Psych Vocabs Ch. 1 - Ch. 9

the process of modifying a schema to account for new information; the process of the eyes lens changing shape in order to focus on distant or near objects

a neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory and muscle movement

the electrical process by which information is transmitted the length of an axon

the idea that dreams are the result of the cerebral cortex interpreting and organizing random flashes of brain activity, originating in the lower brain structures, especially the pons

in neurons, another name for sensory

an image that remains after a stimulus is removed, especially one in which the colors are reversed

drugs which mimic the activity of neurotransmitters

did attachment studies in children

description of the action of neurons when firing

stimulate neural activity, speeded up body functions and energy, and mood changes

characteristic of wave form that produces degree of loudness and brightness

limbic system component associated with emotion, particularly fear and anger

drug which blocks the activity of neurotransmitters

impairment of language usually caused by damage to the left hemisphere

scientific investigations intended to solve practical problems

interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schema

developed activation synthesis theory of dreaming

theory developed by Harlow; types include secure and insecure

style of parenting in which the parent creates strict rules for the child and the child has little or no input into determining the rules

division of the nervous system that control the glands and organs; its divisions arouse or calm

Erikson's stage in which a toddler learns to exercise will and to do things independently; failure to do so causes shame and doubt

a type of negative reinforcement in which the organism chooses to avoid the negative stimulus

extension of the neuron which carries, via an action potential, information that will be sent on to other neurons, muscles or glands

developed theory related to parenting/socialization styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive

perspective on psychology that sees psychology as an objective science without reference to mental states

retinal disparity and convergence which enable people to determine depth using both eyes

each species is biologically prepared to learn associations that enhance its survival like taste aversion

eye neurons that receive information from the retinal cells and distribute information to the ganglion cells

point in the retinal where the optic nerve leaves the retina so there are no rods or cones there

malleus, incus, stapes

analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works its way up to the brain's integration of sensory information

oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells upon entering the skull; controls fundamental survival processes like heartrate and breathing

scientific investigation in which a single subject is studied in great detail

a method of creating static images of the brain through computerized axial tomography

consists of the brain and the spinal cord

brain structure that controls well-learned motor activities like riding a bike

the fabric of interconnecting cells that blankets the brain hemispheres; the brain's center for information processing and control

using operant conditioning to teach a complex response by linking together less complex skills

organizing units of information into manageable units such as memorizing a phone number as three groups of information 248-555-1212

the daily biological rhythms that occur in a 24-hour period

method of learning in which a neutral stimulus can be used to elicit a response that is usually a natural response to a stimulus

this type of psychologist studies, assesses and treats those with psychological disorders

this coiled structure in the inner ear is fluid-filled and in it the energy from sound waves stimulate hair cells to produce neural impulses (transduction)

an example of selective attention; your ability to attend to only one voice among many

perspective on psychology that stresses the importance of mental activities associated with thinking, remembering, etc

a mental representation of the layout of one's environment.

this adjective describes cultures in which the individual is less important than the group

a variety of disorders marked by inability to distinguish some or all colors

Piaget's stage in which children learn such concepts as conservation and mathematical transformations; about 7 - 11 years of age

in classical conditioning, the response elicited by the conditioned stimulus

in classical conditioning, that after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

generally, learning in which certain experiences make certain behaviors more or less likely; there are two forms of this

one type of hearing impairment caused by mechanical problems in the ear structures

neurons in the retina that are responsible for color vision

a tendency to search for information that supports one's preconceptions

extraneous factor that interferes with the action of the independent variable on the dependent variable

one's awareness of one's environment and oneself

subjects in an experiment who do not receive application of the independent variable but are measured nonetheless for the dependent variable

binocular cue for perceiving depth the extent to which the eyes converge inward when looking at an object

the transparent outer covering of the eye

the fibers that connect the right and left hemispheres, enabling them to communicate

the degree of relationship between two variables

a positive one near 1.0 indicates two variable are positively related; a negative number indicates a negative relationship; zero indicates no relationship

type of study that measures a variable across several age groups at the same time

term describes a type of intelligence which applies cultural knowledge to solving problems

giving participants in a research study a complete explanation of the study after the study is completed

largest brain waves, associated with deep, dreamless sleep

a branch off the cell body of a neuron that receives new information from other neurons

the variable that the experimenter measures at the end of the experiment

an ability that we exercise by using both monocular and binocular cues

also called the jnd; smallest distinction between two stimuli that can consistently be detected

