Intro in psych
development across a
American Psychological
Association
professional organization
representing psychologists in
the United States
behaviorism
focus on observing and
controlling behavior
biopsychology
study of how biology
influences behavior
biopsychosocial model
perspective that asserts that
biology, psychology, and
social factors interact to
determine an individual’s
health
clinical psychology
area of psychology that
focuses on the diagnosis and
treatment of psychological
disorders and other
problematic patterns of
behavior
cognitive psychology
study of cognitions, or
thoughts, and their
relationship to experiences
and actions
counseling psychology
area of psychology that
focuses on improving
emotional, social, vocational,
and other aspects of the lives
of psychologically healthy
individuals
developmental psychology
scientific study of
study of”
lifespan
dissertation
long research paper about
research that was conducted
as a part of the candidate’s
doctoral training
empirical method
method for acquiring
knowledge based on
observation, including
experimentation, rather than
a method based only on
forms of logical argument or
previous authorities
forensic psychology
area of psychology that
applies the science and
practice of psychology to
issues within and related to
the justice system
functionalism
focused on how mental
activities helped an organism
adapt to its environment
humanism
perspective within
psychology that emphasizes
the potential for good that is
innate to all humans
introspection
process by which someone
examines their own
conscious experience in an
attempt to break it into its
component parts
ology
suffix that denotes “scientific
personality psychology
study of patterns of thoughts
and behaviors that make
each individual unique
personality trait
consistent pattern of thought
and behavior
PhD
(doctor of philosophy)
doctoral degree conferred in
many disciplinary
perspectives housed in a
traditional college of liberal
arts and sciences
postdoctoral training
program
allows young scientists to
further develop their
research programs and
broaden their research skills
under the supervision of
other professionals in the
field
psyche
Greek word for soul
psychoanalytic theory
focus on the role of the
unconscious in affecting
conscious behavior
psychology
scientific study of the mind
and behavior
PsyD
(doctor of psychology)
doctoral degree that places
less emphasis on research-
oriented skills and focuses disproves ideas or
more on application of beliefs
confounding variable
psychological principles in
unanticipated outside
the clinical context factor that affects both
variables of interest,
sport and exercise
often giving the false
psychology impression that
changes in one
area of psychology that variable causes
focuses on the interactions changes in the other
between mental and variable, when, in
emotional factors and actuality, the outside
physical performance in factor causes changes
in both variables
sports, exercise, and other control group
activities serves as a basis for
comparison and
structuralism controls for chance
factors that might
understanding the conscious
influence the results of
experience through the study—by holding
introspection such factors constant
across groups so that
psychological research the experimental
manipulation is the
archival research
only difference
method of research
between groups
using past records or
correlation
data sets to answer
relationship between
various research
two or more variables;
questions, or to search
when two variables
for interesting patterns
are correlated, one
or relationships
variable changes as
attrition
the other does
reduction in number
correlation coefficient
of research
number from -1 to +1,
participants as some
indicating the strength
drop out of the study
and direction of the
over time
relationship between
cause-and-effect relationship
variables, and usually
changes in one
represented by r
variable cause the
cross-sectional research
changes in the other
compares multiple
variable; can be
segments of a
determined only
population at a single
through an
time
experimental research
debriefing
design
when an experiment
clinical or case study
involved deception,
observational research
participants are told
study focusing on one
complete and truthful
or a few people
information about the
confirmation bias
experiment at its
tendency to ignore
conclusion
evidence that
deception
purposely misleading
experiment
participants in order to
maintain the integrity
of the experiment
deductive reasoning
results are predicted
based on a general
premise
dependent variable
variable that the
researcher measures to
see how much effect
the independent
variable had
double-blind study
experiment in which
both the researchers
and the participants
are blind to group
assignments
empirical
grounded in objective,
tangible evidence that
can be observed time
and time again,
regardless of who is
observing
experimental group
group designed to
answer the research
question; experimental
manipulation is the
