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Psychology/Sociology MCAT > 7A Individual Influences on Behavior > Flashcards

7A Individual Influences on Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

6 Theories of Personality (describe each in 2 words)

A
  1. Psychoanalytic perspective: unconscious thoughts
  2. Humanistic perspective: free will
  3. Trait perspective: trait mixture
  4. Social cognitive perspective: reciprocal interactions
  5. Biological perspective: genes & neurotransmitters
  6. Behaviorist perspective: environmental learning
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2
Q

6 Types of Personality Disorders

A
  1. Anxiety disorders
  2. Mood disorders
  3. Somatoform disorders
  4. Schizophrenia
  5. Dissociative disorder
  6. Personality disorders
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3
Q

“Personality”

A

a person’s individual way of thinking, feeling, and behaviors

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4
Q

Psychoanalytic Theory

A

personality is shaped by unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories

conscious thought is quite limited - unconscious is inferred from behaviors like dreams & slips of the tongue

associated with Sigmund Freud

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5
Q

[Freud] Libido & Death instinct

A

(2 instincts described by Freud - psychoanalytic theory)

Libido =life instinct - drives behavior based on survival, growth, pain avoidance & pleasure

Death instinct drives aggressive behavior fueled by unconscious wish to die or to hurt onself or others

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6
Q

Freud’s 3 Personality Components: Id, Ego, Superego

A

source of energy & instincts (unconscious)
- ruled by “pleasure principle”
- seeks pleasure, avoids pain & reduces tension
- doesn’t use logical/moral reasoning
- doesn’t distinguish mental images from external objects
(1 of 3 personality components functioning together that compose psychic energy - Freud’s psychoanalytic theory)

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7
Q

Ego defense mechanisms

A

anxiety coping mechanisms that protect the ego by unconsciously denying/distorting reality

(i.e. repression, denial, projection, rationalization)

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8
Q

Freud’s 5 Psychosexual Stages

A

Child seeks sensual pleasure

  1. Oral stage - sucking/chewing
  2. Anal stage - control of elimination
  3. Phallic stage - genitals
  4. Latent stage - sexual interests subside
  5. Genital stage - sexual themes resurface/fuel activities
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9
Q

Psychological fixation (Freud)

A

sensual pleasure at certain psychosexual stage of development causes adult personality to exhibit behaviors related to that stage of developmental conflict

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10
Q

Freud vs. His Followers: Developmental Stages

A

Jung/Horney/Adler/Erikson
- had more optimistic views of humanity
- personality more changeable over lifespan (less dependent on early childhood)
- people motivated/influenced by growth instinct, striving for superiority, or social factors (as opposed to sensual urges)

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11
Q

Erikson vs. Freud - Developmental Stages

A

Erikson extended Freud’s developmental stages
1. Added social/interpersonal factors
2. Delineated 8 developmental stages/conflicts in adolescence & adulthood

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12
Q

Psychoanalytic Therapy

A

focuses on making patient aware of unconscious motives & gaining insight into emotional issues/conflicts that are presenting difficulties
- help choose conscious behaviors
- strengthen ego

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13
Q

Humanistic Theory

A

humans are inherently good & have free will

focuses on healthy personality development

associated with Carl Rogers

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14
Q

Behaviorist Theory

A

personality is learned behavior patterns based on person’s environment (deterministic)

(people begin as blank slates and are punished/reinforced into behaviors/personalities)

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15
Q

Humanistic therapy

A

provides environment that helps clients trust/accept themselves and their emotional reactions so that they can learn and grow from experiences

[Humanistic perspective]

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16
Q

Behavioral therapy

A

uses conditioning to shape clients behaviors in desired direction using ABC model (antecedents and consequences of behavior) - therapy changes antecedents and consequences using least aversive means possible

common applications: densensitization

[Behaviorist perspective]

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17
Q

Social Cognitive Perspective

A

personality formed by reciprocal interaction among behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors
- learned behavior via classical/operant conditioning
- observational learning
- conscious cognitive processes
- situational influences/opportunities/rewards/punishments

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18
Q

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

A

Behavioral therapy + cognitive approach

helps client become more aware of irrational/dysfunctional thoughts & beliefs and substitute rational/accurate beliefs and thoughts, hopefully leading to more functional feelings and behaviors

