MCAT Psych Soc Flashcards
What are the 3 unique variables (aside from dependent and indepentent variables)?
Confounding variable–> affects both independant and dependant variables. Moderating Variable–> changes the intensity of relationship between the two variables. Mediating Variable–> Providing a mechanistic lick between two variables.
Describe Positive and negative control groups.
Positive Control groups compares two known things with one another. Negative control groups control validity of things, such as, the use of a medication compared with a placebo and those who do not use said medication.
What is Social Desirability Bias?
Social Desirability Bias –> A tendency to reply to a question is a way that is seen as socially acceptable.
What studies have a potential for bias?
ALL study’s have the potential for bias
What is the term used to describe motivation behid addictive behavior?
Opponent Process theory–>A description of motivation behind addictive behavior.
What is the definition of availability heuristic?
Available Heuristic –> Using readily available information–rather than information that would need to be gathered–to form and opinion and make a decision.
What is the Fantasy Factor?
Fantasy Factor –> A developement of mental images or lists of things that stimulate a person to behave a certain way to hopefully make the fantasy come true.
What is valence?
Valence –> value that a person will set on a reenforement or reward, which is ususally based on peoples wants and needs.
What is the definition of mores? What is the definition for formal and informal norms?
Mores–> The essential or characteristic of customs of communities. Informal and formal norms–> Formal norms are hard, written out, or well know and spoken of norms of society (they are the most specific and clearly stated of the norms). Informal norms are those perceived or picked up via social cues that are put into practice but are generally used by a population.
What is inclusive fitness?
Inclusive fitness–> Self-sacrificing behavior benefiting relatives. (essentially)
What are the general affects of Dopamine on the body?
Dopamine–> Involved in reward pathways. Also, involved with certain motor functions. Too much or too little has adverse affects on the body.
This mnemonic has to do with what neurons do and where they are located in the spinal cord. Memorize the mnemonic SAME DAVE!
SAME DAVE–> Sensory neurons are afferent neurons while Motor neurons are Efferent neurons (space) Dorsal location for Afferent neurons and Ventral location for Efferent neurons.
What is the purpose and function of magnocelluar cells?
Magnocellular cells–> Have low spatial resolution but high temporal resolution, allowing them to form a basis for our detection of objects in motion.
What is proprioception?
Proprioception–> Is the sense of where one’s own body parts are in space
What is Top-Down Processing?
Top-down Processing—-> Uses previous experiences and expectations to make decisions. It is often used to recognize something familiar without having to look at all of its individual parts.
What is the function of mechanoreceptors?
Mechanoreceptors—> Where touch is detected, or neurons that specialize in mechanial input.
What is the theory of general adaptation syndrome?
Theory of General Adaptation Syndrome—> Involves stages that occur in the following sequence: 1) alarm 2) resistance and finally either 3) exhaustion or recovery.
What is Anterograde Amnesia?
Anterograde Amnesia—-> The inabliity to form new memories after and accident (usually head trauma).
What is operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning—-> The pairing of reinforcement with a learned behavior.
What does neuroplsticity have to do with learning and remembering information?
Neuroplasticity is the brains ability to form multiple synaptic connnections about information. For example, using all of ones senses rather than just a few will help solidify new synaptic connections much faster.
What is State-dependent retrieval?
State-dependent retrieval is the idea that a persons memory and retrieval will be best when both the physical and psychological aspects are the same for both learning and retrieval.
What is the Palmer Grasp Reflex?
The Palmer grasp reflex–> When stroke your finger across a baby’s palm, their had will grab your finger. Also, another two important reflexes are the Rooting and Sucking reflexes. Very self explanitory.
What is the Moro Reflex?
What is the Moro Reflex?The Moro Reflex–> In response to being strartled, a baby will extend its arms and legs, through its head back, and cry.
What is the Babinski Reflex?
The Babinski Reflex–> When a baby’s foot is stroked, its’ big toe bends up, while the other tows fan out.
What are the medulla oblongata and pons, and where are they found? What is their role?
The medulla oblongota, controls general autonomic functions while the pons acts as a transition point between the medulla and the rest of the brain. The Pons, however, also has control over things like sleep, respiration, bladder control, taste, balance, and swallowing.
What is–and where is it located–Wernicke’s Area?
