Introductory Psychology

Cards (24)

• 1
  Front

  What is the difference between a positive correlation and a negative correlation?

  Back

  A positive correlation means two variables increase or decrease together. A negative correlation means as one variable increases, the other decreases.

• 2
  Front

  What is the primary advantage of a true experiment over a correlational study?

  Back

  A true experiment allows researchers to establish cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating an independent variable and controlling for confounds.

• 3
  Front

  What is the difference between a double-blind and a single-blind experimental procedure?

  Back

  In a double-blind study, neither participants nor experimenters know who received the treatment; in a single-blind study, only participants are unaware.

• 4
  Front

  What is the function of the myelin sheath on a neuron?

  Back

  The myelin sheath insulates the axon and speeds up the transmission of electrical signals (action potentials).

• 5
  Front

  Which neurotransmitter is most directly associated with reward, motivation, and reinforcement learning?

  Back

  Dopamine.

• 6
  Front

  What role does the amygdala play in behavior?

  Back

  The amygdala processes emotions, especially fear and threat detection, and plays a key role in forming emotional memories.

• 7
  Front

  What is the difference between absolute threshold and difference threshold (JND)?

  Back

  Absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus intensity detectable 50% of the time. The difference threshold (JND) is the smallest detectable change between two stimuli.

• 8
  Front

  What is the Gestalt principle of figure-ground?

  Back

  It is the perceptual tendency to separate a visual scene into a dominant object (figure) and its background (ground).

• 9
  Front

  What is the key distinction between top-down and bottom-up processing in perception?

  Back

  Bottom-up processing is driven by raw sensory data; top-down processing uses prior knowledge, expectations, and context to interpret sensory input.

• 10
  Front

  What is classical conditioning, and who is credited with its discovery?

  Back

  Classical conditioning is learning by association, where a neutral stimulus becomes linked to a response after repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus. It is credited to Ivan Pavlov.

• 11
  Front

  In operant conditioning, what is the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?

  Back

  Negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior. Punishment applies an aversive stimulus (or removes a positive one) to decrease a behavior.

• 12
  Front

  What does Bandura's Bobo doll experiment demonstrate?

  Back

  It demonstrates observational (social) learning: children imitated aggressive behavior they observed in adults, even without direct reinforcement.

• 13
  Front

  What are the three stages of the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory?

  Back

  Sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

• 14
  Front

  What is the difference between retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia?

  Back

  Retrograde amnesia is the inability to recall memories formed before a brain injury. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after the injury.

• 15
  Front

  What is the misinformation effect in memory research?

  Back

  The misinformation effect occurs when post-event information alters or distorts a person's original memory of an event, as demonstrated by Elizabeth Loftus.

• 16
  Front

  What is cognitive dissonance?

  Back

  Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort experienced when a person holds two contradictory beliefs or when behavior conflicts with attitudes, motivating attitude change.

• 17
  Front

  What is the availability heuristic?

  Back

  The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut where people judge the likelihood of an event based on how easily examples come to mind.

• 18
  Front

  According to Piaget, what is object permanence and at what stage does it develop?

  Back

  Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist when out of sight. It develops during the sensorimotor stage (approximately 0–2 years).

• 19
  Front

  What is Erikson's psychosocial conflict for adolescence?

  Back

  Identity vs. Role Confusion: adolescents work to develop a coherent sense of personal identity.

• 20
  Front

  What are the Big Five (OCEAN) personality traits?

  Back

  Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

• 21
  Front

  What is the central claim of Freud's psychoanalytic theory regarding unconscious processes?

  Back

  Freud proposed that unconscious desires, conflicts, and memories—often rooted in early childhood—drive behavior and mental life, outside of conscious awareness.

• 22
  Front

  What distinguishes a DSM diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder from normal sadness?

  Back

  Major Depressive Disorder requires at least five depressive symptoms (e.g., depressed mood, anhedonia, sleep changes) present for at least two consecutive weeks, causing significant impairment.

• 23
  Front

  What is the core feature that distinguishes schizophrenia from other psychotic disorders?

  Back

  Schizophrenia is characterized by positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking), negative symptoms (flat affect, avolition), and lasting at least six months with significant functional decline.

• 24
  Front

  What is the diathesis-stress model of psychological disorders?

  Back

  The diathesis-stress model proposes that disorders arise from an interaction between a predisposing vulnerability (diathesis) and environmental stressors that trigger the disorder.