[Social cognitive perspective]

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19
Q

Personality trait

A

predisposition toward a certain behavior

(Trait theory)

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20
Q

Trait Theory

A

focus on identifying, describing, measuring, and comparing individual differences and similarities with respect to traits

associated with Raymond Cattell

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21
Q

Raymond Cattell

A

identified 16 surface traits using factor analysis (Trait Theory)

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22
Q

Surface traits & Source Traits

A

Surface traits evident from a person’s behavior
i.e. “talkative”

Source Traits factors underlying human personality/behavior
i.e. “extrovert”

(Trait theory)

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23
Q

“Global factors” initially created to characterize personality traits

A

source traits

  1. Extroversion
  2. Anxiety
  3. Receptivity
  4. Accommodation
  5. Self-control
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24
Q

Five-Factor Model

A

(McCrae & Costa)

widely accepted model of global factors attributed to Trait theory

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25
Q

Biological perspective

A

much of personality is at least partly due to innate biological differences among people

supported by heritability of basic personality traits & correlations in brain structure

associated with Hans Eysenck, Jeffrey Alan Gray, and C. Robert Cloninger

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26
Q

Hans Eysenck

A
  1. Extroversion based on individual differences in reticular formation (introverts more easily aroused & handle less stimulation)
  2. Neuroticism based on individual differences in limbic system

(Biological perspective)

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27
Q

Jeffrey Alan Gray

A

personality governed by interactions among 3 brain systems responding to reward/punishment stimuli

  1. Fear/avoidance linked to sympathetic nervous system
  2. Worry/anxiety linked to behavioral inhibition system
  3. Optimism/impulsivity linked to behavioral approach system

(Biological perspective)

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28
Q

C. Robert Cloninger

A

personality linked to level of brain neurotransmitter in 3 interacting systems

  • low dopamine = higher impulsivity/novelty seeking
  • low norepinephrine = higher approval seeking/reward dependence

(Biological perspective)

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29
Q

Person-situation controversy (trait vs. state controversy)

A

considers degree to which a person’s reaction to situation is due to personality (trait) vs. situation (state)

[Situational Approach]

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30
Q

Traits vs. States

A

Trait: internal, stable, enduring personality aspects

State: situational (unstable, temporary) variable aspects of personality influenced by external environment

[Situational Approach]

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31
Q

Social cues

A

People modify behavior in uncomfortable situations based on nonverbal/verbal hints - specific traits may stay hidden

[Situational Approach]

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32
Q

Actualizing tendency

A

most basic motive of all people - innate drive to maintain & enhance the organism

[Humanistic perspective]

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33
Q

Self-actualization

A

realizing his or her human potential (as long as no obstacle intervenes)

[Humanistic perspective]

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34
Q

Carl Rogers

A

developed humanistic theory

  • proposed that child introjects value of caregiver into his or her own self-concept to still see both self and caregiver as good
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35
Q

Self-Concept

A

conscious, subjective perceptions and believes about an individuals self

[Humanistic perspective]

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36
Q

Incongruence

A

Feeling experienced by people when they encounter experiences that are contradict their self-concepts

[Humanistic perspective]

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37
Q

Comparing the Roots of Psychopathology

A

Humanistic: discrepancy between conscious introjected values and unconscious true values

Social Cognitive: irrational/dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs

Trait: N/A - each personality type has strengths/weaknesses

Psychoanalytic: needs/tasks not met during psychosexual stages of development - also childhood events, unconscious feelings, thoughts, and motivations

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38
Q

Anxiety disorders (general definition)

A

characterized by excessive worry, uneasiness, apprehension and fear with both physical and psychological symptoms

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39
Q

Mood disorders (general definition)

A

characterized by a disturbance in mood or affect; 2 broad categories distinguished by the presence/absence of a manic or hypomanic episode

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40
Q

Prevalence of Psychological Disorders - (most to least)

A

(18%) Anxiety
(10%) Mood/dissociative
(6-10%) Personality
(1-6%) Eating
(.2-2%) Somatoform
(1%) Psychotic

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41
Q

Somatoform disorders (general definition)

