Research Methods and Learning
When stimuli similar to a conditioned stimulus elicit the conditioned response, we call this…
Stimulus generalization.
True or false: Neurons are nerve cells that support glial cell activity by responding to injury, removing debris, and enhancing learning and memory.
False. Glial cells support neurons by responding to injury, removing debris, and enhancing learning and memory. Glial cells also provide nutrients for neurons and form the myelin as well as the blood-brain barrier.
Neurons are specialized for communication with each other.
This part of the cerebral cortex is responsible for controlling movement, thinking, planning, language, and executive functions that coordinate other brain areas.
The frontal lobe.
True or false: Left-brained people tend to be more scholarly, logical, and analytical whereas right-brained people tend to be more artistic, creative, and emotional.
False. The idea that some people are left-brained and others are right-brained is a misconception. Research demonstrates that we use both sides of our brain in a complementary way.
An automatic motor response to a sensory stimulus.
Reflex.
Define a confound.
A “third variable” you didn’t measure or anything other than the independent variable that causes a difference between groups.
The 5 main subcomponents of a neuron.
Cell body (soma), dendrites, axon, axon terminal, synapse
This part of the cerebral cortex is responsible for hearing, understanding language, and storing autobiographical memories.
The temporal lobe.
The term we use to describe a cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than another
Lateralization/lateralized functions.
Part of the peripheral nervous system controlling the involuntary actions of our internal organs and glands, which (along with the limbic system) contributes to emotion regulation
Autonomic nervous system.
Name one warning sign of pseudoscience.
Possible answers: Overuse of loopholes/excuses to avoid falsification, lack of self-correction, exaggerated claims, over-reliance on anecdotes, evasion of peer review, absence of connectivity, psychobabble
Composed of _____ cells, the _____ _____ ______ protective shield that insulates the brain and prevents harmful substances (e.g., bacteria, poisons) from entering the brain
Glial, blood-brain barrier
This part of the CNS is responsible for communicating info from the brain to the rest of the body.
The spinal cord.
True or false: The brain’s anatomy allows a crossing-over effect for movement. For example, the left hemisphere controls the right hand, and the right hemisphere controls the left hand.
True.
Part of the peripheral nervous system that controls and coordinates voluntary movement.
Somatic nervous system.
A principle of operant conditioning is that if a stimulus is not followed by a satisfying outcome, the bond between the stimulus and the response will decrease. What is this known as?
Law of effect
When the electrical charge of an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it triggers the release of __________________ into the _______.
Neurotransmitters, synapse
This part of the limbic system plays a key role in fear, excitement, and arousal, and is activated when people play violent video games.
The amygdala.
When a specific brain area is activated during a specific psychological task, scientists say that activity is _________ to that part of the brain. Using this term implies that the specified activity only activates the specified part of the brain.
Localized.
Part of the _________ nervous system engaged during a crisis or after actions requiring fight or flight is called the ___________ nervous system.
Autonomic, sympathetic.
Waiting for your friend to text you back is an example of which schedule of reinforcement?
Variable interval.
Action potentials are electrical impulses that travel down the axon. An action potential is triggered when positively charged ____ flow into the neuron, making the electrical charge inside the neuron more positive than the charge outside the neuron. The point at which the action potential is triggered is called the _________.
Ions, threshold
The fluid that runs through the cerebral ventricles, bathing our brain and spinal cord, providing nutrients, and acting as a shock absorber to cushion our CNS against injury.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
A surgery in which the cerebral cortex is severed, separating the left and right hemispheres, once performed to alleviate seizures. Studies on patients with this surgery demonstrate different functions between the left and right hemispheres.
Part of the _________ nervous system that controls rest and digestion is called the _______________ nervous system.
Autonomic, parasympathetic.