Unit 1
List 3 Research Methods and their characteristics
Descriptive - Describes behavior (trends)
Experimental - Seeks to prove causation (cause & effect)
Case Study - Studies an individual or small group
Correlational - Relationship between 2 factors
Survey - Aims to estimate from a representative sample of attitudes/behaviors or the whole population (Ex, polls)
Naturalistic Observation - Watching an organism in its natural habitat
Longitudinal - Study of a behavior as the subject ages over time.
Cross-Sectional - Study how behavior or thoughts vary across age groups.
An illusion of movement when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off.
Phi Phenomenon
Viruses or bacteria that can harm developing organisms
Teratogens
Types of neurons + what they do
Sensory (Afferent) - Carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
Interneurons - Within the CNS, they communicate internally between sensory and motor.
Motor (Efferent) - Carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles.
Schema vs Prototype
Schema - Mental framework of complex concepts.
Prototype - Mental image or best example of a category.
List the four gender development perspectives
1. Biological perspective
2. Psychodynamic perspective
3. Social-cognitive perspective
4. Behavioral perspective
Three areas of the brain + describe
Brain Stem - Responsible for automatic survival functions.
Limbic System - neural system associated with emotions and drives.
Cerebrum/cerebral cortex - Largest part of the brain, made up of the lobes (cerebrum) & the body's ultimate control and processing center (cerebral)
Simpler thinking strategies, quick, mostly efficient method
Heuristic Thinking
Key contributors to classical conditioning
Ivan Pavlov and John B Watson
The minimum amount of stimulus needed to experience a sensation
Absolute threshold
1. Effortful Processing - Requires attention and conscious effort.
2. Unconscious encoding of information - automatic processing
1. Explicit Memories (frontal lobes & Hippocampus)
2. Implicit Memories (cerebellum and basal ganglia)
Conditioned taste aversion
Garcia effect
Overexposure to loud sounds can cause damage, including total hearing loss.
Stimulation Deafness
1. Old information interferes with new
2. New information interferes with old
3. No new memories
4. No old memories
1. Proactive interference
2. Retroactive interference
3. Anterograde Amnesia
4. Retrograde Amnesia
1. Positive, constructive, helpful behavior
2. Not positive, constructive or helpful
1. Prosocial
2. Antisocial