PSY 120 EXAM 1: CHAPTERS 1,2,3&4
falsifiable
able to be disproven by experimental results
validity
accuracy of a given result in measuring what it is designed to measure
soma
cell body
semipermeable membrane
cell membrane that allows smaller molecules or molecules without an electrical charge to pass through it, while stopping larger or highly charged molecules
neuron
cells in the nervous system that act as interconnected information processors, which are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system
physical dependence
changes in normal bodily functions that cause a drug user to experience withdrawal symptoms upon cessation of use
cause-and-effect relationship
changes in one variable cause the changes in the other variable; can be determined only through an experimental research design
autonomic nervous system
controls our internal organs and glands
longitudinal fissure
deep groove in the brain's cortex
somatosensory cortex
essential for processing sensory information from across the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain
double-blind study
experiment in which both the researchers and the participants are blind to group assignments
single-blind study
experiment in which the researcher knows which participants are in the experimental group and which are in the control group
opiate/opioid
one category of drugs that has strong analgesic properties; opiates are produced from the resin of the opium poppy; include heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine
halluncinogen
one of a class of drugs that results in profound alterations in sensory and perceptual experiences, often with vivid hallunications
parinsomnia
one of a group of sleep disorders characterized by unwanted, disruptive motor activity and/or experiences during sleep
codeine
opiate with relatively low potency often prescribed for minor pain
population
overall group of individuals that the reseachers are interested in
temporal lobe
part of cerebral cortex associated with hearing, memory, emotion, and some aspects of language; contains primary auditory cortex
occipital lobe
part of the cerebral cortex associated with visual processing; contains the primary visual cortex
parietal lobe
part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information; contains the primary somatosensory cortex
frontal lobe
part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language; contains motor cortex
lucid dream
people become aware that they are dreaming and can control the dream's content
placebo effect
people's expectations or beliefs influencing or determining their experience in a given situation
rapid eye movement sleep (REM)
period of sleep characterized by brain waves very similar to those during wakefulness and by darting movements of the eyes under close eyelids
non-REM
period of sleep outside periods of rapid eye movement sleep
opinion
personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate
biopsychosocial model
perspective that asserts that biology, psychology, and social factors interact to determine an individual's health
humanism
perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans
all-or-none
phenomenon that incoming signal from another neuron is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation
Broca's area
region in the left hemisphere that is essential for language production
correlation
relationship between two or more variables; when two variables are correlated, one variable changes as the other does
somatic nervous system
relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
replicate
repeating an experiment using different samples to determine the research's reliability
cognitive psychology
study of cognitions, or thoughts, and their relationship to experiences and actions
epigenetics
study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different phenotypes
Biopsychology
study of how biology influences behavior
personality psychology
study of patterns of thoughts and behaviors that make each individual unique
meta-analysis
study that combines the results of several related studies
participants
subjects of psychological research
random sample
subset of a larger population in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected
sample
subset of individuals selected from the larger population
mutation
sudden, permanent change in gene
ology
suffix that denotes "scientific study of"
cerebral cortex
surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities
methadone
synthetic opioid that is less euphorogenic than heroin and similar drugs; used to manage withdrawal symptoms in opiate users
confirmation bias
tendency to ignore evidence that disproves ideas or beliefs
homeostasis
tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level, within a biological system
hypothesis
tentative and testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
that shows changes in metabolic activity over time
Gestalt Psychology
was very influential in Europe. takes a holistic view of an individual and his experiences.
