PSYC 101: Study Guide
78 Cards in this Set
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What is psychology?
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the science of metal processes and behavior
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What do we mean by behavior?
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all potentially observable and measurable activities of a living organism
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What does psychology mean??
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"soul"/"mind". Modern academic roots are philosophy and physiology
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Mind vs. Brin as Source of Truth
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Nativist= truth exists in a metaphysical entity of the universe (plato's forms or the concept/god)
Empiricist= knowledge comes through the senses. Truth has physical basis and is discovered by applying reason/ logic to facts
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Dualism and Descartes:
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the Mind is metaphysical, the place where god communicates higher knowledge.
the Brain is a bodily organ that control the muscles and action
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Free Will Argument
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although we do have some biological genes that define our personality, the environment also plays an important role in shaping us
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Wihelm Wundt
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academic psychology founder
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Science vs. Philosophy: asserting truth
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Philo- based on logic applied to existing agreed upon facts, ideas, or experiences
Science- is a mat hod based hop observation, induction, and deduction
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Induction vs. Deduction
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induc.- creative thinking about how things work
deduc- logic applied to facts that do/don't support hypothesis
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Levels of analysis
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the brain, the person, and the group
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Modern influences on Psychology
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philosophy, anthropology, neurology, sociology, biology, psychiatry, genetics
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Academic Psychology
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william james- functionalism
sigumed freud- psychoanalysis
carl rogers- humanistic psychology
Wilhelm Wundt- founder, introspection
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Approaches to Research
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1. Descriptive- observational in nature
2. Correlational- examines the degree to which the variables are associated. (doesn't prove linkage)
3. Experimental- independent and dependent variables defined to experimentally test hypothesis
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Descriptive Research
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1. Naturalistic observation- allows one to seed pattern in the real world
2. Case studies- focus on a single interesting case in detail
3. Surveys- a set of questions put to a number od participants about their beliefs, attitudes, and preferences or activites
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Factors related to Surveys and Tests
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a. Reliability- do you get the same result each time?
b. Validity- are you measuring what you think you are?
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Validity
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1. Face validity- superical validity to untrained eye
2. Content validity- whether content is measuring construct
3. Criterion validity- correlation w/ other measures of same construct
4. Construct validity- degree to which test measures what it is prompting to measure
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Correlation research
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studies where the relationship between 2 or more variables are measured but not manipulated
-doesnt equal causation
-often helpful to understand relationships
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Designing Experiment
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independent variable- the aspect that in intentionally changed
dependent variable- the aspect that is measured
effect- the difference in the dependent variable that is due to changes in the independent variable
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Experiments
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Expertimental group
Control group
Random assignment
Strength (rigorous control, causal inferences)
Weakness(not all variables can be manipulated)
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Quasi-Experiments
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experiments w/out random assignment
-strength: real world phenomena cannot be studied in experiments
-weakness: lack of control means limited causal inferences
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Bias and Expectation
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Response bias
Sampling bias
Experimenter expectancy effects (double-blind design)
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Pseudopsychology
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unsupported opinion pretending to be psychological science
-is it a topic of study?
-is it a method of study?
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Ethics in Research
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Institutional Review Board (IRB)
-Research with people: informed consent, avoid deception unless necessary, debriefing
-Research with animals avoid mistreatment, proper housing
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Two basic cell type in brain
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neurons- cells conveying info using electrical impulses
glia- cells that provide support for neurons. they do not generate electoral impulses, "glue"
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Neurons
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play principal role in allowing communication to take place throughout the nerves system and bodily structures that the nerves system communicate
-recieve and transmit it to other cells
-are independent entities
-there are over 100 billion of them
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Motor neurons
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MAIN CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION TO MUSCLES AND ORGANS OF THE BODY
- carry commands for action which may/maynot be aware of
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Sensory neurons
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work to convert physical energy/chemical into info in a form that may be transmitted along chains of neurons in the brain
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Interneurons
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communicate only with other neurons that are in a more or less adjacent position
-majority of neurons are interneurons
-they pass messages on
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What are neurotransmitters?
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A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure
examples: serotonine, dopamine, and gab…
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What is the nerve impulse?
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Ca+ comes into the cell, which triggers a vesicle full of acetylcholine to move to the membrane. The vessicle releases the acetylcholine into the synaptical cleft, which then binds to the receptors on the surface of the muscle cell. The muscle contracts.
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What is action potential?
