Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a biological influence on behavior or mental processes?
Which of the following is NOT a biological influence on behavior or mental processes?
- Genetic predispositions
- Cognitive processing (correct)
- Brain structure
- Neurotransmitter activity
What does the hindsight bias typically lead people to do?
What does the hindsight bias typically lead people to do?
- Increase their skepticism about outcomes
- Completely disregard previous information
- Exaggerate their ability to have foreseen an outcome (correct)
- Underestimate their ability to predict outcomes
How is consciousness most commonly defined by psychologists?
How is consciousness most commonly defined by psychologists?
- Our collective thoughts and behaviors
- Our unconscious instincts and drives
- Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment (correct)
- Our biological processes that influence behavior
What function does the parasympathetic nervous system primarily serve?
What function does the parasympathetic nervous system primarily serve?
What does REM sleep primarily associate with?
What does REM sleep primarily associate with?
What term describes a drug that enhances a neurotransmitter's action?
What term describes a drug that enhances a neurotransmitter's action?
Loss of visual perception in a patient likely follows damage to which brain area?
Loss of visual perception in a patient likely follows damage to which brain area?
What does circadian rhythm refer to?
What does circadian rhythm refer to?
What does a teratogen do to an unborn child?
What does a teratogen do to an unborn child?
What is the term for the growing fear infants display towards unfamiliar people?
What is the term for the growing fear infants display towards unfamiliar people?
During which developmental stage does cell division and differentiation first occur?
During which developmental stage does cell division and differentiation first occur?
What principle are children unable to grasp if they do not understand the concept of conservation?
What principle are children unable to grasp if they do not understand the concept of conservation?
At what stage do physical abilities peak?
At what stage do physical abilities peak?
What period is characterized by individuals not fully achieving independence in Western cultures?
What period is characterized by individuals not fully achieving independence in Western cultures?
Which term describes the process where infants seek closeness to their caregivers?
Which term describes the process where infants seek closeness to their caregivers?
What does heredity refer to in the context of genetics?
What does heredity refer to in the context of genetics?
Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with mood regulation?
Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with mood regulation?
What is the main function of the occipital lobe in the brain?
What is the main function of the occipital lobe in the brain?
In Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory, which stage comes after the Sensorimotor stage?
In Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory, which stage comes after the Sensorimotor stage?
Which research method involves studying a single individual or group in great depth?
Which research method involves studying a single individual or group in great depth?
What is the primary characteristic of collectivistic cultures?
What is the primary characteristic of collectivistic cultures?
What is the term for the arithmetic average of a set of scores?
What is the term for the arithmetic average of a set of scores?
What defines a control group in an experimental study?
What defines a control group in an experimental study?
Which of the following attitudes is NOT considered a key attitude of scientific inquiry?
Which of the following attitudes is NOT considered a key attitude of scientific inquiry?
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Study Notes
Neurotransmitters and Their Functions
- Dopamine: Key roles in reward, motivation, and pleasure.
- Serotonin: Regulates mood, sleep patterns, and digestion.
- Cortisol: Manages stress, metabolism, and immune system function.
- Epinephrine (Adrenaline): Triggers the fight or flight response during stressful situations.
- GABA: Functions as an inhibitor, dampening nerve activity.
- Norepinephrine: Increases alertness and arousal.
- Acetylcholine: Involved in muscle movement, actions, and memory formation.
- Glutamate: Vital for memory processes.
- Endorphins: Serve as natural pain relievers and contribute to feelings of pleasure.
Brain Structures and Their Functions
- Frontal Lobe: Responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and motor function.
- Parietal Lobe: Processes sensory information from the body.
- Occipital Lobe: Handles visual processing tasks.
- Temporal Lobe: Involved in auditory processing and memory formation.
Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development
- Sensorimotor: Infants learn through sensory experiences and manipulating objects.
- Preoperational: Development of language and imagination, yet lacking logical reasoning.
- Concrete Operational: Logical thinking applies to physical objects; understanding of conservation.
- Formal Operational: Abstract thought and hypothetical reasoning capabilities emerge.
Experimental Study Components
- Theory: A proposed explanation for phenomena.
- Hypothesis: A testable prediction derived from a theory.
- Operational Definition: Specific definitions of the variables involved.
- Replication: Repeating studies to verify results and findings.
Cultural Dimensions
- Individualistic Cultures: Value personal independence and self-reliance.
- Collectivistic Cultures: Prioritize group unity, harmony, and interdependence.
Sleep Stages and Characteristics
- N1: Light sleep stage.
- N2: Slowing of bodily functions like heart rate and body temperature.
- N3: Deep sleep stage, crucial for recovery.
- REM: Dream stage with high brain activity.
Key Research and Psychological Concepts
- Naturalistic Observation: Observing behavior in a natural environment without intervention.
- Positive Psychology: Focuses on human flourishing and well-being.
- Mode: The most frequently occurring score in a data set.
- Control Group: Group that does not receive the experimental treatment for comparison.
- Mean: Calculated as the arithmetic average of scores.
- Hindsight Bias: Tendency to overemphasize one's ability to predict outcomes after they occur.
Psychological Terms and Concepts
- Consciousness: Awareness of oneself and one's environment.
- Parasympathetic Nervous System: Activates digestion and slows heartbeat during rest.
- REM Sleep: Characterized by rapid eye movements and vivid dreaming.
- Agonist: A substance that enhances a neurotransmitter's activity.
- Occipital Lobe Damage: Leads to visual perception issues.
- EEG: Records electrical activity of the brain.
- Withdrawal Symptoms: Discomfort experienced after stopping an addictive substance.
Developmental Psychology
- Circadian Rhythm: Biological functioning pattern on a 24-hour cycle.
- Stranger Anxiety: Fear displayed by infants towards unfamiliar people after 8 months.
- Zygotic Stage: Initial stage of prenatal development involving cell division.
- Conservation Principle: Understanding that quantity remains the same despite shape changes.
- Emerging Adulthood: Transitional stage from age 18 to mid-twenties where independence is not fully achieved.
- Attachment: Infants’ strong need to be close to caregivers.
- Heredity: Genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring.
- Pruning Process: Loss of unused neural connections during childhood development.
- Synapse Connections: Increased in enriched environments versus impoverished ones.
Biological Influences
- Human Sperm Chromosomes: Contains 23 chromosomes, crucial for genetic information.
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