Psychology Exam #1

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Basic research

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research focused on aquiring knowledge that might not have a direct practical application

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applied research

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research that attempts to find a solution to specific problems

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experimental psychologists

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psychologists who apply experimental methods to the study of behavior

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comparative psychologists

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psychologists who study behavior similarities and differences among animal species

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physiociological psychologists

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psychologists who focus on the biological underpinnings of behavior

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clinical psychologists

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psychologists who use psychological techniques to evaluate/treat people with mental disorders

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psychiatrists

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medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental of psychological disorders

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counseling psychologists

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psychologists who help people clarify their life goals, problems, etc.

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school psychologists

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psychologists who evaluate/assist children with learning problems/needs

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educational psychologists

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psychologists who study the measurement of intelligence and the process involved in academic achievement

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personality psychologist

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psychologists who study the psychological characteristics and behaviors that distinguish us as individuals and lead us to act a certain way over time

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social psychologists

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psychologists who study groups or social influences on behaviors and attitudes

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environmental psychologists

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psychologists who study relationships between the physical environment and behavior

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industrial/organizational psychologists

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psychologists who study peoples behavior at work

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consumer psychologists

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psychologists who study why people purchase particular products or brands

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neuropsychologists

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psychologists who study relationships between the brain and behavior

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geropsychologists

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psychologists who focus on psychological processes involved in aging.

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forensic psychologists

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psychologists involved in the application of psychology to the legal system

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sport psychologists

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psychologists who apply psychology to understand and improve athletic performance

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inferences

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conclusions drawn from observation

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theories

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formulations that account for relationships among observed events or experimental findings in ways that make them more understandable and predictable.

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variables

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factors or measures that varry within an experiment or among individuals

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scientific method

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a method of inquiry involving careful observation and use of experimental methods

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hypothesis

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a premise prediction about the outcome of an experiment

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statistics

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a branch of mathematics involving the tabulation, analysis, and interpertation of numerical data

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statistical significance

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a term representing that a finding is unlikely to have been due to chance or random fluctuation

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replication

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the attempt to duplicate findings

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case study method

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an in depth study of one or more individuals

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survey method

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a research method that uses structured interviews or questionnaires to gather information about groups or people

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structured interview

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an interview in which a particular set of questions is asked in a particular order

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questionnaire

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a written set of questions or statements to which people reply by marking their responses on an answer form

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population

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all the individuals or organisms that constitute a particular group

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samples

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subsets of a population

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random sampling

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a method of sampling in which each individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected

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social desirability bias

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the tendency to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner.

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volunteer bias

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the type of bias that arises when people who volunteer to participate in a survey or research study have characteristics that make them unrepresentative to the population from which they were drawn

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naturalistic observation method

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a method of research based on careful observing of behavior in natural settings

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empirical approach

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a method of developing knowledge based on evaluating evidence gathered from experiments and careful observation

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correlation method

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a research method that examines relationships between variables

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experimental method

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a method of scientific investigation involving the manipulation of independent variables and observation or measurement of their effects on dependent variables

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independent variables

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factors that are manipulated in an experiment

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dependent variables

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the effects or outcomes of an experiment that are believed to be dependent on the values of the independent variables

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control groups

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groups of research participants in an experimental study who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention

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random assignment

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a method of randomly assigning research participants to experimental control groups

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placebo

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An inert substance of experimental condition that resembles the active treatment

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placebo effects

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positive outcomes of an experiment resulting from a participants expectations about the effects of treatment rather than from the experimental treatment itself

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single blind studies

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in drug research, studies in which research participants are kept uninformed about whether they are receiving the experimental drug or a placebo

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double blind studies

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In drug research, studies in which both participants and experimenter are kept uninformed about which participants receive the active drug and which receive the placebo

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ethics review committees

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committees that evaluate whether proposed studies meet ethical guidelines

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informed consent

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agreement to participate in a study following disclosure of information about the purposes and nature of the study and it's potential risks and benefits

