Chapter 1 Review
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II.
What is psychology?
1. List the parenting discipline of psychology
2. Define Empiricism
3. Define Structuralism
4. Who was responsible for this school of thought?
5. Define Functionalism
6. Who was responsible for this school of thought?
7. Define psychology. Explain how each part of the definition is relevant.
Contemporary psychology
1. Define the nature-nurture issue
2. What other words might be used interchangeably with nature?
3. What other words might be used interchangeable with nurture?
4. What are psychology’s 3 major levels of analysis? List specific ways each of them might
explain psychological phenomena.
5. List and explain the focus of the 7 psychological approaches.
6. List and defines the main psychology subfields.
Chapter 2 Review
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II.
The need for psychological research
1. Define hindsight bias
2. Define overconfidence
3. What are the main components of the scientific attitude?
4. Define critical thinking
How do psychologists ask and answer questions
1. Define theory
2. Define Hypothesis
3. Define Operational definition and provide an example
4. Define replicate
 Description
a) Define case study
b) Define survey
i. Explain why we should be careful with wording and random sampling when
conducting surveys
ii. Define population and give an example
iii. Define random sample and give an example
c) Define Naturalistic observation
 Correlation
5. What does it mean when we say variables correlate?
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III.
IV.
6. Define correlation coefficient
7. Define Scatterplots
8. Draw three graph each depicting a perfect positive correlation (+1.00), on depicting a
perfect negative correlation (-1.00) and one depicting not correlation at all (0).
9. How are correlation and causation related?
10. Define and give an example of an illusory correlation.
 Experimentation
11. What is the unique feature of experiments? What does it allow you to do that other
research methods don’t? How is that accomplished?
12. Define random assignment.
13. Define double-bind procedure.
14. What is the placebo effect? How is it related to double blind procedure?
15. What is the difference between the experimental and control group?
16. What are the dependent and independent variables? How are they related? Give an
example.
17. Define confounding variables. Give an example.
18. What is the difference between validity and reliability? Give an example.
19. Replicate Table 2.3 on p. 36: Comparing Research Methods
Statistical Reasoning in Everyday Life
 Describing Data
1. State and define the 3 measures of central tendency.
2. Using this data set of students’ GPA, calculate each. 3.3, 4.1, 5.4, 2.1, 1, .99, 2.4, 3.0, 2.1,
2.2.
3. What is the meaning of a “skewed” distribution? How does it affect the measures of
central tendency?
4. Draw a positively and negative skewed distribution.
5. State and define two measures of Variation
6. Using this set of data, find the standard deviation: 5, 4, 3, 6, 6, 6, 7, 5, 8.
7. What is and what is the significance of the normal curve?
8. Draw the normal curve, label and identify all its parts (breakdowns).
 Making Inferences
9. List three indicators that help us considered observed differences as reliable.
10. What is statistical significance? Give an example.
Ethics in research
 Research on Animals
1. Summarize the different points of view on animal research.
 Research on People
2. List the ethical principles developed by the APA.
3. What is the APA?
4. Define Informed consent.
5. Define Debrief
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Chapter 3A Review
Neural Communication
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Who are biological psychologists?
Draw a typical neuron. Label each part and state its functions.
What are the three types of neurons? How do they different?
Define action potential.
What do we mean when we say that a neuron is polarized?
When does it de-polarize?
What is the resting potential?
What is the threshold and how is it related to excitatory and inhibitory signals?
Summarize how neurons communicate. Make sure to include key terms such as synapse,
neurotransmitters and reuptake in your description.
Draw a picture of neural communication (the process described in the above question).
Replicate Tabel 3A.1 on p. 57
How do drugs and other chemicals alter neurotransmission?
Define and give examples of what is an agonist and an antagonist.
The Nervous System
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Sketch the divisions of the nervous system. Define each division.
Explain what the relationship between the sympathetic is and parasympathetic nervous system.
What is a reflex?
Explain how reflexes happen. Make sure to state the relationship between interneuron, motor
(efferent) and sensory (afferent) neurons.
5. Draw and label the process described above.
The endocrine system
1. Define the endocrine system.
2. Define hormones. How are hormones similar and different to neurotransmitters?
3. What is the pituitary gland? What is its nickname?
Chapter 3B Review
Tools of discovering the brain
1. Define lesion. Give an example of how it can be used to understand behavior.
2. Define EEG. How does the word help you remember its use?
3. Define the neuroimaging techniques such as MRI, fMRI, CT and PET scans.
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Older Brain Structures
1. Draw and label the components of the brainstem (pons and medulla), thalamus and reticular
formation. Draw icons/symbols that would help you remember its functions.