only difference
between the
experimental and
control groups, so any
differences between
the two are due to
experimental
manipulation rather
than chance
experimenter bias
researcher
expectations skew the
results of the study
fact
objective and
verifiable observation,
established using
evidence collected
through empirical
research
falsifiable for research involving
able to be disproven non-human animals
by experimental Institutional Review Board participants
results (IRB) subjects of
generalize committee of psychological research
inferring that the administrators, peer-reviewed journal article
results for a sample scientists, and article read by several
apply to the larger community members other scientists
population that reviews proposals (usually
hypothesis for research involving anonymously) with
(plural: hypotheses) human participants expertise in the
tentative and testable inter-rater reliability subject matter, who
statement about the measure of agreement provide feedback
relationship between among observers on regarding the quality
two or more variables how they record and of the manuscript
illusory correlation classify a particular before it is accepted
seeing relationships event for publication
between two things longitudinal research placebo effect
when in reality no studies in which the people's expectations
such relationship same group of or beliefs influencing
exists individuals is or determining their
independent variable surveyed or measured experience in a given
variable that is repeatedly over an situation
influenced or extended period of population
controlled by the time overall group of
experimenter; in a naturalistic observation individuals that the
sound experimental observation of researchers are
study, the independent behavior in its natural interested in
variable is the only setting positive correlation
important difference negative correlation two variables change
between the two variables change in the same direction,
experimental and in different directions, both becoming either
control group with one becoming larger or smaller
inductive reasoning larger as the other random assignment
conclusions are drawn becomes smaller; a method of
from observations negative correlation is experimental group
informed consent not the same thing as assignment in which
process of informing a no correlation all participants have
research participant observer bias an equal chance of
about what to expect when observations being assigned to
during an experiment, may be skewed to either group
any risks involved, align with observer random sample
and the implications expectations subset of a larger
of the research, and operational definition population in which
then obtaining the description of what every member of the
person’s consent to actions and operations population has an
participate will be used to equal chance of being
Institutional Animal Care measure the dependent selected
and Use Committee (IACUC) variables and reliability
committee of manipulate the consistency and
administrators, independent variables reproducibility of a
scientists, opinion given result
veterinarians, and personal judgments, replicate
community members conclusions, or repeating an
that reviews proposals attitudes that may or experiment using
may not be accurate different samples to
 determine the agonist
research’s reliability drug that mimics or
strengthens the effects
sample of a neurotransmitter
subset of individuals all-or-none
selected from the phenomenon that
larger population incoming signal from
single-blind study another neuron is
experiment in which either sufficient or
the researcher knows insufficient to reach
which participants are the threshold of
in the experimental excitation
group and which are allele
in the control group specific version of a
statistical analysis gene
determines how likely amygdala
any difference structure in the limbic
between experimental system involved in our
groups is due to experience of emotion
chance and tying emotional
survey meaning to our
list of questions to be memories
answered by research antagonist
participants—given as drug that blocks or
paper-and-pencil impedes the normal
questionnaires, activity of a given
administered neurotransmitter
electronically, or auditory cortex
conducted verbally— strip of cortex in the
allowing researchers temporal lobe that is
to collect data from a responsible for
large number of processing auditory
people information
theory autonomic nervous system
well-developed set of controls our internal
ideas that propose an organs and glands
explanation for axon
observed phenomena major extension of the
validity soma
accuracy of a given biological perspective
result in measuring view that
what it is designed to psychological
measure disorders like
depression and
schizophrenia are
biopsychology associated with
imbalances in one or
action potential more neurotransmitter
electrical signal that systems
moves down the Broca’s area
neuron’s axon region in the left
adrenal gland hemisphere that is