Wernicke’s area (located in the temporal lobe) is the part of the brain that is involved with language comprhension
What is (and where is it located), Broca’s Area?
Broca’s Area, part of the frontal lobe, is involved with actual language production and speaking
What is Bottom-up processing?
It’s where you begin taking in small pieces of information (based of of sensory feelings in that moment) to create a whole picture in which to make a decision with.
What is attrition bias?
It’s where participants dropout before the study ends.
What is reconstructive bias?
Has to do with bias related to memory. Usually, memory is slightly inaccurate and alludes to bias.
What is selection bias?
Selection bias has to do with those involved in a study for a specific purpose. For example, if someone was the recipient of unethical treatment in medical school, they would be more likely to participate in a study regarding ethics in medicine.
What’s the difference between prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination?
Prejudice is an attitude; not a behavior. However, discrimination is a behavior/action taking place. Stereotypes is also strictly a cognitive action, not a behavior.
What is the r-value coefficient mean?
R-value coefficient has to do with correlation between two–or more–things. For example, if depression and suicide occur in very high rates with each other, they would have a higher r value (anywhere between -1 and 1). The positive or negative is determined by a negative or positive correlation.
What is the Cannon-Bard Theory?
If you see a wolf, your emotional and physical responses are separate–or independent–of each other.
What is the James-Lange Theory?
If you see a wolf, your heart begins pounding, which causes you to become afraid. You are physically aroused prior to the emotional arousal.
What is the Schachter-Singer Theory?
If you see a wolf, your heart begins pounding, then, you assess the situation and determine it to be dangerous. At this time you become afraid after you have determined it necessary.
What does the term Social Loafing mean?
It describes situations where people will work less if they’re in a group with others or clap less loudly if there are others clapping.
What does the term structural functionalism mean?
Something that has manifest and latent functions of a decision. Manifest functions are those that are intended, while latent functions are unintended results.
What is Global Trend Theory?
Global Trend Theory is the concept that larger Core nations export a significant amount of goods, while importing very few, and periphery nations that import a significant amount of goods and export very few.
What and where is the Corpus Callosum?
The Corpus Callosum is a bundle of myelinated projections that connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This allows things that are seen in the right visual field to be comprhended and articulated in speech.
What does external locus of control mean?
External locus of control refers to the feeling that things are largely outside the conrtol of your actions. Things happen to you (like a victim mentality).
What does internal locus of control mean?
Internal locus of control refers to the feeling that you are responsible for your actions and behaviors. So, generally, you do NOT believe that things are outside of your control.
What is the Elaboration Liklihood Model?
Focuses on attitude change and the factors that tend to promote the change. It states that this can be processed thoroughly or surface level.
What does parallel play mean?
Parallel play is in young children who prefer to play by themselves, but observe other children playing and adjust their behavior. This does not involve direct interaction.
What is the general assumption of the functionalist theory?
One of the largest assumptions of functionalist theories is that aspects of the culture are necessary and need-based.
What does anomie mean?
Anomie refers to society feeing of fragmentation and lack of cohesiveness.
What is Relative Deprivation Theory?
Asserts that individuals who believe they have less than those around them will find ways to obtain those resources.
What does the term sexual selection mean?
Sexual selection has to do with directional selection towards a phenotypic feature that is preferable in the species.
Where are fear and agression processed in the brain?
The amygdala.
What is self-serving bias?
Self-serving bias describes people that attribute all of there succeses to their own qualities, while they see their failures are due to someone elses fault.
What is the “Looking Glass effect” described by Cooley?
States that we base our own identities on how others view us. Esentially, if someone thinks their friends view them as succesful, they will believe that about themeselves as well.
What are George Mead’s Four Stages of self?
All of these generally happen at a young age, as well: 1) Imitation 2) play 3) game 4) Generalized other
What is Symbolic Interaction Theory?
Symbolyic Interaction Theory states that people act on the meaning of cultural symbols that are derived from social interactions. Imagine someone who wants to be a doctor in America (that is not from here) and adopts things that American doctors do to assimilate. This will also change their own beliefs, acts, and thoughts.
What does Surrounded Suppression mean?
Surrounded Suppression is preceiving tactile information while ignoring stimuli immediately surrounding it. For example, someone mistaking the letter ‘D’ written on their back for letter ‘B’.
What is the condition called that effects the brain in late stage syphilis?
