PSY 2013 1st EditionFinal Exam Study GuideExam 1 (Introduction, Neuro)INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGYWhat is psychology? Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. Know the different ways of gathering data. Naturalistic observation: Nothing is modified. Strictly observing behaviors in a public place. Participant observer: becoming one with the test subjects to avoid the Hawthorne effect. After-effect observing: looking at outcomes. Survey/interview: Simply asking questions. The downfall is self-reporting.What is the difference between correlation and causation? Can you have one without the other?Correlation is only a relationship between variables. Causation means one variable depends on the other. Just because variables have a correlation does not mean there is causation in the experiment, but if there is causation there will be correlation as well. What are the requirements of the experimenter when conducting a study with human subjects? Consent (with the exception of naturalistic observation, but deception may be used here), protection (harm may not come to the participant during or due to the experiment), confidentiality (names and data are separated), and debriefing (revealing deception).NEUROWhat are behavioral genetics? What is the “big debate?” Nature v. nurture. What shapes behavior: genetics or environment/experiences? Study the twin studies. Below are the things he stressed for each neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine – memoryDopamine – only produced in one part of the brain; don’t mess with it very much; it’s never alone (always with NDRP/SDRI)Serotonin – doesn’t affect other functions as much and keeps working; housewives take this themostNorepinephrine – less broad version of serotonin; opposite I epinephrine (aka adrenaline)Know the difference between sympathetic and parasympathetic. Sympathetic is reflexes/fight orflight. It takes lots of energy, which is why we can’t stay here long. Parasympathetic is what brings us down from the sympathetic state.Know the lobes and what they are responsible for. Frontal lobe is responsible for decision-making, personality, and thinking. Temporal lobes are for language, hearing, and short-term memory. Parietal lobe is responsible for touch and movement. Occipital lobe is for vision.How do we study the brain? To do this, we have to take it out and look at it. A hemispherectomyis removing half of the brain. The corpus callosum is what connects the two halves, allowing us as humans to be contralateral. We can examine the brain through electrical impulses (EEG/EKGs) and neuroimagery (MRI, PET scan, or CT scan.)Other material (January 29-February 3)What is a drug? A substance that has an effect on the nervous system.What are the three classifications? 1. Stimulant: caffeine, nicotine, Adderall. 2. Depressants: alcohol (not narcotics). 3. Hallucinogens: weed.Know the difference between an action and an effect. Action is a psychological mechanism by which the drugs work. Effect is what you perceive is happening and the behaviors caused by thedrug. How does the body build up tolerance? After extended usage, the body learns signals that trigger it to start fighting the drug before it ever enters your system. Describe dependence. Dependence can be physical or psychological. When the substance is taken away, withdrawal occurs. What is sensation? The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous systems receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.What is psychophysics? The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuliand our psychological experience of themKnow about how our senses work. Vision – The retinas are the light-sensitive inner surfaces of the eyes. They contain the receptor rods and cones along with layers of neurons. The rods detect black, white, and grey. They are used for night vision and peripheral vision. The cones detect fine detail and focus on central things and in daylight vision. The scotoma is the blind spot. Hearing – Audition is the sense or act of hearing. We hear sound waves. The frequency is the number of wavelengths that pass at a given time and this determines the pitch (how high orlow) of the sound. The amplitude or height of the waves determines how loud the sound is. Hearing is facilitated by tiny hair cells that vibrate in the ear from the sound waves. The place theory links the pitch we hear with the place where the ear’s membrane is stimulated. The frequency theory says that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling use to its pitch. Touch – There are four touch sensations: pressure, warmth, cold, and pressure. Combinations of these creates other sensations. For example, a tickle is the stroking of adjacent pressure spots. Taste – There are four (sometimes five) taste sensations: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and sometimes umami (meaty). Smell – Olfaction is the technical word for smell. Smells are molecules of a substance carried in the air reaching a tiny cluster of receptor cells at the top of each nasal cavity. Taste plus smell equals flavor.Exam 2 (Learning, Memory)LEARNINGWhat is learning? Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experiences. Classical Conditioning. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY UNCONDITIONED/CONDITIONED STIMULI/RESPONSES.A US -> UR pairing is one that is completely natural (neither things are conditioned, or taught). ACS is formed when two US’s are paired. It is important to remember that even if a response is conditioned, it is still unconscious. These are some important terms to know that go with Classical Conditioning. Acquisition – pairing US w/ US so that it becomes a CSExtinction – the CS is no longer recognized as paired with the USSpontaneous recovery – extinction has occurred, but the previous CS triggers the previous response. A relapse, of sorts. This triggers addictions.Generalization and discrimination – subconsciously decided when to perform or when not to perform the response in untrained situations. (Deciding when to transfer your learning.The second type of learning is Operant Conditioning. This deals with the interaction and cause and effect between the operant (or experimenter) and the respondent (test subject).Know the types of consequences. There are two types of consequences: reinforcers and punishments. Reinforcers are something the subject will enjoy, while punishments