The Brain
Lobe at the back of the head is the primary center for receiving and processing visual information.
What is the occipital lobe?
This term describes "good stress" that can actually motivate a person and promote health.
What is eustress?
This phenomenon describes the tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks when others are watching.
What is social facilitation?
In an experiment, this is the variable that is being measured by the researcher to see if it changes.
While humans do this to cool the brain or show tiredness, it is famously "contagious"—just reading the word or seeing someone else do it can trigger the response.
What is a yawn?
This "little brain" located at the rear of the brainstem helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance.
What is the cerebellum?
This is the body's internal 24-hour clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
What is the circadian rhythm?
This is changing your behavior, beliefs, or actions to match those of a group or social norm, often due to real or imagined pressure to fit in, be accepted, or follow rules and expectations.
What is conformity?
The factor you control or change in an experiment to see its effect on something else
What is independent variable?
This psychological theory suggests that the simple act of making a facial expression, like smiling or frowning, can actually cause you to feel that corresponding emotion.
What is facial feedback theory?
These are the chemical messengers, such as dopamine and serotonin, that transmit signals across the gaps between neurons
What are neurotransmitters?
In therapy, this concept involves showing a client total support and acceptance regardless of what they say or do.
What is unconditional positive regard?
This term refers to the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward a common goal.
What is social loafing?
This term refers to an inert pill or treatment given to a control group that has no actual biological effect.
What is placebo?
Although it makes up only about 2% of the average adult's body weight, the human brain consumes roughly this percentage of the body's total energy and oxygen.
What is 20%?
This brain structure, vital for forming new memories, is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer's disease.
What is the hippocampus?
These are healthy strategies, like journaling or exercise, used to manage stressful or difficult emotions
What are coping mechanisms?
This theoryvexplains the mental discomfort we feel when our beliefs and actions don't match.
What is cognitive dissonance?
This as an ethical guideline requiring researchers to fully inform potential participants about a study's purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits, ensuring their voluntary agreement to participate without coercion, and allowing them to withdraw anytime.
What is informed consent?
How much does the human brain weigh?
What is 3 pounds?
This almond-shaped cluster in the temporal lobe is heavily involved in processing emotions like fear and aggression.
What is the amygdala?
This is a psychological state where a person stops trying to change a bad situation after repeated failures, believing their actions are futile, even when escape or control becomes possible, often leading to depression
What is learned helplessness?
This is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of well-intentioned people makes irrational or non-optimal decisions spurred by the urge to conform or the belief that dissent is impossible.
What is groupthink?
To prevent experimenter bias and the placebo effect, this research design ensures that neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving the actual treatment.
What is double blind?
The brain's lifelong ability to reorganize its neural networks, form new connections, and adapt its structure and function in response to new experiences, learning, environmental changes, or injury
What is neuroplasticity?