Psychology Exam 1
Four primary goals of science:
description, prediction, control, and explanation
Three Main Types of Research Methods
descriptive, correlational, experimental
Rene Descartes' ________ was important for the development of psychology because it offered the possibility of being able to understand and explain at least some parts of human behavior in purely mechanical terms.
development of the hydraulic model of reflexes and the distinction between mind and body
Rene Descartes' ________________ was important for the development of psychology because it offered the possibility of being able to understand and explain at least some parts of human behavior in purely mechanical terms.
development of the hydraulic model of reflexes and the distinction between mind and body.
T or F An experiment with 2 IVs and 2 DV is by necessity confounded
false
T or F In a correlational study the experimenter manipulates an IV and measures a DV.
false
T or F. If we collect data on Number of classes missed and Final Grade in the course, we most likely would find that as Number of Classes missed increases, final grade decreases. This would demonstrate a positive correlation.
false
T or F. Dr. C has a Ph.D. in psychology, he is a specialist in statistics, and IQ test development. He is known as a clinical neuro-diagnostician.
false
T or F. In reference to surveys, sampling bias means that the participants in the survey are biased against the questions asked.
false
T or F. The Burden of Proof standard for evaluating theories is that if you do not believe a theory, it is up to you to prove that it is wrong - the burden to disprove the theory fall on you not the proponents the theory
false
On hot summer days, Devon relies on what brain structure to monitor his thirst and the need to drink more water?
hypothalamus
In an experiment on the effects of cocaine on maze learning in rats, the experimenter gives one group of rats cocaine and another group no cocaine and then measures the number of trails each rat needs to learn the maze. In this experiment, Drug is the ______ variable and number of trials needed to learn the maze is the ______ variable.
independent/dependent
Two types of ions that contribute to a neurons resting membrane potential:
sodium and potassium ions.
Correlations
+1.0 > = r > = -1.0 positive: as A increases B increases negative: as A increases B decreases zero: A and B are unrelated R = -0.9 indicates a stronger relationship that R = +0.7
Action Potential
- Aka neural firing - The electrical signal that passes along the axon. This signal causes the terminal buttons to release chemicals that transmit signals to other neurons.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Consists of the brain and spinal cord.
Correlation Studies
- Examine how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them or assign causation between them. - Used to describe and predict relationships between variables. - Cannot be used to determine the casual relationship between variables. - Researchers cannot alter variables. - Researchers cannot draw conclusions from this.
Amygdala
- Located in front of the hippocampus - Involved in learning about biologically relevant stimuli - Plays a special role in responding to stimuli that elicit fear. - Also involved in evaluating facial expressions emotional significance. Especially strong in a fearful face. - Also intensifies the function of memory during times of emotional arousal.
Cerebral Cortex
- Located on the forebrain -
Hypothalamus
- Master regulatory structure. - Indispensable to the organisms survival. - Located below the thalamus. - Projects influence to almost everywhere in the body and brain. - Affects the functions of many internal organs, regulating body temperature, body rhythms, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels.
Hippocampus
- Plays an important role in the formation of new memories.
Three major advances
- Progress in understanding brain chemistry - Developments in neuroscience - Advances in decoding the human genome
Once a neurotransmitter has finished binding with the postsynaptic receptor site, which of the following occur at the end of the transmission?
- Reuptake - Autoreception - Enzyme deactivation
Alicia is being tickled by her older sister. Which divisions of the nervous system are receiving the signals from her sister's fingers?
- Somatic - Peripheral
When Andrew proposes to Heidi, her heartbeat quickens, her pupils dilate, and her breath quickens as she answers, "Yes!" Which parts of the nervous system are activating these responses?
- Sympathetic - Autonomic - Peripheral
Basal Ganglia
- System of subcortical structures crucial for planning and producing movement. - Sends input to the motor centers of the brain stem. - Can impair the learning of movements and habits.
Both of William's parents have brown hair, but he was born with red hair. Which of the following occurred to produce this redheaded child?
- Two recessive red hair genes combined. - William inherited red hair genes.
Jorge takes a drink offered to him at a party. The next thing he knows, he wakes up in the middle of a field and cannot recall the night's events. What might the drink have contained?
- a glutamate antagonist - an acetylcholine antagonist
Which parts of the nervous system would send messages from a person's sore knee to alert him or her to stop running and rest?
