Psychology Comprehensive Exam Questions And
100% Correct Answers
Psychology - ANSWER the science of behavior and mental process
Behavior - ANSWER the view that psychology should be an objective science that
studies behavior without reference to mental processes
Theory - ANSWER an explanation using a set of principles to organize observation and
predict future behaviors or events
Hypothesis - ANSWER a testable prediction which directs the course of
research/studies.
variable - ANSWER anything a person can manipulate
behaviorism - ANSWER .
freudian psychology - ANSWER stressed how our unconscious thinking and our
emotional reactions to childhood experiences influence our behavior.
humanistic psychology - ANSWER the theoretically important historical perspective that
focuses on human growth potential, on the individuals inherent drive toward
self-actualization.
operational definition - ANSWER specific definitions of concepts/procedures. can't
define in a single word what a person is trying to explain.
,peripheral nervous system- ANSWER sensory and motor neuron connecting the CNS to
the rest of the body. carries information between the brain and spinal cord.
central nervous system- ANSWER the transportation= brain and spinal cord main
control center of body.
somatic nervous system - ANSWER a system controlling voluntary movement sent down
from the brain into the nervous system
autonomic nervous system - ANSWER controls involuntary movement. ex: heartbeat
sympathetic nervous system - ANSWER fight-or-flight. makes you alert and ready for
action
parasympathetic nervous system - ANSWER rest-and-digest. body diverts energy so it
can process food eaten after meal.
action potential - ANSWER all-or-none. a neural impulse that travels down the axon to
signal the start. fires when reach a threshold.
brainstem- ANSWER vital to basic functions. input arises from cerebellum where
changes can be made before going down the spinal cord.
cerebellum- ANSWER 2nd largest division of the brain, involved with coordinated
movements. controls coordination of voluntary movement, nonverbal learning and
emory, judgement of time, processing of emotions, and discrimination between sound
and texture.
cerebral cortex - ANSWER a layer of connected neural cells on outer layer of the brain.
primary control center for processing information from body and other regions of the
brain.
, limbic system - ANSWER process information related to emotions and motivation.things
that are rewarding increase the probability that a person is going to engage in that
rewarding behavior again. ex: hunger, thirst
sensations - ANSWER processing by our sensory receptors and nervous system to
receive and interpret environmental stimulus energies. most energies we get are
different forms of energy and we have to transform those energies into meaningful
information.
perception-the process by which the nervous system organizes and interprets sensory
information into something meaningful. Once information reaches the brain, it is
organized and processed into something meaningful.
consciousness- awareness of our own self and environment
Waking Consciousness-ANSWER thoughts, feelings, and sensations are clear and
organized and the person feels alert. When the mind is at its sharpest. It is easier to
save and get things done
Sleep-ANSWER Periodic physiological fluctuation of the brain's waves and other organs.
Natural and reversible loss of consciousness-similar to going into a coma.
circadian rhythm ANSWER the biologic clock that regulates body rhythms in a 24-hour
cycle such as wakefulness/sleep, body temperature, alertness/mental acuity, digestion;
the clock responds to lightness/darkness cues.
master clock - ANSWER the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)- an internal clock that tells
you when to sleep/wake. located in the hypothalamus. light sensitive/activity-sensative.
causes the release of melatonin to induce sleepiness. the control center for our
biological clock-resetting every 24 hour. it controls our circadian rhythms
melatonin - ANSWER induces sleepiness.
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