Learning Objectives PSYC1013/1113 PDF

Learning objectives for PSYC1013/1113 Science of Psychology - Classes 1 – 6 1. Define psychology. 2. Given a question or statement, identify and explain the relevant psychological domains. 3. Define confirmation bias and explain why this occurs. 4. Given an example scen...

Learning objectives for PSYC1013/1113 Science of Psychology - Classes 1 – 6 1. Define psychology. 2. Given a question or statement, identify and explain the relevant psychological domains. 3. Define confirmation bias and explain why this occurs. 4. Given an example scenario, explain how confirmation bias might be occurring. 5. Describe how the Hannah study provides empirical support for confirmation bias. 6. Provide strengths and weaknesses for observational, correlational, and experimental research methods. 7. Identify the type and strength of a correlation given a description or a correlation coefficient. 8. Make a prediction given a described correlation and one defined variable. 9. Draw a clearly labeled figure with hypothetical datapoints that captures a described correlation. 10. Explain why correlation does not equal causation and explain how to determine causation. 11. Identify the two major limitations of correlational studies and how experimental methods can reduce the impact of these issues. 12. Given a correlation, propose potential third variables that could explain the relationship described. 13. Given a research question, design and describe a suitable experiment including hypotheses and operational definitions of IV’s and DV’s. 14. Given a set of data, identify the relative differences in central tendency and variability. 15. Describe why we use both descriptive and inferential statistics. 16. Given a p-value, explain in words what is represented. 17. Identify methodological strengths and limitations of a described research study. Neuroscience – Classes 7-9 18. Draw the major structural difference between a neuron and a generic animal cell. 19. Define ‘membrane potential’ and explain why there is a charge imbalance across the membrane at rest. 20. Label the different phases of an action potential and describe what is happening at the molecular (ions!) level. 21. Describe the difference between gray matter and white matter. 22. Explain why myelin evolved and its function. 23. Define a glial cell and give an example of its function. 24. Identify the major excitatory and the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain. 25. Describe the differences between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems and the parasympathetic/sympathetic divisions. 26. Explain how lesion studies allow us to learn about the function of a brain region. 27. Describe the general trend of changes in nervous system structure over evolutionary history. 28. Given the name or depicted location of a major brain region, identify its main function (and name if not provided). 29. Describe synaptic pruning and when it occurs.  30. From Dr. Blakemore’s TED Talk, explain how the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system interact differently in the adolescent and adult brain, and the behavioral consequences. 31. For a given visual stimulus, explain the response of a split-brain patient. 32. Explain how observing split-brain patients provides evidence for the lateralization of function in the brain. 33. Predict the cortical changes that would result from a particular intervention (such as training or amputation). 34. Identify how we infer brain function of specific brain regions by studying patients with different types of aphasia. MIDTERM 1 happened here Sensation & Perception – Classes 12-14 35. Describe the vision pathway, from light entering the eye to object recognition in the temporal and parietal lobes, differentiating where sensation and perception are occurring. 36. Identify the involved cells and describe the color detection processes of the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. 37. Explain why we see after images after staring at certain colors. 38. Given an example, identify the type of perceptual processing that is occurring (top-down vs. bottom-up). 39. Give an example of how cultural differences might lead to differences in perception. 40. Design a study to determine that the carpentered world hypothesis explains the difference in perception of the Müller-Lyer Illusion. 41. Given an observation about one’s perception, identify if the processes involved are innate (nature) or learned (nurture). 42. Identify perceptual phenomena as Gestalt grouping illusions, monocular cues, or binocular cues. 43. Explain how retinal disparity allows for the perception of depth information. 44. Given an optical illusion, propose why our perception might differ from the actual stimulus presented. 45. Identify examples of sensory substitution and explain how it can be used to replace a missing sensory system. 46. 47. 48. 49. Identify the steps of audition and how humans localize the source of a sound. Learning – Classes 15-17 50. Define the process of classical conditioning and describe how this might be accomplished given a target behavioral response.  51. Identify the UCR, US, CR and CS in a classical conditioning paradigm scenario. 52. Define ‘acquisition’, ‘extinction’ and ‘spontaneous recovery’ and describe what occurs during each phase of classical conditioning. 53. Differentiate between ‘generalization’ and ‘discrimination’ and provide an example of each given a described conditioning scenario. 54. Define ‘habituation’ and ‘sensitization’ and identify examples of each. 55. Describe the differences between classical and operant conditioning. 56. Given a scenario, identify the type of operant conditioning occurring. 57. Identify and describe the strengths and weaknesses of the conditioning model of learning (i.e. behaviorism). 58. Describe how shaping could be completed to achieve a targeted behavior. 