-Peripheral -Somatic
Synapse
A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.
Cerebellum
A large protuberance connected to the back of the brain stem. Looks like an extra brain. Important for motor function.
Six steps of the scientific method
1. forming a hypothesis 2. conduct a literature review 3. design a study 4. conduct the study 5. analyze the data 6. report the results
Jean Piaget
1924 Proposed a theory of infant and child development. Cognitive development occurs in a fixed series of "stages", from birth to adolescence.
Casual Interference
A conclusion that when one thing happens, another specific thing will follow.
Myelin Sheath
A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next. Made up of glial cells.
Corpus Callosum
A massive bridge of millions of axons, connects the hemisphere and allows information to flow between them.
Nocebo Effect
A negative placebo effect due to the expectation of adverse consequences from receiving treatment
Axons
A part of a neuron that carries impulses away from the cell body
Refractory Period
A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
A powerful magnetic field used to momentarily disrupt the brains magnetic forces. Energy is released from brain tissue in a form that can be measures by detectors surrounding the head. Provides information about the structure of the brain. Ex: can determine the location of brain damage or of a brain tumor.
Hypothesis
A specific, testable prediction, narrower than theory is based on.
Theory
An explanation or model of how a phenomenon works. Used to explain prior observations and to make predictions about future events.
The action potential starts from the
Axon Hillock
Biopsychologist
Behavioral neuroscientist
Dr. C has a PhD in psychology, she conducts research on hormonal influences on brain development and neural integrity in rats. She is known as a..
Biopsychologist
Dendrites
Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.
Standard of Proof for Scientific Evidence
Data collected using scientifically accepted methods Peer review of data and theory Replication of data
Research
Careful collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.
Neurotransmission
Chemical signals between neurons, take chemical from one neuron, transmit it to another
Neurotransmitters
Chemicals that are made in the axon and stored in vesicles. After they are released from the vesicle, they convey a signal across the synapse to postsynaptic cells.
Axon Hillock
Cone shaped region of an axon where it joins the cell body.
Brain Stem
Consists of the medulla oblongata, the pons, and the midbrain. It houses the nerves that control the most basic functions of survival, such as heart rate, breathing, swallowing, vomiting, urination, and orgasm. Performs functions similar to the spinal cord.
Polarization
Created the electrical energy necessary to power the firing of the neuron.
Excitatory Signals
Depolarize the cell membrane. i.e. decrease polarization by decreasing the negative charge inside the cell. Encourages the neuron to fire.
Electroencephalograph
Device that measures brain activity.
All or None Principle
Dictates that a neuron fires with the same potency each time.
Serotonin
Emotional states and impulsiveness Dreaming
Glutamate
Enhancement of action potentials Learning and memory
Experimenter Expectancy Effect
Evidence that observer expectations can change the behavior being observed.
Directionality Problem
Ex: the more weight people gain, the less likely they might be to exercise.
Experiment Demand Characteristic
Experiment's appearance/demeanor suggests a response. (Orne, 1969)
Inhibitory Signals
Hyperpolarize the cell. i.e. increase polarization by increasing the negative charge inside the cell. Discourages the neuron from firing.
Parsimony
Identifying the simplest and most accurate explanation for brain processes and human behaviors
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
Inhibition of action potential Anxiety reduction
Case Study
Intensive examination of an unusual person or organization
Participant Seriousness
Is the participant serious and honest about being surveyed?
Sampling Bias
Is the sampling of participants appropriate for the population to which you wish to generalize.
Cell Body
Largest part of a typical neuron; contains the nucleus and much of the cytoplasm
Broca's Area
Left frontal region Crucial for the production of langauge.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Makes use of the brains blood flow directly by tracking a radioactive substance. Measures blood flow directly by tracking a radioactive substance. Measures blood indirectly by assessing changes in the bloods oxygen level.
Autoreceptors
Monitors how much neurotransmitter has been released into the synapse.
Acetylecholine
Motor control over muscles. Learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming.
Postsynaptic Neuron
Neuron that receives the signal.
Presynaptic Neuron
Neuron that sends the signal
Enzyme Deactivation
Occurs when an enzyme destroys the neurotransmitter in the synapse.
Reuptake
Occurs when the neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic terminal buttons.
Zero Correlation
One variable is not predictly related to a second variable. Ex: height and intelligence
Endorphins
Pain reduction Reward
Burden of Proof
Proponents of position must offer valid proof of claim.
