Psychology 101 Flashcards
Psychology
The science of behavior and mental processes
Wilhelm Wundt
"father of psychology" added two key elements help make psychology a science: 1.carefully measured observations 2. experiments
Edward Titchener
Used data from introspection, reporting on sensations and other elements of experience
Introspection
Describing your subjective experiencei.e. your sensations, using description as a way to speculate about how the mind works
Structuralism
Using these introspective reports to build a view of the mind's structure
William James
asked: How did human behavior enable our ancestors to live long enough to reproduce?functionalism
Functionalism
explored how mental and behavioral processes (i.e., what mental processes/behaviors DO), and who they enable the organism to adapt, survive and flourish
Sigmund Freud
Founder of psychoanalysis thought processes and emotional response to childhood experiences affect our behavior
Cognitive Revolution
(1960s) lead the field back into early interests into mental processes.scientifically explores how we perceive, process and remember information
three levels of psychology
1. bio2.psycho3.social
Scientific Method
Theory, hypothesis, experiment, replication
Case Study
examining one individual in depth
Naturalistic Observation
just watching (and taking notes), and not trying to change anything. (describes behavior, does NOT explain behavior)
Survey
a method of gathering information about many people's thoughts or behaviors through self-report rather than observation
experimentation
manipulating one factor in a situation to determine its effect
Random Sampling
technique for making sure that every individual in a population has an equal chance in being your sample
Correlation
an observation that two traits or attributes are related to each other
Causation
action of causing something (Correlation does NOT equal causation)
independent variable
variable we are able to manipulate independently of what the other variables are doing
dependent variable
variable we expect to experience a change which depends on the manipulation were doing
Operational Definition
"A statement of the procedure used to define research variables"they should be: clear, concise, complete.operational definitions should improve reliability of observations.
correlation coefficient
a number representing how closely and in what way two variables correlate. The direction can be positive or negative.-1.00 to 0.00 to +1.00
Positive correlation
direct relationship; both variables increase together
negative correlation
inverse relationship; as one increases the other decreases
control group
a group that is the same in every way except the one variable we are changing.
experimental group
manipulate the variable in this group of people
neurons
the building blocks of the neural information system(Starts at the cell body goes to terminal bunches, follows line like an arrow)
Cell body
cell's life support center
Dendrites
receive messages from other cells
Axon
passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles and glands
neural impulse
(Action potential) electrical signal traveling down the axon
Myelin Sheath
covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and the spinal cord, the body's decision maker.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
gathers information from the body and sends CNS decisions out to the body
Autonomic Nervous System
controls self-regulated action of internal organs and glands
Sympathetic Nervous System
Arousing (Fight or Flight)
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Calming (Rest and Digest)
Sensory Neurons
carry messages in from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the CNS for processing
Motor Neurons
Carry instructions out form the CNS out to the body's tissue
Interneurons
(in the brain and spinal cord) Process information between the sensory input and motor output. "the decisions made without the brain"
Endocrine System
Sends molecules as messages through the bloodstream. molecules are called hormones that are produced in various glands around the body.
Brainstem
Many basic functions, including regulation of heart rare, breathing, sleeping and eating.
Thalamus
"sensory switchboard" or the "router". these messages cross over from one side of the body to the opposite side of the brain
Reticular Formation
enables alertness
Pons
helps coordinate movement (make up brainstem with medulla)
Medulla
controls the most basic functions such as heartbeat and breathing
Cerebellum
coordinate voluntary movement. enables nonverbal learning and memory.
Limbic System
emotions such as fear and aggression. basic drives such as hunger and sex.the formation of episodic memories.
Hippocampus
"seahorse"processes conscious, episodic memories.works with the amygdala to form emotionally charged memories
Amygdala
"almond"consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters.helps process emotions, especially fear and aggression
Hypothalamus
lies below ("hypo") thalamus.regulates body temperature and ensures adequate food and water intake (homeostasis), and is involved in sex drive
Cerebral Cortex
separated into 4 lobes
Frontal Lobes
Involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
Parietal Lobes
include the sensory cortex
Occipital Lobes
include the visual areas; they receive visual information from the opposite visual field-> crossover happens.deals with visual information
Temporal Lobes
include the auditory processing areas. auditory information is sent here.
sensory strip
deals with information from touch stimuli
Left-Hemisphere
thoughts and logic.language: words and definitions.pieces and details
Right-Hemisphere
Feelings and intuition.language:tone, inflection, context.wholes, including the self.
Plasticity
brain is adaptable.the brain does not repair damaged neurons, but it can restore some functions.
Corpus Callosum
a band of axons connecting the hemisphere.to end whole brain seizures, some people have had this severed.
Consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment.
Dual Processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.
Selective Attention
the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.skill that our brain is able to choose a focus and select what to notice.
Selective Inattention
Refers to our failure to notice part of our environment when our attention is directed elsewhere.
Change Blindness
Failing to notice changes in the environment
Stages of Sleep
90 minute cycles during 8 hours of sleep.duration of REM sleep increases the longer you remain asleep.
behaviorism
the scientific study of observable behavior.John B. WatsonB.F. Skinner
cognitive psychology
(1960s) led the field back into early interests into mental processes.Scientifically explores how we perceive, process, and remember information
Nature vs. Nurture
Psychology's biggest question
Nature
To what extent are our traits already set in place at birth?
Nurture
To what extent do our traits develop in response to our environment/experience?
biopsychosocial
biology: genes, neurotransmitters, survival reflexesenvironment:social influences, culture, education psychology:thoughts, emotions, moods, choices, behaviors