Notes on Psychology PDF

Notes September 22, 2024 1:46 PM Etiology: - Etiology: origins - Biological influences: what could lead to psychopathology ○ Structural: abnormalities in brain structure ○ Biochemical: inbalences in neurotransmitters or hormones ○ Genetic: genetic abnormalities / c...

Notes September 22, 2024 1:46 PM Etiology: - Etiology: origins - Biological influences: what could lead to psychopathology ○ Structural: abnormalities in brain structure ○ Biochemical: inbalences in neurotransmitters or hormones ○ Genetic: genetic abnormalities / combination of specific genes Brain Structure: - Cerebral cortex: advanced thinking processes - Hypothalamus: regulates / balances the body - Limbic system: regulates behaviors and emotions - Neurotransmitters: ○ Structure: ▪ Dendrite ▪ Cell body ▪ Axon □ Myelin sheath □ Node of ranvier ▪ Axon terminal ○ Major types: ▪ Serotonin: emotions and impulses ▪ Dopamine: regulates reinforcements and rewards ▪ Norepinephrine: stress hormone ▪ GABA: inhibitory ▪ Glutamate: excitatory - Endocrine system: produces hormones ○ HPA axis: dysregulation -> difficulty managing stress Psychological Influences: - Freud: ○ Psychodynamic theory: unconscious conflicts between primitive desires and constraints ○ Behavioral theories: reinforcements and punishments ○ Cognitive theories: interpretation of situations and assumptions ○ Humanistic theories: conform to demands of others instead of persuing own values and potentials - Pavlov: ○ Classical conditioning: the dogs and the bell - Skinner: ○ Operant conditioning: ▪ Law of effect: behavior followed by rewards is either rewarded or weakened □ Rats pressing a lever for food Behavior increases Behavior decreases Stimulus added Positive reinforcement Positive punishment ("positive") Stimulus removed Negative reinforcement Negative punishment ("negative") - Bandura: ○ Modeling: behaviors learned by imitating others ○ Observational learning Week 2 Page 1 Behavioral Therapy: - Systematic desensitization: exposure therapy - Cognitions: thoughts / beliefs that shape our emotions and behavior ○ Types: ▪ Faulty assumptions ○ Cognitive theory: levels of cognitions ▪ Schema: the base thought ▪ Intermediate beliefs and info processing: memories / fact that prove the schema right ▪ Automatic thoughts: the conclusion Emotion Focused Approaches: - Dialectical behavior therapy: combines cognitive and behavioral techniques - Acceptance and commitment therapy: helps patients to work through their psychopathology Sociocultural Theories: - Need to look beyond the individual or family - Diathesis stress model: diathesis + stress = disorder ○ Diathesis: ▪ Biological ▪ Psychological ▪ Social / environmental ○ Stress: ▪ Vulnerability ▪ Trigger - Biopsychosocial model: ○ Venn diagram ○ Biological, Psychological, Social - Equifinality: multiple pathways to one outcome - Multifinality: a single risk factor can lead to multiple outcomes Week 2 Page 2