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| Question | Answer |
| Psychology | The scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior. Think, feel, act |
| Evolution | Variation in trait, Heritability of trait, Differential reproductive fitness |
| Francis Galton | Behavior and mental processes shaped by evolution |
| Nature-Nurture Debate | Nature = Genes Nurture = Environment Includes biological environment ex: culture, environment, behavior |
| Psyche | Soul, spirit, or mind |
| Logos | Study of a subject matter |
| Epistomology | The study of how we gain knowledge |
| Wilhelm Wundt | Established 1st laboratory for study of psychology in 1879 in German. Influenced by reductionism. Defined psychology as scientific study of the structure of conscious experience. |
| Biological Approach | Behavior determined by physiological factors & approach |
| Sigmund Freud | Approach to psc grew out of efforts to treat mental disorders. Developed psychoanalytic theory. |
| Sigmund Freud's emphasis | The unconscious processes influencing behavior |
| Wilhelm Wundt's influence | Reductionism |
| Wilhelm Wundt's def of psych | The scientific study of the structure of conscious experience. Used introspection |
| William James | Influence: Darwin. Focused on functionalism |
| Functionalism | Investigating the function or purpose of consciousness |
| John B. Watson | Founded Behavioralism. Behavior = overt (observable) response or activity by an organism. Abandoned study of consciousness |
| Evolutionary approach | Roots in functionalism. Behavior arises as a function of our adaptive response to the environment |
| Evolutionary approach (cont.) assumes | Assumes behavioral similarities between humans and other animals are biologically based |
| Psychodynamic Approach | Behavior is influenced by the unconscious. Unconscious conflict related to sexuality plays role in behavior. Met w/ resistance |
| Behavioral Approach | Nurture, not nature; Emphasized the environment |
| Cognitive approach | Understanding how we gain and use knowledge |
| Cognition | Thought, information processing |
| Humanistic approach | Behavior determined by each individual’s capacity to think & act. Maslow, Rogers: major proponents |
| Humanistic approach assumes | People are generally good, and competent to make decisions |
| Goals of Research | Want accurate understanding of psychological phenomena. Purpose: describe, explain, predict, control |
| The Scientific Method | A set of rules consisting of certain assumptions, attitudes, goals, & procedures for creating & answering questions about nature. |
| Rationalism | Nature is lawful & the laws of nature are understandable. [Assumptions of sci method] |
| Determinism | Behavior is determined. [Assumptions of sci method] |
| Empiricism | Nature is “experienceable.” [Assumptions of sci method] |
| Hypotheses are generated by | Theories, experience |
| Theory | integrated set of propositions that can be used to account for, predict, & suggest ways of controlling certain phenomena |
| Hypothesis | Formally stated expectation about how nature (specifically, a psychological phenomenon) operates |
| Naturalistic Observations Features | Observations of human/animal behavior in the environment in where is usually occurs |
| Naturalistic Observations strengths | Provides descriptive data about behavior supposedly uncontaminated by outside influences. |
| Naturalistic Observations pitfalls | Observer bias & participant self consciousness can distort results |
| Survey features | Standard set of questions asked to lots of ppl |
| Survey strengths | Gather large amount of data in short amount of time, inexpensive |
| Survey pitfalls | Poorly worded questions, sampling errors, response bias can distort results |
| Case Studies feature | Intensive examination of the behavior & mental processes associated w/ a specific person/situation. |
| Case study strengths | Provide detailed descriptive analysis of new, complex, or rare phenomenon |
| Case study pitfall | May not provide representative picture of phenomena |
| Correlational Studies features | Examine the relationships btw research variables. |
| Correlational study strengths | Can test predictions, evaluate theories, & suggest new hypotheses. |
| Scientific Method: Results | Results allow researcher to make inferences about the hypothesis |
| Statistics | Use math to organize, summarize, & interpret numerical data |
| Descriptive statistics | Organize & summarize data |
| Inferential statistics | Interpret data & draw conclusions |
| Communicating Results | Findings are shared to allow peer review which provides feedback. Results help refine understanding of a phenomenon & help refine theory that generated hypothesis |
| Peer Review of Scientific Articles | Publishing allows evaluation & critique of experts. They evaluate methods,statistical analyses, & conclusions. Contribute to knowledge & theory. Purpose: ensure high-quality research |
| Ethical obligations (Research studies) | Remove/reduce risk of physical &psychological harm, Accommodate any that is unavoidable. Informed consent & right to decline. Debriefing |
| Types of Neurons | sensory:from outside to inside, motor: from inside to outside, interneuron: between other neurons |
| Dendrite | Detects & carries signals to cell body [receiving branches]. Carries postsynaptic potential, an electrochemical signal moving towards cell body |
| Nucleus | DNA is located here |
| Axon hillock | The site of the action potential |
| Axon | Carries the action potential to the terminal. |
| Myelin sheath & nodes of Ranvier | Speed transmitter |
| Myelin sheath & nodes of Ranvier | holds vesicles filled with neurotransmitters to release into synapse |
| Axon signal carried | The action potential, an all-or- nothing electrochemical signal that shoots down the axon to vesicles at the tip of the axon, releasing neurotransmitters. |
| Neurotransmitter | A chemical released by one cell that binds to the receptors on another cell. |
| Neurotransmitter signal carried | A chemical message telling the next cell to fire or not to fire its own action potential. |
| Synapse | Provides an area for the transfer of signals between neurons, usually between the axon of one cell and the dendrite of another. |
| Synapse signal carried | Chemicals that cross the synapse and reach receptors on another cell |
| Receptor | Proteins on the cell membrane that receive chemical signals |
| Receptor signal carried | Recognizes certain neurotransmitters, allowing it to begin a postsynaptic potential in the dendrite. |
| Somatic Nervous System | Sends sensory information to central nervous system for processing & Sends messages from central nervous system to muscles to direct motion |
| Autonomic Nervous System | Controls activities normally outside of conscious control. Subsystems: Sympathetic nervous system & parasympathetic nervous system |
| The Spinal Cord | Receives signals from senses & sends them to the brain. Neurons in the spinal chord carry signals downward from the brain to the muscles. The cells can direct simple behaviors (flex) |
| Hindbrain | Vital functions (medulla, pons & cerebellum) |
| Midbrain | sensory functions [dopaminergic projections, reticular activating system] |
| Forebrain | Emotion, complex thought (thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebrum, cerebral cortex) |
| The Cerebrum, Cerebral Hemispheres | 2 specialized halves connected by corpus collosum |
| 2 Cerebral Hemispheres | Left hemisphere: verbal processing [language, speech, reading, writing]. Right hemisphere: nonverbal processing [musical, visual] |
| Cerebrum 4 lobes | Occipital: vision, Parietal: somatosensory, Temporal: auditory, Frontal: movement, executive control systems |
| Sense | A system that translates “outside” infor into neural activity |
| Sensation | Message from the senses |
| Perception | Process by which sensations are given meaning |
| Accessory structures & systems | It modifies energy. Visual system: eye, Aural system: ear, Kinesthetic system: joints and muscles |
| Transduction | Sensory receptors translate physical stimulation into neural signals. |
| Trasnduction (cont.) | Eye: retine (rods/cones); Ear: cochlea; Muscles and Joints: stretch receptors |
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