Questions and Answers
What is the current definition of Psychology?
Who is considered the founder of Psychology?
Wilhem Wundt
What did G. Stanley Hall contribute to Psychology?
Brought Psychology to America
What is Sigmund Freud known for?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the focus of John B. Watson's contributions?
Signup and view all the answers
What principle is B.F. Skinner known for?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Psychiatry?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the two great assumptions in science?
Signup and view all the answers
A hypothesis is a specific prediction about the ________ between variables.
Signup and view all the answers
Variables that can be manipulated are called the ________ variable.
Signup and view all the answers
In a correlational study, a positive correlation indicates that two variables vary in the ________ direction.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary function of a neuron?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the All-or-None Law?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an antagonist?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the frontal lobe primarily control?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of mirror neurons?
Signup and view all the answers
Which lobe of the brain is responsible for processing visual information?
Signup and view all the answers
What can damage to the primary visual cortex cause?
Signup and view all the answers
What is synesthesia?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Fundamental Concepts in Psychology
- Psychology: Transitioned from “study of the mind” to the scientific discipline examining human and animal behavior and mental processes.
- Wilhelm Wundt: Recognized as the founder of psychology, establishing the field as a formal discipline.
- G. Stanley Hall: One of the key figures who introduced psychology to the United States.
Major Theories and Perspectives
- Sigmund Freud: Introduced Psychoanalytic Theory, emphasizing the influence of the unconscious on behavior; raised controversies regarding control over mental processes.
- John B. Watson: Considered the founder of behaviorism, which focuses only on observable behavior.
- B.F. Skinner: Championed the idea that behavior is shaped by external stimuli, advocating that free will is an illusion.
Research Methodologies
- Positivism: Belief in the existence of a single, knowable truth.
- Empiricism: Emphasizes observation and data collection to understand the world.
- Hypothesis vs Theory: A hypothesis is a specific prediction, while a theory comprises related ideas explaining the relationship between variables.
-
Experiments and Correlational Studies:
- Experiments allow for precise control and causal conclusions but can be limited in scope.
- Correlational studies assess naturally occurring relationships to find patterns (positive and negative correlations).
Biological Foundations of Psychology
- Biological Psychology: Explores the connection between biological processes and behavior.
-
Neuron Structure:
- Dendrites: Receive information.
- Soma: Integrates incoming signals.
- Axon: Transmits signals to other neurons.
- Myelin Sheath: Increases signal speed.
- Synapse: Space for neurotransmitter signaling between neurons.
Types of Neurons
- Motor Neurons: Efferent neurons controlling muscles and glands.
- Sensory Neurons: Afferent neurons converting external stimuli into internal electrical impulses.
- Mirror Neurons: Activate while observing others' actions, facilitating imitation.
Neural Communication and Transmission
-
Neurotransmitters: Chemicals that convey information between neurons, including:
- Dopamine: Influences pleasure and voluntary movement.
- Serotonin: Regulates mood and sleep.
- ACh: Involved in movement and memory.
- Other neurotransmitters play roles in pain relief, arousal, and social bonding.
Action Potentials and Neural Activity
- Action Potential: A rapid electrical charge shift within a neuron, initiated by ion movement across the membrane.
- All-or-None Law: Neurons either fire fully or not at all; stimulus intensity affects firing rate.
Brain Structure and Function
- Frontal Lobe: Engaged in reasoning, motor control, and language production. Associated with Broca's area for speech.
- Temporal Lobe: Processes auditory information; Wernicke's area is critical for language comprehension.
- Occipital Lobe: Processes visual data; damage can lead to loss of sight.
- Parietal Lobe: Interprets sensory information and spatial awareness.
- Cerebellum: Coordinates movement and balance.
- Limbic System: Includes structures such as the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, crucial for sensory processing, emotional regulation, and memory.
Sensation and Perception
- Psychophysics: Investigates how physical stimuli are perceived psychologically.
- Sensation vs Perception: Sensation involves the raw input from senses, whereas perception pertains to interpretation.
- Vision: Involves structures such as the cornea, pupil, iris, lens, retina, and optic pathways, facilitating visual processing.
Color Perception Theories
- Trichromatic Theory: Color perception is based on the light absorbed by three types of cones (red, green, blue).
- Opponent Process Theory: Color perception arises from antagonistic responses, creating opposite color pairings that also explain after-images.
Unique Sensory Conditions
- Synesthesia: A neurological condition leading to unique and mixed sensory experiences.
Perceptual Influences
- Perceptual Processes: Rely on sensory input transformed into neural signals, shaped by individual expectations, attentional focus, and selective input.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of key terms and figures in Psychology with these flashcards covering Chapters 1 to 4. Learn about influential psychologists like Wilhem Wundt and Sigmund Freud, and grasp foundational concepts in the field. Perfect for exam preparation!
