PSYCH 2000 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Psychology - Answers - the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Introspection - Answers - examination of one's own thoughts and feelings (examining
internal experience)
Structuralism - Answers - an early school of psychology that used introspection to
explore the elemental structure of the human mind (Breaking down consciousness)
Functionalism - Answers - A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and
behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.
(Cognition)
Gestalt Psychology - Answers - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
Psychoanalysis - Answers - exploring the unconscious mind
Psychodynamic - Answers - attachment theory, unconscious processes
Behavioral - Answers - classical and operant conditioning
Humaistic - Answers - the desire to self-actualize and use free will
Cognitive/Neurocognitive - Answers - how people think, remember, and store
information
Sociocultural - Answers - focusing on interactions within and between groups
biopsychological (and behavioral genetics) - Answers - study the relationship between
genes and mental processes and behavior
Theory - Answers - A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data
Hypothesis - Answers - A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Statistics - Answers - Collection of methods for planning experiments, obtaining data,
organizing, summarizing, presenting, analyzing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions
based on data.
mean - Answers - average
Mode - Answers - the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution
,Median - Answers - the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and
half are below it
research design - Answers - specifies which research questions must be answered,
how and when the data will be gathered, and how the data will be analyzed
naturalistic observation - Answers - observing and recording behavior in naturally
occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
case study - Answers - an observation technique in which one person is studied in
depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
Correlation - Answers - A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and
thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
survey - Answers - a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors
of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the
group
experimental - Answers - to explore cause and effect
study design - Answers - Procedures and methods, established beforehand, that are
followed by the investigator conducting the study.
representative sample - Answers - randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger
population of subjects
Randomization - Answers - a process of randomly assigning subjects to different
treatment groups
independent variable - Answers - The experimental factor that is manipulated; the
variable whose effect is being studied.
dependent variable - Answers - The outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable.
confounding variable - Answers - a factor other than the independent variable that might
produce an effect in an experiment
placebo effect - Answers - experimental results caused by expectations alone; any
effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition,
which the recipient assumes is an active agent.
experimental group - Answers - In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the
treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
, control group - Answers - In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the
treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for
evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Biopsychology - Answers - study of how biology influences behavior
Neurons - Answers - nerve cells
Axon - Answers - the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through
which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
terminal - Answers - is depolarized by current spread from the last point of the axon
which can produce an AP.
Dendrites - Answers - Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive
information.
terminal buttons - Answers - Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals
called neurotransmitters
synaptic vesicles - Answers - Membrane-bounded compartments in which synthesized
neurotransmitters are kept.
Neurotransmitters - Answers - chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons
Reuptake - Answers - a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
action potential - Answers - a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down
an axon
Forebrain - Answers - The largest and most complicated region of the brain, including
the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.
Midbrain - Answers - A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory
information and relays it upward.
Hindbrain - Answers - An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and
out of the spinal cord
frontal lobe - Answers - A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for
movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement
parietal lobe - Answers - A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include
processing information about touch.
Psychology - Answers - the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Introspection - Answers - examination of one's own thoughts and feelings (examining
internal experience)
Structuralism - Answers - an early school of psychology that used introspection to
explore the elemental structure of the human mind (Breaking down consciousness)
Functionalism - Answers - A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and
behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.
(Cognition)
Gestalt Psychology - Answers - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
Psychoanalysis - Answers - exploring the unconscious mind
Psychodynamic - Answers - attachment theory, unconscious processes
Behavioral - Answers - classical and operant conditioning
Humaistic - Answers - the desire to self-actualize and use free will
Cognitive/Neurocognitive - Answers - how people think, remember, and store
information
Sociocultural - Answers - focusing on interactions within and between groups
biopsychological (and behavioral genetics) - Answers - study the relationship between
genes and mental processes and behavior
Theory - Answers - A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data
Hypothesis - Answers - A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Statistics - Answers - Collection of methods for planning experiments, obtaining data,
organizing, summarizing, presenting, analyzing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions
based on data.
mean - Answers - average
Mode - Answers - the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution
,Median - Answers - the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and
half are below it
research design - Answers - specifies which research questions must be answered,
how and when the data will be gathered, and how the data will be analyzed
naturalistic observation - Answers - observing and recording behavior in naturally
occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
case study - Answers - an observation technique in which one person is studied in
depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
Correlation - Answers - A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and
thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
survey - Answers - a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors
of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the
group
experimental - Answers - to explore cause and effect
study design - Answers - Procedures and methods, established beforehand, that are
followed by the investigator conducting the study.
representative sample - Answers - randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger
population of subjects
Randomization - Answers - a process of randomly assigning subjects to different
treatment groups
independent variable - Answers - The experimental factor that is manipulated; the
variable whose effect is being studied.
dependent variable - Answers - The outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable.
confounding variable - Answers - a factor other than the independent variable that might
produce an effect in an experiment
placebo effect - Answers - experimental results caused by expectations alone; any
effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition,
which the recipient assumes is an active agent.
experimental group - Answers - In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the
treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
, control group - Answers - In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the
treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for
evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Biopsychology - Answers - study of how biology influences behavior
Neurons - Answers - nerve cells
Axon - Answers - the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through
which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
terminal - Answers - is depolarized by current spread from the last point of the axon
which can produce an AP.
Dendrites - Answers - Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive
information.
terminal buttons - Answers - Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals
called neurotransmitters
synaptic vesicles - Answers - Membrane-bounded compartments in which synthesized
neurotransmitters are kept.
Neurotransmitters - Answers - chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps
between neurons
Reuptake - Answers - a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
action potential - Answers - a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down
an axon
Forebrain - Answers - The largest and most complicated region of the brain, including
the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.
Midbrain - Answers - A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory
information and relays it upward.
Hindbrain - Answers - An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and
out of the spinal cord
frontal lobe - Answers - A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for
movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement
parietal lobe - Answers - A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include
processing information about touch.
