Psychology Study Notes: Cognitive & Developmental

Psychology Study Notes

Cognitive Psychology

• Definition: Study of mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving.
• Key Concepts:
  • Information Processing Model: Compares the mind to a computer (input, processing, output).
  • Cognitive Biases: Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.
  • Memory Types:
    • Short-term memory
    • Long-term memory
    • Working memory
  • Decision Making: Heuristics and biases affecting choices.

Developmental Psychology

• Definition: Study of human growth and changes across the lifespan, from infancy to old age.
• Key Theories:
  • Erikson's Psychosocial Development: Eight stages from trust vs. mistrust to integrity vs. despair.
  • Piaget's Cognitive Development: Stages include sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.
  • Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory: Emphasizes social interaction and cultural context in development.
• Areas of Study:
  • Language acquisition
  • Emotional development
  • Socialization processes

Clinical Psychology

• Definition: Focus on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders.
• Key Approaches:
  • Psychotherapy: Techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and humanistic therapy.
  • Assessment Tools: Standardized tests, interviews, and observational methods.
  • Disorders:
    • Anxiety disorders
    • Mood disorders
    • Personality disorders
• Ethics: Importance of confidentiality, informed consent, and cultural sensitivity.

Social Psychology

• Definition: Study of how individuals influence and are influenced by social interactions.
• Key Concepts:
  • Social Perception: How we form impressions of others.
  • Group Dynamics: Conformity, obedience, groupthink, and group polarization.
  • Attitudes: Formation, change, and the relationship between attitudes and behavior.
  • Prejudice and Discrimination: Factors contributing to social biases and conflict.

Neuropsychology

• Definition: Study of the relationship between brain function and behavior.
• Key Areas:
  • Brain Structure and Function: Role of different brain areas in cognition and emotion.
  • Neuroplasticity: Brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.
  • Neuropsychological Assessment: Tools to evaluate cognitive function related to brain health.
  • Disorders: Effects of brain injuries, strokes, and neurodegenerative diseases on behavior and cognition.

Cognitive Psychology

• Studies mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving.
• Information Processing Model: Compares the mind to a computer involving input, processing, and output stages.
• Cognitive Biases: Systematic deviations from rationality affecting judgment and decision-making.
• Memory Types include:
  • Short-term memory: Temporary storage of information.
  • Long-term memory: Permanent storage that can hold vast amounts of information.
  • Working memory: Active processing and manipulation of information.
• Decision Making: Heuristics are mental shortcuts, leading to biases in choices.

Developmental Psychology

• Investigates human growth and changes from infancy to old age.
• Erikson's Psychosocial Development: Eight stages addressing conflicts from trust vs. mistrust to integrity vs. despair.
• Piaget's Cognitive Development: Four stages—sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational—indicating how children think at different ages.
• Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory: Highlights the role of social interactions and cultural factors in cognitive development.
• Areas of Study include language acquisition, emotional development, and socialization processes.

Clinical Psychology

• Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders.
• Psychotherapy: Includes techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and humanistic therapy.
• Assessment Tools: Utilize standardized tests, interviews, and observational methods for diagnosis.
• Disorders studied include:
  • Anxiety disorders: Affecting mood and behavior through excessive fear or worry.
  • Mood disorders: Persistent feelings of sadness or fluctuations in mood.
  • Personality disorders: Characterized by enduring patterns of behavior that differ from societal expectations.
• Ethical considerations include maintaining confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, and ensuring cultural sensitivity.

Social Psychology

• Examines how individuals are influenced by social interactions and their environment.
• Social Perception: Involves how individuals form impressions and judgments about others.
• Group Dynamics: Encompasses concepts such as conformity, obedience, groupthink, and group polarization.
• Attitudes: Explores how attitudes are formed, changed, and their impact on behavior.
• Prejudice and Discrimination: Factors that contribute to societal biases and conflict among groups.

Neuropsychology

• Investigates the connection between brain function and behavior.
• Key Areas include:
  • Brain Structure and Function: Differentiation of brain areas and their roles in cognition and emotion.
  • Neuroplasticity: The brain's capacity to reorganize itself and form new neural connections in response to learning or injury.
  • Neuropsychological Assessment: Tools utilized to evaluate cognitive functions and their relation to brain health.
• Disorders: Studies the impact of brain injuries, strokes, and neurodegenerative diseases on behavior and cognitive abilities.

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

• Three basic types of intelligence: Componential, Experiential, and Contextual.

Componential or Analytical Intelligence

• Refers to critical and analytical thinking abilities.
• Individuals high in this type excel in standardized academic tests.
• Key components include:
  • Meta-components: Higher-order processes for planning, monitoring, executing, analyzing, and interpreting information.
  • Performance components: Mental processes involved in executing tasks, including perception, concept identification, and response formulation.
  • Knowledge acquisition components: Skills related to synthesizing and creatively utilizing existing ideas.

Experiential or Creative Intelligence

• Focuses on insight and the capability to generate new ideas.
• Proposes a continuum of experience from novel to automated tasks:
  • Novel end: Tackling unfamiliar tasks or situations that require innovative solutions.
  • Automation end: Familiarity with tasks leading to execution with minimal conscious thought.

Contextual or Practical Intelligence

• Intelligence is influenced by the surrounding environment and daily circumstances.
• Key abilities include:
  • Adaptation: Adjusting oneself to better fit environmental changes (e.g., wearing layers in cold weather).
  • Selection: Choosing a new, more satisfying environment to achieve personal goals (e.g., immigrants relocating for better opportunities).
  • Shaping: Modifying the environment to meet individual needs (e.g., teachers enforcing hand-raising rules to minimize classroom disruption).