2. What is the cerebellum? What are some of its functions?
3. Draw and label the components of the Limbic System. Draw icons/symbols that would help you
remember their functions.
The Cerebral Cortex
1. Define glial cells.
2. Draw the lobes of the brain, label them and state (or create symbols/icons) their primary
functions.
3. What is and where (which lobe) is the motor cortex located?
4. Explain how they mapped it.
5. What is and where (which lobe) is the sensory cortex located?
6. What are the association areas of the brain?
7. How the case of Phineas Gage did helped us understand the role of the frontal lobe?
8. State the primary responsibility and location of Wenicke’s area, angular gyrus, and Broca’s area.
9. What is brain Plasticity?
10. Define neurogenesis.
Our Divided Brain
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4.
Define split brain.
What is the corpus callosum?
What is hemispheric specialization?
What have we learn about the roles of the left and right hemisphere as a result of studying split
brain patients.
5. What hemisphere specializes in recognizing faces, perceptual tasks, processing language?
The Brain and Consciousness
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Define consciousness.
Define cognitive neuroscience.
Define dual processing.
Explain how research on priming helps us understand dual processing.
Summarize the research on the “two-track” mind.
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Chapter 3C
Behavior Genetics
1. What are genes, and how do behavior geneticist explain our individual differences?
2. Summarize the findings on Twin and adoption studies.
3. What is the difference between fraternal and identical twins? Why are they used to determine
nature vs. nurture issues?
4. Summarize the main finding of studies on separated twins.
5. Summarize the main findings of biological vs. adoptive relatives.
6. What is heritability, and how does it relate to individuals and groups.
Evolutionary Psychology
1. How do evolutionary psychologist use natural selection to explain behavior tendencies?
2. How does evolutionary success help explain similarities?
3. How might an evolutionary psychologists explain gender differences in sexuality and mating
preferences?
4. List 3 criticisms of evolutionary theory.
Reflections on nature and nurture.
1. How does the biopsychosocial approach explain our individual development?
Chapter 4
Sensing the world
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What is the difference between sensation and perception?
What do we mean by bottom-up processing and top-down processing?
What is and how are we affected by selective attention?
What is the cocktail party effect?
How can accidents be influenced by selective attention?
What is intentional blindness?
What is change blindness?
What is choice blindness?
What is the difference between absolute threshold and difference threshold?
Does stimuli below the absolute threshold have any influence?
What is signal detection theory?
What do we mean when we say something is subliminal? How is it related to “primng”.
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14. What is Weber’s law?
15. What is the function of sensory adaptation?
Vision
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What is the energy that we see as visible light?
Draw and define wavelength, hue and intensity. Explain how they are related.
How does the eye transform light energy into neural messages?
Draw and label and define: iris, pupil, lens, retina, accommodation, blind spot, fovea, cones, and
optic nerve.
How does the brain process visual information?
Explain parallel processing.
Explain the Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory.
Explain the opponent-process theory.
Hearing
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What are the characteristics of air pressure waves that we hear as sound?
How does the ear transform sound energy into neural messages?
Draw, label and define middle ear, cochlea, and inner ear.
What is the “auditory cortex”?
Explain how we perceive loudness.
Explain the “place theory” and the “frequency theory” of pitch perception.
How do we locate sound?
What are the common causes of hearing loss, and why does controversy surround cochlear
implants?
Other Senses
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How do we sense touch?
How do we sense our body’s position and movement?
How do we experience pain?
What are the 4 basic skin sensation? How do we perceive other skin sensations?
Explain kinesthesis.
Explain vestibular sense
Describe the gate-control theory of pain.
Summarize the psychological and social-cultural influences on pain.
How can we control pain?
Taste
1. How do we experience taste?
2. What is sensory interaction?
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Smell
1. How do we experience smell?
Perceptual Organization
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How did the Gestalt psychologist understand perceptual organization?
How do figure-ground and grouping principles contribute to our perceptions?
Explain the grouping principles.
How do we see the world in three dimensions?
Define visual cliff.
What are binocular cues and how is it related to retinal disparity?
