Psych Final

• Introspection: The process of observing one's own mental processes
• Structuralism: A theory that focuses on the structure of the mind and how it is organized
• Functionalism: A theory that explains social behavior in terms of the function it serves
• Psychoanalytic theory: Freud's theory that the unconscious mind is the source of all human behavior
• Psychodynamic: The study of the unconscious mind and how it influences behavior
• Humanistic: A person-centered approach that emphasizes the importance of the individual and the development of self-actualization
• Behaviorism: A theory that focuses on observable behavior and ignores internal mental processes
• Cognitive Perspective: The cognitive approach to psychology focuses on the role of mental processes in understanding behavior
• Independent Variable: What the researcher controls
• Dependent variable: outcome that changes due to the independent variable
• Extraneous variable: A variable that is not controlled by the researcher but may affect the results of the experiment
• Cofounding variable: A variable that is present in both the experimental and control group
• Soma: contains DNA
• Dendrites: Extensions off the soma and receives signals from structure
• Axon: extensions from soma and sends signals to other structures
• Myelin sheath: glial cells that insulates the axon and speeds up transmission
• Nodes of Ranvier: Gap of Myelin
• Terminal Button: Branched ends of axon that connects it to the next structure
• Neurotransmitters: chemicals that are released from neurons and diffuse across the synapse
• Vesicles: neurotransmitter storage in terminal buttons
• Peripheral nervous system: connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body
• PNS contains the automatic and somatic nervous system
• Autonomic nervous system: controls involuntary functions of the body, such as heart rate and digestion
• Autonomic Nervous System contains the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
• Sympathetic Nervous system: Stimulates the body to prepare for fight or flight
• Somatic Nervous System: collects sensory info and controls muscles responsible for voluntary movement
• Left hemisphere is good for speech and language
• Right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for spatial tasks
• Hypothalamus: Regulates homeostasis, organ function, appetite and thirst
• Thalamus: Sensory gateway, info gets sent here before further processing
• Hippocampus: Memory formation
• Amygdala: negative emotions
• Occipital Lobe: Processes visual info
• Temporal Lobe: Processes auditory info
• Parietal Lobe: Incorporates sensory info in the somatosensory cortex
• Frontal Lobe: High-level cognition
• 4 requirements for abnormality: atypical, dysfunctional, distressing and deviation from norm
• Anxiety Disorders: characterized by excessive anxiety and worry.
• Treating Anxiety: GABA agonists
• OCD: obsessions and compulsions