sits atop our kidneys essential for language
and secretes hormones production
involved in the stress central nervous system
response (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
cerebellum
hindbrain structure
that controls our
balance, coordination,
movement, and motor
skills, and it is thought
to be important in
processing some types
of memory
cerebral cortex
surface of the brain
that is associated with
our highest mental
capabilities
chromosome
long strand of genetic
information
computerized tomography
(CT) scan
imaging technique in
which a computer
coordinates and
integrates multiple x-
rays of a given area
corpus callosum
thick band of neural
fibers connecting the
brain’s two
hemispheres
dendrite
branch-like extension
of the soma that
receives incoming
signals from other
neurons
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
helix-shaped molecule
made of nucleotide
base pairs
diabetes
disease related to
insufficient insulin
production
dominant allele
allele whose
phenotype will be
expressed in an
individual that
possesses that allele
electroencephalography
(EEG)
recording the
electrical activity of
the brain via
electrodes on the scalp
endocrine system genetic environmental temperature, are
series of glands that correlation maintained at optimal
produce chemical view of gene- levels
substances known as environment homozygous
hormones interaction that asserts consisting of two
epigenetics our genes affect our identical alleles
study of gene- environment, and our hormone
environment environment chemical messenger
interactions, such as influences the released by endocrine
how the same expression of our glands
genotype leads to genes hypothalamus
different phenotypes genotype forebrain structure that
fight or flight response genetic makeup of an regulates sexual
activation of the individual motivation and
sympathetic division glial cell behavior and a
of the autonomic nervous system cell number of
nervous system, that provides physical homeostatic
allowing access to and metabolic support processes; serves as an
energy reserves and to neurons, including interface between the
heightened sensory neuronal insulation nervous system and
capacity so that we and communication, the endocrine system
might fight off a given and nutrient and waste identical twins
threat or run away to transport twins that develop
safety gonad from the same sperm
forebrain secretes sexual and egg
largest part of the hormones, which are lateralization
brain, containing the important for concept that each
cerebral cortex, the successful hemisphere of the
thalamus, and the reproduction, and brain is associated
limbic system, among mediate both sexual with specialized
other structures motivation and functions
fraternal twins behavior limbic system
twins who develop gyrus collection of structures
from two different (plural: gyri) bump or involved in processing
eggs fertilized by ridge on the cerebral emotion and memory
different sperm, so cortex longitudinal fissure
their genetic material hemisphere deep groove in the
varies the same as in left or right half of the brain’s cortex
non-twin siblings brain magnetic resonance imaging
frontal lobe heterozygous (MRI)
part of the cerebral consisting of two magnetic fields used
cortex involved in different alleles to produce a picture of
reasoning, motor hindbrain the tissue being
control, emotion, and division of the brain imaged
language; contains containing the medulla
motor cortex medulla, pons, and hindbrain structure
functional magnetic cerebellum that controls
resonance imaging (fMRI) hippocampus automated processes
MRI that shows structure in the like breathing, blood
changes in metabolic temporal lobe pressure, and heart
activity over time associated with rate
gene learning and memory membrane potential
sequence of DNA that homeostasis difference in charge
controls or partially state of equilibrium— across the neuronal
controls physical biological conditions, membrane
characteristics such as body midbrain
 division of the brain senses in the periphery protein on the cell
located between the of the body surface where
forebrain and the phenotype neurotransmitters
hindbrain; contains the individual’s attach
reticular formation inheritable physical recessive allele
motor cortex characteristics allele whose
strip of cortex pituitary gland phenotype will be
involved in planning secretes a number of expressed only if an
and coordinating key hormones, which individual is
movement regulate fluid levels in homozygous for that
mutation the body, and a allele
sudden, permanent number of messenger resting potential
change in a gene hormones, which the state of readiness
myelin sheath direct the activity of of a neuron
fatty substance that other glands in the membrane’s potential
insulates axons endocrine system between signals
neuron polygenic reticular formation
cells in the nervous multiple genes midbrain structure
system that act as affecting a given trait important in
interconnected pons regulating the
