Psych 101 Exam 1

first person to call himself a psychologist, opened first psych lab in Germany (Univ of Leipzig), called his approach STRUCTURALISM, examinations of structure of mind (components),  used experimental method and introspection—looking inward to report on experiences and how they related to one another

American, influenced by Darwin, FUNCTIONALISM, interested in the adaptive functions served by behavior and thought, not a question of whether we smell or not, but what it does for us, more practical, also first classroom teacher of psychology (Darwinism- animals and humans have certain traits that are functional or not functional) interested in how the things we do allow us to get along in the world, what’s the function of a peacock having a huge tail

Championed psychology as the science of behavior and demonstrated conditioned responses on a baby.

Behaviorist, he rejected introspection and studied how consequences shape behavior

Behaviorist, he rejected introspection and studied how consequences shape behavior

emphasized the ways emotional responses to childhood experiences and our unconscious thought processes affect our behavior, thus psychology till the 1920’s was defined as the “the science of mental life”

first woman to receive a Ph.D in psychology, she synthesized animal behavior research.

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without references to mental processes.

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth.

how behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts.  -*behavior and mental processes are largely determined by unconscious mental and emotional conflicts. Usually put instincts or desires for sex, aggression, security, and power against environmental obstacles to fulfillment of those desires, Names: Horney, Erikson, Freud (psychoanalytic)

The feeling that ‘I knew it all along’ and you feel confident after you hear the results, that you would have been able to foresee it.

The feeling that ‘I knew it all along’ and you feel confident after you hear the results, that you would have been able to foresee it.

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

a measure of the extent to which 2 factors vary together, and thus of how welleither factor predicts the other

a statistical index of the relationship between 2 things (from -1 to +1) - Grows stronger towards -1/+1

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

statement of procedures (operations) used to define researchvariables, select research method, collect and analyze data, interpret and publish

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (dependent variable)

By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors. Random assignment is the assigning of participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.

In an experiment, the group that is NOT exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

factor that is manipulated and variable whose effect is being studied.

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response tothe manipulations of the independent variable

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

also known as a nerve fiber; conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron’s cellbody

Multiple, usually shorter fibers which receive signals from the axons of otherneurons, are cells “receivers”

a fatty substance that insulates the axon from other neurons, makes nerveconduction faster

form junctions with other cells

area at the end of an axon fiber which holds inside of it small sacks calledsynaptic vesicles

The largest part of a cell, the cell body holds all of the general parts of a cell as well asthe nucleus

air filled cavity or sac

electrical discharge that travels along a nerve fiber

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell bodyof the receiving neuron. The gap is the Synaptic Cleft/Gap

chemical messengers that cross synaptic gaps between neurons. Whenreleased by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind toreceptor sites on the receiving neuron, influencing whether it will generate a neural impulse.

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

this molecule excites, mimics the neurotransmitter’s effects on the receiving neuron

molecule that inhibits

“electroencephalogram” - an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity thatsweep across the brain’s surface. Measures by electrodes placed on the scalp.

“positron emission tomography” - a visual display of brain activity that detects where aradioactive form of glucose does while the brain performs a given task

“magnetic resonance imaging” - technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves toproduce computer-generated images of soft tissue. Can show brain anatomy.

“functional magnetic resonance imaging” - technique for revealing blood flow and,therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. Shows brain function.

oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells and enters the skull.

base of the brain stem that controls heartbeat and breathing

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role incontrolling arousal.

the brain’s sensory switchboard, directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortexand transmits replies the cerebellum and medulla

the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem. Helps coordinate voluntarymovements and balance.

A doughnut shaped system of neural structures at border of brainstem andcerebrum, associated with emotions such as fear, aggression, and drives for food and sex.Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.

consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters linked to the emotions of fear/anger.

lies below the thalamus and directs several maintenance activities like eating,drinking, body temperature, and control of the emotions. Helps govern the endocrine systemvia the pituitary gland.

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved inspeaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear;receives sensory input for touch and body position

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes theauditory areas; each receiving information from the opposite ear

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas thatreceive information from the visual fields.

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touchand movement sensations

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor orsensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning,remembering, thinking, and speaking

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres andcarrying messages between them

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres bycutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizingafter damage or by building new pathways based on experience

The medical specialty concerned with prevention, diagnosis, treatment andrehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain,spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.

the principal that information is often simultaneously processed on separateconscious and unconscious tracks.