theory
well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena
Maslow and Rogers
were influential in shaping humanistic psychology
debriefing
when an experiment involved in deception, participants are told complete and truthful information about the experiment at its conclusion
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
helix-shaped molecule made of nucleotide base pairs
Wundt and James
helped create psychology as a distinct scientific discipline
latent content
hidden meaning of a dream, per Sigmund Freud's view of the function of dreams
pons
hindbrain structure that connects the brain and spinal cord; involved in regulating brain activity during sleep
medulla
hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate
cerebellum
hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory
melatonin
hormone secreted by the endocrine gland that serves as an important regulator of the sleep-wake cycle
computerized tomography scan (CT)
imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area
wernicke's area
important for speech comprehension
phenotype
individual's inheritable physical characteristics
threshold of excitation
level of charge in the membrane that causes the neuron to become active
survey
list of questions to be answered by research participants--given as a paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally--allowing researchers to collect data from a large number of people
disseratation
long research paper about research that was conducted as a part of the candidate's doctoral training
chromosome
long strand of genetic information
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
magnetic fields used to produce a picture of the tissue being imaged
axon
major extension of the soma
inter-rater reliability
measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular event
empirical method
method for acquiring knowledge based on observation, including experimentation, rather than a method based only on forms of logical argument or previous authorities
random assignment
method of experimental group assignment in which all participants have an equal change of being assigned to either group
archival research
method of research using past records or data sets to answer various research questions, or to search for interesting patterns or relationships
reticular formation
midbrain structure important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity
ventral tegmental area
midbrain structure where dopamine is produced: associated with mood, reward, and addition
substantia nigra
midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; involved in control of movement
polygenix
multiple genes affecting a given trait
glial cell
nervous system that provides physical and metabolic support to neurons, including neuronal insulation and communication, and nutrient and waste transport
reuptake
neurotransmitter is pumped back into the neuron that released it
correlation coefficient
number from -1 to +1, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between variables, and usually represented by r
fact
objective and verifiable observation, established using evidence collected through empirical research
naturalistic observation
observation of behavior in its natural setting
clinical or case study
observational research study focusing on one or a few people
psyche
Greek word for soul
PhD
(doctor of philosophy) doctoral degree conferred in many disciplinary perspectives housed in a traditional college of liberal arts and sciences
PsyD
(doctor of psychology) doctoral degree that places less emphasis on research-oriented skills and focuses more on application of psychological principles in the clinical context
critical thinking, use of scientific method, and critical evaluation of sources of information
What skills were mentioned to which psychology students would be exposed?
fight of flight response
activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or run away to safety
dominant allele
allele whose phenotype will be expressed in an individual that possesses that allele
postdoctoral training program
allows young scientists to further develop their research programs and broaden their research skills under the supervision of other professionals in the field
prefrontal cortex
area in the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning
forensic psychology
area of psychology that applies the science and practice of psychology to issues within and related to the justice system
counseling psychology
area of psychology that focuses on improving emotional, social, vocational, and other aspects of the lives of psychologically healthy individuals
clinical psychology
area of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior
sport and exercise psychology
area of psychology that focuses on the interactions between mental and emotional factors and physical performance in sports, exercise, and other activities
suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
area of the hypothalamus in which the body's biological clock is located
peer-reviewed journal article
article read by several other scientists(usually anonymously) with expertise in the subject matter, who provide feedback regarding the quality of the manuscript before it is accepted for publication
range of reaction
asserts our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate, and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in that range we will fall
parasympathetic nervous system
associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body
consciousness
awareness of internal and external stimuli
terminal button
axon terminal containing synaptic vesicles
Sigmund Freud
believed that understanding the unconscious mind was absolutely critical to understand conscious behavior. He relied on dream analysis, slips of the tongue, and free association as means to access the unconscious.