information hindbrain structure sleep/wake cycle,
processors, which are that connects the brain arousal, alertness, and
essential for all of the and spinal cord; motor activity
tasks of the nervous involved in regulating reuptake
system brain activity during neurotransmitter is
neurotransmitter sleep pumped back into the
chemical messenger of positron emission neuron that released it
the nervous system tomography (PET) scan semipermeable membrane
occipital lobe involves injecting cell membrane that
part of the cerebral individuals with a allows smaller
cortex associated with mildly radioactive molecules or
visual processing; substance and molecules without an
contains the primary monitoring changes in electrical charge to
visual cortex blood flow to different pass through it, while
pancreas regions of the brain stopping larger or
secretes hormones that prefrontal cortex highly charged
regulate blood sugar area in the frontal lobe molecules
parasympathetic nervous responsible for higher- soma
system level cognitive cell body
associated with functioning somatic nervous system
routine, day-to-day psychotropic medication relays sensory and
operations of the body drugs that treat motor information to
parietal lobe psychiatric symptoms and from the CNS
part of the cerebral by restoring somatosensory cortex
cortex involved in neurotransmitter essential for
processing various balance processing sensory
sensory and perceptual range of reaction information from
information; contains asserts our genes set across the body, such
the primary the boundaries within as touch, temperature,
somatosensory cortex which we can operate, and pain
peripheral nervous system and our environment substantia nigra
(PNS) interacts with the midbrain structure
connects the brain and genes to determine where dopamine is
spinal cord to the where in that range we produced; involved in
muscles, organs and will fall control of movement
receptor sulcus
 (plural: sulci) Wernicke’s area awareness of internal
depressions or grooves important for speech and external stimuli
in the cerebral cortex comprehension continuous positive airway
sympathetic nervous system state of consciousness pressure (CPAP)
involved in stress- device used to treat
related activities and alpha wave sleep apnea; includes
functions type of relatively low a mask that fits over
synapse frequency, relatively the sleeper’s nose and
small gap between high amplitude brain mouth, which is
two neurons where wave that becomes connected to a pump
communication occurs synchronized; that pumps air into the
synaptic vesicle characteristic of the person’s airways,
storage site for beginning of stage 1 forcing them to
neurotransmitters sleep remain open
temporal lobe biological rhythm delta wave
part of cerebral cortex internal cycle of type of low frequency,
associated with biological activity high amplitude brain
hearing, memory, cataplexy wave characteristic of
emotion, and some lack of muscle tone or stage 3 and stage 4
aspects of language; muscle weakness, and sleep
contains primary in some cases depressant
auditory cortex complete paralysis of drug that tends to
terminal button the voluntary muscles suppress central
axon terminal central sleep apnea nervous system
containing synaptic sleep disorder with activity
vesicles periods of interrupted euphoric high
thalamus breathing due to a feelings of intense
sensory relay for the disruption in signals elation and pleasure
brain sent from the brain from drug use
theory of evolution by that regulate breathing evolutionary psychology
natural selection circadian rhythm discipline that studies
states that organisms biological rhythm that how universal patterns
that are better suited occurs over of behavior and
for their environments approximately 24 cognitive processes
will survive and hours have evolved over
reproduce compared codeine time as a result of
to those that are opiate with relatively natural selection
poorly suited for their low potency often hallucinogen
environments prescribed for minor one of a class of drugs
threshold of excitation pain that results in
level of charge in the cognitive-behavioral therapy profound alterations in
membrane that causes psychotherapy that sensory and perceptual
the neuron to become focuses on cognitive experiences, often
active processes and problem with vivid
thyroid behaviors that is hallucinations
secretes hormones that sometimes used to homeostasis
regulate growth, treat sleep disorders tendency to maintain a
metabolism, and such as insomnia balance, or optimal
appetite collective unconscious level, within a
ventral tegmental area theoretical repository biological system
(VTA) of information shared hypnosis
midbrain structure by all people across state of extreme self-
where dopamine is cultures, as described focus and attention in
produced: associated by Carl Jung which minimal
with mood, reward, consciousness attention is given to
and addiction external stimuli
insomnia synthetic opioid that is characterized by
consistent difficulty in less euphorogenic than unwanted, disruptive
