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Psych Midterm
Vocab and such...
56
Psychology
12th Grade
01/20/2007

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Cards

Term
Schema
Definition
Concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.
Term
Hierarchies
Definition
Superordinate Level: broad (ex. weather)

Basic Level: (ex. cold weather)

Subordinate Level: specific (ex. snow)
Term
Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Perspective
Definition
Main Psychologist: Freud

Iceberg theory:
- Id (subconscious)
- Superego (preconscious)
- Ego (conscious mind)

Sex & Aggression drive human behavior.
Term
Behaviorist Perspective
Definition
Main Psychologist: Skinner

- Brain = Black Box

- Reward and Punishment make humans do what they do.
Term
Cognitive Perspective
Definition
Brain is like a computer.

input - outcome
Term
Evolutionary Perspective
Definition
Darwin

Survival of the Fittest

Tries to explain how certain behaviors and human conditions could have somehow been helpful in the survival of our ancestors.
Term
Humanist Perspective
Definition
Main Psychologists: Maslow & Rogers

Self Actualization

Self esteem

Bonding & Love

...Hippies
Term
Biological Perspective
Definition
Medical approach to psychology.

Neurotransmitters and such.
Term
Theory
Definition
Broad prediction

(needs reframing as a hypothesis)
Term
Continuous Variable
Definition
Variable where, within the limits the variable ranges, any value is possible.

Ex: amount of happiness, height...etc.
Term
Categorical Variable
Definition
Variable that assumes a limited number of cardinal values.

Ex: yes or no, small medium or large... etc.
Term
Generalizability
Definition
Results can or cannot be applied to the population as a whole.
Term
Internal Validity
Definition
Whether there are confounding variables or not.
Term
External Validity
Definition
Whether or not your results are generalizable.
Term
Double-blind
Definition
Both the giver and the receiver don't know if the medication is a placebo or the real thing.
Term
Single-blind
Definition
Receiver does not know whether the medication is a placebo or the real thing and the giver does know.
Term
Research Methods
Definition
Experiment, case study, survey, naturalistic observation, correlation coefficient.
Term
Ethics
Definition
Moral boundaries for any study
Term
Mean
Definition
Average
Term
Median
Definition
The middle number when all numbers are in numerical order.
Term
Mode
Definition
Number that occurs most in a list.
Term
Neuron
Definition
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Term
Absolute Threshold
Definition
Amount at which you can reliably detect something.

(bee's wing, candle in a field...)
Term
Difference Threshold
Definition
Amount at which you can detect a change in something.

(JND)
Term
Iris
Definition
A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored part of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening.
Term
Pupil
Definition
The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters.
Term
Lens
Definition
The transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to focus images on the retina.
Term
Retina
Definition
The light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information.
Term
Myopia
Definition
nearsightedness (nearby objects are clearer)
Term
Hyperopia
Definition
farsightedness (far away objects are clearer)
Term
Rods
Definition
retinal receptors that detect black, white and gray.
Term
Cones
Definition
Receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that funtion in daylight or in well-lit conditions.

They detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.
Term
optic nerve
Definition
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.
Term
Fovea
Definition
The central focal point in the retina around which the eye's cones cluster.
Term
Cornea
Definition
The transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber, providing most of an eye's optical power.
Term
Wavelength
Definition
The distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next.
Term
Frequency
Definition
The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time.
Term
Pitch
Definition
A tone's highness or lowness; depends on frequency
Term
The Middle Ear
Definition
The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window.
Term
The Inner Ear
Definition
Contains the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.
Term
Cochlea
Definition
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.
Term
Gustation
Definition
Taste
Term
Skin Senses
Definition
Pressure, temperature and pain.
Term
Sensory Adaptation
Definition
a change over time in the responsiveness of the sensory system to a constant stimulus.

(getting used to a bed smell in a room)
Term
Sensation
Definition
The process of receiving stimuli or information.
Term
Perception
Definition
The process of evaluating information and giving it meaning.
Term
Gestalt
Definition
An organized whole.
Term
Monocular Depth Cues
Definition
distance cues available to either eye alone.
Term
Interposition
Definition
If one object patially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer.
Term
Relative Size
Definition
If we assume that two objects are similar in size, we perceive the one that casts the smaller retinal image as farther away.
Term
Relative Clarity
Definition
Because light from distant objects passes through more atmosphere, we perceive hazy objects as farther away than sharp, clear objects.
Term
Texture Gradient
Definition
A gradual change from a coarse, distinct texture to a fine, indistinct texture signals increasing distance.
Term
Relative Height
Definition
We perceive objects higher in our field of vision as farther away.
Term
Relative motion
Definition
As we move, objects that are actually stable may appear to move.

The nearer an object is, the faster it seems to move.
Term
Linear perspective
Definition
Parallel lines appear to converge with distange. The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.
Term
Light and Shadow
Definition
Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes. Thus, given two identical objects, the dimmer one seems farther away.
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