circadian rhythm
biological rhythm that occurs over approximately 24 hours
central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
sleep regulation
brain's control of switching between sleep and wakefulness as well as coordinating this cycle with the outside world
dendrite
branch-like extension of the some that receives incoming signals from other neurons
gyrus
bump or ridge on the cerebral cortex
wakefulness
characterized by high levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior
neurotransmitter
chemical messenger of the nervous systme
hormone
chemical messenger released by endocrine glands
meditation
clearing the mind in order to achieve a state of relaxed awareness and focus
limbic system
collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory
jet lag
collection of symptoms brought on by travel from one time zone to another that results from the mismatch between our internal circadian cycles and our environment
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
committee of administrators, scientists, and community members that reviews proposals for research involving human participants
Institutional Animal Care and Use Community (IACUC)
committee of administrators, scientists, veterinarians, and community members that reviews proposals for research involving non-human animals
cross-sectional research
compares multiple segments of a population at a single time
lateralization
concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions
inductive reasoning
conclusions are drawn from observations
peripheral nervous system
connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs and senses in the periphery of the body
reliability
consistency and reproducibility of a given result
insomnia
consistent difficulty in falling or staying asleep for at least three nights a week over a month's time
personality trait
consistent pattern of thought and behavior
heterozygous
consisting of two different alleles
homozygous
consisting of two identical alleles
sulcus
depressions or grooves in the cerebral cortex
operational definition
description of what actions and operations will be used to measure the dependent variables and manipulate the independent variables
statistical analysis
determines how likely any difference between experimental groups is due to chance
continuous positive airway pressure
device used to treat sleep apnea; include a mask that fits over the sleeper's nose and mouth, which is connected to a pump that pumps air into the person's airways, forcing them to remain open
membrane potential
difference in charge across the neuronal membrane
evolutionary psychology
discipline that studies how universal patterns of behavior and cognitive processes have evolved over time as a result of natural selection
diabetes
disease related to insufficient insulin production
hindbrain
division of the brain containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum
midbrain
division of the brain located between the forebrain and the hindbrain; contains the reticular formation
antagonist
drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter
agonist
drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitter
stimulant
drug that tends to increase overall levels of neural activity; includes caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine
depressant
drug that tends to suppress central nervous system activity
psychotropic medication
drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance
action potential
electrical signal that moves down the neuron's axon
psychological dependence
emotional, rather than a physical, need for a drug which may be used to relieve psychological distress
pineal gland
endocrine structure located inside the brain that releases melatonin
myelin sheath
fatty substance that insulates axons
euphoric high
feelings of intense elation and pleasure from drug use
William James
first american psychologist and was a proponent of functionalism. He relied on introspection.
stage 1 sleep
first stage of sleep; transitional phrase that occurs between wakefulness and sleep; the period during which a person drifts off to sleep
Behaviorism
focus on observing and controlling behavior
psychoanalytic theory
focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior
Functionalism
focused on how mental activities helped an organism adapt to its environment
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
stage 4 sleep
fourth stage of sleep; deep sleep characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta waves
genotype
genetic makeup of an individual
empirical
grounded in objective, tangible evidence that can be observed time and time again, regardless of who is observing
experimental group
group designed to answer the research question; experimental manipulation is the only difference between the experimental and control groups, so any difference between the two are due to experimental manipulation rather than chances
sudden infant death syndrome
infant (one year old or younger) with no apparent medical condition suddenly dies during sleep
generalize
inferring that the results for a sample apply to the larger population
biological rhythm
internal cycle of biological activity
sympathetic nervous system
involved in stress-related activities and functions
positron emission tomography
involves injecting individuals with a mildly radioactive substance and monitoring changes in blood flow to different regions of the brain
John Watson
is often considered the father of behaviorism
cataplexy
lack of muscle tone or muscle weakness, and in some cases complete paralysis of the voluntary muscles
forebrain
largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures
hemisphere
left or right half of the brain
intospection
process by which someone examines their own conscious experience in an attempt to break it into its component parts
informed consent
process of informing a research participant about what to expect during an experiment, any risks involved, and the implications of the research, and then obtaining the person's consent to participate
American Psychological Association
professional organization representing psychologists in the United States
receptor
protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach
cognitive-behavioral therapy
psychotherapy that focuses on cognitive processes and problem behaviors that is sometimes used to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia
deception
purposely misleading experiment participants in order to maintain the integrity of the experiment
sleep spindle
rapid burst of high frequency brain waves during stage 2 sleep that may be important for learning and memory
electroencephalography (EEG)
recording the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp
attrition
reduction in number of research participants as some drop out of study over time
experimenter bias
researcher expectations skew the results of the study
sleep debt
result of insufficient sleep on a chronic basis
deductive reasoning
results are predicted based on a general premise
developmental psychology
scientific study of development across a lifespan
psychology
scientific study of the mind and behavior
stage 2 sleep
second stage of sleep; the body goes into deep relaxation; characterized by the appearance of sleep spindles
pituitary gland
secretes a number of key hormones, which regulate fluid levels in the body, and a number of messenger hormones, which direct the activity of other glands in the endocrine system
pancreas
secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar
thyroid
secretes hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and appetite
gonad
secretes sexual hormones, which are important for successful reproduction, and mediate both sexual motivation and behavior
illusory correlation
seeing relationships between two things when in reality no such relationships exists
thalamus
sensory relay for the brain
gene
sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics
endocrine system
series of glands that produce chemical substances known as hormones
control group
serves as a basis for comparison and controls for chance factors that might influence the results of the study--by holding such factors constant across groups so that the experimental manipulation is the only difference between groups
adrenal gland
sits atop our kidneys and secretes hormones involved in the stress response
sleep apnea
sleep disorder defined by episodes during which breathing strop during sleep
obstructive sleep apnea
sleep disorder defined by episodes when breathing stops during sleep as a result of blockage of the airway
REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)
sleep disorder in which the muscle paralysis associated with the REM sleep phase does not occur; sleepers have high levels of physical activity during REM sleep, especially during disturbing dreams
night terror
sleep disorder in which the sleep experiences a sense of panic and may scream or attempt to escape from the immediate environment
sleepwalking
sleep disorder in which the sleeper engages in relatively complex behaviors
narcolepsy
sleep disorder in which the sufferer cannot resist falling to sleep at inopportune time
restless leg syndrome
sleep disorder in which the sufferer has uncomfortable sensations in the legs when trying to fall asleep that are relieved by moving the legs
central sleep apnea
sleep disorder with periods of interrupted breathing due to a disruption in signals sent from the brain that regulate breathing
sleep rebound
sleep-deprived individuals will experience shorter sleep latencies during subsequent opportunities for sleep
synapse
small gap between two neurons where communication occurs
allele
specific version of a gene
sleep
state marked by relatively low levels of physical activity and reduced sensory awareness that is distinct from periods of rest that occur during wakefulness
homeostatsis
state of equilibrium--biological conditions, such as body temperature, are maintained at optimal levels
hypnosis
state of extreme self-focus and attention in which minimal attention is given to external stimuli
tolerance
state of requiring increasing quantities of the drug to gain desired effect
theory of evolution by natural selection
states that organisms that are better suited for this environments will survive and reproduce compared to hose that are poorly suited for their environments
synaptic vesicle
storage site for neurotransmitters
manifest content
storyline of events that occur during a dream, per Sigmund Freud's view of the function of dreams
auditory cortex
strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory informaiton
motor cortex
strip of cortex involved in planning and coordinating movement
amygdala
structure in the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories
hippocampus
structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory
longitudinal research
studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly over an extended period of time
resting potential
the state of readiness of a neuron membrane's potential between signals
collective unconscious
theoretical repository of information shared by all people across cultures, as described by Carl Jung
Wertheimer, Koffka, and Köhler
they introduced America to Gestalt ideas.
corpus callosum
thick band of neural fivers connecting the brain's two hemispheres
stage 3 sleep
third stage of sleep; deep sleep characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta waves
identical twins
twins that develop from the SAME sperm and egg
fraternal twims
twins who develop from two DIFFERENT eggs fertilized by different sperm, so their genetic material varies the same as in non-twin siblings
negative correlation
two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes smaller; a negative correlation is not the same thing as not correlation
positive correlation
two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller
methamphetamine
type of amphetamine that can be made from pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter drug; widely manufactured and abused
delta wave
type of low frequency, high amplitude brain wave characteristic of stage 3 and stage 4 sleep
theta wave
type of low frequency, low amplitude brain wave characteristic of the end of stage 1 sleep
alpha wave
type of relatively low frequency, relatively high amplitude brain wave that becomes synchronized; characteristic of the beginning of stage 1 sleep
confounding variable
unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, often giving 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
Structuralism
understanding the conscious experience through introspection
methadone clinic
uses methadone to treat withdrawal symptoms in opiate users
independent variable
variable that is influenced or controlled by the experimenter; in a sound experimental study, the independent variable is the only important difference between the experimental and control group
dependent variable
variable that the researcher measures to see how much effect the independent variable had
withdrawal
variety of negative symptoms experienced when drug use is discontinued
K-complex
very high amplitude pattern of brain activity associated with stage 2 sleep that may occur in response to environmental stimuli
genetic environmental correlation
view of gene-environment interaction that asserts our genes affect our environment, and our environment influences the expression of our genes
biological perspective
view that psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitter systems
observer bias
when observations may be skewed to align with observer expectations
recessive allele
whose phenotype will be expressed only if an individual is homozygous for that allele
rotating shift work
work schedule that changes from early to late on a daily or weekly basis
