AP Psychology: Biological Bases of Behavior

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Questions and Answers

Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with regulating mood, sleep, and appetite?

GABA

Dopamine

Serotonin (correct)

Acetylcholine

Which brain region is primarily responsible for processing visual information?

Occipital lobe (correct)

Frontal lobe

Temporal lobe

Parietal lobe

The sympathetic nervous system is primarily involved in which response?

Rest and digest

Fight or flight (correct)

Maintaining homeostasis

Regulating sleep-wake cycles

Which of the following is a Gestalt principle of perception?

Closure (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the theory that suggests dreams reflect unconscious desires and conflicts?

Freud's psychoanalytic theory (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which stage of sleep is characterized by rapid eye movements and vivid dreams?

REM sleep (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process by which sensory receptors convert physical energy into neural signals?

Transduction (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key aspect of the scientific study of psychology?

Intuition (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key component of classical conditioning?

Shaping (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a negative reinforcement?

A person avoids driving on a busy highway to avoid traffic. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a theory of emotion?

Cognitive Appraisal Theory (D) Signup and view all the answers

What stage of prenatal development is characterized by the development of major organs and systems?

Embryonic Stage (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which personality theory emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and conflicts in shaping personality?

Psychodynamic (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of intelligence test is designed to measure a person's potential for future learning and success?

Aptitude Test (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which concept explains the tendency to attribute our own failures to external factors and our successes to internal factors?

Self-Serving Bias (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following disorders is characterized by persistent, excessive worry and anxiety?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (B) Signup and view all the answers

What type of research method is used to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between variables?

Experimental Study (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an ethical consideration in psychological research?

Plagiarism (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to AP Psychology

AP Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
It examines various aspects of human experience, including cognition, emotion, motivation, development, and social interactions.
The course emphasizes critical thinking, research methodologies, and applying psychological principles to real-world scenarios.

Biological Bases of Behavior

Neurons: Fundamental units of the nervous system, transmitting information electrically and chemically.
- Structure: dendrites, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, terminal buttons.
- Function: action potential, neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers transmitting signals across synapses.
- Examples: dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, norepinephrine, endorphins.
- Effects on behavior and mood.
The Nervous System:
- Central Nervous System (CNS): brain and spinal cord.
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): somatic and autonomic nervous systems (sympathetic and parasympathetic).
- Functions of different brain regions (e.g., frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, cerebellum, brain stem).
The Endocrine System:
- Glands that secrete hormones.
- Interactions between endocrine and nervous system.
- Hormones' influence on mood, behavior, and physiological processes.
Genetics and Behavior:
- Genes and environment shape behaviors.
- Heritability and its implications.
- Nature vs. nurture debate.

Sensation and Perception

Sensation: Detecting physical stimuli from the environment.
- Sensory receptors and transduction.
Perception: Organizing and interpreting sensory information.
- Gestalt principles, depth perception, perceptual constancies.
Vision, Hearing, Touch, Taste, Smell:
- Specific sensory systems: anatomy, physiology, and perceptual processes.
- Absolute thresholds, difference thresholds (just-noticeable difference), sensory adaptation.
Sensory Deprivation and Enhancement:
- Effects on perception and behavior.

States of Consciousness

Consciousness: Awareness of oneself and the environment.
- Levels of consciousness, altered states, circadian rhythms, sleep-wake cycles, dreams.
Sleep and Dreams:
- Stages of sleep (NREM and REM).
- Sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea).
- Theories of dreaming (e.g., Freud's, activation-synthesis).
Drugs and Consciousness:
- Psychoactive drugs and their effects on the brain and behavior.
- Types of drug use and addiction.
- Impact of substance use.

Learning

Classical Conditioning:
- Pavlov's experiments, unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, conditioned response.
- Acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination.
- Applications in real-world scenarios.
Operant Conditioning:
- Skinner's experiments, reinforcement, punishment, schedules of reinforcement.
- Shaping, observational learning (social learning), and its implications.
- Applications in behavioral modification.
Cognitive Learning:
- Latent learning, insight learning, observational learning, and their impact.

Cognition

Memory:
- Encoding, storage, retrieval.
- Types of memory (sensory, short-term, long-term).
- Improving memory techniques.
- Forgetting and its causes.
Thinking:
- Problem-solving, decision-making.
- Concepts and schemas, algorithms and heuristics, biases in thinking.
Language:
- Structure of language, language development.
- Language acquisition and its impact on cognitive processes.

Motivation and Emotion

Motivation: Factors influencing behavior.
- Biological motivations (hunger, thirst, sex).
- Social motives.
- Theories of motivation (e.g., drive-reduction, incentive, humanistic).
Emotion: Subjective feelings with physiological and behavioral responses.
- Theories of emotion (e.g., James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer).
- Expression and regulation of emotions.

Development Across the Lifespan

Prenatal Development: Stages of prenatal development and environmental influences.
Infancy and Childhood: Physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development.
- Attachment theories.
Adolescence: Puberty, identity formation, social development; peer influence.
Adulthood: Physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development across adulthood, changes in relationships, career, and personal growth.

Personality

Personality Theories: Psychodynamic, humanistic, trait, social-cognitive perspectives; key theorists and their contributions.
Assessment of Personality: Different personality assessments and their applications.
Personality Disorders: Various disorders, their characteristics, and treatments.

Testing and Individual Differences

Intelligence: Theories of intelligence, measurement, and cultural biases in testing.
Aptitude and Achievement Tests: Purpose, design, interpretation of aptitude and achievement tests.
Standardized Testing: Importance and implications of standardized tests.

Social Cognition: Attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice, attribution; cognitive processes in social interaction.
Social Influence: Conformity, obedience, group behavior.
Relationships: Attraction, intimacy, love, commitment.

Abnormal Psychology

Diagnosis and Classification: Diagnostic criteria, diagnoses, and approaches to diagnosis.
Psychological Disorders: Major categories like anxiety, mood, schizophrenia, personality, eating, and substance-related disorders (classification, characteristics, treatments).
Treatment of Psychological Disorders: Psychotherapy, biomedical therapies (e.g., drug therapy, electroconvulsive therapy).

Research Methods

Descriptive Research: Observational studies, case studies, surveys.
Correlation Research: Identifying relationships between variables.
Experimental Research: Determining cause-and-effect relationships.
Ethical Considerations: Avoiding harm, informed consent, confidentiality, debriefing, and institutional review boards (IRBs).

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Description

Explore the foundations of behavior in AP Psychology by understanding the biological aspects that influence mental processes. This quiz covers neurons, neurotransmitters, and the nervous system, emphasizing their roles in emotions and cognition. Test your knowledge on how these biological elements relate to psychological theory and real-world applications.