59. Provide an example of learned helplessness and describe how it could emerge. 60. Identify the type of conditioning schedule and the benefits/drawbacks associated with each. 61. Identify the IV and DVs of the flavor-flavor learning study (Havermans & Jansen 2007). 62. Identify examples of social learning and describe how they provide evidence against a purely behaviorist approach to learning. Memory – Classes 18 – 20 63. Describe the three types of memory in the 3-stage model and how they interact. 64. Describe how the partial report procedure provides evidence of sensory memory. 65. Describe how the memory span task and the distraction task give insight into the capacity and duration of short term memory, respectively. 66. Differentiate between explicit and implicit long term memory and classify examples of each. 67. Explain the differential effects of aging on memory. 68. Describe how changes in synaptic strengths occur and how they are implicated in learning/memory. 69. Differentiate between anterograde and retrograde amnesia. 70. Provide evidence for how patients with amnesia have given us insight into the distinctions between short and long-term memory as well as explicit vs. implicit memory. 71. Define primacy and recency and describe how they give support for different types of memory. 72. Describe the empirical evidence supporting the self-reference effect, generation effect, spacing effect and encoding specificity principle. 73. Given an example of a forgotten memory, identify the forgetting theory most likely involved. 74. Given a specific failure of memory, provide a strategy to overcome it. 75. Define a schema. MIDTERM 2 happened here Intelligence – Classes 22 - 24 76. Describe how intelligence is measured using the terms standardization and norming. 77. Differentiate between crystalized and fluid intelligence, and between analytical, creative and practical intelligence. 78. Describe the general intelligence factor (g), evidence for and against its existence, and how it relates to specific intelligences. 79. Propose third variables that may drive the correlation between test scores and academic success. 80. Identify the underlying reasons why intelligence tests might be biased. 81. Define stereotype threat, give an example, and propose a mechanism. 82. Discuss how the work of Walton & Spencer 2009 provides evidence for or against the fixed theory of intelligence. 83. Describe how the results of twin studies provide evidence for both genetic and environmental factors affecting intelligence. 84. Give examples of how genetic and environmental factors interact to affect intelligence. 85. Summarize Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and explain its deficiencies. Problem solving – Class 25 86. Differentiate between behaviorist (reproductive) and Gestalt (productive) views on problem solving. 87. Given an example, identify the problem-solving barrier that may be occurring. 88. Define the problem space theory and differentiate between different problem-solving strategies including heuristic vs. gestalt processes and top-down vs. bottom-up processes. Sleep – Class 26 89. Differentiate between entrained and free-running circadian rhythms. 90. Describe the two main driving forces leading to sleep and how environmental stimuli affect these forces. 91. Identify how biosignals could be used to determine a person’s state of consciousness. 92. Describe how perceptual studies can be used to study the role of sleep. 93. Given results/data from a sleep learning study, identify the main conclusion. Language – Class 27-28 94. Differentiate between generative and reproductive processes related to language. 95. Explain how silent periods in spoken sounds are related to a perceived phoneme (e.g. gaps within words, categorical perception). 96. Identify the difference between semantics and syntax.  97. Describe how semantics, syntax and pragmatics interact to produce the understood meaning of a phrase. 98. Name an evoked response potential based on the characteristics of an EEG signal. 99. Identify why an evoked response potential might be observed for a given language stimulus. 100. Select empirical evidence that supports the concept of exhaustive lexical access. 101. Given a piece of evidence regarding language development, identify and explain whether it supports a genetic, environmental or interacting effect. 102. Provide or identify empirical evidence that supports the concept of sensitive/critical periods in development. Motor Learning – Class 29 103. Describe the role of the cerebellum in motor learning. 104. Given a description of a prism adaptation or textbook weight removal experiment, predict the behaviour of a person missing a cerebellum and someone with a fully intact brain. 105. Identify the type of cell that integrates information in the cerebellum. History of Psychology – Class 30 106. Identify the school of thought perspective represented by a given question or statement about a psychological topic. Addiction – Classes 31 – 33 107. Describe three different ways that a drug can lead to increased dopamine system activation and identify a specific drug that may operate using each mechanism. 108. Given characteristics of two neurons connected via a synapse, including the types of signaling molecule and neurotransmitters involved, predict the change in output activity of the postsynaptic cell. 109. Explain why alcohol has both inhibitory and non-inhibitory effects on the nervous system. 110. Differentiate between and identify examples of physical and psychological dependence. 111. Explain how operant conditioning is involved in drug use. 112. Identify and describe drug opposite and drug-like conditioned responses. 113. Identify the mechanism that explains why a given treatment for a substance use disorder may work. [could be a physiological or learning process]