Test 1 (CH 1-3, 7-8) Flashcards
What is psychology?
The scientific study of the mind and behavior.
What is the empirical method?
Method for acquiring knowledge based on observation, experimentation, and data.
What is introspection?
The process by which someone examines their own conscious experience in an attempt to break into its component.
What is structuralism?
Understanding the conscious experience through introspection.
What is functionalism?
Focused on how mental activities helped an organism adapt to its environment.
What is the psychoanalytic theory?
Focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior.
What is behaviorism
Focus on observing and controlling behavior.
What is humanism?
The perspective within psychology emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans.
American psychological association (APA)?
Professional organization representation psychologists in the united states.
What is Biopsychology?
The study of how biology influences behavior
What is cognitive psychology?
Study of cognition, or thoughts and their relationship to experiences and actions.
What is Development Psychogy?
The scientific study of development across a lifespan.
What is personality psych?
A consistent pattern of thoughts and behaviors
What is the Biopsychosocial Model?
Perspectives that asserts that biology psychology and social interactions determine individual health.
What is Sport and exercise psychology?
Area of psychology that focuses on the interactions between mental and emotional factors and physical performance in sport exercise and after activities.
What is clinical psychology?
area of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior
What is counseling psychology?
Area of psychology that focuses on improving emotional, social, vocational, and other aspects of the lives of a psychological, healthy individual.
What is forensic psychology?
Area of psychology that applies the science and practice of psychology to issues within science and the justice system.
What is a PhD?
Doctor of philosophy; doctoral degree conferred in many disciplinary perspectives housed in a college of liberal arts or science.
What is a dissertation?
Long research paper about research that was conducted as a part of a candidate’s doctoral training.
What is a post doctoral training program?
Allows young scientists to further develop and broaden their research skills under the supervision of other people in the field.
What is a PsyD?
Doctor of Psychology less research and more application.
What is deductive reasoning?
Results are predicted based on a general premise.
What is Inductive reasoning?
Conclusions are drawn from observations.
What is a hypothesis?
A testable prediction.
What are clinical or case studies?
An observational research study focusing on one or a few people.
What is generalizing?
Inferring that the results for a sample apply to the larger population
What is interrater-relibility?
The measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular event.
What is Attrition?
The reduction in number of research participants as some drop out of the study over time.
What is a confounding variable?
the unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, often giving the
the false impression that changes in one variable causes changes in the other variable, when, in actuality, the
outside factor causes changes in both variables
What is an operational definition?
description of what actions and operations will be used to measure the dependent
variables and manipulate the independent variables
What is the Range of reaction?
Asserts our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where the range can fall.
What is genetic environmental correlation?
View of gene-environment that asserts our genes affect our environment and our environment influences the expression of our genes.
What are Glial Cells?
Nervous system cells provide physical and metabolic support to neurons, including neuronal insulation and communication and nutrient and waste transport.
What are Neurons?
Cells in the nervous system that act as interconnected information processors are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system.
What is the Soma?
The neuron cell body.
What are dendrites?
Branch-like extensions of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurons.
What is the axon?
The major extension of the soma
What are the terminal buttons?
Axon terminal containing synaptic vesicles.
What are the synaptic vesicles?
Storage sites for neurotransmitters.
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers of the nervous system.
What is the Myelin sheath?
Fatty substance insulation neurons.
What are the Nodes of Ranvier?
Open spaces are found in the myelin sheath that encases the axon.
What is the synaptic cleft?
The small gap between two neurons where communication occurs.
What is the receptor?
Protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach.
What is membrane potential?
the difference in charge across the neural membrane
What is resting potential?
The state of readiness of a neuron’s membrane potential between signals.
What is the threshold of excitation?
The level of change in the membrane causes the neuron to become active.
What is the action potential?
The electrical signal moves down the neuron’s axon.
What is all-or-none.
The threshold is either on or off.
What is a reuptake?
The neural transmitter is pumped back into the neural that released it.
What is the Somatic nervous system?
Relays sensory information and motor info to the CNS.
What is the Limbic system?
Collection of structures involved in the processing of emotion or memory.
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Controls internal organs and glands.
What is neuroplasticity?
Nervous system’s ability to change.
What is the Cerebral Cortex?
The surface of the brain is associated with our highest mental capabilities.
What are the Gyri?
Bumps or ridges on the brain’s cortex.
What are longtitudal fissures?
Deeps groves in the brain cortex.
What is the corpus callosum?
A thick band of neural fibers connects the brain’s to two hemispheres.
What is the Forebrain?
The largest part of the brain connects the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and limbic system with other structures as well.
What is the somatosensory cortex?
Essential for processing info from across the body such as touch, temperature, and pain.
What is Wernicke’s area?
Important for speech comprehension.
What is the auditory complex?