Define and give examples of monocular cues.
How do we perceive motion?
What is the phi phenomenon? Give an example.
How do perceptual constancies help us organize our sensations into meaningful perceptions?
Perceptual interpretation
1. What does research on sensory deprivation and restored vision reveal about the effects of
experience on perception?
2. How adaptable is our ability to perceive?
3. How do our expectations, contexts, and emotions influence our perception?
4. What is a perceptual set?
Extrasensory Perception
1. What are the claims of ESP, and what have most research psychologists concluded after putting
these claims to the test?
Chapter 5 Review
Sleep and Dreams
1. Define consciousness.
2. Identify the states of consciousness that happen spontaneously, the ones that are
physiologically induced and the ones that are psychologically induced.
3. How do our biological rhythms influence our daily functioning?
4. What are the biological rhythm of our sleep?
5. Define the stages of sleep and their characteristics, including the type of waves.
6. Why is sleep necessary?
7. How does sleep loss affect us?
8. Discuss the different theories that attempt to explain the functions of sleep.
9. What are the major sleep disorders?
10. What do we dream?
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11. What is the function of dreams?
Hypnosis
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Define hypnosis
Can anyone experience hypnosis?
Can hypnosis enhance recall of forgotten events?
Can hypnosis force people to act against their will?
Can hypnosis be therapeutic?
Can hypnosis alleviate pain?
Explain hypnosis as a social phenomenon.
Explain hypnosis from the divided consciousness perspective
When is hypnosis potentially harmful, and when can hypnosis be used to help?
Drugs and Consciousness
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What are psychoactive drugs?
Explain how tolerance and withdrawal are used to diagnose addiction.
What is the difference between psychological and physical dependence?
Define addiction.
List the myths of addiction.
What effect do depressants have on the nervous system?
What are the main types of drugs classified as depressants?
List their side effect.
What are stimulants and what are their side effects.
List the main types of drugs classified as stimulants.
What are hallucinogens and what are their side effects?
List the main types of drugs classified as stimulants.
Explain why some people become drug users from a biological, psychological and social-cultural
perspective.
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Chapter 7A
The Phenomenon of Memory
Information Processing
1. How do psychologists describe the human memory system?
2. Define and explain the relationship between encoding, storage, retrieval, sensory memory,
short-term memory, long-term memory and working memory.
Encoding
How we encode
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What information do we encode automatically?
What is parallel processing?
What information do we encode effortfully?
How does the distribution of practice and rehearsal influence retention?
What is the spacing effect?
What is the serial position effect?
What we encode
1. What effortful processing methods aid in forming memories?
2. State define and apply (by giving examples) the three levels of encoding: visual, acoustic and
semantic.
3. Which method is yields the best retention?
4. What is imagery and how does it help in visual encoding?
5. What are mnemonics? What makes them effective? How are they related to imagery?
6. Compare and contrast chunking and hierarchies as ways of organizing information? How do they
aid semantic encoding?
Storage
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What is sensory memory?
What are the duration and capacity of short-term memory and long-term memory?
How does the brain store memories?
Describe long-term potentiation (LTP) and how it explains memory from a biological standpoint?
Describe the study and findings of the California sea slug, Aplysia.
Describe the current research involving the protein CREB and the neurotransmitter Glutamate.
Explain how they help us understand memory from a biological standpoint and how is it being
used to improve memory?
7. How do stress hormones affect memory and how are flashbulb memories formed?
8. What is amnesia?
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9. Compare and contrast Implicit and Explicit memories. How is it stored? Where in the brain is it
mainly processed and stored? What other names are they known as and give examples of each.
Retrieval
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How do we get information out of memory?
Compare and contrast recall, recognition and relearning.
What are retrieval cues?
Explain the concept of priming
How do external contexts and internal emotions influence memory retrieval?
How is the concept of déjà vu explained by psychologists?
What are mood congruent memories? Give examples.
Forgetting
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Why do we forget?
Describes the sins of forgetting, distortion and intrusion.
What is encoding failure?
Describe storage decay.
Describe Ebbinghaus research findings and the Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve.
Describe the two sources of retrieval failure. Give examples.
Explain and give examples of what is proactive vs. retroactive interference.
What is motivated forgetting and how is it related to repression?
Memory Construction
1. How do misinformation, imagination and source amnesia influence our memory construction?
How real-seeming are false memories?
