Psychology

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Brainstem

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the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

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medulla

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the base of brainstem controlls heartbeat and breathing

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retuicular formation

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a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an importatn role in controlling arousal

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thalamus

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the brains sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the snesory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellus and medulla

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cerebellum

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the little brain- attched to the rear of the brainstem, it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance.

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Note: the lower brain functions all occur w/o any concsious effort

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or brain processes most info outside our awareness

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limbic system

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a doughnut shaped system of neural structures at hte border of the brainstem and cerebral hem. associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus. THe hippocampus processes memory

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amygdala

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two almond shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion (fear/aggression)

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hypothalamus

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maintenance- eating drinking body temp. Helps govern the endocrine system via pituitary and is linked to emotion

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cerebral cortex

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the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells tha tcovers the cerebral hemispheres, the bodys ultimate control and info processing center.

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frontal lobes

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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead, involved in speaking and muscle movements and making plans and judgements

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parietal lobes

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includes sensory cortex

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temporal lobes

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includes auditory areas, each of which recieves aud. infor primarily form the opp ear

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sensroy cortex

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the areas at front of parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

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motor cortex

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an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

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association areas

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areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensroy functions they are involved in higher mental fns such as learning, remembering, thinking and speaking

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aphasia

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impairment of language usually caused by left hem. damage either to braocas or wernicks area

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Broca's area

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controls language expression- an area of the frontal loe, directs muscle movements involved in speech

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Wernicke's area

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controls language reception- a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression (usually left temp lobe)

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corpus callosum

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large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages btw them

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left

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interpreter

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An exp. flashes the word heron acros the visual field HER to the right hemi and ON to the left when asked to indicate what he saw?

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Says he saw on but points to HER

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biological psychology

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a branch ofpsychology concerned with the links bw bio and behavior

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neuron

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a nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system

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axon

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extension of neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, thru which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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action potential

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neural impulse a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. the action potentail is generate by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axons membrane

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threshold

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the level of stimulaion required to trigger a neural impulse

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myelin

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a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasingthe fivers of many neurons, enables vastly greater transmision speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next

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synapse

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the junction betwn the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

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neurotransmitters

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chem messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps btw neurons. when released by the sending neuron they travel across the synapse and bind to the receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencin whether that neuron wil generate a neural impulse.

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acetylcholine

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enables muscle action learning and memory (undersupply- alzheimers)

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dopamine

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influences movemt learning attention and emotion- (parkinson- schizo)

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serotonin

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affects mood, hunger sleep and arousal (prozac)

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norepinephrine

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helps control alertness and arousal (depress)

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endorphins

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morphine within- natural opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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nervous system

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the bodys speedy electrochem comm.

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CNS

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the brain and spinal cord

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PNS

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the sensory and motor neurons that connect hte cns to the rest of the body

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interneurons

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cns neurons that internally communicate and intervene btw the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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sensory neurons

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carry incoming info from the sense receptors to the cns

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motor neurons

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carry outgoing infor from the cns to muscles and glands

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somatic nvs system

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controlls the bodys skeletal muscles

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autonomic nvs system

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscle of the internal organs (such as the heart) its symp arouses and para calms

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sympathetic

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arouses the boy, mobilitzing energy in stressful situations- dialate pupil accel heart inhibit digestion glucose release by liver

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parasympathetic

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calms body conerves energy- contract pupils slows heart stimulates digestoin contracts bladder

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endocrine system

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chemical communication system a set of glands that secrete horomones into the bloodstream

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horomones

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chemical messengers that are produced in one tissue and affect another

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adrenal glands

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pair of endocrince glands above kidneys. secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine which help to arouse the body in times of stress

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pituitary gland

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endocrines most influential gland. Regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

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naturalistic observation

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observing and recording behavior in a naturally occuring situation w/o trying to manipulate and control the situation

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correlation coefficient

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a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

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independent variable

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the experimental factor that is manipulated the vaiable whose effect is being studied.