falling or staying heroin and similar motor activity and/or
asleep for at least drugs; used to manage experiences during
three nights a week withdrawal symptoms sleep
over a month’s time in opiate users physical dependence
jet lag methadone clinic changes in normal
collection of uses methadone to bodily functions that
symptoms brought on treat withdrawal cause a drug user to
by travel from one symptoms in opiate experience withdrawal
time zone to another users symptoms upon
that results from the methamphetamine cessation of use
mismatch between our type of amphetamine pineal gland
internal circadian that can be made from endocrine structure
cycles and our pseudoephedrine, an located inside the
environment over-the-counter drug; brain that releases
K-complex widely manufactured melatonin
very high amplitude and abused psychological dependence
pattern of brain narcolepsy emotional, rather than
activity associated sleep disorder in a physical, need for a
with stage 2 sleep that which the sufferer drug which may be
may occur in response cannot resist falling to used to relieve
to environmental sleep at inopportune psychological distress
stimuli times rapid eye movement (REM)
latent content night terror sleep
hidden meaning of a sleep disorder in period of sleep
dream, per Sigmund which the sleeper characterized by brain
Freud’s view of the experiences a sense of waves very similar to
function of dreams panic and may scream those during
lucid dream or attempt to escape wakefulness and by
people become aware from the immediate darting movements of
that they are dreaming environment the eyes under closed
and can control the non-REM (NREM) eyelids
dream’s content period of sleep outside REM sleep behavior disorder
manifest content periods of rapid eye (RBD)
storyline of events that movement (REM) sleep disorder in
occur during a dream, sleep which the muscle
per Sigmund Freud’s obstructive sleep apnea paralysis associated
view of the function of sleep disorder defined with the REM sleep
dreams by episodes when phase does not occur;
meditation breathing stops during sleepers have high
clearing the mind in sleep as a result of levels of physical
order to achieve a blockage of the airway activity during REM
state of relaxed opiate/opioid sleep, especially
awareness and focus one of a category of during disturbing
melatonin drugs that has strong dreams
hormone secreted by analgesic properties; restless leg syndrome
the endocrine gland opiates are produced sleep disorder in
that serves as an from the resin of the which the sufferer has
important regulator of opium poppy; includes uncomfortable
the sleep-wake cycle heroin, morphine, sensations in the legs
meta-analysis methadone, and when trying to fall
study that combines codeine asleep that are
the results of several parinsomnia relieved by moving
related studies one of a group of the legs
methadone sleep disorders rotating shift work
 work schedule that during which a person characterized by high
changes from early to drifts off to sleep levels of sensory
late on a daily or stage 2 sleep awareness, thought,
weekly basis second stage of sleep; and behavior
sleep the body goes into withdrawal
state marked by deep relaxation; variety of negative
relatively low levels characterized by the symptoms
of physical activity appearance of sleep experienced when
and reduced sensory spindles drug use is
awareness that is stage 3 sleep discontinued
distinct from periods third stage of sleep;
of rest that occur deep sleep
during wakefulness characterized by low
sleep apnea frequency, high
sleep disorder defined amplitude delta waves
by episodes during stage 4 sleep
which breathing stops fourth stage of sleep;
during sleep deep sleep
sleep debt characterized by low
result of insufficient frequency, high
sleep on a chronic amplitude delta waves
basis stimulant
sleep rebound drug that tends to
sleep-deprived increase overall levels
individuals will of neural activity;
experience shorter includes caffeine,
sleep latencies during nicotine,
subsequent amphetamines, and
opportunities for sleep cocaine
sleep regulation sudden infant death
brain’s control of syndrome (SIDS)
switching between infant (one year old or
sleep and wakefulness younger) with no
as well as apparent medical
coordinating this cycle condition suddenly
with the outside world dies during sleep
sleep spindle suprachiasmatic nucleus
rapid burst of high (SCN)
frequency brain waves area of the
during stage 2 sleep hypothalamus in
that may be important which the body’s
for learning and biological clock is
memory located
sleepwalking theta wave
(also, somnambulism) type of low frequency,
sleep disorder in high amplitude brain
which the sleeper wave characteristic of
engages in relatively stage 1 and stage 2
complex behaviors sleep
stage 1 sleep tolerance
first stage of sleep; state of requiring
transitional phase that increasing quantities
occurs between of the drug to gain the
wakefulness and desired effect
sleep; the period wakefulness