PSYCHOLOGY MASTERNIM

the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind

an early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function-how they enable the organism to adapt, survive and flourish

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today's science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival with most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

the study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments

a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being

a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy

started the first experimental psychology lab; structuralism

William Wundt's student; founder of early field of psychology known as Structuralism

Founder of early field of psychology known as functionalism; wrote first psychology textbook The Principles of Psychology

an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, also known as a gut feeling or a hunch.

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it... (I knew it along phenomenon)

expected or suspected relationship between variables where non actually exists.

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

A testable prediction that is often implied by a theory ("If___then_____")

A clear and detailed statement about how exactly data collected from the variables will be measured; allows for accurate replication

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic findings are valid

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

a descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

a descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group

the process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one's own psychological processes

a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample; cannot be generalized to a population

all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member of a target population has an equal chance of inclusion

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other;- often shown by naturalistic observation or surveys.

a statistical measure of the strength and direction of a relationship between two things (from -1.00 to +1.00)

anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure; correlation looks at the relationship between variables

a graphed cluster of dots, (which represent variables) that shows the strength and direction of relationships between variables

the tendency for extreme or unusual scores to events to fall back (regress) toward the average.

a research method in which variables are manipulated (independent variables) to observe the effect of the manipulation (the dependent variables); Only way to determine cause and effect

In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, (to one version of the independent variable)

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between groups (equalizes groups)

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

experimental results caused by expectations alone;

in an experiment, the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

a factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a study's results; random assignment controls for confounding variables

in an experiment, the outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

the extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to

giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

the post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation.

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution

the average of a distribution, obtained by adding all the scores and then dividing by the number of scores

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it

a representation of scores that is lopsided due to outliers (way-out scores)

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Also called a normal distribution; a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (68% within 1 standard deviation) and fewer near the extremes.

numerical data that allow one to generalize- to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred randomly

developed the theory of evolution (basis of nature vs. nurture argument)

First female president of the APA

first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology

Early pioneer in therapy for psychological disorders

Discovered area in left frontal lobe responsible for language production

Discovered area in left temporal lobe responsible for language comprehension

Pioneered split-brain research by cutting the corpus callosum to treat epileptic seizures

pioneered split-brain research

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell's life support center (also called "soma")

A neuron's often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

Fiber that extends off of the cell body that carries an electrical signal (action potential) to communicate with other neurons or to muscles and glands

Fatty tissue layer encasing the axons of some neurons; enables greater transmission speed as the electrical signal travels down the axon

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse; can be from the environment or from other neurons

In neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

A neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing; increasing level of stimulation does not increase action potential intensity

The junction between the axon tip (terminal) of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron; the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

Chemical messengers triggered by the action potential that are released from the axon terminals of the sending neuron; they travel across the synaptic gap and bind to receptor sites on the dendrites of the receiving neuron, influencing the receiving neuron to trigger an action potential; faster acting but shorter lasting than hormones

A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron back into the axon terminals

"Morphine within"; natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

A molecule (drug or other chemical) that increases a neurotransmitter's action; may increase the production of a neurotransmitter or block reuptake

A molecule (drug or other chemical) that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter's action; may block the receptor site on the dendrite

The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

Neurons that carry incoming information from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord (PNS → CNS)

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands (CNS → PNS)

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

Division of the PNS that controls the body's skeletal muscles (voluntary movement)

Division of the PNS that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (involuntary functions); divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic

Division of the ANS that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy ("fight or flight")

Division of the ANS that calms the body, conserving its energy ("rest and digest")

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as a knee-jerk response; occurs in the spinal cord (no brain involvement)

The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

"Slow" chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissue; slower acting but longer lasting than neurotransmitters

A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine/adrenaline and norepinephrine/noradrenaline) that help arouse the body in times of stress

The endocrine system's most influential gland; controlled by the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands ("master gland")

Tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Amplified recording of the electrical activity in the outer-layers of the brain; waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp; looks at brain FUNCTION