Psychology Chapter on Developmental Theories
37 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of functionalism in psychology?

  • The study of cognitive processes in isolation
  • The adaptive purpose and function of mind and behavior (correct)
  • The analysis of behavior through classical conditioning
  • The differentiation between normal and abnormal psychology
  • What is the correct sequence of prenatal development stages?

  • Zygote, Fetus, Embryo
  • Embryo, Zygote, Fetus
  • Fetus, Embryo, Zygote
  • Zygote, Embryo, Fetus (correct)
  • Which age marks the beginning of significant myelination in brain development?

  • At birth
  • During adolescence
  • At the age of 4 (correct)
  • After the age of 25
  • What role do teratogens play in prenatal development?

    <p>They can harm the developing fetus or embryo.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what age does the limbic system primarily begin to develop?

    <p>Around 10-12 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which process occurs after most neurons have formed in the brain?

    <p>Synaptic pruning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of brain development is affected by a lack of communication and a healthy environment during childhood?

    <p>Underdeveloped brain functions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What cognitive function is primarily associated with the prefrontal cortex during adolescence?

    <p>Decision making and reasoning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the central crisis of adolescence according to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development?

    <p>Establishing a sense of identity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do sensory neurons play in the nervous system?

    <p>Detect stimuli from the environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the neuron is primarily responsible for integrating information?

    <p>Cell body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of dopamine in the brain?

    <p>Facilitating reward experiences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During puberty, what is primarily developed?

    <p>Sexual maturity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary effect of aging on cognition?

    <p>Shrinking frontal lobes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of myelin sheath in neurons?

    <p>Speed up information transfer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes polygenic inheritance from Mendelian inheritance?

    <p>Multiple genes influence the trait</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the occipital lobe?

    <p>Responsible for vision</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is responsible for the transfer of information between the left and right hemispheres?

    <p>Corpus callosum</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does neurogenesis refer to?

    <p>The formation of new neurons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The autonomic nervous system is primarily responsible for regulating which of the following?

    <p>Involuntary bodily processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristic is crucial for a good scientific theory?

    <p>Generation of testable questions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which period is the brain known to be exceedingly plastic?

    <p>Early childhood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of research study examines how variables are naturally related?

    <p>Correlational study</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of the scientific method?

    <p>To observe and measure phenomena objectively</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary limitation of correlation studies?

    <p>They cannot determine if one variable causes changes in another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect of a study does internal validity measure?

    <p>The accuracy in determining cause-and-effect relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a positive correlation indicate?

    <p>Both variables increase or decrease together.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does random assignment improve a study's validity?

    <p>It minimizes the impact of external factors by evenly distributing variables.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes reliability in research results?

    <p>Results are consistent across different studies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of a correlation coefficient of 0.8?

    <p>It shows a strong positive correlation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential drawback of experimental studies?

    <p>They may not simulate real-world conditions effectively.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is observer bias?

    <p>When the observer's expectations skew the results.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between sensation and perception?

    <p>Sensation is the detection of external stimuli, while perception is the interpretation of those stimuli.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the thalamus play in the perception pathway?

    <p>It serves as a relay station for sensory information before it reaches the brain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of processing begins with sensory input without any preexisting knowledge?

    <p>Bottom-up processing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic distinguishes fast pain fibers from slow pain fibers?

    <p>Fast pain fibers are more myelinated, allowing for quicker signal transmission.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the absolute threshold in sensation?

    <p>The minimum intensity of stimulation that leads to a sensation 50% of the time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Critical Thinking

    • Involves systematically questioning and evaluating new information
    • Relies on well-supported evidence
    • Weighs facts, considers the source, uses logic and reasoning to see if information makes sense
    • Considers alternate explanations

    Nature vs. Nurture

    • Ongoing debate surrounding the influence of biology and environment on development

    Functionalism

    • Concerned with the adaptive purpose or function of mind and behavior
    • Largely attributed to William James
    • Focuses on the brain as a whole rather than its individual components

    Stages of Prenatal Development

    • Zygote: Conception to 2 weeks
    • Embryo: 2 weeks to 2 months, considered the most sensitive stage of development
    • Fetus: 2 months to birth

    Teratogens

    • Agents that can harm a developing fetus or embryo
    • Examples: alcohol, caffeine, drugs, viruses, and bacteria
    • May impair development
    • Can have long-lasting effects that occur years after exposure
    • Known teratogen: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

    Brain Development

    • Two key aspects of early brain growth:
      • Specific areas mature and become functional
      • The brain learns to communicate through synaptic connections
    • The brain matures through myelination, wrapping axons in a fatty insulator
    • At age 4, the brain is 80% of its adult size
    • Synaptic pruning eliminates unnecessary connections
    • A healthy environment and communication are crucial for brain development

    Adolescence: Prefrontal Cortex and Limbic Systems

    • Limbic system develops early (ages 10-12), regulating emotions
    • Prefrontal cortex develops later (mid-to-late 20s), responsible for decision-making and reasoning
    • This developmental imbalance often leads to teenagers acting based on their emotions

    Puberty

    • Marks the beginning of adolescence
    • Process leading to sexual maturity and reproduction
    • Timing varies based on individual biology and environmental factors

    Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

    • Each stage of growth is marked by a central crisis
    • Adolescence is characterized by the crisis of establishing a sense of identity

    Effects of Aging on Cognition

    • Steady decline in overall health and frontal lobe shrinkage occurs throughout adulthood

    Nature & Nurture

    • Genotype: Individual's genetic makeup
    • Phenotype: Observable characteristics resulting from the interaction of genotype and environment
    • Environment: Surrounding influences
    • Epigenetics: How the environment can alter gene expression