A

symptoms not explained by medical conditions or substance abuse - not attributable to another mental disorder

42
Q

Conversion disorder (general definition)

A

Emotional conflict/stressor causes physical symptoms severe enough to warrant medical attention

43
Q

Dopamine hypothesis (Schizophrenia)

A

[Schizophrenia]
hyperactive dopaminergic pathway
- overabundance of dopamine
- hypersensitive dopamine receptors

44
Q

Biological Basis of Schizophrenia (including positive/negative signs)

A

Genetic Predisposition + Environmental Trigger

Positive Signs:
1) Dopamine hypothesis
2) Hyperactivation of temporal lobes

Negative Signs:
1) Hypofunctioning frontal lobes
2) Smaller brains due to atrophy: increaseed ventricles, enalrged sulci and fissures

45
Q

Biological Basis of Depression

A

Genetic Basis (increased risk)

1) Hypofunctioning of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine pathways
2) Damage to areas of brain can be accompanied by neurological diseases

46
Q

Alzheimer’s Disease (general definition)

A

most prevalent form of dementia
- retrograde amnesia
- impaired visual memory (lost/confused)

cortical disease (affects cortex)

47
Q

Biological Basis of Alzheimer’s Disease

A

caused by formation of neuritic plaques (hard formations of beta-amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangles)

Unclear why plaques form - thought to accumulate and reach “Critical mass” and cause neuronal connection death

some evidence of abnormalities in activity of acetylcholine in hippocampus

48
Q

Biological Basis of Parkinson’s Disease

A

movement disorder caused by death of dopamine-generating cells in basal ganglia and substantia nigra

49
Q

Positive Symptoms of Psychosis

A

(something has been added)
- delusions
- hallucinations
- disorganized speech
- disorganized/catatonic behavior

50
Q

Negative Symptoms of Psychosis

A

(something has been taken away)
- reduced/absent emotional expression (flat affect)
- reduced quantity/fluency of speech
- reduced initiative/willpower (avolition)

51
Q

Schizophrenia (general definition)

A

chronic, incapacitating disorder in which a person is out of touch with reality (psychotic) and suffers occupational, social, or personal functioning

52
Q

5 Types of Schizophrenia

A
  1. Paranoid-type (hallucinations/delusions)
  2. Catatonic-type (catatonic/strange behavior)
  3. Disorganized-type (negative symptoms)
  4. Undifferentiated-type (doesn’t fit other subtype)
  5. Residual-type (previously met criteria, now milder)
53
Q

Schizoaffective disorder (general definition)

A

combo of mood/psychotic symptoms (i.e. schizophrenia + major depressive/manic/mixed episodes)

54
Q

Schizophreniform disorder (general definition)

A

AKA pre-schizophrenia

displayed schizophrenia symptoms for 1-6 months, may or may not have interfered with person’s functioning

55
Q

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A

individuals will seek to fulfill physiological needs before looking to fill higher-level needs

[Motivation]

56
Q

Principle of Aggregation

A

attitudes predict general overall behavior well, but don’t always predict specific behaviors

57
Q

Philip Zimbardo

A

discovered that role-playing has a powerful influence on attitudes & behaviors

58
Q

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

A

suggests that individuals will attempt to reduce tension (dissonance) between beliefs that are incompatible

59
Q

Drive-Reduction Theory

A

suggests that individuals engage in certain behavior in an attempt to alleviate physiological states of discomfort

60
Q

3 Main Components of Attitude

A

ABC’s

1) Affect (emotion)
2) Behavior tendencies
3) Cognition (thought)

61
Q

3 Situations in which Behaviors are Likely to Influence Attitudes

A

1) Role-playing
2) Public declarations
3) Justification of Effort

62
Q

Justification of effort

A

modification of attitude to match their behaviors

63
Q

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

A

enticing people to take small actions (i.e. join mailing list) at first, then later further encourage raised stakes (i.e. attaining bumper stickers)

64
Q

Instincts

A

behaviors that are unlearned and present in fixed patterns throughout a species

65
Q

Drive

A

urge originating from physiological discomfort (i.e. hunger, sleepiness, thirst)

