Research Methods
This variable is the one manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.
What is the independent variable?
This part of the brain is responsible for higher-level thinking and decision-making.
What is the frontal lobe?
This theory of color vision states that we perceive color through three types of cones sensitive to red, green, and blue.
What is the trichromatic theory?
This memory store has a capacity of 7±2 items and lasts about 20 seconds.
What is short-term memory?
In classical conditioning, this stimulus originally does not trigger a response but becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus to eventually elicit the same response.
What is the neutral stimulus?
This type of study examines one individual or small group in great depth over an extended period.
What is a case study?
These chemicals transmit signals across the synapse between neurons.
What are neurotransmitters?
This occurs when sensory receptors stop responding after prolonged exposure to a stimulus.
What is sensory adaptation?
This problem-solving strategy involves using simple, efficient rules or mental shortcuts to make decisions or solve problems quickly, though it may lead to errors.
What are heuristics?
In operant conditioning, this occurs when a behavior increases due to the removal of an aversive stimulus.
What is negative reinforcement?
This type of correlation shows that as one variable increases, the other decreases.
What is a negative correlation?
This branch of the autonomic nervous system activates the "fight or flight" response.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
This Gestalt principle explains how we tend to mentally fill in gaps to perceive a complete, whole object, even when parts of it are missing
What is the principle of closure?
This phenomenon occurs when we remember the beginning and end of a list better than the middle.
What is the serial position effect?
This schedule of reinforcement has the highest rate of responses, provides rewards after an unpredictable number of responses (i.e. slot machines)
What is a variable ratio schedule?
This is the measure of variation that indicates the average distance of scores from the mean.
What is standard deviation?
This brain-imaging technique uses magnetic fields to create detailed images of brain structures.
What is MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)?
This type of depth cue relies on the use of both eyes.
What is binocular depth cue?
This bias leads us to search for information that confirms our preexisting beliefs.
What is confirmation bias?
This is the tendency for a conditioned response to diminish over time when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer presented.
What is extinction?
The ethical principle that ensures participants are told about a study and its potential risks before participating.
What is informed consent?
This endocrine gland, often called the "master gland," regulates growth and other glands.
What is the pituitary gland?
This is the smallest amount of stimulus change detectable 50% of the time.
What is the just noticeable difference (JND)?
This type of memory loss occurs when someone cannot form new memories after a traumatic event, typically associated with damage to the hippocampus.
What is anterograde amnesia?
This type of learning occurs through watching and imitating others.
What is observational learning?