PREMIER CURRICULUM SERIES Based on the Sunshine State Standards for Secondary Education, established by the State of Florida, Department of Education THINGS TO REMEMBER PSYCHOLOGY 2 Copyright 2009 Revision Date:12/2009
Lesson 1 Calculus is a type of higher mathematics not used to organize data. A sample is a single piece of information psychologists gather. A variable is a number that changes within in the data. Samples are people or objects that are included in the data. The organization of numbers in data is not called developmental statistics. The median is the middle number in a series of numbers arranged from smallest to largest. Random data is a type of data that does not have a method of collection. A normal curve used to illustrate data has a bell shaped curve. A correlation is a relationship between two or more sets of data. Range is the difference between the highest and lowest values in data. Lesson 2 Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with mental disorders. The spinal system is composed of a central cord of nerves. The spinal cord is the link between the brain and body. Axon is the central portion of the nerve cell. Olfactory sensors activate neurons in the nose. The cochlea is a fluid-filled organ of the inner ear. Papillae are hair-like structures in the nose. The pituitary is a control master gland. The junction where the message is transmitted within the neuron is called the synapse. Hormones are produced by glands. Lesson 3 Motivation is a complex reaction which involves the will to do something. James-Lange s theory states a person first experiences physical response. Cannon-Bard s theory states that feeling of emotion and physiological response is simultaneously. Schachter-Singer s theory states that a person searches for external cues for physiological response. Cultural factors influence emotions and their display. The emotion driving force behind behavior is motivation. Intrinsic motivation has to do with the pleasure it brings. Social motivation has to do with being regarded highly by others. - 2 -
Drives stem from biological needs that man seeks to fulfill in order to achieve a certain level of comfort and lessen anxiety and tension. A small part of the brain, the hypothalamus, regulates hunger. Lesson 4 Sensation is the process where sensory receptors detect stimuli and transmit the information to the brain. Emotion organizes and analyzes stimuli in the brain. Absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimuli that affect the senses half the time. Difference threshold is the point from which a human can detect a difference in stimuli whether it be an increase or decrease. Vestibular sense does not inform the brain about body position and movement. The touch sense is associated with feeling. The Gestalt group researched stimuli and found groupings are perceived as a whole, not as individual parts. Illusions are false and misleading perceptions of stimuli. Shape, size, and brightness are principles of constancy in perception. Perceptual sets are created when expectations influence perceptions. Lesson 5 Meditation is a normal state of awareness. Awareness of thoughts, sensations, perceptions, and emotions define conscious knowledge. REM is the sleep type with intense brain activity. Insomnia is the inability to sleep. Lack of energy levels throughout the day revolve around a person s circadian rhythm. Hypnosis is a trancelike state of consciousness. Stimulants speed up bodily functions and decrease sensory awareness. Depressants do not stop bodily functions. Hallucinogens alter perceptions. Depressants are drugs that slow the body down. Lesson 6 Human behavior can be understood through psychological tests. Standardized tests should be administered to all under the same conditions. In the performance type of test, a person is given a task to perform and is judged on aspects of completing the task. 3
Codes of ethics attempt to make sure that human rights are not violated in psychological testing. Scores must be nearly consistent when a person retakes a test if the test is reliable. The SAT is a popular test colleges use for admissions. Intelligence tests are useful in student placement. The ASVAB is used by the armed services. Personality traits are one way to describe personalities. Personality tests can be used to diagnose abnormal behaviors. Lesson 7 The cognitive branch of psychology studies how people think. Experimentation occurs when a researcher manipulates one variable to see how it affects behavior. The correlational method determines whether changes in variables are related and how they are related. Verbal communication is conveyed through language Attrition is the process in which a person seeks to understand another s behavior. Mental structures of models of certain categories of people are prototypes. Attitudes are what a person makes of society. Self-esteem is determined by one comparing one s self to others. Affiliation occurs when people get together for a common purpose. Aggression is usually an intentional act. 4
5
Author: Joanne Pralle Copyright 2009 Revision Date:12/2009