2. Summarize research findings about using children as eyewitness.
3. What is the controversy related to claims of repressed and recovered memories?
4. Improving Memory
5. How can an understanding of memory contribute to more effective study techniques? List the
text’s recommendations.
Chapter 7B
Thinking
Concepts
1. Define cognition.
2. What are the functions of concepts?
3. What are prototypes and how do they affect us?
Solving Problems
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1. What strategist assist our problem solving? Describe and give examples for algorithms,
heuristics and insight.
2. What is creativity, and what fosters it?
3. What obstacles hinder our problem solving? Define and give examples of fixation, mental set,
functional fixedness and confirmation bias.
4. Making Decisions and Forming Judgments
5. How do heuristics, overconfidence, and belief perseverance influence our decisions and
judgments?
6. Compare and contrast representativeness and availability heuristic.
7. How do smart thinkers use intuition?
8. What is framing? Give examples on how research has demonstrated its powerful effects on
decision making.
Language
Language Structure
1. State, define and apply (by giving examples) phonemes and morphemes.
2. State, define and apply grammar, semantics and syntax.
Language Development
1. What are the milestones in language development?
2. Compare and contrast receptive vs. productive language.
3. Compare and contrast Skinner’s Operant Learning theory vs. Chomsky’s Inborn Universal
Grammar theory of how we develop language.
4. What does research tells us about language development and critical periods?
Thinking and Language
Language influences thinking
1. What is the relationship between language and thinking?
2. Explain the linguistic determinism hypothesis. Give examples.
Thinking in images
1. Summarize research findings about the effects of thinking in images.
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Chapter 9
Prenatal Development and the Newborn
Prenatal Development
1. Describe the three stages of prenatal development
2. Describe what are teratogens and how are they related to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The Competent Newborn
1. What are some newborn abilities, and how do researchers explore infant’s mental abilities?
2. Describe and give examples of habituation.
Infancy and Childhood
Physical Development
1. During infancy and childhood, how do the brain and motor skills develop?
2. Describe the process of maturation and give examples of milestones associated with it.
Cognitive Development
1. From the perspective of Piaget and today’s researchers, how does a child’s mind develop?
2. Explain the concept of schemas and how they are modified thru accommodation and
assimilation.
3. State, define and describe the cognitive mile stones achieved in each of Piaget’s stages of
cognitive development.
4. Summarize what is the theory of mind.
5. Evaluate Piaget’s theory (positives and negatives).
Social Development
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How do parents-infant attachment bonds form?
Describe stranger anxiety.
Describe what is attachment and how is it affected by body contact and familiarity.
Summarize Ainsworth attachment research. Describe the different attachment styles.
What is temperament? How is it related to personality?
Do parental neglect, family disruption or day care affect children’s attachments?
How do children’s self-concepts develop, and how are children’s traits related to parenting
styles?
8. Describe the three types of parenting styles proposed by Baumrind.
Gender Development
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What is gender? How is it different from sex?
What are some ways in which males and females tend to be alike and to differ?
How do nature and nurture together form our gender?
What is gender roles?
How does the social learning theory explain gender identity.
Parents and Peers
1. To what extent is our development shaped by early stimulation, by parents, and by peers?
2. How much credit (or blame) do parents deserve?
Adolescence
1. What is the period we classify as adolescence?
Physical Development
2. What physical changes mark adolescence?
3. Discuss puberty, primary and secondary sex characteristics.
Cognitive Development
1. How did Piaget, Kohlberg, and later researchers describe adolescents’ cognitive and moral
development?
2. Describe Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Provide examples.
Social Development
1. What are the social tasks and challenges of adolescence?
2. Summarize Erikson’s theory and stages of psychosocial development.
Adulthood
Physical Development
1. What physical changes occur during middle and late adulthood?
2. What are Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
Cognitive Development
1. How do memory and intelligence change with age?
2. Describe the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies? Why are they
essential for developmental research? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using one
over another?
3. Compare and contrast crystalized and fluid intelligence. Give examples.
Social Development
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1. What themes and influences mark our social journey from early adulthood to death?
2. What has been shown by research to be linked to satisfaction and well-being across the
lifespan?
3. List the biopsychosocial influences on successful aging.
Reflections on the Three Major Developmental Issues
1. Nature and Nurture
2. Continuity and Stages
3. Stability and Change
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