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

theory of hypnosis in which control of consciousness is divided between the subject and the hypnotist

a neurotransmitter that is associated with Parkinson's disease (too little of it) and schizophrenia (too much of it)

this term describes an experiment in which neither the subjects nor the experimenter knows whether a subject is a member of the experimental group or the control group

also called the tympanic membrane

term that describes memory of sounds

initials of a method of representation of brain waves

in a toddler, the belief that others perceive the world in the same way that he or she does

early stage of human development, when cells have begun to differentiate

the ability to feel the same as someone you are obsserving

neurotransmitters that give one a feeling of well-being, euphoria or eliminate pain

form of scientific investigation in which one variable is tested to determine its effect on another; establishes causation

subjects in an experiment to whom the independent variable is administered

in classical conditioning, the process of eliminating the previously acquired association of the conditioned stimulus and conditioned response

a belief that others share the same opinion about something, when actually most don't

the ability of the brain to identify specific components of visual stimuli such as corners or edges

sometimes the result in a child of the mother's excessive drinking while pregnant, characterized by low birth weight, facial abnormalities, mental retardation

a stage in human development extending from about ten weeks after conception to birth

the organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings.

refers to our ability to distinguish foreground from background in visual images

describes the schedule of reinforcement wherein a worker receives a paycheck every Friday

describes a schedule of reinforcement wherein a worker is paid for a certain sum for each product produced

term describes a vivid memory of a personally significant and emotional event

term describes a type of intelligence used to cope with novel situations and problems

One of Piaget's stages; includes the ability to use abstract thinking

the central focus area of the retina

theory of hearing which states that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the tone's frequency

William James's school of thought that stressed the adaptive and survival value of behaviors

their axons form the optic nerve

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

German word for "whole", it refers to our tendency to perceive incomplete figures as complete

this acts as a support system for neurons

studied attachment using monkey subjects

we have two, right and left, and some brain functions seem to centered in one or the other

the extent to which differences in a group of a characteristic is due to genetics, not environment

term describes conditioning in which the CS for one experiment becomes the UCS in another experiment so that another neutral stimulus can be made to elicit the original UCR

the tendency, after an event occurs, to overestimate the likelihood that an event could have been predicted

limbic system component associated with memory

the steady, stable state that is the body's regulatory processes try to maintain

won Nobel Prize for discovering feature detector cell used in brain processing of vision

a brance of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use

perspective in psychology that stresses the goodness of people and their possibility of reaching their fullest potential

limbic system component that regulates hunger, body temperature and other functions

term that describes the memory of images

Erikson's stage during which teenagers and young adults search for and become their true selves

evidence of critical period in some animals; they follow the first moving thing they see after hatching

type of variable manipulated by the experimenter

culture in which the individual is valued more highly than the group

Erikson's stage between 6 and 11 years, when the child learns to be productive

humans accomplish this either in parallel (unconsciously) or in serial fashion (consciously)

agreement to participate in psychology research, after being appraised of the dangers and benefits of the research

Erikson's third stage in which the child finds independence in planning, playing and other activities

inability to fall asleep or remain asleep long enough for sufficient rest

Erikson's final stage in which those near the end of life look back and evaluate their lives

cells in the spinal cord through which reflexes travel without going to the brain

monocular visual cue in which two objects are in the same line of vision and one patially conceals the other, indicating that the first object concealed is further away

Erikson's stage in which individuals form deeply personal relationships, marry, begin families

a technique used by structuralists in which the subjects looked inward to determeine the elements of their experience

the threshold at which one can distinguish two stimuli that are of different intensities, but otherwise identical

sense of balance and of one's physical position

developed theory related moral development

a change in behavior due to experience acquired without conscious effort, s, for example, a student using a quote in an exam essay that the student had never tried to memorize, though eh had encountered it in studying

Thorndike's rule that behaviors which have positive outcomes tend to be repeated

lack of motivation to avoid unpleasant stimuli after one has failed before to escape similar stimuli

a curved, transparent element of the vision system that provides focus

any destruction or damage to brain tissue

brain structure associated with emotions and drives; includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus

depth perception cue that the more the lines converge the greater their perceived distance.

describes research that measures a trait in a particular group of subjects over a long period of time

describes, in Freudian terms, the surface content of a dream

part of the brain nearest the spinal cord which controls breathing, heart rate and blood pressure

neurons that fire when observing someone else performing some action' enables language learning and empathy

the process of observing and imitating a behavior

terms that means "one eyed", used to indicate the sort of of enviromental cues to depth perception tha tonly require one eye, for example, interposition

a depth cue in which the relative movement of elements in a scene gives depth information when the observer moves relative to the scene

an area of the brain, near the rear of the frontal lobes, that controls voluntary movement

this carries information from the brain to the muscles; also called "efferent"

a technique that enables us to see static images of the brain's structures; uses magnetism to achieve this effect

a layer of fatty tissue encasing a neuron's axon that speeds transmission

a disorder characterized by sudden sleep attacks, often at inopportune times

term refers to observations made of individual's behavior in an everyday life setting

