behavior modification
behaviour modification
Which of the following research techniques is least likely to be used to study the human brain?
A. electrical stimulation
B. recording electrical signals with the EEG
C. lesioning
D. cortex mapping
lesioning
The observable characteristics of an individual are referred to as one’s
A. phenotype
B. zygotype
C. genotype
D. heritability
phenotype
According to Darwin’s theory of evolution, which of the following is the key factor in evolutionary change?
A. the genetic transmission of learned behavior
B. the relative success of aggressive predators
C. variations in reproductive success
D. the interaction of heredity and the environment
variations in reproductive success
Publishing research results so others can subject the methods and conclusions to critical scrutiny illustrates which of your text’s unifying themes?
A. Behavior is determined by multiple causes.
B. Psychology is theoretically diverse.
C. Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
D. Psychology is empirical.
psychology is empirical
A scientific journal refers to
A. a personal diary kept by a scientist
B. a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly articles
C. a detailed record of the daily procedures followed in conducting a study
D. a collection of biographies of famous scientists
a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly articles
A scientific theory has to be
A. true
B. accepted by others
C. testable
D. well established and not disputed
testable
A psychologist who studies attitude formation and change would probably be considered a __________ psychologist.
A. physiological
B. developmental
C. social
D. cognitive
social
Which of the following groups is most likely to have been used as subjects for psychological research?
A. a variety of individuals
B. lower-class males
C. lower-class males and females
D. middle- and upper-class white males
middle - and upper-class white males
In an experiment designed to test memory processes one group was given special instructions and asked to group the items on a list into categories while they tried to memorize them. A second group of participants was given the same list, but they did not receive any special instructions. In this study, the experimental group is
A. the group in which the participants remember the least items from the list
B. the group who did not receive any special instructions
C. the group who received the special instructions
D. the group in which the participants remember the most items from the list
the group who recived the special instructions
The spatial tasks on which males tend to do better than females generally involve which of the following?
A. remembering locations
B. mentally rotating objects
C. identifying objects in a visual field
D. processing verbal directions to a specific location
mentally rotating objects
The world’s largest organization devoted to the advancement of psychology is the
A. World Psychology Organization
B. American Psychological Society
C. American Psychological Association
D. Psychologists of North America
American Psychological Association
Imagine that the personality traits of conscientiousness and extroversion are negatively correlated. If Wilfred’s score in conscientiousness is extremely low
A. he would probably score close to the median on the extroversion scale
B. he would most likely score at the high end of the extroversion scale
C. he would most likely score at the low end of the extroversion scale
D. it is impossible to predict how he is likely to score on the extroversion scale without more information
he would most likley score at the high end of the extroversion scale
what qualifies as empirically based knowledge?
A. intuition
B. insight
C. logical consistency
D. observed actions
D. observed actions
David and Alexandra both take part in a research study that is investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on reaction time. David is kept awake for 24 hours straight while Alexandra follows her normal sleep routine. In this study David is
A. part of the hypothesis group
B. part of the experimental group
C. part of the control group
D. part of the dependent variable group
part of the experimental group
Experimenter bias typically results in
A. the effects of the bias disconfirming the experimenter’s expectations
B. the effects of the bias confirming the experimenter’s expectations
C. results that are not statistically significant
D. the placebo effect
the effects of the bias confirming the experimenter’s expectations
Which of the following would not be expected of an experimental psychologist?
A. to study the effects of reward on learning
B. to examine the relationship between sleep deprivation and task performance
C. to conduct psychotherapy
D. to study the factors that motivate behavior
to conduct psychotherapy
Within the field of psychology, Freud’s ideas encountered resistance because he emphasized
A. human consciousness
B. human behavior
C. introspection
D. the unconscious
the unconsious
The fact that subjects sometimes report beneficial effects from a placebo treatment illustrates which of your text’s unifying themes?
A. Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
B. Psychology is empirical.
C. Heredity and environment jointly influence behavior.
D. Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage.
Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
Theory construction is
A. a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision
B. a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth
C. a circular process that typically leads nowhere
D. a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists
a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision
Skinner’s behaviorism
A. left room for free will
B. included constructs about motives
C. permitted limited statements about consciousness
D. made the study of behavior and its outcome the basis of the whole approach
D. made the study of behavior and its outcome the basis of the whole approach
In the Featured Study on the use of subliminal self-help tapes, one of the independent variables was
A. the group that the subject was assigned to (experimental or control)
B. the actual improvement in memory or self-esteem
C. the labeling of the tape (accurate or mislabeled)
D. the subject’s beliefs about their personal improvement
the labeling of the tape (accurate or mislabeled)
Michael is having problems relating to other people because he is exhibiting delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations. Michael would most likely seek help from a(n) __________ psychologist.