General paresis, which means general paralysis and a brain disorder from the late stages of syphilis.
What is the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies?
Cross-sectional studies are done where all samples are taken at a single time point. Longitudinal studies are when one thing is compared across two separate time points.
What is a p-test?
If one group was getting victimized–and you were surveying them–and also asking being asked how often they felt victimized, then we would use this test. So, if both variables being studied came from the same group.
What is a linear regression test?
Is used to predict scores from two independent variables.
What is an independent sample t-test?
Used when researchers want to compare mean values of two groups.
What is the pearson correlation coefficient?
Calculated to compare two variables with one another.
What is tactile perception?
The activity of perceiving information with touch but does not require understanding or observation of others.
At what stage of sleep would sleep-walking, night terrors, and bedwetting occur in?
These both occur in stage four (delta waves) where one is most deeply asleep.
Define Intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is motivation that is based on the feeling of autonomy or that one is choosing to participate through their own will.
What are the large differences in low vs. high sexual dimorphism?
Animals will low sexual dimorphism (look similar to each other) are expected to mate uncompetitively and mate for life whereas species with high dimorphism (look very different and possibly extravagant). This will mean intense competition for mates within the species
What are stimulus motives and are they essential for survival?
Stimulus motives are unlearned but create a stimulus–like curiosity. These motives are NOT necessary for survival.
What is Weber’s Law?
Weber’s Law (or test, rather) used to test the just-noticeable difference in different stimuli. This usually happens at an 8-10% difference
What are Meisnner’s Corpuscles?
Trasmit impulses for light touch and if malfunctioning, can lead to hyper/hypo - sensativity to light touch.
What does the term Retinal disparity mean?
Retinal Disparity has to do with the binocular vision of the eyes seeing at different angles that ultimately helps with depth perception.
What is Treisman’s Attenuation Model?
Treisman’s Attenuation model states that the brain may block out distraction unconsciously in order to complete a task.
Out of these four traits, which of them are used in self-identity: 1) Physical description 2) social roles 3) existential self 4) permanent self ?
The first three compose self-identity answering the questions: what do I look like, what is my societal role, and religious/philosophical/ethical beliefs.
Regarding the amygdala, which one is false: 1) There are two amygdala in the brain. 2) The amygdala is located deep in the parietal lobe 3) It is heavily involved in fear conditioning 4) It is considered part of the limbic system.
Answer choice two is false. All the others are facts.
What role does the autonomic NS play in the body?
The autonomic nervous system is involved in a physiological arousal (or response).
What does the term self-monitoring mean?
Self-monitoring means that one will reflect on their actions, possibly journal, and over the period of a study, for example, they will continually reflect on their actions and response to situations.
What does utilitarian organization mean?
Organizations where people are compensated for their involvement (like employees).
What does normative organization mean?
Those that freely volunteer and ususally have a cohesive moral goal in mind.
What does mimetic organization mean?
Just attempting to copy other types of organizations.
What does coercive organization mean?
Organizations where members are forced to join. Prison is a classic example.
What is semantic memory?
Has to do with facts and concepts. If you know the 20 abbreviations for the amino acids, that’s semantic memory.
What is epoisodic memory?
Refers to memeories of specific life experiences.
What is implicit memory?
Is subconscious memory that usually is procedural or conditioned responses.
What is Echoic memory?
A type of memory that pertains soley to auditory memory.
What does sublimation mean in psychological terms?
Sublimation is when a person channels unexceptable urges into something productive like a smoker–who just quit–helping others quit smoking when they feel the urge to smoke again.
What is the difference between descriptive and prescriptive behavior?
Prescriptive behavior is what individuals believe should occur. However, descriptive behavior is what one acutally preceives as occuring.
What does the term representativeness heuristic mean?
Representativeness heuristic is when we describe something or someone based off of what we believe they look like. For example, we think Steve is a librarian becuase he looks like what we assume a librarian would look like.
What is the difference between primary and secondary socialization?
Primary socialization has to do with learning the basic rules and norms of your culture (usually done in the home) Secondary socialization has to do with learning the norms and appropriate functioning inside of a sub group within a larger society.
What is the difference between retroactive and proactive interference?
Retroactive interference is when new information distorts the recall of previously held information. Proactive interference is when older information makes it harder to remember new information.