    Mendelian vs. Polygenic Inheritance

    • Mendelian: Involves a dominant and recessive gene
      • Dominant gene is expressed if present in at least one parent
      • Recessive gene is only expressed when paired with the same recessive gene from the other parent
    • Polygenic: In humans, inheritance is typically polygenic, meaning multiple genes influence traits

    Types of Neurons

    • Sensory (afferent): Detect stimuli from the environment and transmit information to the brain
    • Motor (efferent): Responsible for muscle contractions and relaxations, enabling movement
    • Interneurons: Act as intermediaries between sensory and motor neurons

    Neural Structure, Function, and Communication (Synaptic Transmission)

    • Neuron: Basic unit of the nervous system
      • Dendrite: Detects chemical signals from neighboring neurons
      • Cell body: Integrates information collected from dendrites
      • Axon: Transmits electrical impulses
      • Myelin sheath: Fatty insulator formed by glial cells, accelerating information transfer along the axon
      • Terminal buttons: Release chemicals

    Serotonin and Dopamine

    • Serotonin: Plays a role in mood regulation
    • Dopamine: Associated with experiences of reward

    Cerebral Cortex and Corpus Callosum

    • Cerebral cortex: Outer layer of the brain responsible for language, learning, memory, emotions, and more
      • Occipital lobe: Responsible for vision
      • Temporal lobe: Responsible for hearing and memory
      • Parietal lobe: Processes touch sensations and spatial awareness
      • Frontal lobe: Responsible for thought, planning, and movement
    • Corpus callosum: Connects the left and right hemispheres, enabling information transfer

    Autonomic Nervous System

    • Regulates involuntary bodily processes like heart rate, digestion, breathing, blood pressure, and pupil dilation
    • Carries signals from glands and organs to the central nervous system

    Plasticity

    • The brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences
    • Includes neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons

    Critical Period

    • A specific timeframe during which particular experiences must occur for normal development
    • The brain is highly plastic during this period, allowing for reorganization in response to the environment

    What Makes Good Theory

    • Generates testable questions and variables that are measurable and repeatable

    Scientific Method

    • Procedure for observing and measuring phenomena to answer empirical questions
    • Aims to be more objective than casual observation and free from bias

    Three Elements of the Scientific Method

    • Theory: Explanation or idea of how a phenomenon works
    • Hypothesis: Specific, testable prediction about the outcome that supports the theory
    • Research: Systematic and careful data collection

    Three Types of Studies

    • Descriptive: Observing and noting behavior to provide a systematic analysis
    • Correlational: Examining relationships between variables in the real world without manipulation
      • Useful for identifying relationships
      • Cannot establish causation
      • External, unmeasured factors may influence relationships
    • Experimental: Testing a causal hypothesis by manipulating variables
      • Provides strong evidence for cause and effect
      • Highly controlled environment may not be applicable to the real world
      • Can be costly and time-consuming

    Reliability vs. Validity

    • Reliability: Consistency of results
    • Validity: Accuracy of results
    • A result can be reliable but not valid if it is consistent but inaccurate

    Internal vs. External Validity

    • Internal Validity: Degree to which a study can establish a causal relationship without external interference
    • External Validity: Extent to which the results can be generalized to other settings, populations, and times

    Correlations

    • Positive: Both variables increase or decrease together
    • Negative: As one variable increases, the other decreases
    • Correlation Coefficient: Ranges from -1 to 1, indicating the strength of the correlation

    Observer Bias

    • Errors that occur due to an observer's expectations or preconceived notions

    Random Assignment vs. Random Sampling

    • Random Sampling: Selecting participants from a population to be included in a study
    • Random Assignment: Randomly allocating participants into different experimental groups

    Significance Testing

    • Determines whether study results are likely real or occurred by chance

    Sensation vs. Perception

    • Sensation: Detection of external stimuli by sensory organs
    • Perception: Interpretation of sensory signals by the brain, influenced by past experiences, expectations, and context

    Perception Pathway (and the Exception)

    • Sensory receptors: Specialized cells that detect stimuli and send information to connecting neurons
    • Connecting neurons transmit information to the thalamus, which relays it to the primary sensory cortex for interpretation
    • Smell is the exception to this pathway

    Sensory Thresholds

    • Absolute threshold: Minimum intensity of stimulation required for detection 50% of the time

    Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Processing

    • Top-down processing: Using prior knowledge and context to interpret sensory data
    • Bottom-up processing: Perception begins with sensory input, without prior experience

    Visual Pathway

    • Rods: Detect black and white, important for night vision
    • Cones: Responsible for color vision, women tend to have more cones than men

    Senses and Their Receptors

    • Hearing: Vibration and movement cause hair cells to move, transmitting a signal to the auditory nerve
    • Touch: Various receptors detect temperature, pain, and pressure
      • Fast fibers: convey sharp, fast pain for immediate detection and protection, more myelinated
      • Slow fibers: convey chronic, dull pain for recuperation, less myelinated

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    Psychology Notes PDF

    Description

    Explore key concepts in psychology related to critical thinking, nature vs. nurture, functionalism, and prenatal development stages. This quiz covers important factors that influence human development, including the impact of teratogens. Test your understanding of these foundational topics in psychology.

    More Like This

    Developmental Psychology Fundamentals Quiz
    23 questions
    Human Development Stages
    30 questions
    Psychology Chapter 11 Flashcards
    33 questions
    Developmental Psychology Oct 30 W8
    37 questions
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Browser