Psych 101 Concepts Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is behaviorism?

An approach that emphasizes human growth potential

A study of mental processes

A method that involves experimental analysis

A viewpoint that psychology should study behavior objectively (correct)

What does humanistic psychology emphasize?

the growth potential of healthy people

Define cognitive neuroscience.

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with mental activity

What is the science of behavior and mental processes?

psychology Signup and view all the answers

What is critical thinking?

thinking that examines assumptions, uncovers hidden values, weighs evidence, and assesses conclusions Signup and view all the answers

What does nature vs nurture refer to?

the controversy over genes and experience in psychological traits development Signup and view all the answers

What is dual processing?

the principle that our mind processes information on separate conscious and unconscious tracks Signup and view all the answers

What is hindsight bias?

the tendency to believe we could have predicted an outcome after learning it Signup and view all the answers

What is a theory in psychology?

an explanation using principles that organize observations and predict behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What is a hypothesis?

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory Signup and view all the answers

Define operational definition.

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study Signup and view all the answers

What is a case study?

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth Signup and view all the answers

What does naturalistic observation involve?

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations Signup and view all the answers

What is a survey?

a descriptive technique for obtaining self-reported attitudes or behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What is correlation?

a measure of the extent to which two events vary together Signup and view all the answers

Define experiment.

a method where researchers vary factors to observe their effects Signup and view all the answers

What is a double blind procedure?

a procedure where participants and researchers are unaware of who receives treatment or a placebo Signup and view all the answers

What is a confounding variable?

a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect Signup and view all the answers

What does informed consent entail?

providing enough information about a study for people to decide about participation Signup and view all the answers

What is the testing effect?

enhanced memory after retrieving information rather than rereading it Signup and view all the answers

What is developmental psychology?

the branch of psychology that studies change throughout the lifespan Signup and view all the answers

What is heredity?

the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is a genome?

the complete instructions for making an organism Signup and view all the answers

Define epigenetics.

the study of environmental influences on gene expression without DNA change Signup and view all the answers

What is a zygote?

the fertilized egg that becomes an embryo Signup and view all the answers

What are monozygotic twins?

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg Signup and view all the answers

What are dizygotic twins?

twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs Signup and view all the answers

What is a teratogen?

an agent that can reach the embryo or fetus and cause harm Signup and view all the answers

What is temperament?

a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical period?

a period early in life when exposure to stimuli is needed for proper development Signup and view all the answers

What does cognition encompass?

all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating Signup and view all the answers

What is a schema?

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information Signup and view all the answers

What is assimilation in psychology?

interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schemas Signup and view all the answers

What is accommodation?

adapting current understandings to incorporate new information Signup and view all the answers

What is the sensorimotor stage?

the stage from birth to 2 years where infants learn through sensory impressions and motor activities Signup and view all the answers

What is the preoperational stage?

the stage from 2 to 6/7 years where language develops but concrete logic is not yet performed Signup and view all the answers

What is the concrete operational stage?

the stage of cognitive development from about 6/7 to 11 years where logical thinking about concrete events occurs Signup and view all the answers

What is the formal operational stage?

the stage of cognitive development at age 12 where abstract thinking begins Signup and view all the answers

What is object permanence?

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived Signup and view all the answers

What is conservation in psychology?

the principle that certain properties remain the same despite shape changes Signup and view all the answers

What is egocentrism?

the preoperational child's difficulty in taking another's point of view Signup and view all the answers

What is theory of mind?

people's ideas about their own and others' mental states Signup and view all the answers

What is stranger anxiety?

the fear of strangers exhibited by infants beginning around 8 months Signup and view all the answers

What is attachment?

an emotional tie with another person, shown in young children Signup and view all the answers

What is basic trust?

a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy formed during infancy Signup and view all the answers

What is identity in psychology?

our sense of self that adolescents solidify by testing various roles Signup and view all the answers

What is social identity?

the aspect of our self-concept derived from group memberships Signup and view all the answers

What is the fight or flight response?

an emergency response that mobilizes energy for attacking or escaping a threat Signup and view all the answers

What is general adaptation syndrome?

the body's adaptive response to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, exhaustion Signup and view all the answers

What is the tend and befriend response?

the tendency to provide support to others and seek support under stress Signup and view all the answers

What does psychoneuroimmunology study?

the combined effects of psychological, neural, and endocrine processes on the immune system Signup and view all the answers

What are lymphocytes?

the two types of white blood cells that are part of the immune system Signup and view all the answers

What is type A personality?

competitively driven, hard-driving, and often impatient Signup and view all the answers

What is type B personality?

easygoing and relaxed Signup and view all the answers

What is coping?

reducing stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods Signup and view all the answers

What is problem-focused coping?

attempting to reduce stress by changing the stressor or interaction with it Signup and view all the answers

What is emotion-focused coping?

attempting to reduce stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor Signup and view all the answers

What is personal control?