A. clinical
B. developmental
C. experimental
D. physiological
clinical
A general strategy for collecting empirical data is called
A. a research method
B. a case study
C. a descriptive statistic
D. a hypothesis
a research method
Which of the following techniques is likely to be most useful for locating specific neurotransmitter substances in the brain?
A. computerized tomography
B. positron emission tomography
C. magnetic resonance imaging
D. electrographic tomography
positron emission tomography
Carla earned 78 points on her statistics exam. Ten of the students in her class earned higher scores than she did, and ten students earned lower scores than Carla. Based on this information, you can conclude that Carla’s score of 78 points is
A. the standardized score for her class
B. the median for her class
C. the mean for her class
D. the mode for her class
the median for her class
Current evidence indicates that schizophrenia results from
A. genetic factors
B. environmental factors
C. multiple causes that involve both genetic and environmental factors
D. completely unknown factors
multiple causes that involve both genetic and environmental factors
an agonist
A. blocks the action of neurotransmitters
B. prevents reuptake of neurotransmitters
C. mimics the action of a neurotransmitter
D. extends the absolute refractory period of neural transmission
mimics the action of a neurotransmitter
Exchange of information between neurons takes place at the
A. axon
B. cell body
C. synapse
D. myelin sheath
synapse
Response is to stimulus as
A. pain is to cut
B. light is to moth
C. joke is to laugh
D. pen is to paper
pain is to cut
The __________ is most likely to be in control of bodily processes during periods of rest and recovery for the body.
A. somatic nervous system
B. sympathetic nervous system
C. parasympathetic nervous system
D. hypothalamus
parasympathetic nervous system
Which of the following “schools” of psychology focused on identifying and examining the fundamental components of conscious experience, such as sensations, feelings, and images?
A. humanism
B. behaviorism
C. structuralism
D. functionalism
structuralism
Which of the following is cited in the textbook as a reason for the narrow focus of Western psychology?
A. Cross-cultural research is time-consuming and costly.
B. Psychology traditionally has emphasized the study of groups rather than individuals.
C. Anthropologists are more research-oriented than psychologists.
D. The influence of behaviorism narrowed the perspective of Western psychologists.
cross-cultural research is time-consuming and costly
People who have hormonal imbalances have problems with their
A. endocrine system
B. reticular formation
C. limbic system
D. left brain/right brain communication
endocrine system
To generalize results to a population, we must first
A. select a biased sample from the population of interest
B. oversample selected subgroups in the population
C. draw a representative sample from the population of interest
D. ensure that all the variables have been operationally defined
C. draw a representative sample from the population of interest
If you have difficulty understanding the meaning of someone’s speech, you may suspect damage to
A. the pituitary gland
B. Wernicke’s area
C. the corpus callosum
D. Korsakoff’s area
wernicke’s area
Of the following correlation coefficients, the one that would allow the most accurate predictions of one variable based on the other variable would be
A. 0.00
B. +1.24
C. +1.00
D. -0.49
+1.00
Students are said to be “testwise” if they
A. have a knack for identifying “trick” questions
B. are particularly knowledgeable about the subject matter being tested
C. are skilled at using clues contained within a test to improve their scores
D. tend to score high on standardized tests
are skilled at using clues contained within a test to improve their scores
The fact that Princeton students “saw” Dartmouth students engage in twice as many infractions as the Dartmouth students did in a Princeton-Dartmouth football game is most consistent with which of the following?
A. reliance on empirical evidence
B. multifactorial causation of behavior
C. subjectivity of perception
D. unconscious motivation
subjectivity of perception
Dr. Kincaid was interested in the topic of autistic savants (individuals with limited abilities in many areas, but with an exceptional talent in one specific area). In the initial part of the investigation Dr. Kincaid carefully observed and compiled detailed files on three individuals who were autistic savants. Dr. Kincaid is conducting
A. case study research
B. survey research
C. correlational research
D. experimental research
case study reserch
In this chapter, we saw that schizophrenia may be a function of abnormalities in neurotransmitter activity, structural defects in the brain, and genetic vulnerability. These findings support which of the following unifying themes of your textbook?