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an all-or-non electrical event in an axon or muscle fiber in which the polarity of the membrane potential is rapidly reversed and reestablished
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Ions cause the action potential
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ions are electrically charged
-they move across the membrane through ion-specific channels that are briefly opened by neurotransmitters
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Excitatory neurotransmitters
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chemical secreted at terminal button that causes the neuron on the other side of the synapse to fire
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Inhibitory neurotransmitters
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chemical secreted at terminal button that prevents (or reduces ability of) the neuron on the other side of the synapse from firing
-GABA
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Central Nervous System
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consists of the brain and spinal cord
receives info from sensory neurons in the peripheral nerve. system, organize & interprets info
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Spinal Cord
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is composed of grey and white matter
-grey: collects integrate info (sensory and motor cell bodies)
-white: axons traveling together up & down the s.c, responsible for transmitting that info
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Peripheral Nervous System
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consist of nerves that are outside the spinal cord/brain
-cranial nerves: enter/leave underside of the brain
-spinal nerves: branch out from the sides of s.c connection the cord to the rest of the body
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Somatic Nervous system
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A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Enables voluntary actions to be undertaken due to its control of skeletal muscles
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Automatic Nervous System
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The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls glands & the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
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Taratogen
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A Substance,such as a drug, that is capable of deformation of physical deficit
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Infancy
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lasts from birth- age 1
rapid transformation of brain development, motor skills, social/cognitive capabilities
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Synaptic Pruning
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A process whereby the synaptic connections in the brain that are frequently used are preserved, and those that are not are lost
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Critical periods
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Points in development when an organism is extremely sensitive to environmental input, making it easier for the organism to acquire certain brain functions and behaviors.
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Survival Skills
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1. The smile: endogenous(from birth), exogenous(6wks.-3mnth), instrumental(3-4mnth)
2. Cuteness response: attracts adults, provides protection
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Newborn- Innate Reflexes
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human born, helps learn about environment: grapes, rooting reflexes
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Newborn- Sensory Abilities
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good hearing, limited vision, touch/taste/smell
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Newborn- Motor abilities
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poor coordination, poor balance
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What do babies know?
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Objects are solid
Objects only move through contact
Objects travel thru space in continuous paths
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Sensorimotor stage
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A stage of Piaget's model of cognitive development, lasting from birth to age 2, in which the baby perceives the environment through the senses and motor skills
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Preoperational stage
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Age 2-7. Prelogical stage. Ability for kids to engage in symbolic thought - the ability to use words, images, and symbols to represent world. Egocentrism - kids can't comprehend something from another POV.
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Concrete Operational stage
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in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
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Formal Operational stage
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in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
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Critical Variation of Attachment Styles
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a. Secure: child quickly is comforted when mom returns
b. Aviodant: child avoids mom when she returns
c. Ambivalent: child will seek/reject caring contact
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Constructivism
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A philosophy of learning based on the premise that people construct their own understanding of the world they live in through reflection on experiences.
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Assimilation
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According to Piaget, the process by which new ideas and experiences are absorbed and incorporated into existing mental structures and behaviors
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Accomidation
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Adjusting old schemes and creating new ones to better fit the environment.
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Schemas
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Conceptual frameworks a person uses to make sense of the world.
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Endometrium
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Inner lining of the uterus, womb
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Embryo
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6 weeks through 8 weeks, attaches to the mother's uterine wall, organs being to form and function, heart begins to beat
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Placenta
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A mass of tissue that is attached to the wall f the uterus and connected to the developing fetus by the umbilical cord; it supplies nutrients and eliminates waste products
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Umbilical cord
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Connects the vasculature of the fetus to the placenta.
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Prenatal Development
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1) conception 0-2 wks
2) zygote 2-3wks, brain begins to form
3) embryonic period 2-8wks
4) fetal period 9wks-birth
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Conception
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A single sperm cell (male) penetrates the outer coating of the egg (female) and fuses to form one fertilized cell.
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Four Assumptions of Life Span Development
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1. Development is lifelong process
2. Development involves constant loss and gain
3. Development is determined by multiplicity of causes
4. Development is characterized by plasticity throughout lifespan
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Cranial Nerves
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12 pairs of nerves that carries messages to and from the brain with regard to head and neck (except vagus nerve)
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Endocrine System
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Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes such as growth, reproduction, and nutrient use (metabolism) by body cells
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Pineal Glands
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Lies deep in the brain. It Produces Melatonin a hormone that may make your body wake/sleep in a regulating patterns.
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Pituitary glands
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the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
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Forebrain
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A part of the brain that covers the brain's central core, responsible for sensory and motor control and the processing of thinking and language.
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Limbic system
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A group of neural structures at the base of the cerebral hemispheres that is associated with mood, emotion, memory, and motivation
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Thalamus
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A structure in the forebrain through which all sensory information (except smell) must pass to get to the cerebral cortex.
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Cerebral cortex
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Involved with information processing activities such as perception, language, memory and problem solving.
Also plans and controls voluntary body movement, regulates the body and organisms, integrates and interprets information from the PNS
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Occipital lobe
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A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information
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Partietal Lobe
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perception of sensations of touch, temp.,taste & body position (kinesthetic sensation) via somato-sensary cortex
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Temporal lobe
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Auditory processing via autory cortex
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Frontal Lobe
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A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement
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Behavioral Neuroscience
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study anatomy, physiology, and molecular structure of nerve system
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Cognitive Neuroscience
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A field that attempts to understand the links between cognitive processes and brain activity.
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