Biological Psychology
What is the main function of the central nervous system?
The main function of the central nervous system is to process and coordinate information in the body.
Define the process of encoding in memory.
Encoding is the process of converting sensory information into a form that can be stored and retrieved as a memory.
What are the stages of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development includes the stages of sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.
Define social cognition.
Social cognition refers to the mental processes involved in perceiving, remembering, and interpreting social information and the ways in which people think about themselves and others.
Define psychological disorder.
A psychological disorder refers to a clinically significant disturbance in an individual's thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that causes distress or impairs functioning.
Name the three types of neurons found in the nervous system.
The three types of neurons are sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons.
What is the difference between short-term memory and long-term memory?
Short-term memory has limited capacity and holds information for a brief period, while long-term memory has unlimited capacity and stores information for an extended period.
Explain Erik Erikson's psychosocial stages of development.
Erik Erikson's psychosocial stages of development propose that individuals go through eight stages, each characterized by a unique psychosocial crisis or challenge that must be resolved.
What is the bystander effect and what factors contribute to it?
The bystander effect is the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help in an emergency situation when others are present. Factors contributing to the bystander effect include diffusion of responsibility and social influence.
Name and briefly describe the five main types of anxiety disorders.
The five main types of anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder (excessive worry), panic disorder (recurrent panic attacks), social anxiety disorder (fear of social situations), specific phobia (fear of a specific object or situation), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (obsessions and compulsions).
What is the role of neurotransmitters in neuronal communication?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons, allowing for communication in the nervous system.
What is the capacity of working memory, according to George A. Miller?
According to George A. Miller, working memory has a capacity of approximately 7 (plus or minus 2) chunks of information.
What are the three types of temperament identified by Chess and Thomas?
The three types of temperament identified by Chess and Thomas are easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up.
Explain the concept of conformity and provide an example.
Conformity is the tendency to adjust one's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in response to group pressure or social norms. An example is when an individual changes their opinion to match that of the majority in a group.
What are the symptoms and diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder?
The symptoms of major depressive disorder include persistent sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Explain the concept of plasticity in the brain.
Plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and reorganize itself in response to experience, learning, and injury.
Describe the concept of cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort that arises when there is a contradiction between beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Individuals are motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing their beliefs or behaviors.
Define attachment and describe the different attachment styles.
Attachment refers to the emotional bond formed between an infant and their primary caregiver. The different attachment styles are secure, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-resistant/ambivalent.
Discuss the factors that influence attraction in interpersonal relationships.
Factors that influence attraction in interpersonal relationships include physical attractiveness, similarity, proximity, and reciprocity.
Explain the differences between delusions and hallucinations in schizophrenia.
Delusions are false beliefs that are not based in reality, while hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur without an external stimulus, such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not there.
What are the major divisions of the peripheral nervous system?
The major divisions of the peripheral nervous system are the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
Name the two main types of problem-solving strategies.
The two main types of problem-solving strategies are algorithms, which are systematic and step-by-step procedures, and heuristics, which are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb.
Discuss Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development.
Lawrence Kohlberg proposed six stages of moral development, organized into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. These stages represent increasingly complex and abstract moral reasoning.
Define the fundamental attribution error and provide an example.
The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize internal characteristics (personality traits) and underestimate situational factors when explaining the behavior of others. An example is attributing someone's tardiness to laziness rather than considering the possibility of unexpected traffic.
Discuss the causes and treatments for dissociative identity disorder.
The causes of dissociative identity disorder (DID) are believed to be linked to severe childhood trauma. Treatment often involves psychotherapy, with the goal of integrating the different identities into a cohesive whole and addressing the underlying trauma.