Types of
Studies
Studies
What is an Experimental Study?
One variable is manipulated and the manipulation’s effect on the other is observed
What are the building blocks of the Nervous System?
Neurons
What are the three layers of the brain?
Brain stem and cerebellum = Drives vital functions, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion
Limbic system = Adds emotions, complex motives, increased memory abilities
Cerebrum = Enables reasoning, planning, creating, problem solving
What is meant by Piaget's term 'schema'?
Concepts or mental models we use to interpret and organize information and knowledge
What is Classical Conditioning?
The process by which an antecedent stimulus that didn’t produce a response becomes linked with one that does (E.g. dogs salivating at the sound of a bell)
What is a situation in which Correlational Studies are used?
- unethical to manipulate variables
- cannot control the variables
What is the part of a neuron where it meets/communicates with the next neuron?
Synapse
What are the parts of the limbic system?
Amygdala = directly influences aggression and fear
Hypothalamus = Regulates body temperature, endocrine system, “reward centers”, sleep-wake cycles
Hippocampus = directly involved with memory
What is the difference between assimilation and accommodation?
Assimilation = When we interpret events in light of our current understanding. Place concepts into our existing schemas even if they don’t fit (Ex: a kid calling a cow a dog)
Accommodation = When we modify schema to incorporate new information
What is Operant Conditioning?
The process by which the likelihood of a response is influenced by the consequences of responding (e.g. positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment)
A researcher is studying the effects of caffeine on students' attention span from different class years. In this hypothetical experiment, which would be the independent and dependent variables?
Manipulated variable = independent variable = class year of student
Variable being observed = dependent variable = effect on / level of attention span
What is the purpose of the myelin sheath?
-Wraps around and insulates an axon
-Prevents interference from electrical signals generated in adjacent axons
-Allows neural impulse to travel quickly down the axon
What are the two cerebral hemispheres, and what are they responsible for?
Left hemisphere = responsible for language recognition and speech production, Grammar. Logic, Math, Language
Right hemisphere = reading and geometric analysis. Interpretation of art and music Perceptual tasks, Face recognition, Emotional expression, Spatial abilities
What important psychological state of thinking is developed during the pre-conventional stage?
Theory of mind—people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.
What is Observational Learning?
Occurs by watching and imitating actions of another person (model) or by noting consequences of a person’s actions
What is a double-blind study?
Neither the researcher or the participants know if they are in control or treatment group.
What is the "all-or-none" principle?
Electrical impulse is the same no matter how much stimulation the neuron receives
What are the four lobes of the hemispheres?
Occipital—visual information (visual cortex)
Parietal—information about touch (sensory cortex)
Temporal—hearing (auditory cortex), language (Wernicke’s area)
Frontal—planning, judgment, memory, reasoning, abstract thinking, movement (motor cortex)
What part of the brain in underdeveloped in adolescents, making them impulsive?
Prefrontal cortex - leads to reliance on limbic system, causing sensation seeking and emotional/impulsive behaviors
What is meant by the term 'negative' as in the context of negative reinforcement or negative punishment?
When a response is followed by the removal of an event. In the case of reinforcement, an unpleasant event is removed (e.g. high pitched sound). In the case of punishment, a pleasant event is removed (e.g. kid doesn't get to go to a birthday party)
What is a confound?
An additional variable that was not intended to be part of the study that could affect the validity of the results.
What are the two divisions of the Nervous System?
Central nervous system = Made up of neurons located in the brain and spinal cord, involves Interneurons
Peripheral nervous system = Made up of nerves located throughout the body, except in the brain and spinal cord
What is the concept of contralateral organization?
Lobes of the brain send output to the opposite side of the body
What are the four different parenting styles?
Authoritative parent = A parent who sets rules for proper conduct for her or his children, consistently enforces those rules, yet allows the children a fair amount of freedom (ideal style for child development)
Authoritarian parent = A parent who imposes many rules, demands strict obedience, and harshly punishes his or her children for rule breaking or even questioning the parent’s decisions
Permissive parent = A parent who allows his/her children to set their own rules, make few demands, and submit to their children’s desire
Neglectful = Indifferent parenting, Unaware of what happens in child’s life
What is meant by the term 'instinctual drift'?
The tendency of learned behavior to gradually return to biologically predisposed patterns.