66
Q

Incentive Theory

A

[Motivation]

external stimuli, objects, and events in the environment that help induce/discourage certain behaviors
- can be positive or negative
- behaviors most strongly motivated when there are physiological needs, strong positive incentives, and a lack of negative incentives

67
Q

Attitude

A

person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around them and their tendency to react behaviorally based on those underlying evaluations

68
Q

Medulla

A

Involuntary functions
(BP, HR, RR, reflexes)

69
Q

Brainstem Components

A

Medulla
Pons
Midbrain

70
Q

Hindbrain Components

A

Medulla
Pons
Cerebellum

71
Q

Pons (function)

A

Relay station & balance/posture

72
Q

Cerebellum (function)

A

movement coordination/spatial equilibrium

73
Q

Midbrain (function)

A

eye movement

74
Q

Thalamus (function)

A

Integrating center/relay station for somatic (conscious) sensation

75
Q

Hypothalamus (function)

A

homeostatic functions/regulation

primitive emotions/behavior

76
Q

Basal nuclei (function)

A

movement/coordination of learned patterns

77
Q

Limbic system (function)

A

Emotion, memory, & learning
*memory storage/retrieval
*conscious/unconscious linkage

78
Q

Cerebral Cortex (4 lobes) (function)

A

Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital

79
Q

Frontal Lobe (function)

A

voluntary movement
complex reasoning/thinking

80
Q

Parietal Lobes (function)

A

general sensations & gustation (taste)

81
Q

Temporal Lobes (function)

A

Auditory/olfactory sensation
Short-term memory/language/emotion

82
Q

Occipital Lobe (function)

A

Vision

83
Q

Corpus callous (function)

A

connects L/R cerebral hemispheres

84
Q

Peptide vs. Steroid Hormones

A
85
Q

Diencephalon

A

(component of forebrain) - includes thalamus + hypothalamus

86
Q

Forebrain components (2)

A

diancephalon
telencephalon

87
Q

3 Major Changes to the Brain during Adolescence

A
  1. Cell Proliferation (prefrontal lobes/limbic system)
  2. Synaptic Pruning (unused/unneeded connections)
  3. Myelination (strengthens connections)

*Limbic system develops very rapidly - explains emotional tendencies

88
Q

Motor Development

A
89
Q

Proponents of the Biological Perspective of Personality

A

Hans Eysenck
Raymond Catell

90
Q

Biological Perspective of Personality: Strengths/Weaknesses

A

Strengths uses quantifiable scientific data and methodology; deterministic in its ability to establish causal relationships (used to treat disorders)

Limitations disregards social/environmental influences

91
Q

Proponents of the Trait Perspective of Personality

A

Gordon Allport
Raymond Cattell
Hans Eysenck

92
Q

5-Factor Model of Personality (5 Factors)

A

(OCEAN)
Openness to experience
Conscientousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism

93
Q

Biomedical vs Biopsychosocial Approach to Understanding Psychological Disorders

A

Biopsychosocial approach attempts to find underlying psychological/social conditions that may be contributing to the manifestation of disease

94
Q

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

A
95
Q

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

A

modification of Freud’s psychosexual theory that revolves around the resolution of 2 conflicting ideas at each of the 8 stages

96
Q

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

A
97
Q

Behavioral Genetics: Heritability Estimates

A

in specific subgroups of individuals in a population, heritability estimates try to identify the amount of variance that can be attributed to genes

(population-specific)
highest in uniform environments, where genes play a larger role

98
Q

Epigenetics

A

the study of gene expression that deals with manipulations in components OTHER THAN DNA

i.e. methylation

99
Q

Covert Behavior

A

behavior that is not observed

100
Q

Agoraphobia

A

anxiety related to open spaces, crowds, or situations in which there is no obvious escape/exit

101
Q

3 Stages of Prenatal Development

A
  1. Pre-embryonic Stage: (first 2 weeks) - cell division and maturation
  2. Embryonic Period: (3rd-8th week) - organogenesis (organ system development)
  3. Fetal Period: tissues/organs matured, growth of body occurs quickly
102
Q

General Progression of Human Motor Development (walk, jump, write/draw)

A

walk @ 1 year
jump @ 2 years
write/draw @ 5 years

Psychology/Sociology MCAT (12 decks)

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