A strip of cortex in the temporal lobe is responsible for processing auditory information.
What is the thalamus?
Sensory Relay for the brain.
What is the Amygdala?
L system is involved in our experience of emotion and tieing emotional meaning to our memories.
What is the hippocampus?
Structure in the T lobe associated with learning and memory
What is the hypothalamus?
forebrain structure that regulates sexual motivation and behavior and a number of homeostatic processes; serves as an interface between the nervous system and the endocrine system.
What is the midbrain?
Contain reticular information.
What is the Reticular formation?
Midbrain structure regulation sleep/wake cycles arousal, alertness, and motor activity.
What is the Substantial Nigra?
Midbrain structure regulation where dopamine is produced involves control movement.
What is the Ventral Reginal area (VTA)?
The midbrain structure where dopamine is produced is associated with mood, reward, and addiction.
What is the hindbrain?
The bottom stem of the brain with medulla pons and cerebellum.
What is the Medulla?
Hindbrain structure controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.
What is the pons?
Hindbrain structure connects the brain with the spinal cord. Regulates brain activities while asleep.
What is the Cerebellum?
Hindbrain structure that controls our balance coordination movement, motor skill mad it is thought to be important I memory.
What does the frontal lobe control?
Speaking, voluntary muscle, movements (motor cortex) social judgment, and making plans.
What does the parietal lobe control?
Body senses (Somatososensory cortex)
What is the occipital lobe in control of?
Vision.
What is the temporal lobe in control of?
Audition and language, comprehension, emotion, and memory.
What is Acetylcholine?
A neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contractions.
What are endorphins?
Natural opiate-like neurotransmitters are linked to pain and control of pleasure.
What is Glutamine?
Major inhibitory neurotransmitters linked to memory.
What is GABA?
Major inhibitory neurotransmitters anti-anxiety drugs work as GABA agonists.
What are the three types of neurons?
- Sensory Neurons
- Interneurons
- Motor Neurons
What is the Resting potential readiness charge and what is the Threshold charge?
-70mv and -55mv
What part of the brain deals with controling speech mucles?
Broca’s area
How is reading aloud done steps?
- Visual cortex (Receives written words)
- Angular gyrus (Transfons visual to auditory code)
- Wernickes area (Interprets auditory code)
- Broca\s area (controls speech muscles)
- Motor cortex (word is pronounced)
What is cognition?
Thinking includes perception, learning, problem-solving, judgment and memory.
What are concepts?
Categories of a grouping of linguistic information, objects, ideas or life experiences.
What is a prototype?
The best representation of a concept.
What are natural concepts?
Mental groupings are treated “naturally” through your experiences.
.What are artificial concepts?
A concept that is defined by a very specific set of characteristics.
What is a schema?
A mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts.
What is a role schema?
A set of expectations that define the behaviors of a person occupying a particular role.
What is an event schema?
Set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time, also referred to as a cognitive script.
What is a lexicon?
The words of a given language.
What is grammar?
set of rules that are used to convey meaning through the use of lexicon.
What is a phoneme?
Basic sound unit of a given language.
What is a morpheme?
The smallest unit of language that conveys some type of meaning.
What is semantics?
The process by which we derive meaning from morphemes and words.
What is the syntax?
The manner by which words are organized into semantics.
What is overgeneralization?
Extention of a rule that exists in a given language to an excretion of the role.
What is trial and error?
Problem-solving method in which multiple solutions are attempted until one is found.
What is an algorithm?
Problem-solving strategy is characterized by a specific set of instructions.
What is a heuristic?
Mental shortcut that saves time when solving a problem.
What is working backward?
Heuristic in which you begin to solve a problem by focusing on the end result.
What is a mental set?
Continually using an old solution to a problem without results.
What is function fixedness?
Inability to see an object as useful for any other use other than the on intended.
What is anchoring bias?
Faulty heuristic in which you fixate on a single aspect of a problem to find a solution.
What is confirmation bias?
Faulty heuristic in which you focus on information that confirms your bias.
What is hindsight bias?
Believed that the event just experienced was predictable even though it really wasn’t.
What is representative bias?
Faulty heuristic in which you stereotype someone or something without a valid basis for your judgment.
What is the availability heuristic?
Faulty heuristic in which you make a decision based on the information readily available to you.
What is crystallized intelligence?
It is characterized by acquired knowledge and the ability to retrieve it.
What is fluid intelligence?
Ability to see comple relationships and to solve problems.
What is the triarchy theory of intelligence?
Sternberg’s theory of intelligence, three forms of intellect. Practical, creative and analytical.
What is practical intelligence?
Street smarts or common sense.
What is analytical intelligence?
Aligned with academic problem solving and computation.
What is creative intelligence?
Ability to produce new products ideas or invent a new novel solution to a problem.
What is the multiple intelligence theory?
