Unit 1
Explain how action potentials allow neurons to communicate with one another.
Action potentials are electrical impulses that travel down the axon and trigger the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse.
Describe one way retrieval cues can improve memory.
Retrieval cues help trigger access to stored memories by associating information with context, emotions, or related concepts.
Explain how operant conditioning can be used to change behavior in a classroom.
Teachers can use rewards or punishments to increase desired behaviors and decrease unwanted behaviors.
Describe a real-life example of cognitive dissonance.
Someone who knows smoking is harmful but continues smoking may justify it by saying stress relief is more important.
Compare generalized anxiety disorder and phobias.
Generalized anxiety disorder involves broad persistent worry, while phobias involve intense fear of a specific object or situation.
How would damage to the hippocampus most likely affect a person’s behavior?
The person would struggle to form new long-term memories.
How does proactive interference differ from retroactive interference?
Proactive interference occurs when old information disrupts new learning, while retroactive interference occurs when new information disrupts old memories.
How did Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment support social learning theory?
It showed that children imitate behaviors they observe in others.
Why is the bystander effect less likely to occur when only one witness is present?
Responsibility cannot be diffused among multiple people.
How does cognitive behavioral therapy attempt to treat depression?
It changes negative thought patterns and maladaptive behaviors.
Difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
The sympathetic nervous system arouses the body for action, while the parasympathetic nervous system calms the body and conserves energy.
What is the difference between fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence?
Fluid intelligence involves solving new problems, while crystallized intelligence involves using learned knowledge and experience.
What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement adds a desirable stimulus, while negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior.
A person attributes their failure on a test to a “bad teacher” instead of poor studying. What concept does this demonstrate?
Self-serving bias
A patient experiences hallucinations and disorganized speech. What disorder is most associated with these symptoms?
Schizophrenia
What neurotransmitter is heavily involved in movement and is linked to Parkinson’s disease
Dopamine
What memory system briefly holds information currently being used or processed?
Working memory/Short term memory
According to Piaget, during what stage do children begin understanding conservation?
Concrete operational stage
What personality trait in the Big Five model is associated with organization and responsibility?
Conscientiousness
Why are SSRIs commonly used to treat depression?
They increase serotonin availability in the brain, which can improve mood.
What lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing visual information?
Occipital lobe
What is the tendency to overestimate how well you understand material called?
Overconfidence
How does authoritative parenting differ from authoritarian parenting?
Authoritative parenting combines high expectations with warmth, while authoritarian parenting is strict with little warmth.
What 2 psychological perspectives can be used to explain personality
Humanistic and Psychodynamic
What is the difference between hallucinations and delusions?
Hallucinations are false sensory experiences, while delusions are false beliefs.