Biology In Psychology Flashcards
How are drug addictions formed?
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.
What is the Brain structure theory?
That 4 areas of the brain are responsible for causing aggressive behaviour: amygdala, prefrontal cortex, midbrain, hypothalamus.
What is the amygdala?
The centre for all emotions/ instinctive feelings e.g. electrical impulses in the amygdala cause rage response
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Impulse control. Governs social interaction and regulates behaviour. Damage to this area is linked to anger management and poor impulse control
What is the midbrain?
Peroaqueductal grey matter (PAG) links prefrontal cortex to the amygdala
What is the Hypothalamus?
Where homeostasis takes place regulating hormones including testosterone which is important in aggressive behaviour
List two strengths to the brain structure theory:
+ 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
Positive reinforcement:
Increases likelihood of response by offing pleasant consequences for it e.g. food/ praise
+positive reinforcement= giving something they want
(+giving)
Negative reinforcement:
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
Positive punishment:
Being given something negative e.g. shouted at
Positive punishment= given something you don’t want
Negative punishment:
Having something positive removed e.g. phone confiscated
Negative punishment= something you want being taken away
What is shaping in operant conditioning?
‘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
What are primary reinforcements in operant conditioning?
They are used to satisfy a basic ‘survival’ need e.g. food, sex, water
What are secondary reinforcers?
Only fulfilling because they are associated with a primary reinforcer/ gain you access to a primary reinforcer e.g. money
Continuous reinforcement:
EVERY time you do something, you are rewarded for it
Partial reinforcement:
You are reinforced after a certain period of time/ so many events
SOMETIMES REWARDED
Fixed interval:
Reward of a first correct response only after set interval e.g. reward every 30 seconds like in skinners box
Variable interval:
Reward time varies following he first correct response e.g. 5s,12s,2s,8s (superstition)
Fixed ratio;
A response is reinforced only after a specific number of times… then varies e.g. gambling 5,3,12,2,9
Learning approach:
3 key assumptions
- Only observable behaviours studied (using objective + scientific methods) you are born a blank slate- everything about you is learned
- Everything about you is learned through association and reinforcement from the environment
- Only measure objective things- don’t study thoughts study behaviour to be more scientific
Learning approach:
Stimulus
Any aspect of an environment that causes a reaction
LA
Response:
An observable reaction due to a stimulus
Classical conditioning formula using Pavlov:
Stage one: UCS=UCR
Stage two: UCS + NS=UCR
Stage three: CS=CR
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
