2018psychology glossary u3 aos1

Burbs AREA OF STUDY ONE Glossary

Alcohol-Induced State A change in NWC due to a consumption of alcohol.

Alpha Waves The medium-amplitude, relatively high-frequency brainwave pattern. Signifies a state of relaxation.

Altered State Of Consciousness (ASC)

Any state other than NWC, characterised by perceptual and cognitive distortions, a distorted sense of time, heightened or suppressed emotions and change in self-control.

Amplitude The height/size of the peaks and troughs of electrical pulses.

Arousal Activation of bodily resources leading to a heightened state of physical alertness and readiness for action.

Attention The process of selectively focusing on certain stimuli whilst ignoring other stimuli.

Automatic Processes The actions that require little conscious effort and minimal attention. They can be performed simultaneously and are often habitual.

Awareness A subjective condition of knowing something, from internal states or feelings to external stimuli.

Beneficence The ethical principle that a researcher is responsible for maximizing potential benefits of research and minimisng the potential risks of harm or discomfort for all research participants.

Beta Waves The low-amplitude, high-frequency brainwave pattern. Signifies a state of being alert.

Brain Waves The electrical discharges of a brain as recorded by an EEG.

Case Studies Research method involving intensive study of an individual, group or phenomena within its real-life context.

Cognitive Functions Processes that involve mental activity in order to process information such as thinking, reasoning, planning, learning, n

Circadian Cycle/Rhythm A process that occurs in 24 hour cycles.

Code Of Ethics A set of guidelines outlining standards for professional practice and conduct that must be followed by all psychologists and researchers when working with people and animals.

Conclusion A decision made by the researcher about whether the hypothesis was supported based on the results obtained in an experiment.

Confidentiality The ethical principle whereby, in research studies, personal information should only be collected if it is relevant and reported such that identities are not revealed.

Confounding Variable An unwanted factor occurring in an experiment that interferes with the cause-effect relationship between the IV and DV.

Consciousness Awareness of objects and events in the external world, our own existence and mental experiences at any given moment.

Content Limitations Our ability to control what is contained in our thoughts. In NWC we think more logically and have more limitations on content than in an ASC.

Control Group A group in an experiment that has not received the IV and is used to compare the effects of the IV on other groups.

Controlled Processes Procedures that need higher levels of awareness.

Controlled Variables A type of extraneous variable whose influence has been removed through sampling, method or statistical control.

Convenience Sampling The process of selecting easily obtainable members of a population to participate in research.

Data Information collected by researchers.

Burbs AREA OF STUDY ONE Glossary

Daydream An ASC involving a shift from external stimuli to internal stimuli.

Debriefing The process of providing information of the research to remove any misconceptions that occur due to deception.

Deception The deliberate misleading of research participants by the experimenter when it is felt that the results would be affected by participants changing their behaviour because of their knowledge of the actual purpose of the study.

Delta Waves Large, slow brainwaves that occur in deep sleep (NREM 3&4)

Dependent Variable (DV) An element of the participant’s behaviour that can be measured as changed due to the individual variable.

Descriptive Statistics A summary, organisation or description of data (eg. The mean or average).

Direct Observation A research method involving investigating overt or directly measurable behaviour through the process of watching and recording it as it occurs.

Divided Attention Focusing on more than one task at a time, usually automatic processes.

Double-Blind Procedure A test in which neither the experimenters not participants are aware which participants are in the control or experimental condition.

Dreams Mental activity that occurs during sleep (especially REM sleep) which increase electrical activity in the brain.

Dualism Descartes’ theory that the mind and body are separate.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) A device used to detect, amplify and record the difference in electrical potential generated by heartbeats.

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

A device used to detect, amplify and record electrical activity of the brain.

Electromyograph (EMG) A device used to detect, amplify and record the electrical activity in muscles to measure muscle tension.

Electro-Oculargram (EOG) A device used to detect, amplify and record electrical activity within the muscles surrounding eyes, in order to measure eye movement.

Empirical Evidence Scientific research gathered using the direct method of systematic observation.

Experiment A method of data collection used to systematically measure the relationship between variables.