A. Psychology is empirical.
B. Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context
C. Behavior is determined by multiple causes
D. Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage
behaviour is determined by multiple causes
It appears that most human characteristics are influenced by
A. a single gene
B. a single pair of genes
C. the father’s genetic endowment more than the mother’s
D. more than one pair of genes
more than one pair of genes
If a person has a brain tumor that results in a disruption of his/her eating behavior, which of the following areas is the most likely location of the tumor?
A. brainstem
B. cerebellum
C. thalamus
D. hypothalamus
hypothalamus
Which of the following is good advice for getting more out of lectures?
A. Resist the temptation to anticipate what is coming next.
B. When you take notes, try to be a “human tape recorder.”
C. Avoid reading ahead in the textbook, especially if the material is complex.
D. Pay attention to clues from the instructor about what is important.
Pay attention to clues from the instructor about what is important.
A local hospital wanted to assess the way its patients were being treated. The hospital hired several researchers to act as patients and record the way hospital personnel handled the admitting and preliminary evaluation procedures. In this example, the researchers hired by the hospital were engaged in
A. case study research
B. naturalistic observation
C. correlational research
D. survey research
A. case study research
B. naturalistic observation
C. correlational research
D. survey research
The first president of the American Psychological Association (APA) was
A. Sigmund Freud
B. G. Stanley Hall
C. William James
D. John Watson
G. Stanley Hall
One of the first areas of applied psychology to develop was
A. counseling psychology
B. mental testing
C. personnel psychology
D. sports psychology
personnel psychology or mental testing
Rene Descartes
argued that the mind nad body were completely separate
Wilhelm Wundt created structuralism
what is structuralism:
Wundts approach to discovering the basic elements or structures of mental process so called because of focus of identifying the structures of the human mind
short comings of structuralsim was found by:
William James
william james created functionalism
what is functionalism?
appriach to mental processes, emphasizing the fucntions and purpose of the mind and behaviour in the individuals adaptation to the environment
- focused on human interactions with the outside
- natural flow of thought a “stream of consciousness”
functionalism fit well with what theory?
the theory of evolution by Charels Darwin
natural selection
(Charles darwin)
an envolutionary process where organisms that are better adapted to their environment will survive and, importantly produce more offspring
- the environment determines who wins that competition
evolutionary theory summerized in 4 key points:
- variation
- the fact that characteristics of a species differ - competition
- species can produce more individuals than can possibly survive given the limited resources of an environment
- selective advantage
- some of the variation of characteristics possessed by individuals gives these individuals a better chance to survive - inheritance
- linked to genetics and refers to the tendency for an offspring to possess the traits of its parents
7 contemporary approaches to psychology
biological
behavioural
psychodynamic
humanistic
cognative
evolutionary
sociocultural
biological approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
focusing on the body, brain and nervous system
- researchers investigate why your heart races when you are afraid or hands sweat when you tell a lie
neuroscience
study of structure, function, development, genetics, and biochemistry of the nervous system emphasizing that the brain and nervous system are central to understanding behaviour thought and emotion
behavioural approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
scientific study of observable behavioural responses and their environmental determinants
psychodynamic approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
unconscious thought, the conflict between biological drives (drive for sex) and society demands and early childhood experiacnes
- sexual and aggressive impulses buried deep in unconscious mind influencing ways people think, feel, behave
- Sigmund Frued founding father of psychodynamic approach
psychoanalysis
(Frued)
analyst unlocking a persons unconsious conflicts by talking with the person about childhood memories, dreams, thoughts and feelings
humanistic approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
(Manslow)
- persons positive qualities
- the capacity for positive growth
- freedom to choose ones destiny
- rather than being driven by unconscious impulses people choose to live by higher values such as altruism an unselfish concern for others wellbeing
cognative approach
((contemporary approaches to psychology))
menthal process involved in knowing: how we direct our attention, perceive, remember, think and solve problems
evolutionary approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
evolutionary ideas
- adaptation
- reproduction
- natural selection
as the basis for explaining specific human behaviours
sociocultural approach
(contemporary approaches to psychology)
ways social and cultural enviroments influence behaviour
- understanding behaviour requires background knowledge
nervous system
the body’s electrochemical communication circuitry
neurons
one of two types of cells in the nervous system: neurons receive, process and communicate information
plasticity
the brains special physical capacity for change
acquired savant syndrome
provides an amazing example of the human brains plasticity and its unexplained hidden power
afferent nerves or sensory nerves
Nerves that carry information about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors
efferent nerves or motor nerves
nerves that carry information out of the brain and spinal cord to other areas of the body
central nervous system (cns)
