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106 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is psychology? |
Scientific study of behavior and mental processes |
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Goals of psychology |
Description Explanation Prediction Influence |
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Goals of Psychology : Description |
Make notes about behaviors or situations observed. Observation = data Important in early stages of research |
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Goals of psychology : Explaination |
Requires understanding of conditions Understand causes of behaviors and mental processes |
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Goals of psychology : Prediction |
Researchers can specify conditions under which behavior or event is likely to occur
Understand and predict likelihood of ocurrence |
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Goals of psychology :Influence |
Apply a principal to prevent unwanted occurrences Change a condition to prevent unwanted occurrences Bring about desired outcomes |
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Scientific theory |
Theory = a general principle Organizes facts systematically Guides scientific research |
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Basic research |
Seeks nee knowledge (theisis) Explores new topics of understanding Advances scientific understanding Examples : nature of memory, brain function, causes of normal disorders |
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Applied research : goals |
Applying research to life Solving practical problems Improving quality of life
Examples: Methods to improve memory
Therapies to treat mental disorders |
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Descriptive research methods |
Naturalistic obervations Lab observation Case study Surverys & interviews Experiments |
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Naturalistic obervation |
Observing and recording behavior in its natural setting Advantages: study behavior in normal settings Disadvantages : must wait for events to occur Observer bias can distort observation |
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Lab Observation |
Advantages: More control over conditions (sleep studies in a sleep lab) Disadvantages: Less spontaneity behavior |
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Case Study |
One or few participants In depth study over time Studies uncommon psychological or physiological disorders |
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Surverys and Interveiws |
Information about attitudes, beliefs, experiences and behaviors Advantages: Uses large number of people Disadvantages: respondents may provide inaccurate, false information, lie or want to please experimenter and answers accordingly |
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Experminent |
Best for showing cause and effect relationships test a hypothesis |
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Hypothesis |
A prediction about the relationship between two or more variables |
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Variable: |
The things that are changing in an experiment are called variables. A variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types. An experiment usually has three kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled. |
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Independent Variable: |
The independent variable is the one that is changed by the scientist. EX: "How does the size of a dog affect how much food it eats?" |
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Dependent Variable |
The dependent variables are the things that the scientist focuses his or her observations on to see how they respond to the change made to the independent variable |
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Control Group |
The control group is defined as the group in an experiment or study that does not receive treatment by the researchers and is then used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do |
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Experimental Group |
is the group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested. One variable is tested at a time. The experimental group is compared to a control group, which does not receive the test variable |
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Potential Problems in Experimental Research |
Selection Bias Placebo Effect Experimenter Bias |
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Selection Bias |
Differences at the end of an experiment may be due to a pre-existing differences in groups. |
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Placebo effect |
Response to treatment due to expectations instead of treatment Improvement from power of suggestion = "Placebo effect" Use control group to test wether results are due to treatment or placebo effect. |
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Experimenter Bias |
Preconceived motions or expectations causing researchers to find what they expect to find. Researchers can influence participants behaviour. |
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Negative Correlation |
association - more precisely it is a measure of the extent to which two variables are related |
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Positive correlation |
If an increase in one variable tends to be associated with an increase in the other An example would be height and weight. Taller people tend to be heavier. |
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Negative Correlation |
If an increase in one variable tends to be associated with a decrease in the other An example would be height above sea level and temperature. As you climb the mountain (increase in height) it gets colder (decrease in temperature). |
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Correlation of zero |
When there is no relationship between two variables For example their is no relationship between the amount of tea drunk and level of intelligence. |
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Reliability |
Consistency in what is measured Ex: Same score is same person tested and retested |
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Ethics in Research : Participants |