Experimental Condition The group in an experiment which contains the presence of the independent variable.

Experimental Group The participants in an experiment who are allocated the IV in order to observe its effects.

Experimenter Bias An unconscious expectation that may influence an experimenter’s observations.

Experimenter Effect Occurs when experimenter bias, personal characteristics or treatment of data by the experimenter may affect the DV and therefore experiment results.

Extraneous Variables Conditions a researcher wants to avoid influencing the outcome of the experiment.

Frequency Number of brain waves per second.

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

A measure of the electrical conductivity of the skin, used as an indicator of the activity of sweat glands and by extension, the individual’s level of arousal.

Generalisation The application of the conclusions based on the results obtained to other settings outside the study.

Hypnic Jerk A reflex muscle twitch throughout the body that occurs when in NREM stage 1 as a person is falling asleep.

Hypnogogic State The transition phase from wakefulness to sleep.

Hypothesis A tentative and testable prediction of the effect an IV will have on the DV.

Burbs AREA OF STUDY ONE Glossary

Independent Variable (IV) The factor that is being systematically manipulated to see its effect on the DV.

Independent-Groups Design

A research design group in which participants are randomly allocated to groups, making it equally likely for a participant to be in the control or experimental condition.

Inferential Statistics Data analysis which measures the likelihood of results obtained for a study occurring by chance.

Informed Consent The ethical process whereby a participant is given all the important details and any potential risks of an experiment before they agree to participate.

Integrity The ethical process where a researcher is committed to following principles for honest and ethical conduct in the search for knowledge.

Justice The ethical principle where the experimenter ensure that any burden or benefit of the research is uniform within the population and similar for any participant in the study.

K Complex A characteristic of NREM stage 2 brainwaves indicated by a spike of activity with a relatively larger amplitude.

Longitudinal Study Research where samples are studied over a long period of time.

Matched-Participants Design

A method of controlling subject characteristics involving the placement of equivalent pairs of participants to each group. They are paired in variables that if not matched could become confounding variables.

Mean Average for a set of scores.

Median The middle score in a set.

Meditation Use of a technique to alter NWC to induce an ASC of deep relaxation.

Microsleep A short period (usually 30 seconds) of microsleep which occurs due to sleep deprivation.

Mode The most frequently occurring number in a set.

Normal Waking Consciousness (NWC)

A state where the individual is aware of their internal self and external stimuli. Characterised by logical thought processes, focused attention and an accurate sense of perceptions and time.

NREM Sleep Non-rapid eye movement sleep, linked to physical restoration.

Objective Data Data that has been gathered using systematic observation which is not influenced by any bias.

Observation The process of watching and recording behaviour as it occurs.

Observer Bias The interference of an observer’s expectations or motives which detract

Operational Hypothesis The expression of how the experimenter will put the hypothesis into operation.

Value Probability Value – thee level which forms the basis of deciding results are statistically significant and not due to chance.

Participant Allocation The systematic process of assigning participants to different groups to ensure the personal attributes of participants that could affect the DV is evenly distributed.

Participant Selection The systematic sampling process of choosing participants for research to represent a population.

Participants The individuals used in any type of research study.

Perception The physiological and physical process of selecting, organising and interpreting sensory information to form an understanding of the environment.

Perceptual Anomaly Where the objective reality of physical stimulus is inconsistent with the individual’s subjective perception.

Perceptual Distortions A feature of ASCs where sensations and emotions are stronger and more vivid, or

Burbs AREA OF STUDY ONE Glossary

suppressed and blurred.

Physiological Responses Identifiable biological behaviour involving changes in the body due to external stimulus.

Placebo A fake treatment used as a control condition in experiments to counter the effect of participants knowing they have taken something.

Placebo Effect Occurs when a behaviour is caused by an individual’s expectation rather than by a specific procedure which has been administered to elicit that behaviour.

Polysomnography The intensive study of a sleeping person.

Population The entire group of individuals the experiment is focusing on.

Professional Conduct The ethical principle whereby the researcher is to act responsibly and ethically in order to ensure the participant’s welfare is preserved at all times.

