1.
Broca's area: an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
2.
case study: an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
3.
CAT scan: compound axial tomography scan: 3D circular x-ray of whole body for organs and bones. Image detects tumors, fractures, blood clots, and brain injuries. It also guides doctors during procedures and anatomy.
4.
corpus callosum: the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
5.
correlation: a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
6.
dependent variable: the experimental factor - in psychology, the behavior or mental process- that is being measured; the variable that may change in response to manipulation of the independent variable.
7.
double-blind procedure: an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug evaluation studies.
8.
DZ twins: dizygotic or fraternal twins
9.
endocrine system: the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
10.
evolutionary psychology: the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principals of natural selection. Natural selection is presumed to have favored genes that predisposed behavior and information-processing systems that solved adaptive problems faced by our ancestors, thus contributing to the survival and spread of their genes.
11.
false consensus effect: the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors
12.
fMRI: functional magnetic reasoning image: uses MRI to measure tiny metabolic changes that take place in active brain, measuring change in blood flow to the brain, as well as monitors the growth of brain tumors. Guides the plan of surgery and radiation therapy.
13.
genes: the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
14.
heritability: the proposition of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary depending on the range of populations and environments studied.
15.
hormones: chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and after another.
16.
illusory correlation: the perception of a relationship where non exists
17.
independent variable: the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
18.
mean: the arithmetic average of distribution, obtained by adding the scores then dividing by the number of scores
19.
median: the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above, and half are below
20.
mode: the most frequently occurring score in a distribution
21.
MZ twins: monozygotic or identical twins
22.
natural selection: the principal that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
23.
naturalistic observation: observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
24.
neuron: a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
25.
neurotransmitters: chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, there by influencing weather it will generate a neural impulse.
26.
PET scan: positron emission tomography scan: a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
27.
placebo effect: any effect on behavior cause by a placebo (an inert substance or condition that may be administered instead of a presumed active agent, such as a drug, to see if it triggers the effect believed to characterize the active agent.)
28.
plasticity: the brains capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effects of experience on the brain development.
29.
random assignment: assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the differences between those assigned to the different groups
30.
random sample: a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
31.
split brain: a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them.
32.
standard deviation: a compound measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.
33.
statistical significance: a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
34.
survey: a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.
35.
synapse: the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft
36.
temperment: a person's characteristic motional reactivity and intensity
37.
Wernicke's area: a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe.