Participation must be voluntary Respect for confidentiality Participants may withdraw at anytime Must be debriefed about full purpose of study and implications |
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Biological perspective (3) |
Structures of brain and CNS Functioning of neurons Impact of genes |
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Evolutionary Perspective |
Humans adapted through Evolution Studies inherited tendencies, dispositions and behaviour Ex: Aggression, avoiding danger, Food prefrences |
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Sociocultural Perspective |
Social and Cultural Influences regarding human behaviour Importance of understanding these influences when we interpret behaviour of others. |
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The Brain (6 points) |
Weighs 3 pound Grey-ish pink in color and wrinkled Size of a grapefruit Makes up less than 2% of the human body Contains over 100 billion neurons (brain cells) Job of brain cells = Transmit a message |
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What is a neuron? |
A nerve cell Conducts impulses throughout the nervous system |
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What is the 3 major parts of a neuron |
Cell body Dendrites Axon |
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Neuron: What is the cell body? |
Contains nucleus Carries out metabolic functions |
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Neuron: what is Dendrites? |
Branch-like extensions of a neuron Receive signals from other neurons |
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Neuron: What is Axon? |
Slender, tail-like extension of a neuron Transmits signals to dendrites or cell body of other neurons Transmits signals to muscle, glands, other parts of body |
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Axon: Myelin Sheath |
White, Fatty coating wrapped around some axons Act as insulation and enable impulses to travel much faster |
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Central Nervous System |
The Brain The spinal cord |
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Peripheral nervous system |
Glandes Ganglia |
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The spinal cord |
Goes from the base of the brain, though the neck, down the hollow center of the spinal column. It links the body with the brain and transmits messages between the brain and the Peripheral Nervous system (PNS) |
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The brain stem (3) |
Made up of the Cedula, Reticuler Formation and Pons |
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The brain stem : Medulla |
Controls automatic functions heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, coughing , swallowing |
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The brain stem : Reticular formation |
Regulates arousal and attention Screens messages entering the brain |
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The brain stem : Pons |
Plays roll in the movement, sleep and dreaming The "bridge" that connects the left and right halves of the brain |
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Cerebellum |
For Balance and mouvement Executes smooth, skilled body movements Regulates muscle one and posture |
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Thalamus |
Located above the brainstem Relay station for information flowing in and out of the particular areas of the brain |
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Hypothalamus |
Located Bloew thalamus Regulates hunger, thirst, sexual behaviour, emotional behaviour, body temperature and biological clock. |
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Limbic system |
Includes amygdala and hippocampus Collectively involved in emotion, memory and motivation |
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Amygdala |
For: Emotions, responses to aversive stimuli |
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Hippocampus |
Essential for transforming new information into-long term memories |
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Corpus Callosum |
allows communication between the two hemispheres of the brain |
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Cerebral Cortex |
Covers cerebral hemispheres For higher mental processes --> language, memory and thinking It makes us humans and distinguishes us from animals |
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How much lobes is in each cerebral hemisphere and name them. |
4 lobes Frontal Parietal Occipital Temporal |
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Frontal Lobes |
Emotional behaviour, moving, speaking, thinking, planning, impulse control emotional responses. Located at front of the brain |
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Motor cortex |
Controls voluntary body movement and located in the frontal lobe |
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Parietal Lobes |
Located behind the frontal lobe For receiving and processing touch stimuli |
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somatosensory cortex |
Touch, pain, pressure, temperature registry . Located in the Parietal Lobes. |
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Occipital Lobes |
Where vision registers. Located at the back |
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Temporal Lobes |
Hearing |
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Left Hemispehre |
Controls RIGHT side of body for: Language, speaking, writing, reading, understanding spoken words. |
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Right Hemisphere |
Controls LEFT side of body For visual-spatial relationships Ex: Artists Specialized for understanding nonverbal behavior |
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Plasticity |
Brain's ability to reorganize and compensate for brain damange |
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EEG Scan |
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test used to find problems related to electrical activity of the brain |
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CT Scan |
X-rays are used to detect brain abnormalities |
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MRI Scan |
