Unit 1
The main goal of psychology
What is to understand human behavior
The phenomenon where a person experiences improvements in symptoms or outcomes due to the belief that they are receiving a beneficial treatment
What is the placebo effect
The role of neurotransmitters
What is to transmit signals between neurons in the brain and nervous system
This refers to detecting and receiving information from the environment through sensory organs
What is sensation
The purpose of REM sleep
What is memory consolidation and emotional regulation
The considered father of psychology
Who is Wilhelm Wundt
The variable being measured or observed in an experiment
What is dependent variable
The nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord
What is the central nervous system
This involves interpreting and making sense of sensory information
What is perception
The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function
What is impairing cognitive functioning, leading to difficulties with attention, memory, decision-making, and problem-solving
The psychological approach that analyzes components of conscious experiences
What is structuralism
To assign participants to different experimental conditions in a way that minimizes the influence of preexisting differences between individuals
What is random assignment
The function of the limbic system in the brain
What is regulating emotions and memory
What are the five basic tastes that humans can detect
What is sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami
The practice of focused attention or mindfulness to achieve mental clarity and relaxation
What is meditation
The person that developed the first psychology laboratory
Who is Wilhelm Wundt
To minimize bias and placebo effects by keeping both the participants and the researchers unaware of which treatment condition is being administered
What is double-blind procedure
The effects of long-term stress on the body
What is increased risk of cardiovascular disease, weakened immune system, and mental health issues
What school created the principle of closure
What is the Gestalt school of psychology
How do psychoactive drugs affect the brain and behavior
What is altering brain chemistry and affecting behavior, perception, and cognition
The debate revolves around how much of human behavior and characteristics are a result of genetic factors versus environmental influences
What is nature vs. nurture
The study that examines the relationship between variables without manipulating them
What is a correlational study
The system that releases hormones into the bloodstream to regulate various bodily functions
What is the endocrine system
This process constructs perception based on individual sensory cues
What is bottom-up processing
The internal biological rhythms that help regulate the sleep-wake cycle
What is the circadian rhythm