Psychological Construct Something that is believed to exist but cannot be directly observed, and must be inferred from physiological changes.

Qualitative Measures Factual or descriptive pieces of information used to describe characteristics.

Quantitative Measures Numerical values use to describe characteristics.

Random Allocation The placing of participants in groups in such a way that each participant has an equal chance of being within any of the groups.

Random Sampling The form of allocating participants from the population of interest to form part of the sample such that each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Range The difference between the highest and lowest scores.

REM Rebound The phenomenon where individuals spend relatively more time in REM due to being deprived of REM in previous nights.

REM Sleep Rapid-eye movement sleep, a stage in the sleep cycle where brain activity is similar to those observed in NWC. Characterised by raid eye movements and muscular relaxation to the point of paralysis.

Repeated Measures Design

One group undertakes both the experimental condition and the control condition.

Research Ethics A set of moral principles and practices that provide guidelines for researchers to follow when using humans or animals as participants.

Respect For Persons The ethical principle that promotes the researcher to have a regard for participant welfare, rights, beliefs, perceptions, customs and cultural heritage of all individuals involved in their research.

Restorative Theory Of Sleep

The theory proposing the purpose of sleep is to allow the body and brain to repair and consolidate information.

Sample The sub-set of population used for research.

Sampling The process of selecting participants for a study.

Scientific Method .a series of orderly steps relying on clearly defined goals, objectivity and experimentation to obtain empirical evidence.

Selective Attention Focusing on specific stimuli and ignoring other stimuli. Usually for controlled processes.

Self-Control The ability to knowingly and voluntarily direct our own actions. In an ASC we are more susceptible to suggestion.

Single-Blind Procedure Where the participants are unaware of whether they are in the control or the experimental condition.

Sleep An ASC characterised by reduced metabolism and lower consciousness and awareness of surroundings. It consists of different stages which can be measured

Burbs AREA OF STUDY ONE Glossary

by physiological responses.

Sleep Debt When an individual does not get sufficient sleep and needs to get extra sleep in the subsequent night to make up for it.

Sleep Deprivation A lack of sleep leading to various physiological and psychological effects.

Sleep Diary A self-report for studying sleep where the individual records time of sleep onset and time of waking.

Sleep Laboratory An artificial environment to study participants with sleep disorders.

Sleep Spindles Brief bursts of higher frequency activity occurring in stage 2 sleep, they indicate that a person is truly asleep.

Slow Wave Sleep Stage of sleep with the slower frequency delta waves (NREM stage 3)

Standard Deviation A measure of the variability of scores in a distribution indicating the average difference between scores and their mean.

State Of Consciousness An individual’s level of mental awareness of sensations, perceptions, memories and feelings. It can range from being alert to being unconscious.

Statistical Significance A term used to indicate whether results obtained do not occur by chance and may be attribute to other variables. A value of 0.05 is the benchmark whether something is due to the IV or external sources.

Stratified Sampling A method of participant selection used to attempt to prevent bias by making the sample representative of the population by identify strata in the population and keeping the sample in the same proportions as these strata in the population.

Streams Of Consciousness A term introduced by William James that emphasises that consciousness is continuously changing and ‘flowing.’

Subject A participant.

Subjective Data Data obtained by self-report measures where the subject gives verbal or written responses to questions.

Survival Function Of Sleep The theory that proposes that sleep serves as an evolutionary function, enhancing one’s survival by making them inactive in the most dangerous times of the day.

Theta Waves The irregular brainwave pattern with a frequency between alpha and delta waves and a mixture of high and lower amplitude. Present in light sleep (NREM stages 1 and 2)

Time Orientation The ability to perceive the passage of time. In NWC we experience a normal progression of time whereas in an ASC it can be slowed or sped up.

Uncontrolled Variables Those that have influenced the results as their presence was not controlled causing confounding variables.

Variable A factor that can alter in amount or time.

Video Monitoring A method of polysomnography where researchers observe participants as they sleep to collect data.

Voluntary Participation The ethical principle whereby participants can willingly choose to be or not be a part of an experiment.

Withdrawal Rights The ethical principle that participants have the right to remove themselves from the research at any point if they decide.