Uses magnetic fields to study structure of the brain. Detailed, 3D imaging of brain |
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PET Scan |
Reveals in various parts of brain on the basis of amount of oxygen For: How the brain functions |
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The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is divided into how much parts? Name them |
2 parts Somatic nervous system Autonomic nervous system |
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Autonomic nervous sytem |
Regulates body internal environment: organs, glands, blood vessels |
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Sympathetic nervous system |
Prepares body for action during emergency "Fight or fight" |
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Somatic nervous system |
Controls skeletal muscles and interacts with external environment |
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Carcidan Rhythms |
WE are programmed to function on a 24 hour cycle. Our bodily functions and behaviours fluctuate in 24 hour cycles. EX: appetite, energy, alertness, sleeping, temperature |
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Jetlag |
Biological clock is synchronized with the usual time zone, not the newtime zone |
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Sleep (2 categories, name them) |
NREM and REM |
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NREM |
No rapid eye mouvement Heart Rate and respiration are slow, regular Little Body movement "Quiet Sleep" 4 stages. - stage 1 = lightest sleep stage 2 = Deepest sleep |
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REM |
"Rapid eye movement" Sleep 20-25% of adults sleep per night Intense brain activity occurs Dreaming occurs Our blood pressure rises, heart rate and respiration Eye darts under eyelids= Dreaming |
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Sleep patterns |
Occurs in a predictable pattern and cycles every night Each sleep cycle is 90min long |
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Stage 1 Sleep Cycle |
Asleep a few min "Light sleep" Transition between waking and sleeping |
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Stage 2 Sleep Cycle |
Deeper sleep than stage 1 50% of a total night's sleep is in stage 2 |
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Stage 3 Sleep cycle |
Beginning of deep sleep brain activity shows more delta waves (slower waves) |
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Stage 4 sleep cycle |
Deepest sleep. Lasts 40min very hard to awaken someone at this stage trail to rem sleep. |
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First sleep cycle explanation |
Stage 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> REM (lasts 10-15min in REM) |
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Second sleep cycle explanation |
REM -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> REM |
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After the second sleep cycle explanation |
After the first 2 sleep cycles are over, we no longer go through stage 4. Rather every 90min sleep cycle, we alternate from stage 2 to REM for the rest of the night. Typical night consists of about 5 sleep cycles (7.5 - 8 hours) |
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Sleep: Infants and young children |
Longest sleep times and highest percentage of REM and deep sleep |
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Sleep: Middle childhood (6-12years) |
Fall asleep easily, sleep 8.5-9hours. Wake up easily |
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Sleep : Teenagers |
Averages 7.6hours of sleep Older teens: less than 7 hours |
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Sleep: Adults |
As we age the quality and quantity of sleep decreases Worse sleep occurs when we are over 75 years old More difficulty falling asleep, lighter sleep. |
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Larks? |
Early morning people = larks 25% Body temperature rises fast after they wake up and remains high until 7:30pm Go to bed early |
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Owls? |
Late night people = owls (25%) Body temperature rises slowly throughout the day and peaks in the afternoon and drops in the evenning |
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Why do some people need 6.5 hours and some 9 hours of sleep per day? |
Genetics |
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Sleep Deprivation |
Irritability, difficulty concentrating, attention lapses, minor hallucination |
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REM sleep : Utility in daily lives |
Vital for learning and memory The brain adds and drops things of importance during REM sleep |
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REM Reboud |
Increased amount of REM Sleep Occurs after REM Deprivation Often associated with unpleasant dreams/ nightmares |
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REM Dreams |
Story-like or Dream-like quality. Vivid, visual, emotional, bizarre |
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NREM Dreams |
Mental activity during NREM Sleep More thought-like in quality |
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The most common dream themes? |
Being chased and falling |
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Somnambulism (sleep walking) |
Occurs during partial arousal from stage 4 sleep. Does not come to full consciousness and has no memory of the event |
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Nightmares |
Frightening drams begin during REM Sleep Usually remembered in detail Due to trauma in life, anxiety, emotional problems. |
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Somniloquy ( sleep talking) |
Occurs during any sleep stage more frequent in children Usually indicated tiredness |
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Narcolepsy |
Incurable, execisse daytime sleepiness Uncontrollable attacks of REM sleep Genetics play a role; abnormality of part of brain that controls sleep |
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Sleep apnea |
During Sleep, Breathing stops Person awakens briefly to breath |
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Insomnia |
Difficulty falling asleep Sleep is light, restless or poor quality |
