Research Methods
what is observer bias?
Observer wants results to fit their expectations/hypothesis
what is internal validity?
measures what it claims to measure
what is the resting charge of a neuron?
negative
What is the behavioral perspective?
How the environment influences our Behavior
what is the hindbrain/in the hindbrain?
Coordinates information in and out of spinal cord
¨Medulla
¨Pons
¨Cerebullum
what is a dependent variable?
what is being measured in a study
what is external validity?
how generalizable the study is to the rest of the world
what happens when there is an excess of dopamine?
Schizophrenia type symptoms occur
What is the psychoanalytic perspective?
How unconscious thoughts and feelings motivate our behavior
what is the limbic system?
Made up of (amygdala & hippocampus): emotion and motivation; learning and memory
What is an independent variable?
What is being manipulated in a study
What is the peripheral system?
all nerve fibers, outside the brain/ spinal cord; divided into 2 systems (somatic/ autonomic)
what is an agonist?
Enhance a transmitter’s activity if need more
Examples: low serotonin/ norepinephrine -- depression
low GABA -- anxiety
Agonists work in 1 of 4 ways:
(a) Block reuptake
(b) Block clean-up enzyme
(c) Increase availability of precursor
(d) Mimic neurotransmitter
What is the humanistic perspective?
How you subjectively and consciously experience the world
what are endorphins?
neurotransmitters chemically similar to opiates; modulate pain messages going to the brain; opiates given as painkillers are mimicking…endorphins
Aristotle contributed ideas to which perspective?
The behavioral perspective
What is a CAT scan?
X RAYS that help detect brain damage, especially in the frontal area
What is an antagonist?
Impede a transmitter’s activity if have too much
Examples: high dopamine -- schizophrenia….High norepinephrine -- mania
Antagonists work in 1 of 4 ways:
(a) Speed reuptake
(b) Augment clean-up enzymes
(c) Decrease available precursors
(d) Block binding of neurotransmitt
What is the cognitive perspective?
How your mind organizes and processes information
Examples: Memory, intelligence, planning
what is hemispatial neglect?
neglect things on opposite side from damage
What is the Jamaica marijuana study?
Question: Does marijuana use during pregnancy adversely affect newborns?
Hypothesis: In U.S., marijuana use is associated with less-than-optimal child-rearing environments, so the prediction was… that the same would be true in Jamaica
Participants: 44 Jamaican babies
What is the wernicke's aphasia?
Difficulties with language comprehension; fluent but nonsensical speech (but unaware that he’s not making sense)
What happens when the corpus callosum is cut?
The halves do not communicate with each other
What is the biopsychological perspective?
Biopsychological processes
Examples: Evolutionary, the brain
What is the corpus callosum?
Connects the 2 halves of the brain for communication; allows the 2 halves to communicate so they can function