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neurons

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nerve cells

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brain

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the mass of nerve tissue encased in the skull that controls virtually everything we are and everything we do

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soma

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the cell body of a neuron contains the nucleus of a cell and carries out the cells metabolic functions

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axon

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the tubelike part of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body toward other neurons

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terminal buttons

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swellings at the tips of axons from which neurotransmitters are dispatched into the synapse

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neurotransmitters

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chemical messengers that transport nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another

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synapse

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the small fluid-filled gap between neurons through which neurotransmitters carry neural impulses

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dendrites

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treelike structures projecting from the stoma that receive neural messages from neighboring neurons

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motor neurons

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neurons that convey nerve impulses from the central nervous system to muscles and glands

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sensory neurons

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neurons that transmit information from sensory organs, muscles and inner organs to the spinal cord and brain.

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interneurons

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nerve cells in the central nervous system that connect neurons to neurons; in the brain they are involved in the processing of information

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nerve

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a bundle of axons from different neurons that transmit nerve impulses

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glial cells

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small but numerous cells in the nervous system that support neurons that form the myelin sheath found on many axons

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myelin sheath

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a layer of protective insulation that covers the axons of certain neurons and helps speed transmission of nerve impulses

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nodes of ranvier

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gaps in the myelin sheath that create non insulated areas along the axon

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multiple sclerosis (MS)

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a disease of the central nervous system in which the myelin sheath is damaged or destroyed

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resting potential

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the electrical potential across the cell membrane of a neuron in its resting state

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depolarization

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a positive shift in the electrical charge in the neurons resting potential, making it less negatively charged

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action potential

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an abrupt change from a negative to a positive charge of a nerve cell, also called a neural impulse.

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all-or-none principle

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The principle by which neurons will fire only when a change in the level of excitation occurs that is sufficient enough to produce an action potential

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refractory period

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a temporary state in which a neuron is unable to fire in response to continued stimulation

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reuptake

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the process in which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the transmitting neuron

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antagonists

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drugs that block the actions of neurotransmitters by occupying the receptors in which the neurotransmitters dock

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agonists

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drugs that either increase the availability or effectiveness of neurotransmitters or mimic their actions.

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hindbrain (includes 3 main parts)

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the lowest and, in evolutionary terms, oldest part of the brain; includes the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

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medulla

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a structure in the hindbrain involved in regulating basic life functions, such as heartbeat and respiration.

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pons

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a structure in the hindbrain involved with sleep and wakefulness. (arousal)

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brainstem

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the "stalk" in the lower part of the brain that connects the spinal cord to higher regions of the brain

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cerebellum

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a structure in the hindbrain involved in controlling coordination and balance

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midbrain

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the part of the brain that lies on the top of the hindbrain and below the forehead

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reticullar formation

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a weblike function of neurons involved in regulating states of attention, alertness, and arousal

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forebrain
(6 main parts)

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the largest and uppermost part of the brain; contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex.

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thalamus

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a structure in the forebrain that serves as a relay station for sensory information and that plays a key role in regulating states of wakefulness and sleep (relay center)

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"relay center"

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thalamus

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basal ganglia

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an assemblage of neurons lying in the forebrain that is important in controlling movement and coordination

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hypothalamus

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a small, pea sized structure in the forebrain that helps regulate many vital bodily functions, including body temperature and reproduction, as well as emotional states, aggression, and response to stress.

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limbic system

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a formation of structures in the forebrain that includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus; is involved in memory and emotional processing

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amygdala

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a set of almond-shaped structures in the limbic system believed to play an important role in aggression, rage, and fear

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hippocampus

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a structure in the limbic system involved in memory functions

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cerebral cortex

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the wrinkled, outer layer of the gray matter that covers the cerebral hemispheres; controls higher mental functions, such as thought and language.

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cerebrum

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the largest mass of the forebrain consisting of two cerebral hemispheres.

