Psychology Concepts Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of the scientific method in psychology?

To ensure subjective interpretations of data

To increase participant response rates in surveys

To simplify complex behaviors into quantifiable data

To remove researcher bias and create a repeatable process (correct)

What primary function do glial cells serve in the nervous system?

Generate electrical impulses

Regulate hormone levels

Provide insulation and remove waste products (correct)

Transmit signals between neurons

What is the role of agonists in neurotransmitter activity?

They inhibit neurotransmitter release

They enhance the activity of neurotransmitters (correct)

They decrease neuronal firing rates

They block receptor sites on neurons

Which stage of sleep is characterized by dreaming?

Stage 4 Signup and view all the answers

What does a zero correlation coefficient indicate?

No relationship exists between the two variables Signup and view all the answers

What is transduction in sensory processing?

Converting sensory information into electrical impulses Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary component of social desirability bias?

A tendency to provide socially acceptable responses Signup and view all the answers

What physiological response is commonly associated with the limbic system during emotional experiences?

Activation of the amygdala and hippocampus Signup and view all the answers

What is a spurious correlation?

A misleading correlation due to a third variable. Signup and view all the answers

What leads to social loafing?

A tendency to exert less effort in a group setting. Signup and view all the answers

What is the range of wavelengths of light that humans can perceive?

400-700 nm Signup and view all the answers

Which component of classical conditioning represents an unconditioned response?

UCR Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of gray matter in the brain?

It is unmyelinated. Signup and view all the answers

Which theory describes simultaneous processing of physiological arousal and emotion?

Cannon-Bard Theory Signup and view all the answers

What numerical value represents a weak correlation coefficient?

Closer to 0 Signup and view all the answers

What does amplitude tell us about light and sound?

It indicates brightness of light and loudness of sound. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of feature detector cells in the brain?

They recognize elementary features of visual objects. Signup and view all the answers

How does an fMRI measure brain activity?

By focusing on oxygen levels in different brain areas. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key focus of Gestalt psychologists?

How visual input is organized into meaningful wholes. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a positive correlation between two variables?

Both variables increase or decrease together. Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the neuron is responsible for conducting electrical impulses away from the cell body?

Axon Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the opponent-process theory from the trichromatic theory of color vision?

Opponent-process involves processing in ganglion cells, while trichromatic involves cones. Signup and view all the answers

What can result from damage to the somatosensory cortex?

Phantom limb pain. Signup and view all the answers

What does neuroplasticity refer to?

The ability of the nervous system to modify its connections. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Scientific Method in Psychology

Researchers use the scientific method to minimize bias and ensure repeatable processes for verifying reliability.

Psychology Definition

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis involves the deterioration of the myelin sheath.

Agonists and Antagonists

Agonists increase neurotransmitter activity.
Antagonists decrease neurotransmitter activity.

Stages of Sleep

Stage 1: Hypnagogic twitching
Stage 2: Sleep spindles and delta waves.
Stage 3: Deep sleep, Delta waves.
Stage 4: REM sleep and dreaming.

Limbic System Structures

The limbic system includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus.

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance, a depth perception cue.

Brain Blood Supply

The brain uses about 20% of the body's blood supply.

Glial Cell Functions

Glial cells support neurons by insulating them, removing waste, and strengthening neural connections.

Neuron Firing Rate

A neuron's firing rate without the volley principle is 1,000 times per second. With the volley principle, it's 5,000 times per second.

Neuron Types

Motor neurons, sensory neurons, and interneurons are the three main types of neurons.

Social desirability bias is a response tendency where survey respondents answer questions in ways they perceive will be favorably viewed by others.

Components of Emotion

Emotion comprises cognitive, behavioral, and physiological components.

Correlation Coefficient (Zero)

A zero correlation coefficient indicates no relationship between two variables.

Accommodation

Accommodation is focusing light waves from different distances onto the retina.

Sensory Adaptation

Sensory adaptation allows detection of environmental changes while ignoring consistent stimuli.

Sensory Transduction

Transduction converts sensory information into electrical impulses.

Placebo Effect Neurotransmitter

Endorphins are the neurotransmitter associated with the placebo effect.

Dreams' Emotional Content

Dreams are often high in emotional content because the frontal lobe (responsible for rational thought) is less active. Whereas the limbic system (emotional center) is very active.

Schemas

Schemas are thought and behavior patterns that categorize information and relationships.

Feature Detector Cells

Feature detector cells identify elementary visual features which are reassembled into a whole image by the brain.

fMRI Function

fMRI measures oxygen use in the brain, providing a measure of brain activity.

Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt psychology focuses on how the brain organizes visual input into meaningful wholes.

Correlation Types

Positive correlation: both variables increase or decrease together.
Negative correlation: one variable increases as the other decreases.

Neuron Parts

Dendrites receive information.
Cell body (soma): processes information.
Axon carries impulses.
Axon terminals: signal to other neurons.
Myelin sheath speeds up signal transmission.

Color Vision Theories

Trichromatic theory: three types of cones detect blue, green, and red. Opponent-process theory: opposing color pairings (e.g., red-green).

Somatosensory Cortex Damage

Damage to the somatosensory cortex can lead to phantom limb pain.

Sociocultural Perspective

A sociocultural perspective considers how culture and family influence behavior.

Neuron Electrical Impulse

Excitatory input must outweigh inhibitory input to generate an electrical impulse.

Neuroplasticity

The nervous system's ability to change structure and function in response to stimuli.

Non-Thalamic Sense

Olfactory (smell) is the only sense that does not directly pass through the thalamus.

Spurious Correlation

Spurious correlations occur when cause-and-effect relationships are mistakenly perceived between two variables due to a third, unobserved variable.

Bystander Effect

The bystander effect occurs when individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present.

Nearsightedness Risk

Nearsightedness is linked to retinal detachment, cataracts and glaucoma.

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning involves UCS, CS, NS, CR, and UCR.

Brain Intelligence

More intelligent people might have more folds and a higher glial-to-neuron ratio in their brains.

Correlation Coefficient Values

A correlation coefficient close to +1 or −1 indicates a strong correlation; closer to 0 indicates a weak correlation.

Waveform Components

Waveforms have frequency, amplitude, and wavelength components that correlate with brightness, loudness, and pitch respectively.

Descriptive Methods

Observational techniques, case studies, and surveys are descriptive research methods.

Brain Matter Differences

White matter is myelinated; gray matter is unmyelinated.

Emotion Theories

Cannon-Bard theory proposes simultaneous physiological and emotional responses to a stimulus.
James-Lange theory suggests physiological arousal precedes emotional experience.
Schachter-Singer theory introduces cognitive appraisal as a crucial component in emotion experiences.

Social loafing is a phenomenon where individuals exert less effort in a group than when working alone.

Conditioning Types

Delayed conditioning is a particularly effective type.

Auditory Processing

Low frequency sounds are processed near the front; high near the rear.

Sleep Deprivation Effects

Sleep deprivation can cause immune suppression, weight gain, accidents, and cognitive impairments.

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Description

This quiz covers key concepts in psychology, including the scientific method, stages of sleep, and the structures of the limbic system. Test your knowledge on various topics related to human behavior, mental processes, and neurological functions.