the brain and spinal cord
peripheral nervous system
network of nerves that connects the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body
somatic nervous system
the body system consisting of the sensory nerves, whos function is to convey information from the skin and muscles to the CNS about conditions such as pain and temperature and the motor nerves whose functions is to tell muscles what to do
automatic nervous system
body system that takes messages to and from the body internal organs monitoring such processes as breathing heart rate and digestion
sympathetic nervous system
the part of the autonomic nervous system that body mobilizes it for action and thus is involved in the experience of stress
parasympathetic nervous system
the part of the automatic nervous sysetm that calms the body
glial cells
second of two types of cells in the nervous system: glial cells provide support nutritional benefits, protection, and other functions to keep neurons running faster and more efficiently also known as glia
resting potential
the stable negative charge of an inactive neuron
all-or-nothing principle
one the electrical impulse reaches as a certain level pf intensity (its threshold) it fires and moves all the way down the axon without losing any intensity
acetylcholine (ACh)
usually stimulates the firing of neurons and is involved in muscle action, learning and memory
- found through central peripheral nervous system
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
- found through the central nervous system
- plays key function in the brain by inhibiting many neurons from firing
- acts like brains break pedal
- regulate neuron firing and control the precision of the signal being carried from one neuron to the next
- low levels of GABA are linked with anxiety
glutamate
the most prevalent neurotransmitter
- too much can overstimulate the brain and trigger migraine headaches or even seizures
- factor in anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer, Parkinson
norepinephrine
stress stimulates the release of another neurotransmitter
- inhibits the firing of neurons in the central nervous system
dopamine
- dopamine helps to control voluntary movement and affects sleep. mood, learning, motivation and the ability to recognize opportunity
serotonin
- involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, attention, and learning
- with low levels of serotonin associated with increased depression
endorphins
- natural opiates
- substances that supress nervous system activity and eliminate pain that mainly stimulate the firing of neurons
oxytocin
hormone and neurotransmitter that plays an important role in the experience of love and social bonding
neural networks
interconnected pathways of nerve cells that integrate sensory input and motor output
brain lesioning
- damage brain tissue
- sometimes to alleviate symptoms and sometimes to mimic an injury or disease
- surgically removing brain tissue destroying tissue with laser, cold, heat, or electricity
- or eliminate the tissue by injecting it with a drug
EEG (electroencephalogram)
- records the electrical activity of thousands of neurons in the brain
hindbrain
- located in the skulls rear lowest portions of the brain
- 3 main parts of the hindbrain: medulla, cerebellum, and pons
amygdala
almond-shaped structure with the base of the temporal lobe that is involved in the discrimination of objects that are necessary for the organisms survival, such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals
- one amygdala in each hemisphere of the brain
hippocampus
- the structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories
limbic system
- loosely connected netowrk of structures under the cerebral corxet important in both memory and emotion
- its two principal structures are the amygdala and the hippocampus
corpus callosum
the larger bundle of axons that connect the brains two hemispheres has something to do with relaying information
brocas aphasia
a language disorder that involves the inability. to produce language
- typically located in brain’s left hemisphere ad involved one control of speech
- important role in producing speech
- damage to brocas area makes ppl have trouble saying word correctly
wernicke area
- portion of left hemosphere
- invilved in understanding language
- ppl w damage to this area cannot comprehend words
- they hear words but do not know what they mean
cell body
- part of the neuron that contains the nucleus
- directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs for its growth and maintenance and to communicate with other cells
neurotransmitter
chemical messengers (molecules) released into the synapse that allows the nervous system to send messages between neurons or from neurons to muscles
dendrites
- branchlike fibres projecting from a neuron
- which receives information and orient it toward the neurons cell body
axon
part of the neuron that carries informaiton away from the cells body toward other cells
axon terminal
- the end of the axon
- chemicals are stored and intermittently released to affect the functioning of neighbouring neurons
pituitary gland
pea-sized gland just beneath the hypothalamus controlling growth and regulates other glands
pineal gland
gland near the center of the brain that secretes melatonin to regulate sleep and some reproductive organs
thyroid gland
butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that is involved in metabolism
parathyroid
four small glands in the immune system of infants and children
thymus
Gland located between the lungs that is curricula to the immune system of infants and children
adrenal glands
glands at the top of each kidney that are responsible for regulating mood, energy levels, and the ability to cope with stress
pancreas
dual-purpose gland under the stomach that performs both digestive and endocrine fucntions
If you have unexplained weight gain, change in your resting heart rate, sensitivity to cold, and increased anxiety ad irritability your doctor may order a blood test to make sure your ______ is working properly
thyroid