Gardener’s theory that each person poses at least eight types of intelligence.
What is emotional intelligence?
Ability to understand emotions and the motivations in yourself and others.
What is cultural intelligence?
Ability with whcih people can understand and relate to those in another culture.
What is divergent thinking?
Ability to think “outside the box” to arrive at novel solutions to a problem.
What is convergent thinking?
Provinfind connect or established answers to problems.
What is standardization?
Method of testing in which administration and scoring and interpretation of results are consistent.
What is norming?
Administer a test to a large population so data can be collected to reference normal scores for a population and ts groups.
What is the Fylnn effect?
The observation that each generation biases a significantly higher IQ than the former.
What is a Representative sample?
Subset of the population that accurately represents the general population.
What is a standard deviation?
The measure of characteristics that derives the difference between a set of scores and their mean.
What is the range of reactions?
Each person’s response to the environment is unique based on their genetic makeup.
What is dysgraphia?
learning disability that causes extreme difficulty in writing legibly
What is dyslexia?
common learning disability in which letters are not processed properly by the brain
What is dyscalculia?
learning disability that causes difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics
What is encoding?
The input of information into the memory system.
What is automatic processing?
Encoding the informational details like time, space, frequency, and meaning of words.
What is Effortful processing?
Encoding of information takes effort and attention.
What is semantic encoding?
Type of declarative memory about words, concepts and language-based knowledge and facts.
What is visual encoding?
The input of images.
What is acoustic encoding?
Input of sounds words and music.
What is the self-reference effect?
Tendance for an individual to have better memory for information that relates to oneself in comparison to material that has less personal relevance.
What is storage?
creation of a permanent record of information
What is sensory memory?
Storage of brief sensory events, such as signals, sounds and tastes.
What is short-term memory?
holds about seven bits of information before it is forgotten or stored, as well as information that has been retrieved and is being used.
What is rehearsal?
Repetition of information to be remembered.
What is Long Term Memory (LTM)?
Continuous storage of information.
What are explicit memories?
Memories we consciously try to remember and read.
What is episodic memory?
type of declarative memory that contains information about events we have personally experienced, also known as autobiographical memory
What is semantic memory?
Type of declarative memory about words, concepts and language-based knowledge and facts
What are implicit memories?
Memories that are not part of our consciousness.
What is procedural memory?
type of long-term memory for making skilled actions, such as how to brush your teeth, how to drive a car, and how to swim
What is retrieval?
Act of getting information out of long-term memory storage and back into conscious awareness.
What is Recall?
Accessing information without cues.
What is recognition?
Identifying preciously learned information after encountering it again, usually to a response to a cue.
What is relearning?
Learning information that was previously learned.
What is an engram?
Physical trace of memory.
What is the equipotential hypothesis?
some parts of the brain can take over for damaged parts in forming and storing memories.
What is the Arousal theory?
Strong emotions trigger the formation of strong memories and weaker emotional experiences form weaker memories.
WHat is flashbulb memory?
Eventually clear recollection of an important event.
What is anterognade amnesia?
Loss of memory for events that occurred after brain trauma.
What is retrograde amnesia?
Loss of memory for events that occurred after brain trauma.
What is construction?
Formation of memories.
What is reconstruction?
Process of bringing up old memories that might be distorted by new information.
What is suggestibility?
Effects of misinformation from external sources that leads to the action of false memories.
What is the misinformation effect paradigm?
after exposure to additional and possibly inaccurate information, a person may misremember the original event
What is false memory syndrome?
Recall of false autobiographical moments.
What is Forgetting?
Loss of memory from long-term memory.
What is transciene?
Memory error in which unused memories fade with the passage of time
What is absentmindedness?
Lapses in memory that is caused by breaks in the attention of our focus being somewhere else.
What is blocking?
Memory error in which you cannot access stored information.
What is misattribution?
Memory error in which you confuse the source of your information.
What is Bais?
How feelings and views of the world distort the memory of past events.
What is persistence?
failure of the memory system that involves the involuntary recall of unwanted memories, particularly unpleasant ones.
What is proactive interference?
old information hinders the recall of newly learned information
What is Retroactive interference?
Information learned more recently hinders the recall of older information.
What are memory-enhancing strategies?
Techniques to help make sure information goes from short to long-term memory.
What is chunking?
Organizing information into manageable chunks.
What is elaborative rehearsal?
thinking about the meaning of new information and its relation to knowledge already stored in your memory
What is Mnenemic devices?
memory aids that help organize information for encoding
What are levels of processing?
information that is thought of more deeply becomes more meaningful and thus better committed to memory
What is priming?
activation, often unconsciously, of particular
associations in memory
What is a retrieval cue?
best cues come from associations with smells,
sights, tastes that can evoke memory
What are the three sins of forgetting?
- Absentmindedness
- Blocking
- Transciene
