Psych Experiments
Correlation =/= Causation
Neurotransmitter
Brain Structure
Sensation & Perception
100
If I were to observe one individual who experienced unique circumstances, and I obtained extremely detailed information about this person, what kind of experiment would I be doing?
Case Study
100
Give an example of the placebo effect.
Ex: My husband couldn't sleep, so I gave him tic-tacs and told him they were sleeping pills. In the morning he told me how great they worked because we fell right asleep.
100
_____ receives messages from other neurons and _____ send them to other neurons.
Dendrites; Axons.
100
What part of the brain is responsible for basic life functions such as breathing and heart rate?
The medulla.
100
_____ is the lowest level of recognizing differences 50% of the time, while ____ is the lowest level of sensation 50% of the time.
A just noticeable difference (jnd or difference threshold); Absolute threshold.
200
What did Sigmund Freud's research focus on?
The unconscious; he frequently used the case study method.
200
Demonstrate a negative correlation between time spent playing video games and GPA
| \ | \ Time spent | \ playing video| \ games --------------------- GPA
200
What part of the nervous system is a cell that provides insulation and structure for neurons, and in doing so speeds up the neural messages going down the axon?
The myelin.
200
What does the cerebellum control?
Coordination; muscle memory.
200
The _____ is the an area densely filled with only cones, while the ____ is where no rods or cones are.
Fovea; blind spot (optic disc).
300
Give an example of naturalistic observation.
Ex: A woman interested in studying parenting styles goes into parent's homes to observe them.
300
In an experiment, researchers want to test the effects of texting on driving. They think that as an increase in texting occurs, so do the number of accidents. To test this, they have teens drive a simulated car that measures the number of accidents. The teens are split into two groups. One group is given a cell phone and must send and receive at least three text messages, while the other group does not receive a cell phone. In this experiment, what is the control group?
The teens who did not receive a cell phone.
300
When a neuron is polarized and it is not firing, it is called ____. When it is firing, it is called ____.
Resting potential; action potential.
300
What part of the brain controls fear?
The Amygdala
300
Name the four colors of opponent process theory and identify which colors oppose one another.
Blue --- Yellow; Red --- Green.
400
What is a representative sample?
A subject group that accurately accounts for the population you want your experiment to apply to.
400
In an experiment, researchers want to test the effects of texting on driving. They think that as an increase in texting occurs, so do the number of accidents. To test this, they have teens drive a simulated car that measures the number of accidents. The teens are split into two groups. One group is given a cell phone and must send and receive at least three text messages, while the other group does not receive a cell phone. In this experiment, texting is _______.
The independent variable.
400
The _____ division of the nervous system arouses and excites you, while the _____ division of the nervous system relaxes and regulates you.
Sympathetic; Parasympathetic.
400
____'s area controls the physical aspect of language while ____'s area controls the processing of language.
Broca; Wernicke.
400
What are the somesthetic senses?
Touch, temperature, pain.
500
Give an example of an experiment, case study, and survey of the same topic (in that order).
Tanya recently read a study that found the color blue relaxed people compared to the color red. She decided to see if this applied to her little brother, who did in fact feel calm when looking at blue objects. She then created a questionnaire for her classmates to see how colors made them feel.
500
Using the correlation coefficient give an example of a weak relationship, and two examples of a strong relationship.
Ex: 0 would indicate a weak relationship, -1 and +1 are both strong relationships.
500
What causes convulsions after a black widow bite?
The venom of the black widow is an agonist that mimics neurotransmitters, it causes the release of acetylcholine into the muscle system which results in the convulsions.
500
Name the four lobes the cerebral cortex and their functions.
Frontal lobe - higher level thinking. Occipital lobe- Vision Temporal lobe - Recognition, perception, language, learning, memory. Parietal lobe - perception, spatial processing, depth perception, number representation
500
The ability to see something dimly lit when you look to the side of it, but not directly at it, is caused by the _____ of rods and cones in the retina.
Distribution.
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