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

name for a controversy in which it is debated whether genetics or environment is responsible for driving behavior

in operant conditioning, removing something unpleasant in order to elicit more of a particular behavior

refers to interconnected neuron cells

the fundamental building block of the nervous system

perspective on psychology that emphasizes the study of the brain and its effects on behavior

a chemical that is released by a neuron for the purpose of carrying information across the gaps (synapses) between neurons

describes a stimulus in classical conditioning that would normally not elicit the response intended, such as the tone in Pavlov's experiments before it was associated with the food

also called sleep terror disorder, these include the characteristic of waking abruptly in a state of panic, usually in children, less often in adults

refers to sleep during which there is no rapid eye movement

recognition that things continue to exist even though hidden from sight; infants generally gain this after 3 to 7 months of age

change in behavior due to watching other people behave

this lobe contains the primary vision processing function

the first brain structure to pick up smell information from the nose

a procedure in which reinforcement occurs when a specific behavior does not occur in a fixed period of time

a method of influencing behavior by rewarding desired behaviors and punishing undesired ones

a description of an experimental variable in such a way that the variable can be measured and the procedure can be replicated

theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, and white-black) enable color vision

the point in the brain where the visual field information from each eye "crosses over" to the appropriate side of the brain for processing

the axons of the ganglion cells form this

membrane at the enterance to the cochlea through which the ossicles transmit vibrations

the branch of the nervous system that automatically calms us down when the reason for arousal has passed

lobe that contains the sensory cortex

developed theory of classical conditioning

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information

mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

the subsystem of the nervous system that does not include the CNS

describes a parenting style that is characterized by the parent making few demands on the child

a consistent pattern of thinking, acting, feeling

method of brain imaging using positron emissions

developed theory related to cognitive development

gland that is the master gland of the endocrine system

an inert substance given to the control group in an experiment

phenomenon that some people get better even though they receive not medication but an inert substance which should have no medical effect

the ability of the brain to adapt to damage by reorganizing functions

part of the brain, works with the cerebellum in coordinating voluntary movement; neural stimulation studied in activation synthesis theory may originate here

all of the individuals from which subjects for an experiment may be drawn

Kohlberg's stage of moral development in which rewards and punishments dominate moral thinking

Piaget's second stage of cognitive development, when egocentrism declines

a type of implicit memory whenyou recall how to do something

gestalt grouping principle based on nearness

medical doctor who has specialized in treating psychological disorders

term describes the perspective on psychology in which inner feeling and unconscious tensions are emphasized

the study of mental processes and behavior

the study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior.

can be either positive or negative, intended to reduce the occurrence of a behavior

term that describes assignment in which all subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to the control group or to the experimental group

a measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned ealier

resting time; occurs in both neuron firing and in human sexual response

in operant conditioning any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

in testing, the characteristic of a test that produces consistent scores through retesting or alternate halves or other methods

describes sleep in which vivid dreams typically occur; this type of sleep increases as the night progresses while stage 4 sleep decreases

a disorder in which the person is not paralyzed during REM sleep

respeating the procedures of someone else's experiment; helped by operational definitions

this kind of sample accurately reproduces the characteristics of the population a researcher is studying

a network of cells in the brainstem that filters sensory information and is involved in arousal and alertness

the sensory reception system of the eye; includes rods and cones

the process of recovering information stored in memory

responsible for black and white vision

a reflex in which a newborn turns its head in response to a gentle stimulus on its cheek

these include fixed interval and variable ratio

a collection of basic knowledge about a category of information; serves as a means of organization and interpretation of that information

this term describes the situation when you are focused on certain stimuli in the environment while other stimuli are excluded

The encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words.

describes Piaget's stage in which the child explores the world through interaction of his mouth and hands with the environment

reduced responsiveness caused by prolonged stimulation

the parts of the brain that receive information from the sensory receptors

nervous system cells that receive information from the environment

our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list

a neurotransmitter; associated with improved mood and other positive emotions

an operant conditioning technique in which reinforces guide behavior to closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

developed theory of operant conditioning

a theory that suggests we learn social behaviors by watching and imitating others

the study of how people behave in groups

a perspective on psychology that emphasizes effects on behavior and thinking of one's culture and the people around one

a division of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movements

a condition in which the two brain hemispheres are isolated by cutting the corpus callosum

in classical conditioning the re-occurence of conditioning after it had appeared to be extinct

school of psychology developed by Wilhelm Wundt

part of the nervous system that controls the "flight or fight" response

space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the receptors of the next neuron

personality component that ranges from very calm to very exitable

the lobe that controls audition

the sensory switchboard; smell is the only sensation that is not sent through the thalamus

this organizes data and is used to make predictions

in a neuron, reaching this causes the neuron to fire

a technique in operant conditioning by which desired behaviors receive forms of currency that can be exchanged for rewards

information processing guided higher level mental processes such as experiences and expectations

conversion of physical into neural activity

a common method of investigating whether nature or nurture affects behavior

in conditioning the behavior elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

in conditioning it elicits the UCR

the termination of drug taking