Research Methods
Name the four research methods.
Case Study, Experiment, Survey, and Observational Method.
How is the peripheral nervous system different from the central nervous system.
Peripheral: has somatic(motor and sensory neurons) and autonomic(sympathetic and parasympathetic) nervous systems.
Central: controls brain and spinal cord
What does REM stand for?
Rapid Eye Movement
Explain the functions of cones and rods.
Cones:
Rods:
Fill in the blanks:
_____ does not imply _____
CORRELATION does not imply CAUSATION
Name a suggestion from the B.S. Detector (bonus points if you can name three).
Be Skeptical, Correlation v Causation, Oversimplification, Presence/Absence of Control Group, Observance v Inference, Testimonials/Case Histories, Operationalisation, and Consider the Source.
Explain nature vs nurture.
The relative influence of genetics and the environment around us; the combination of genes and the environment and how that factors into who we are.
Describe the differences between subconscious, consciousness, and unconsciousness.
Conscious: when we're awake at any given time
Subconscious: when things can be brought into consciousness; when things that become automatic don't require our attention
Unconscious: remain outside of awareness but still affects behaviour
Describe sensation and perception.
Sensation: when sense organs gather information about the environment
Perception: when the brain selects, organises, and interprets these sensations
Name the five flavors for taste.
Sweet, sour, salty, umami, bitter
Tell the Clever Hans story in 10 seconds.
Literally this is guy was like my horse is super smart but actually the horse was really good at reading the room lol.
What's the purpose of neurotransmitters?
They excite or inhibit the postsynaptic neurons.
The excess neurons can drift away, break down, or reuptake.
Factors like drugs can become agonists or antagonists of neurotransmitters.
Describe the different theories of dreams.
Wish fulfillment dreams: Freudian--unconscious mind; latent vs manifest content
Problem-solving dreams: Aids in processing and regulating emotions
Activation-synthesis processing: The spontaneous firing of neurons; the cortex tries to make sense of these messages
Improve memory: Shifts information from hippocampus to permanent storage
Absolute: minimum amount of stimulation necessary to produce a sensation
Difference: minimum amount of stimulation necessary to tell two stimuli apart.
There are four biases that we learned in the intro to intro psych. Name and describe two of them.
Hindsight Bias: "I knew it all along", we think we predicted an event
Confirmation Bias: Solely paying attention to information that confirms our beliefs and ignore what doesn't
Overconfidence Phenomenon: More certain than warranted
Belief Peserverance: Persisting in false beliefs
Describe two research methods' advantages and disadvantages.
Case Study:Adv: detailed information and source of hypthoses. DAdv: cannot show cause and effort and cannot generalise.
Observational Method: Adv: can be reliable and valid and can look for relationships between variables or merely describe. DAdv: cannot show cause and effect and potential observer bias.
Survey: Adv: same as observations but also--large numbers of people, relatively quick and inexpensive, and can measure variables difficult to measure in other ways. DAdv: cannot show cause and effect, respondents can distort info, the form of the question/wording can influence the answer, and who's returning the questionnaire?
Experiment: Adv: cause and effect. DAdv: costly, ethical(?), and realistic(?).
Name the parts and functions of the brain.
Include hind, mid, and forebrain.
Inlcude lobes of cerebral cortex: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.
Name and describe two sleep disorders.
Sleep Apnea: repeated cessation of breathing during sleep
Narcolepsy: sudden irresistable attacks of sleep during normal waking hours
Sleepwalking: occurs during sleep and mostly within children
Insomnia: the struggle of not being able to sleep at proper sleeping hours
*Bonus* Night Terrors: unwanted, disruptive motor activity and/ or experiences during sleep
What are some factors that affect perception?
Perceptual set: the beliefs and expectations you have
Perceptual context: what else is around you
Motivational factors: what you want/need
Early experiences: how your upbringing determined how you perceive things
What are Psychoactive drugs and name the three categories of them?
*Bonus points to name a few drugs in each category*
Chemical compounds produce a change in conscious experience by altering the brain's normal activity.
Opioids: Morphine, heroin, and codeine
Sedatives/depressants: Alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbituates
Stimulants: Caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, and amphetamines
Describe the specific methods within Observational Methods.
Naturalistic Observation: record observations of naturally occurring behavior.
Structured Observation: create a situation and observe the resulting behaviors.
Archival Observation: Use artifacts or use data that had been collected for another purpose.
Name the parts and the function of the neuron.
Nucleus: controls the entire neuron
Cell membrane: organizes and keeps cells functional
Cell body: protects cell
Dendrites: receives signals from other cells
Axon: transfers signals to other cells and organs
Myelin sheath: increases the speed of signals
Axon terminal: farms junctions with other cells
What does having positive or negative hallucinations mean in regards to hypnosis?
Positive: perceive the presence of external stimuli
Negative: inability to perceive real stimuli
Why is hearing sensitive to pressure changes amongst molecules?
Because vibrations enter the cochlea(hollow, spiral-shaped bone found in the inner ear) where the hair cells on the basilar membrane (main mechanical elements of the inner ear) are bent and send a message via the auditory nerve to the thalamus and auditory cortex.
What are psychedelic drugs and what are some examples?
Drugs that produce alterations in sensory experiences.
Examples: LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, marijuana, PCP, ecstasy