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless Signup and view all the answers

What is learned helplessness?

the hopelessness and resignation learned when unable to avoid aversive events Signup and view all the answers

What is external locus of control?

the perception that outside forces determine our fate Signup and view all the answers

What is internal locus of control?

the perception that we control our own fate Signup and view all the answers

What is optimism?

the anticipation of positive outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What is pessimism?

the anticipation of negative outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What is mindfulness meditation?

attending to current experiences in a nonjudgmental manner Signup and view all the answers

What is resilience?

the personal strength to cope with stress and recover from adversity Signup and view all the answers

What is relative deprivation?

the perception of being worse off relative to others Signup and view all the answers

What do B lymphocytes do?

release antibodies that fight bacterial infections Signup and view all the answers

What do T lymphocytes do?

attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychology Concepts Overview

Behaviorism: Emphasizes studying observable behavior, excluding mental processes.
Humanistic Psychology: Focuses on the growth potential of healthy individuals.
Cognitive Neuroscience: Interdisciplinary field examining brain activity related to mental processes such as perception and memory.
Psychology: The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Research Methods & Definitions

Critical Thinking: Involves evaluating arguments, assumptions, and conclusions critically rather than accepting them blindly.
Nature vs. Nurture: Ongoing debate on the impact of genetics versus environmental factors on behavior.
Dual Processing: Concept that cognitive processes occur on both conscious and unconscious levels.
Hindsight Bias: The inclination to view outcomes as predictable after they occur.
Theory: A framework for explaining observations and predicting behaviors.
Hypothesis: A testable statement derived from a theory.
Operational Definition: Precise description of research procedures and variables.

Research Techniques

Case Study: In-depth analysis of a single subject or group to uncover universal principles.
Naturalistic Observation: Observing subjects in their natural environment without interference.
Survey: Collecting self-reported data from a representative sample to gauge attitudes/behaviors.
Correlation: Measures how two variables vary together; does not imply causation.
Experiment: Method where variables are manipulated to observe effects on behavior.

Experimental Design

Double Blind Procedure: Neither participants nor researchers know who receives treatment or placebo to eliminate bias.
Confounding Variable: An unintended variable that influences results in a study.
Informed Consent: Process of providing study participants with adequate information to make an informed decision about participation.

Memory and Learning

Testing Effect: Improved memory retention through retrieval practice rather than rereading.
Developmental Psychology: Study of physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan.

Genetics & Development

Heredity: Genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring.
Genome: Complete set of genetic instructions within an organism.
Epigenetics: Examines environmental influences on gene expression outside of DNA changes.
Zygote: Fertilized egg going through rapid division to become an embryo.
Monozygotic vs. Dizygotic Twins: Identical twins from one egg versus fraternal twins from separate eggs.

Prenatal Factors

Teratogen: Harmful agents that can affect embryo or fetus during development.
Temperament: Individual differences in emotional responses.
Critical Period: Developmental window for exposure to certain stimuli essential for proper growth.

Cognitive Development Stages (Piaget)

Sensorimotor Stage: Birth to 2 years; exploration through senses and movement.
Preoperational Stage: Ages 2 to 6/7; development of language but lacks concrete logical thinking.
Concrete Operational Stage: Ages 6/7 to 11; logical thinking about tangible events.
Formal Operational Stage: Age 12 onwards; ability to think abstractly and reason logically.

Key Cognitive Concepts

Object Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when not visible.
Conservation: Recognition that properties of objects remain constant despite changes in form.
Egocentrism: Difficulty in understanding perspectives other than one’s own.
Theory of Mind: Awareness of one’s and others' mental states and their influence on behavior.

Stranger Anxiety: Fear of unfamiliar people in infants, emerging around 8 months old.
Attachment: Emotional bond between a child and caregiver; distress occurs upon separation.
Basic Trust: Erikson's concept that a predictable world is developed through positive caregiver experiences.
Identity: Development of self-concept during adolescence; involves exploring various roles.

Stress Responses and Management

Fight or Flight Response: Physiological response to perceived threats mobilizing energy for confrontation or escape.
General Adaptation Syndrome: Seyle's model of stress response comprising alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages.
Tend and Befriend Response: Under stress, individuals (especially women) seek social support and bond with others.

Health Psychology

Psychoneuroimmunology: Studies the interplay of psychological factors, neural processes, and immune function.
Lymphocytes: White blood cells crucial for immune responses; types include B and T lymphocytes.

Personality Types

Type A Personality: Competitive, driven, and prone to stress; linked with aggression.
Type B Personality: Relaxed and easygoing; less prone to stress.

Coping Mechanisms

Coping: Strategies to mitigate stress through emotional, cognitive, or behavioral approaches.
Problem Focused Coping: Implementing solutions to directly address stressors.
Emotion Focused Coping: Managing emotional responses rather than stressors themselves.

Control and Outlook

Personal Control: Perception of having control over one's life circumstances.
Learned Helplessness: Condition of passive resignation resulting from repeated failures to control events.
Locus of Control: Differentiates between external (fate determined by outside forces) and internal (self-determined fate) perspectives.
Optimism vs. Pessimism: Expectation of positive versus negative outcomes based on life experiences.

Resilience and Comparisons

Mindfulness Meditation: Awareness of present moment experiences in a nonjudgmental way.
Resilience: Capability to recover from stress, adversity, or trauma.
Relative Deprivation: Feeling worse off in comparison to others, often affecting satisfaction levels.

Immune Function and Stress

B Lymphocytes: Produce antibodies to combat bacterial infections.
T Lymphocytes: Target cancer cells and viral infections.

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Test your knowledge of key concepts in Psychology 101 with these flashcards. Covering essential theories such as behaviorism, humanistic psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, this quiz will help reinforce your understanding of foundational psychological principles.