Science Practices
What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?
To serve as a baseline for comparison, ensuring that the effects of the independent variable can be measured.
What is the role of neurotransmitters in the brain?
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals across synapses between neurons, influencing mood, behavior, and cognition.
What is the definition of "cognition"?
Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
What are the stages of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development?
The stages include trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. role confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair.
Who is considered the father of psychology?
Wilhelm Wundt is often regarded as the father of psychology for establishing the first psychology laboratory.
Describe the difference between qualitative and quantitative research.
Qualitative research focuses on understanding concepts and experiences, while quantitative research involves numerical data and statistical analysis.
Describe the function of the limbic system.
The limbic system is involved in emotions, memory, and motivation, playing a key role in emotional responses.
Describe the stages of memory: encoding, storage, and retrieval.
Encoding is the process of converting information into a form that can be stored, storage is maintaining that information over time, and retrieval is accessing the stored information when needed.
Describe Piaget's stages of cognitive development.
The stages are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational, each representing different ways children think and understand the world.
What is the main focus of humanistic psychology?
Humanistic psychology emphasizes the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of individual experience, focusing on personal growth and self-actualization.
What is the significance of operational definitions in psychological research?
They provide clear and precise definitions of variables, allowing for replication and understanding of research.
Explain the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses, while the parasympathetic nervous system promotes "rest and digest" activities.
What is the difference between short-term memory and long-term memory?
Short-term memory holds a limited amount of information for a brief period, while long-term memory can store vast amounts of information for extended periods.
What are the key characteristics of the concrete operational stage in Piaget's theory?
In the concrete operational stage, children ages 7-11 begin to think logically about concrete events, understand the concept of conservation, and can organize objects into categories.
Who developed the concept of the unconscious mind, and what is its significance?
Sigmund Freud developed the concept of the unconscious mind, which is significant as it suggests that much of human behavior is influenced by thoughts and feelings that are not consciously accessible.
Define the term "hypothesis" and provide an example.
A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables. Example: "Increased study time will lead to higher test scores."
What are the main functions of the frontal lobe?
The frontal lobe is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as reasoning, problem-solving, planning, and controlling behavior.
What is the concept of "metacognition"?
Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes, including self-regulation and reflection on learning strategies.
Explain the concept of nature vs. nurture in human development.
The nature vs. nurture debate examines the relative contributions of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to human development and behavior.
What is the placebo effect?
The placebo effect is a phenomenon where a patient experiences a perceived improvement in their condition after receiving a treatment that has no therapeutic effect, often due to their expectations.
Explain the process of peer review and its importance in scientific research.
Peer review involves evaluation by other experts in the field to ensure the quality, validity, and reliability of research before publication.
How do genetics influence behavior according to the nature vs. nurture debate?
Genetics can predispose individuals to certain behaviors, but environmental factors also play a crucial role in shaping behavior.
How does the availability heuristic affect decision-making?
The availability heuristic leads individuals to rely on immediate examples that come to mind, which can skew their perception of the likelihood of events.
How do cultural factors influence child development?
Cultural factors shape parenting styles, social interactions, values, and expectations, which in turn affect a child's development and learning experiences.
What is the difference between sensation and perception, and how do they interact in the process of understanding our environment?
Sensation is the process of receiving and detecting physical stimuli through the senses (e.g., sight, sound), while perception is the interpretation and organization of these sensory signals into meaningful experiences. They interact as sensation provides the raw data that perception processes to help us understand and navigate our environment.