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere.

Our “biological clock”, it can be altered by artificial light; occur on a 24-hourcycle and include sleep and wakefulness.

rapid eye movement sleep, recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreamscommonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep because the muscles are relaxed (except ofminor twitches) but other body systems are active.

stage 1-2: During early, light sleep the brain enters a lowamplitude,regular wave form called theta waves (5-8cps). A person who is daydreaming showstheta activity. stage 3-4: During deepest sleep, brain activity slows down. There are largeamplitude,slow delta waves (1.5-4cps). High and low waves.

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

The brain emits large, slow delta waves first, in stage three, then four. brainwaves associated with deep sleep

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of internalvisual stimulus

Overpowering urge to fall asleep that may occur while talking or standing up

Failure to breathe when asleep

The sudden arousal from sleep with intense fear accompanied by physiologicalreactions (e.g., rapid heart rates, perspiration) which occur during Stage 4 sleep

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us torecognize meaningful objects and events.

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’smind. Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities and incongruitites,and for the dreamers delusional acceptance of the content and the later difficulties ofremembering it.

a social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggests to another (thesubject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur.

A suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried outafter the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesiredsymptoms and behaviors.

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods.

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same drug, requiring the user to takelarger and larger doses before experiencing the drugs effect.

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawalsymptoms when the drug is discontinued.

a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negativeemotions.

drugs that depress the activity of the CNS, reducing anxiety but impairingmemory and judgement

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity,temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the CNS, with speededup body functions and associated energy and mood changes over time, appears to reducebaseline dopamine levels

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to thebrain’s integration of sensory information. 

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, aswhen we construct perceptions on our experiences and expectations.

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next.Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short blips of cosmic rays to the long pulses of radiotransmission.

(color) determined by the wavelength

experience of brightness, the amount of light hitting your eye

controls the amount of light entering the eye

muscle that expands and contracts to change the size of the opening (pupil) for light

focuses the light rays on the retina

contains sensory receptors that process visual information and sends it to the brain

the process by which the eye’s lens change shape to focus near or farobjects on the retina.

rhodopsin, black and white vision; detail is elusive; receptors mostly found in peripheryof retina; extremely sensitive to light and responsible for our ability to see in low levels ofilluminationC

Iodopsin, color vision; able to see more detailed images; found primarily in center ofthe retina in the fovea; three types of cones allow us to see different colors

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.

can’t see anything if light falls on it, but brain fills in the gap; all of the axons fromthe specialized neurons must exit eye and go out towards brain and come together to form opticnerve which extends out to the visual cortex of the brain

when we focus on something in high levels of light, this is where the light should befocused most (contains most of the cones)

nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus,such as shape, angle or movement.

processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’snatural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts withstep by step processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

Three different types of cones, each most sensitive to a differentwavelength of light (red, green and blue spectrums); color experienced in a given area has todo with the number, types and frequency of cones firing in an area of the fovea

the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time (ex: persecond).

a tone’s experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency.

the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones(hammer, anvil and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea’soval window.

a coiled, bony fluid filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves triggernerve impulses.

the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, andvestibular sacs.

ability to see, hear or become aware of something through thesenses

 an organized whole. Gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integratepieces of information into meaningful wholes.

 we group similar figures together-We see three sets of two lines, not six separatelines.

flow, progression.

we fill in gaps to create a complete, whole object.

the ability of an observer to judge the spatial relationships of objects,especially their relative distance from the observer and from one another.

cues that require 2 working eyes to determine placement of objects-Retinal disparity- images from the 2 eyes differ. Try looking at your 2 index fingers whenpointing then towards each other half an inch apart and about 5 inches directly in front of youreyes. You will see a finger sausage as shown in the inset.-Neural convergence- the closer an object is to your eyes, the more you have to cross youreyes to focus on it. Brain reads or interprets the degree to which the muscles of your eyes areturning in, and can interpret how close or far away something is

aka Pictoral CuesAllow us to use one eye to appx depthAlso allow us to give illusion of depth in pictures/2-D artRelative size: if 2 objects are similar in size, we perceive the one that casts a smaller retinalimage to be farther awayInterposition- objects that occlude (block) other objects tend to be perceived as closerRelative Height- we perceive objects that are higher in our field of vision to be farther awaythan those that are lowerLinear Perspective- parallel lines, such as railroad tracks, appear to converge in the distance.The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance