Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 6 in General Psychology

Social Cognitive Learning Theory

Modeling and observational learning

Thalamus

A structure in the firebrand through which all sensory information, except smell, must pass to get to the cerebral cortex.

Genetic Adoption Studies

Assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents.

Dopamine (DA)

Control of voluntary movement (linked to Parkinson's Diseas). "Reward pathway". Associated with pleasure. In the midbrain.

Right Hemisphere Brain Functions

Creativity and emotion. Holistic Thought, intuition, art, melody of music. Responsible for the left side of the body.

Nature v. Nurture or Nature and Nurture?

Nature (heredity) versus Nurture (environment). According to Robert Plomin, scientists are finding that heredity and experience jointly influence most aspects of behavior.

Where Is the Temporal Lobe located?

Near your ear.

Humanistic perspective

Need for personal growth and need to reach full human potential. (Positive, Optimistic)

Somatic Nervous System

Nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors-in skin, muscles, and joints.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer layer of the cerebrum. Folded and bent (surface area of about 1.5 square feet).

Psychology's Roots

Philosophy and Physiology

Classical Conditioning

Reaction to a stimulus associated with another stimulus.

Cognitive (thinking) Perspective

Refers to mental processes involved in aquiring knowledge.

GABA (gamma amino butyric acid)

Regulates anxiety, sleep, and arousal. Inhibits the CNS. Low- excessive anxiety (oversimplified). Can take anti-anxiety meds, such as Benzodiazepines, to help increase GABA.

Serotonin (5HT)

Regulation of sleep, wakefulness, eating, and aggression. Widespread impact on the brain.

Genetic Twin Studies

Researchers assess hereditary influence by comparing the resemblance of identical twins and fraternal twins with respect to a trait.

Genetic Family Studies

Researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble one another on a specific trait. (Parents or siblings)

The Amygdala

Responsible for primitive emotional reactions (fear). Kids under a lot of trauma develop a powerful amygdala(causing them to behave badly).

Fraternal(dizygotic) Twins

Result when two separate eggs are fertilized simultaneously(their genetic overlap is 50%).

Operant conditioning

Rewards, punishments, reinforcement- only punish when absolutely necessary.

Treatments for low levels of Serotonin

SSRI's(Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)-FDA warnings

Norepinephrine(Noradrenaline)

Secreted by the adrenal glands. A neurotransmitter and a hormone.

The Endocrine System

Secrets chemicals called hormones

What are the 3 specialized types of neurons?

Sensory neurons. Motor neurons. And Mirror neurons.

B. F. Skinner

Skinner's Box. Environmental factors mold behavior. Organisms repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes. Said "free will is an illusion". Theory was Operant Conditioning.

Terminal Buttons/Bulbs

Small knobs that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

Neuron structures

Soma, dendrite, axon, terminal buttons/bulbs, myelin sheath, synapse

Hippocampus

Stores memories throughout the brain. Where neurogenesis occurs.

Occipital Lobe

Takes raw visual data and then makes sense of it.

Autonomic Nervous System divisions

The Sympathetic division and The Parasympathetic division

Plasticity

The ability of our brain to adapt and/or rewire (reconnect) itself.

The Parasympathetic NS division

The branch of the Autonomic NS that generally conserves bodily resources. Slower than the Sympathetic Nervous System.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons (found in the hippocampus)

What is Psychology?

The scientific study of human behavior and mental processes

Epigenetics

The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve modifications to the DNA sequence (pretty much saying that environment can affect your genes).

Sigmund Freud

Theory was Psychoanalysis. Studied the unconscious.

Structuralism

To analyze conciousness and investigate how it's elements are related

Where is the Frontal Lobe located?

Towards the front of your brain.

Frontal Lobe

Voluntary movements, personality, reasoning, logic, screening for proper behavior, long term thinking).

Cross-cultural Theories

Western psychologists incorporate cultural factors into their theories and research

Functionalism

Where Psychology should investigate the function or purpose of consciousness

Who founded Psychology?

Wilhelm Wundt

Neurotransmitters

Dopamine(DA), Serotonin(5HT), Norepinephrine(Noradrenaline), Acetylcholine (ACh), GABA(gamma amino butyric acid), Glutamate, Endorphins

Dopamine (DA) Decrease

Linked to depression

Axon

Long and thin fiber that transmits signals away from the soma to other neurons, muscles, or glands.

Abraham Maslow

"Heiarchy of Needs" pyramid. Studied under Edward Titchener. Said psychologists should be thoughtful of the human drive toward personal growth. Was a humanist.

Identical(monozygotic) Twins

Emerge when a single fertilized egg splits (their genetic overlap is 100%).

Nature and Nurture

Epigenetics has further demonstrated that genetic and environmental factors are inextricably intertwined.

Who inherits a certain degree of vulnerability to a disorder?

Everyone

Adopted/Biological Parents

If adopted children resemble their biological parents on a trait, even if they were not raised by them, genetic factors probably influence that trait.

Adopted/Adoptive Parents

If adoptive children resemble their adoptive parents, even though they inherited no genes from them, environmental factors probably influence the trait (average correlation of .24).

Where is the Occipital Lobe located?

In the back of the brain.

Hypothalamus

In the forebrain. Deals with our basic biological needs(hunger, thirst, sex). Kicks in fight-or-flight response. Regulates extreme emotions like anger.

Central Nervous System

Includes the spinal cord and the brain

Increased Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline)

Increased activity at NE synapses from cocaine and amphetamine usage. Can cause increased arousal, heart rate, blood pressure, releases glucose.

What are neurons?

Individual cells in the Nervous System that recieve, integrate, and transmit imformation.

William James

Influenced by darwin. His theory was functionalism. Published "Principles of Psychology" in 1890. "Stream of consciousness"

Psychoanalysis

Insight therapy that emphasizes the recovery of unconscious conflicts, motives, and defenses

Mirror Neurons

Involved with our ability to imitate others

Sensory Neurons

Involved with sending/receiving messages to/from our sensory organs.

Who founded Behaviorism?

John B. Watson

Synapse

Junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to another.

Left Hemisphere Brain Functions

Language and logic. Analytic thought, science and math, risk taking, timing, rhythm of music. Responsible for the right side of the body.

Cerebellum

Large and deeply folded structure. Involved in the coordination of movement or physical "balance". Also, posture, muscle tone and memory of skilled motor movements.(Ex: The cerebellum is what allows you to hold your hand out to the side and then smoothly bring your finger to a stop on your nose).

Cerebrum

Largest and most complex part of the brain. Includes the brain areas that are responsible our most complex activities (learning, remembering, thinking, and consciousness itself). It is divided into two hemispheres.

Serotonin (5HT) Decrease

Lead to depression. Can cause depression, OCD, eating disorders.

The Sympathetic division

The branch of the Autonomic NS that mobilizes the body's resources for emergencies. Creates the fight-or-flight response. When activated, it slows down digestive processes and drains blood from the peripherary.

Carl Rogers

Theory was "Person-centered Theory". Said human behavior is determined primarily by an individual's sense of self or self-concept. A humanist.

John B. Watson

Theory was Classical Conditioning. Debate of Nature versus Nurture. He sided with nurture because he believed the environment played a key role in determining an individual's behavior. Went through a divorce scandal (1920). Known as the first real behaviorist. Famous quote about infants. "Little Albert"-white furry things

What happens in the Autonomic NS when it's activated?

There is increased oxygen and alertness. Adrenalin and Cortisol are released from adrenal glands. The pancreas releases sugar. Hair stands up to appear more threatening and helps sense a sooner warning of approach.

The unconscious

Thoughts, memories, and desires that are below the surface of conscious awareness, but can influence behavior.

Where is the Parietal Lobe located?

Upper back of the brain.

Positive Psychology

Uses theory and research to better understand the positive, adaptive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of human existance

Motor Neurons

Work with our muscles and glands

Fight-or-Flight response occurs in...

the Autonomic Nervous System

Where do most psychologists work?

(APA) or the American Psychological Association

7 unifying themes of psychology

1.Psychology is empirical (verifiable by observation/evidence). 2.Multiple theories. 3.Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context (Ex: Freud during Victorian era). 4.Behavior is determined by multiple causes. 5.Nature and Nurture. 6.Experience is subjective. 7.Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage.

Ivan Pavlov

A behaviorist. Studied only observable events. Collected dog saliva. 1st Russian to win a Nobel prize. Theory was Classical conditioning (same as John B. Watson).

Pons

A bridge of fibers that connect the brainstem with the cerebellum. Releases chemicals to help us sleep. Involved in one of the theories about dreaming. Located in the Hindbrain.

Accident of Phineas Gage 1848

A railroad spike was driven through his head and by accident, making it possible to study the Frontal Lobe.

What neurotransmitter is the only neurotransmitter located between motor neurons and voluntary muscles?

Acetylcholine (ACh)

What does the Parasympathetic NS division do?

Activates processes that allow the body to save and store energy. Never let's the Sympathetic NS division run out of control.

Medulla (Med-u-la-a-BLOOD-gada)

Attached to the Spinal Cord. Controls largely unconscious but essence all functions (heart rate, circulation, blood pressure, breathing, reflexes:such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting). Affected by alcohol. Located in the Hindbrain.

Albert Bandura

Bo Bo the Clown. Studied Observational Learning. His theory was Social Cognitive Learning Theory.

Dendrite

Branch like structures-they receive information

Low levels of Norepinephrine(Noradrenaline)

Can cause depression and believed to modulate mood and arousal

The periphery then...

Causes blood to move away from extremities to lessen bleeding in the case of injury.

Soma

Cell body-contains the cell nucleus

Dopamine (DA) Increase

Cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at DA synapses. High levels are implicated with Schizophrenia. Alcohol, drugs, adventurous activities..increase DA levels

Spinal Cord

Connects the brain to the rest of the body through the Peripheral Nervous System. Runs from the base of the brain to just below the level of the waist.

Cortisol (stress hormone)

Constant release of this can damage and shrink the size of the hippocampus physically. Stopping neurogenesis.

The Limbic System

Contains the hippocampus and amygdala.

Reticular Formation or Reticular Activating System

Controls alertness, arousal, attention, awakeness, pain perception. Alcohol can affect it and make someone unconscious.

Pruning

Elimination of old or less active(used) synapses

Biological Perspective

Emphasizes physiological bases of behavior in humans and animals.

Glutamate

Excites and turns neurons on. Related to learning and memory.

Myelin sheath

Fatty, white substance that insulates material that encases some axons

Glia Cells

Found throughout the Nervous System. Supply nurishment to neurons and remove waste.

The Four Lobes

Frontal, Occipital, Temporal, Parietal

Wilhelm Wundt

He established the first Psychology Research lab in 1879. Published the first Journal of Psychological Research in 1881. Studied the consciousness.

Peripheral Nervous System (Includes the SNS and ANS)

Made up of nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord.

Parietal Lobe

Makes sense of touch raw sensory data.

Autonomic Nervous System

Nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands(Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland, Adrenal Gland) Controls automatic, involuntary, visceral functions that people don't normally think about (heart rate, digestion, perspiration)

What neurotransmitter is also a hormone?

Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline)

Evolutionary Psychology

Observes behavioral processes of a species over the course of many generations

Observational learning

Occurs when an organism's responding is influenced by observing others.

Endorphins

Our natural OPIATES: decrease pain. "Runner's High"

Reuptake

Process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Released by our motor neurons to make us walk and talk. Related to attention, arousal, and memory. Low levels may be related to Alzheimer's disease, but not the cause.

What neurotransmitter, if it's levels are low, can cause the balance of other neurotransmitters to fluctuate?

Serotonin

Edward Titchener

Studied under Wilhelm Wundt. His theory was Structuralism. Studied the mind using Introspection.

Introspection

Systematic self-observation of one's own conscious experience

Temporal Lobe

Takes raw auditory data and then makes sense of it.