Biology In Psychology

Question 1

How are drug addictions formed?

Answer 1

Drugs cause a build up of dopamine which increases your happiness levels. When you stop taking drugs, your brain reduces dopamine levels making you feel depressed. You suffer withdrawal symptoms and feel you must take drugs again to be content.

Question 2

What is the Brain structure theory?

Answer 2

That 4 areas of the brain are responsible for causing aggressive behaviour: amygdala, prefrontal cortex, midbrain, hypothalamus.

Question 3

What is the amygdala?

Answer 3

The centre for all emotions/ instinctive feelings e.g. electrical impulses in the amygdala cause rage response

Question 4

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 4

Impulse control. Governs social interaction and regulates behaviour. Damage to this area is linked to anger management and poor impulse control

Question 5

What is the midbrain?

Answer 5

Peroaqueductal grey matter (PAG) links prefrontal cortex to the amygdala

Question 6

What is the Hypothalamus?

Answer 6

Where homeostasis takes place regulating hormones including testosterone which is important in aggressive behaviour

Question 7

List two strengths to the brain structure theory:

Answer 7

+ by Raine: found murders who pleaded not guilty by reasons of insanity to reactive murders (not planned) had overactive amygdalas and under active prefrontal cortex

Question 8

Positive reinforcement:

Answer 8

Increases likelihood of response by offing pleasant consequences for it e.g. food/ praise

+positive reinforcement= giving something they want

(+giving)

Question 9

Negative reinforcement:

Answer 9

Increases likelihood of response by removing/providing escape from unpleasant consequences e.g. stopping an electric shock

Negative reinforcement= taking something you don’t want

Question 10

Positive punishment:

Answer 10

Being given something negative e.g. shouted at

Positive punishment= given something you don’t want

Question 11

Negative punishment:

Answer 11

Having something positive removed e.g. phone confiscated

Negative punishment= something you want being taken away

Question 12

What is shaping in operant conditioning?

Answer 12

‘Method of approximations’
Behaviour doesn’t just occur accurately the first time, needs to be shaped e.g. kid learning to speak and Mum being excited

Question 13

What are primary reinforcements in operant conditioning?

Answer 13

They are used to satisfy a basic ‘survival’ need e.g. food, sex, water

Question 14

What are secondary reinforcers?

Answer 14

Only fulfilling because they are associated with a primary reinforcer/ gain you access to a primary reinforcer e.g. money

Question 15

Continuous reinforcement:

Answer 15

EVERY time you do something, you are rewarded for it

Question 16

Partial reinforcement:

Answer 16

You are reinforced after a certain period of time/ so many events
SOMETIMES REWARDED

Question 17

Fixed interval:

Answer 17

Reward of a first correct response only after set interval e.g. reward every 30 seconds like in skinners box

Question 18

Variable interval:

Answer 18

Reward time varies following he first correct response e.g. 5s,12s,2s,8s (superstition)

Question 19

Fixed ratio;

Answer 19

A response is reinforced only after a specific number of times… then varies e.g. gambling 5,3,12,2,9

Question 20

Learning approach:

3 key assumptions

Answer 20

1. Only observable behaviours studied (using objective + scientific methods) you are born a blank slate- everything about you is learned
2. Everything about you is learned through association and reinforcement from the environment
3. Only measure objective things- don’t study thoughts study behaviour to be more scientific

Question 21

Learning approach:

Stimulus

Answer 21

Any aspect of an environment that causes a reaction

Question 22

LA

Response:

Answer 22

An observable reaction due to a stimulus

Question 23

Classical conditioning formula using Pavlov:
Stage one: UCS=UCR
Stage two: UCS + NS=UCR
Stage three: CS=CR

Answer 23

UCS- original stimulus that causes reflective response
UCR- response to specific stimulus that occurs naturally
CS- stimulus that originally produced no reflexive response but repeat linking to UCS causes reaction
NS- stimulus with no natural response
CR- learnt response to stimulus

E.g.

UCS(food) -> UCR(saliva)

NS(bell) + UCS(food) -> UCR(saliva)

CS(bell) -> CR(saliva)

CR is the same as UCR
NS is the same as CS

Food causes production of saliva
Bell and food causes production of saliva