Empiricism
Psychologists gain accurate knowledge about behavior and mental processes only by observing the world and measuring aspects of it
Autoreception
Released neurotransmitters bind to receptors on the presynaptic neuron.
Replication
Repeating a study to see if the results are the same (or similar)
Descriptive Research
Research methods that involve observing behavior to describe that behavior objectively and systematically.
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Responsible for motor control at the junctions between nerves and muscles.
Dopamine
Reward and motivation Motor control over voluntary movement
Nodes of Raniver
Small gaps of exposed axon, between the segments of myelin sheath, where action potentials take place
Variable
Something in the world that can vary and that a researcher can manipulate, measure, or both
Broca linked a loss of function in his patients to lesioned areas in the left hemisphere of their brains. What is the function of Broca's area?
Speaking
Receptors
Specialized proteins that are located on the postsynaptic membrane that specifically respond to the chemical structure of the neurotransmitter available in the synapse.
Bell Magendie The Reflex Arc
Stimulus -> Afferent (Dorsal) Neuron Interneuron -> Efferent (Ventral) Neuron -> Response
Environment Demand Characteristic
Structure of the environment suggests a response. (Orne, 1969)
Self Report Methods
Surveys or questionnaires Can be used to gather data from a large number of people in a short time.
Observational Method
Systematically and objectively collect information about behavior in its natural setting.
Case Study Method
Systematically and objectively collecting information about the behavior of a single individual. Ex: Freud's psychoanalysis Broca and Tom
Terminal Buttons
The branched end of the axon that contains neurotransmitters.
Resting Membrane Potential
The difference in the electrical charge occurs because the ratio of negative to positive ions is greater inside the neuron than outside it.
Hyperpolarization
The movement of the membrane potential of a cell away from rest potential in a more negative direction.
Naturalistic Observation
The observer is passive, separated from the situation and making no attempt to change or alter ongoing behavior
Depolarization
The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior (cell membrane) to become more positive.
Participant Observation
The researcher is involved in the situation
Cognitive Psychology
The study of mental functions such as intelligence, thinking, language, memory, and decision making.
Phrenology
The study of the conformation of the skull based on the belief that it is indicative of mental faculties and character.
Independent Variable
The variable that gets manipulated in a research study.
Dependent Variable
The variable that gets measured in a research study.
Negative Correlation
The variables move in opposite directions. An increase in one variable predicts a decrease in the other variable.
Question Form
The wording of a question leads to a response bias.
A recent study reported that in children there is a positive correlation between exposure to lead, exposure to smoke and ADHD. From this result you can safely conclude that: A. these three variable are positively correlated. B. smoke and lead exposure interact to cause ADHD C. smoke & lead exposure separately cause ADHD D. ADHD causes both exposure to smoke and exposure to lead.
These three variables are positively correlated.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Uses a very fast but powerful magnetic field to disrupt brain activity momentarily in a specific brain region.
Polarized
When a neuron has more negative ions inside that outside
Positive Correlation
When higher or lower values on one variable predict higher or lower values on a second variable. Describes a situation where both variables either increase or decrease together- the move in the same direction.
A man and a woman in their sixties both suffer strokes of comparable severity. Who is likely to have less impairment in language use?
Woman
Falsifability
a theory must lead to hypotheses that, when tested, could actually fail to support the theory
The _____ principle holds that when a neuron fires, it fires with the same potency each time; a neuron either fires or not—it cannot partially fire, although the frequency of firing can vary
all-or-none
Norepinephrine
arousal, vigilance, attention
Dr. C has a Ph.D. in psychology, she conducts research on hormonal influences on brain development and neuronal integrity in rats. She is known as a..
biopsychologist -behavioral neuroscientist
T or F. The scientific method is superior to other claim of knowledge because it is self-correcting and requires precision of thought.
true
T or F. Case studies and some observational methods could encounter a problem in that 1) the presence of the observer may change the behavior of the participant, and 2) the sample of participants used may not be representative of the population you might want to generalize
true
T or F. Rene Descartes' hydraulic model of reflexes was important for the development of psychology because it offered the possibility of being able to understand and explain at least some parts of human behavior in purely mechanical terms.
true
T or F. Two of the major advantages of the scientific method are it's precision of thought and self-correction.
true