The Science of Psychology
What are the 5 research methods used in the field of Psychology?
Case Study
Naturalistic Observation
Laboratory Observation
Survey
Experiment
What are the cells called that transmit electrical messages to and from your brain/body via the nervous system?
Neurons
How do we define consciousness?
Awareness of everything going on around you and inside your head in a given moment
Neurons firing producing responses
What is learning?
What are the 3 components to memory and what are they responsible for?
Encode - convert sensory information to usable form
Storage - "file away" encoded information
Retrieval - bring stored information forward when needed (to use)
Why is Psychology considered a science?
Conclusions are measure and based off of observation, and the scientific method is followed.
How is the nervous system broken down? And, what is each part responsible for?
CNS - brain/spinal cord; "life sustaining" functions like emotion, thought, behavior, etc.
PNS - allows CNS to communicate with muscles, glands, and sensory systems
Somatic Nervous System - controls skeletal muscles & sensory pathways
Autonomic Nervous System - "automatic"; glands, internal organs, etc.
Sympathetic Division - "fight or flight"; energy output
Parasympathetic Division - "put it all back"; restores to normal functioning after arousal
What is an altered state of consciousness?
The quality of "consciousness" becomes less clear than normal; fuzzy/disorganized thoughts, less alert, etc.
Examples: Substance use, sleeping/dreaming, meditation, hypnosis
How is shaping used to assist in behavior change?
Desirable behavior is reinforced until ultimate goal (behavior modification) is achieved.
Why is effortful encoding helpful? Provide and example.
Allows STM to hold more information
Chunking - recoding information semantically (giving meaning)
What is the difference between using animal subjects in a study versus using human subjects in a study, as it relates to ethics?
Humans - must follow more specific guidelines; well being of patients, informed content, right to withdraw, justification if deception occurs and debrief, etc.
Name 2 neurotransmitters and their functions.
GABA
Glutamate - cognitive functioning (memory, learning)
Serotonin - Regulates mood, sleep, anxiety, etc.
Dopamine - "feel good"; reward, motivation, etc.
Endorphins - pain reliever, euphoria, stress reduction, etc.
Acetylcholine - ANS; memory, motivation, attention
What are the "3 categories" of substances? And, how do they affect an individual? Name an example of each.
Stimulant - speed up nervous system; caffeine, cocaine, etc.
Depressant - slow nervous system; alcohol, opiates, benzodiazepines, etc.
Hallucinogen - alter sensations, mind and the way an individual thinks; LSD, Ecstasy, Marijuana, etc.
What is modeling and what are the 4 components?
When an individual watches someone do something and acts in the same way; can be intentional or unintentional
1. attention
2. memory
3. imitation
4. motivation
What is a concept and how are prototypes related?
A mental grouping of similar ideas/things/etc.
Prototype is each of our "ideal" of a concept
(ie: fruit = concept; apple = prototype)
What are the 4 "original" approaches to psychology that allowed for its emergence as a science?
Structuralism - focus on structure of mind; every experience broken down into individual emotions and sensations
Functionalism - focus on how the mind allows a person to function, or adapt, to their surroundings; "introspection"
Psychoanalysis - focus on the revealing of unconscious conflicts, desires, etc.
Behaviorism - focus on scientific inquiry; observation of behavior, thoughts/feelings irrelevant
How do nature and nurture influence individuals?
Nature - biology
Nurture - environment
Nature assigns predispositions, nurture influence whether or not those predispositions come through in our behavior
Explain the sleep cycle and what happens in each stage.
About 90 minute cycle, repeated 4-6 times per night.
Stage 1 - light sleep; easy to wake up
Stage 2 - body temperature drops, heart rate slows
Stage 3 - deepest sleep; muscles relaxed, blood pressure/breathing at slowest
REM - Rapid Eye Movement; brain active, body immobilized; dreaming most likely to take place here
How are Classical Conditioning and Operant conditioning different?
Explain using relevant vocabulary.
Classical = stimulus/response; behavior depends on what occurs before response - introduce neutral stimulus -> becomes conditioned stimulus generating original response
Operant Conditioning = reinforcement/punishment; behavior depends on what happens after response - positive (+/add), negative (-/take away) to alter behavior
How do we define intelligence?
The ability to learn from experiences, acquire knowledge, and use resources effectively to adapt to new situations or to problem solve.
Characteristics that allow individuals to survive in their culture.
What are the 7 "modern" psychological approaches/perspectives of psychology? Explain the basics of each.
Psychodynamic - focus on unconscious mind and its influence on conscious behavior
Behavioral - focus on observable behavior and responses
Humanistic - focus on human potential and striving for becoming the best version of self (self-actualization)
Cognitive - focus on physical changes in brain and nervous system during thinking (think, remember, store, thought processes, etc.)
Sociocultural - focus on the relationship between social behavior and culture, and how this impacts individuals' behavior
Biological/Neuroscience - focus on behavior as a result of our biology (heredity, nervous system, hormones, etc.)
Evolutionary - focus on biological basis of universal mental characteristics that all humans share
How do our 5 senses help us interact with the world around us, and how may perception affect this?
5 senses stimulated, message brought to brain for "translation" via nervous system
The way our brain "translates" information will vary depending on the individual = perception
Explain how tolerance, withdrawal, and dependence contribute to the cycle of substance abuse/addiction.
After continued use of a substance, an individual may experience the following:
Dependence: brain and/or body needs or thinks it needs substance to function normally
Tolerance: individual needs increase amount of substance used because original amount does not affect them in the same way as it did initially
Withdrawal: When an individual tries to stop using substance, they may experience uncomfortable symptoms like nausea, vomiting, irritability, etc.
This is what we refer to as the cycle of addiction/substance abuse disorder
What was the major finding that came out of the Bobo Doll experiment in relation to observational learning/social learning theory?
Individuals who are exposed to or observe specific behaviors are more likely to replicate that same behavior.
What are the three well known theories of intelligence we looked at, and which is the most widely accepted? Explain.
Gardner's Multiple - each of us have different aspects of intelligences and abilities (8 accepted)
*Sternberg's Triarchic - 3 kinds of intelligence; analytical (book smarts), creative (problem solving), practical (street smarts)