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dependent variable

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the experimental factor- in psychology, the behavior or mental process- that is being measured; the varible that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

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motor neurons

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carry outgoing infor from the cns to muscles and glands

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somatic nvs system

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controlls the bodys skeletal muscles

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autonomic nvs system

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscle of the internal organs (such as the heart) its symp arouses and para calms

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sympathetic

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arouses the boy, mobilitzing energy in stressful situations- dialate pupil accel heart inhibit digestion glucose release by liver

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parasympathetic

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calms body conerves energy- contract pupils slows heart stimulates digestoin contracts bladder

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endocrine system

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chemical communication system a set of glands that secrete horomones into the bloodstream

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horomones

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chemical messengers that are produced in one tissue and affect another

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adrenal glands

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pair of endocrince glands above kidneys. secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine which help to arouse the body in times of stress

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pituitary gland

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endocrines most influential gland. Regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

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naturalistic observation

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observing and recording behavior in a naturally occuring situation w/o trying to manipulate and control the situation

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correlation coefficient

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a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

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independent variable

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the experimental factor that is manipulated the vaiable whose effect is being studied.

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dependent variable

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the experimental factor- in psychology, the behavior or mental process- that is being measured; the varible that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

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chromosomes

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thread like structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

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genes

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the biochem units of heredity that make up the chromosomes, a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein

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mutation

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rando error in gene rep that leads to a genetic change

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evolutionary psychology

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the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natura selection

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gender

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in psych. the characteristics, whether biologically or socially influenced, by which people define male or female

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behavior genetics

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the study of the relative power and limits of genetic nd environmental influences on behavior

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environment

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every momgenetic influenc, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

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identical twins

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twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

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temperament

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a persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

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interaction

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the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).

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culture

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the enduring behaviour, ideas, attitudes and traditons shared by a large group of people and transmitted fro one generation to the next

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gender role

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a set of expected behviour for males and for females

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gender identity

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ones sense of being male or female

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gender typing

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the acqustion of a traditonal masculine or feminine role

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social learning theory

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the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rearded or punished

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gender schema theory

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the theory that children learn from their cultures a concept of what it means to be male and female and that they adjust their behavior accordingly.

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social psychology

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the scientific st of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

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attribution theory

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the theory that we tend to give a causal explanation for someones behavior, often by crediting either the situation or the persons dispostion

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fundamental attribution error

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the tendency for observers, when analyzing anothers behavior to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

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attitude

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a belief and feeling that predisposes one to respond in a particuar way to objects, people and events

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foot in the door phenomenon

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the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.

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role

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a set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

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cognitive dissonance theory

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the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting disonance by changing our attitudes.

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social psychology

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the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

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conformity

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adjusting ones behaviour or thinking to coincide with a group standard

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normative social influence

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influence resulting from a persons desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

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informational social influence

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influence resulting from ones willingness to accept others opinions about reality

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social facilitation

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improved performance of tasks in the presnce of others, occurs with simple or well learned tasks but not with tasks that are difficult or not yet mastered.

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social loafing

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the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.

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deindividuation

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the loss of self awareness and self restraint occurring in group siturations that foster arousal and anonymity

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group polarization

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the enhancement of a groupls prevailing attitudes thru discussion within the group

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groupthink

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the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

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prejudice

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an unjustifiable (usually negative) attitude toward a group and its memebers. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, megative feelings, and a predispostion to discriminatory action

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stereotype

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a generalized belief about a group of people

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discrimination

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unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members

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ingroup

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"us" people wit whom one shares a common identity

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outgroup

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them- those perceived as different or apart from ones ingroup

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ingroup bias

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the tendency to favor ones own group

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scapegoat theory

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theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame

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just world phenomenon

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the tendenc of peope to believe that the world is just and people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

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aggression

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any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

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frustration aggression principle

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the principlethat frustration- the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal- creates anger, which can generate aggression

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conflict

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percieved incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

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social trap

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a situation in which the conflicting parties by rationally pursuring their self interests become caught in mutually destructive behavior

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mere exposure effect

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the phenom that repeated exposure to novel stimul increases liking of them

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equity

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a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it

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self-disclosure

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revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others

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altruism

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unselfish regard for the welfare of others

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bystander effect

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the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

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social exchange theory

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the theory that our social behavior is anexchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize cost

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superordinate goals

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shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation

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GRIT

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Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension- Reduction- a strategy designed to decrease international tensions