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cerebral hemisphere

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the right and left masses of the cerebrum which are joined by the corpus callosum.

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corpus callosum

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the thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres

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occipital lobes

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the parts of the cerebral cortex, located at the back of both cerebral hemispheres, that process visual stimuli.

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parietal lobes

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the parts of the cerebral cortex, located on the side of each cerebral hemisphere, that process bodily sensations.

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somatosensory cortex

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the part of the parietal lobe that process information about touch and pressure on the skin, as well as position of the parts of our bodies as we move about

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frontal lobes

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the parts of the cerebral cortex located at the front of the cerebral hemispheres, that are considered the "executive center" of the brain because of their role in higher mental functions.

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"executive center" of brain

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frontal lobes

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motor cortex

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a region of the frontal lobes involved in regulating body movement

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temporal lobes

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the parts of the cerebral cortex lying beneath and somewhat behind the frontal lobes that are involved in processing auditory stimuli.

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association areas

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parts of the cerebral cortex that piece together sensory information to form meaningful perceptions of the world, and perform higher mental functions

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EGG (electroencephalograph)

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a device that records electrical activity in the rain

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CT (computed tomography) scan
or CAT scan

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a computer-enhanced imaging technique in which an X-ray beam is passed through the body at different angels to generate a three-dimensional image of bodily structures

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PET (positron emission tomography)

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An imaging technique in which a radioactive sugar tracer is injected into the bloodstream and used to measure levels of activity of various parts of the brain.

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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

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A technique that uses a magnetic field to create a computerized image of internal bodily structures.

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lesioning

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In studies of brain functioning, the intentional destruction of brain tissue in order to observe the effects on behavior

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electrical recording

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as a method of investigating brain functioning, a process of recording the electrical changes that occur in a specific neuron or groups of particular activities or behaviors

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electrical stimulation

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as a method of investigating brain functioning, a process of electrically stimulating particular parts of the brain to observe effects on behavior.

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lateralization

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the specialization of the right and left cerebral hemispheres for particular functions

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Broca's area

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an area of the left frontal lobe involved in speech

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Wernicke's area

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an area of the left temporal lobe involved in processing written and spoken language

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aphasia

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loss or impairment of the ability to understand or express language.

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plasticity

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the ability of the brain to adapt itself after trauma or surgical alteration

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stroke

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the sudden loss of consciousness and resulting paralysis, loss of sensation, and other disability or death resulting from blockage of blood to a part of the brain or from bleeding in the brain

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prefrontal cortex

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the area of the frontal lobe that lies in front of the motor cortex and that is involved in higher mental functions, including thinking, planning, impulse control, and weighing the consequences of behavior

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laceration

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a type of brain trauma in which a foreign object, such as a bullet or a piece of shrapnel pierces the skull and injures the brain.

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epilepsy

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A neurological disorder characterized by seizures marked by sudden violent discharges of electrical activity in the brain

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split-brain patients

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persons whose corpus callosum has been surgically severed.

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genotype

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an organisms genetic code

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nervous system

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the network of nerve cells for communicating and processing information from within and outside the body

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central nervous system

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the part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

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spine

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the protective bony column that houses the spinal cord

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reflex

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an automatic, unlearned response to particular stimuli

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spinal reflex

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a reflex controlled at the level of the spinal cord that may involve as few as two neurons

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peripheral nervous system

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the part of the nervous system that connects the spinal cord and the brain with the sensory organs, muscles and glands.

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somatic nervous system

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that transmits information between the central nervous system and the sensory organs and muscles; also controls voluntary movements

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autonomic nervous system

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the part of the peripheral nervous system that automatically regulates involuntary bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion

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sympathetic nervous system

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the branch of the autonomic nervous system that accelerats bodily process and releases the stores of energy needed to meet increased physical demands

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parasympathetic nervous system

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the branch of the autonomic nervous system that regulates bodily processes, such as digestion, that replenish stores of energy.

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spinal cord

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the column of nerves that transmits information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system