Research Methods
Biopsychology
Learning
Memory
Biopsychology, again
100
A definition that is phrased in terms of behaviors and can be observed objectively.
What is an Operational Definition
100
This band of fibers connects the left hemisphere of the brain with the right hemisphere.
What is the Corpus Callosum.
100
Learning NOT to respond to the repeated presentation of a stimulus.
What is Habituation.
100
The three (3) essential TASKS of memory.
What are Encoding, Storage and Retrieval.
100
The Peripheral Nervous System contains the Autonomic Nervous System. Within this Autonomic Nervous System there are these two sub-parts.
What are the Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
200
This research method, which involves the manipulation of the independent variable, is the only one that can determine cause and effect.
What is the Experimental Method
200
An organism's observable physical and behavioral characteristics, such as having brown hair or brown eyes.
What is Phenotype.
200
The initial learning stage in Classical Conditioning, during which the Conditioned Response (CR) comes to be elicited by the Conditioned Stimulus (CS).
What is Acquisition.
200
The first stage of memory, and the most fleeting, typically holds sights, sounds, smells, and other sensory impressions for only a fraction of a second. This is probably why you didn't remember the color of the shirt that your seat mate was wearing.
What is Sensory Memory.
200
These are the chemical messengers of the brain.
What are neurotransmitters.
300
In order to ensure that the experimental and control groups are comparable, researchers use this process to assign participants to one of these two groups.
What is Random Assignment.
300
The gradual process of biological change that occurs in a species as it adapts to its environment.
What is Evolution.
300
Pavlov's dog salivating to the sound of a tone that is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the tone used as the Conditioned Stimulus (CS).
What is (stimulus) Generalization.
300
Organizing pieces of information into a smaller number of meaningful units is a process that frees up space in working memory. The telephone company applied this process to telephone numbers to make it easier for people to remember them.
What is Chunking.
300
You are touring a Haunted House and suddenly hear a blood-curdling scream. This division of your autonomic nervous system quickly increases your heart rate.
What is the Sympathetic Division.
400
This type of research looks for relationships between two variables, but the results do not necessarily mean that one of the variables caused the other.
What is Correlation.
400
The neurons that carry messages from the sense organs to the brain.
What are Sensory or Afferent Neurons.
400
These less predictable schedules of reinforcement are very effective at increasing the probability that behavior will increase. That's probably why they are used with slot machines in casinos.
What is a Variable Ratio Reinforcement Schedule.
400
When driving a car, tying shoe laces, or riding a bike, we rely on this type of memory.
What is Procedural Memory.
400
Of the body's two main communication systems, the nervous system is faster, while this system sends longer lasting messages.
What is the Endocrine System.
500
A common procedure used for controlling researcher expectations during experiments or research studies.
What is a Blind or Double-blind strategy.
500
The microscopic gap that serves as a communication link between neurons.
What is the Synaptic Cleft.
500
A reinforcer, such as food, that has an innate value to an organism because it fills a biological need.
What is a Primary Reinforcer.
500
The case of the man that lost his ability to form new memories due to a brain operation is an example of this.
What is Anterograde Amnesia.
500
This principle refers to the fact that the action potential in the axon occurs either completely or not at all.
The All-or-None Principle.
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