Psychology Review Outline

Psychology 101 Review Outline
Chapter 1: Introduction

I. Basic Definitions (pg 3-5):

A. Psychology - The scientific study of behavior and mental processes B. Theory - A general principle proposed to explain facts are related C. Hypothesis - A testable prediction about conditions under which particular behaviors or mental processes work D. Replication - Repetition of a study to verify research findings E. Goals of Psychology - To describe, explain, predict, and influence behavior/mental processes F. Basic (new knowledge) vs. applied (practical problems) research
II. History and Types of Psychology (pg 6-13): A. Wilhelm Wundt: father of psychology, established 1st psychological lab in Leipzig in 1879, developed
Positron Emission Tomography (PET), radioactive isotope
II. Neurons (pg 37-42) A. Structure: cell Body, axon, myelin sheath, dendrite, synapse, receptors B. Function: Action Potential, electrical & chemical signals C. Neurotransmitters
III. The Brain & Nervous System (pg 43-57) A. Peripheral vs. central nervous system B. Autonomic & Somatic branches of the peripheral nervous system C. sympathetic (excitatory) vs. parasympathetic (inhibitory) branches of the Autonomic system D. Brain Anatomy 1. Brain Stem (basic functions) 2. Cerebral cortex (advanced functions) 3. Cerebellum (motor functions, coordination) 4. Thalamus - relay between lower brain & cerebrum; Hypothalamus - regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, sex drive, sleep/wake cycle, and some emotions 5. Limbic System, including the amygdala (unpleasant emotions) 6. Lateralization (right vs. left hemispheres) 7. Broca's Area (speech production) vs. Wernicke's Area (speech recognition) 8. Pruning vs. plasticity E. The Endocrine System - Glands that manufacture & secrete hormones into the blood
IV. Behavioral Genetics (pg
Basics and Definitions A. Memory - Process of Encoding, storage and retrieval of information B. Information Processing Model C. Schemas - Assumptions of people, objects, & events (pg. 178)
II. Types of Memory A. Sensory Memory - information from senses that lasts until about 2 seconds B. Short-Term/Working - holds about 7(+or-2) items for tasks b. Preoperational (age 2-7), symbolic representation c. Concrete Operations (age 7-12), conservation & reversability d. Formal Operations (more than 12), hypothetico-deductive thinking B. Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Approach - internalization of available information 1. Zone of Proximal Development - potential cognitive/behavioral tasks, with help 2. Scaffolding - changing amount of instruction to match displayed ability C. Lawrence Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development 1. Measured by responses to questions of moral dilemmas 2. Levels of Moral Development a. Preconventional - reasoning based on consequences of behavior b. conventional - internalized standards of others c. postconventional (highest) - involves weighing of moral alternatives D. Erik Erikson's 8 psychosocial developmental stages, must resolve