Psychology 198: Exam 1 Review Sheet
You are responsible for all information presented in the textbook, lecture, films and handouts.
Evolution of Psychology: Chapter 1 (p. 18-35 and lecture notes)
Origins of Psychology
Two rivals of scientific psychology
Wilhelm Wundt
Main Schools of Psychology
Three main themes of psychology
Themes related to psychology’s subject matter
Research areas in psychology (main focus of each)
Professional specialties in psychology
Test taking strategies and study tips
Research Methods: Chapter 2
The scientific approach
Goals, steps, advantages
Experimental research
independent variable
dependent variable
operational definition
forming and testing a hypothesis
theory
experimental and control groups
extraneous variables
empirical research
variation
Flaws in evaluating both experimental and descriptive/correlational research
Know types of and differences between experimental research and descriptive/correlational research and
possible shortcomings and strengths of each type of research
Descriptive Statistics
Mean, median, mode, and variability
Correlation (interpretations- what it means when 2 variables are correlated)
negative and positive correlation- what they look like pictorially and what they mean
Inferential Statistics (the general concept only)
Importance of variability
Common flaws in research (confounds)
Sampling bias
Placebo effect
Distortions in self-report
Experimenter bias
Demand characteristics
Order effects
Ethical issues (deception and animal research)
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Human Memory: Chapter 7
Know the memory system thoroughly
Declarative (episodic, semantic) vs. Nondeclarative Memory
Procedural Memory
Implicit vs. Explicit memory
Three fundamental processes of memory
Encoding/ storage/retrieval
The three types of memory storage processes (Sensory – echoic/iconic, STM, LTM)
Short-term memory as working memory
Function, duration, storage capacity of the three memory storage processes
Evidence suggesting that short-term and long-term memory exist
What causes information to move from sensory to short-term to long-term memory
Retrieval difficulties from different memory systems
Causes of forgetting (Retroactive interference, Proactive interference)
Amnesia (retrograde, anterograde)
Types of memories loss and types of memories preserved (Clive Video)
Procedural, declarative (semantic and episodic):
know these terms: implicit and explicit
Biologically based memory dysfunctions
Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve and the Serial Position Curve
Forgetting and remembering in STM and LTM- what influences (include types of interference)
Role of attention in encoding and other influences
Organization of LTM
Schemas
Semantic networks (and general organization of memory)
Connectionist network
False memories (reconstructive, misinformation effect, source monitoring errors, reality monitoring)
Constructive memory in general
Cues that aid retrieval (know all of these)
Forgetting theories
Physiology of memory
The Biological Bases of Behavior
Neuron
Components of a neuron
Soma, axon, dendrite, terminal buttons, etc.
Function of a neuron
How the neuron communicates with other neurons
Action Potential
Neuron at rest
Resting potential
Action potential
All-or-none Law
Strength of stimulus as represented by neuron firing
Speed of the action potential
Sending signals: Chemical couriers
Postsynaptic Potential (Excitatory & Inhibitory)
Neurotransmitters (agonists & antagonists)
Function
Disorders due to lack of
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Different types
Acetylcholine
Monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine)
GABA
Endorphines
How drugs generally affect the brain
Integrating Signals
Organization of the Nervous System
Afferent and efferent neurons
Central Nervous System
The Brain
Research Methods (methods to examine behavior of brain)
Electrical Recordings, Lesions, Electrical Stimulation, Brain Imaging, etc.
The Brain and Behavior (location and function)
Hindbrain (cerebellum, medulla, pons)
Midbrain (Reticular formation)
Forebrain (Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Limbic system)
Limbic system (Hippocampus - Clive in video had damage here,
Amygdala, Pleasure centers (from the video)
Cerebrum (cerebral cortex)
Right and left hemispheres (functions and specializations)
The 4 lobes and functions of each (frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal)
Primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, Broca’s area,
Wernicke’s area
Corpus collosum
Split brain research (what visual information each hemisphere receives when the
corpus collosum is severed. Look in the “personal application” at the end of chapter)
Handedness and laterality
Endocrine system- communication, function
Hormones
Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus
Heredity and behavior (Nature vs. Nurture)
Genes
Research Methods (Family studies, twin studies, adoption studies, genetic
mapping)
Phineas Gage video (know brain areas damaged and results of damage)
Brain video –in class; Aggression, frontal lobe, Broca’s area; split brain
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