PSYC G100 Midterm

Why are olfaction and gustation called chemical senses?

They have sensory receptors that respond to molecules in the food we eat or in the air we breathe.

Psychoanalytic theory focuses on ________ and early childhood experiences.

a person's unconscious

Most people are awake during the day and asleep at night because their ________ cycles are aligned with the outside world.

circadian

Petra walks into a brightly lit Psychology lab to participate in an experiment involving the ability to perceive the colors of the rainbow. Which photoreceptors will be most useful during this experiment?

cones

The empirical method of study is based on ________.

observation

Psychology refers to the ________.

scientific study of the mind

Which of the following refers to a broad explanation or group of explanations for some aspect of the natural world that is consistently supported by evidence over time?

scientific theory

What is a limitation that affects the generalizability of research results?

small sample size

Crack is regarded as more addictive than cocaine because it is ________.

smokable, so it reaches the brain more quickly

Human eggs and sperm each contain 23 ________, which are composed of long strands of ________.

Chromosomes and DNA

The space between two neurons is called the ________.

synapse

A state of ________, as shown by EEG recordings of new practitioners, is not an altered state of consciousness; however, patterns of brain waves exhibited by expert practitioners may represent a unique state of consciousness.

meditation

Hyperpolarization means that the ________.

membrane potential becomes slightly more negative than the resting potential

Vinnie is standing on one leg with his arms in the air. The ________ sense helps keep him balanced so he has less chance of falling over.

vestibular

Which of the following would be difficult to assess using empirical research?

whether the id, ego, or superego is most responsible for emotional reactions

Which type of processing involves the interpretation of sensations and is influenced by available knowledge and expectancies?

top-down

Ali is aware of his feelings, emotions, and thoughts. He is also aware of his surroundings, the warmth of the sun, and the sound of nearby traffic. Ali is in a state of ________.

consciousness

Light waves are first transmitted through the ________ at the front of the eye and enter an opening called the ________ before shining onto the retina.

cornea and pupil

The amplitude of a wave is the height of a wave as measured from the highest point on the wave________ to the lowest point on the wave ________.

crest and trough

Melatonin release from the pineal gland is stimulated by ________ and inhibited by ________.

darkness and light

In a ________ study, both the researchers and the participants are unaware of the group assignments.

double-blind

Which psychological perspective might advance the argument that our sleep patterns evolved as an adaptive response to predatory risks, which are higher during periods of darkness?

evolutionary

Changes in behavior and cognitive processes over time are studied by ________.

evolutionary psychologists

Which term describes the tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level, within a biological system?

homeostasis

The belief that strange behavior is linked to the occurrence of a full moon is an example of a(n) ________.

illusionary correlation

Participants were instructed to focus on either white or black objects, disregarding the other color. When a red cross passed across the screen, about one third of the subjects did not notice it. This research protocol demonstrates which concept?

inattentional blindness

Wendy's mother has blue eyes and her father has brown eyes. The allele for brown eye color is dominant (B) to the allele for blue eye color (b), but Wendy has blue eyes. Therefore, Wendy's ________ must be ________ and her father's must be Bb.

genotype and bb

As you are talking to a friend on your cell phone, you might find that you can't hear them because they are speaking very softly. If you ask them to "speak up," from a physical perspective you are asking them to ________ of the sound waves they are producing.

increase the amplitude

Which of these is not one of the structures that comprises the outer ear?

basilar membrane

Psychological researchers study genetics in order to better understand the ________ that contributes to certain behaviors.

biology

Which school of thinking in psychology includes the following concepts: figure-ground relationship, law of continuity, and principle of closure?

Gestalt

In order to assess whether viewpoints on decriminalization of marijuana for medical purposes change with age, four groups of participants, ages 20, 30, 40, and 50, are asked whether they support this issue. What is one flaw of this design?

Social or cultural factors may influence the results, not age.

Who was the first person referred to as a psychologist?

Wilhelm Wundt

Stage 1 sleep is characterized by a predominance of ________ wave activity in the brain.

alpha

A(n) ________ is a well-developed set of ideas that proposes an explanation for observed phenomena.

theory

Samek was driving to work when he suddenly felt paralyzed and couldn't resist falling asleep. Samek may have ________.

narcolepsy

Patwardhan et al. report data from a study where they hired experimental confederates to attend speed dating events, posing as daters, and carefully take notes on the behaviors of the daters. What type of research design did they use?

naturalistic observation

Tariq depends on cigarettes to relieve his stress, though he smokes so frequently that he experiences no significant, noticeable physical symptoms when he is not smoking. What does this exemplify?

psychological dependence

Which of the following defines hypothesis?

tentative explanation

The ________ of a neuron contain ________ that house neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers of the nervous system.

terminal buttons and synaptic vesicles