MCAT: Psychology from Exams Flashcards
Dual Coding Effect
Dual-coding theory postulates that both visual and verbal information is used to represent information
Visual and verbal information are processed differently and along distinct channels in the human mind, creating separate representations for information processed in each channel. The mental codes corresponding to these representations are used to organize incoming information that can be acted upon, stored, and retrieved for subsequent use.
Both visual and verbal codes can be used when recalling information . For example, say a person has stored the stimulus concept “dog” as both the word ‘dog’ and as the image of a dog. When asked to recall the stimulus, the person can retrieve either the word or the image individually, or both simultaneously. If the word is recalled, the image of the dog is not lost and can still be retrieved at a later point in time. The ability to code a stimulus two different ways increases the chance of remembering that item compared to if the stimulus was only coded one way.
Misinformation effect
happens when a person’s recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate because of post-event information
r example, in a study published in 1994, subjects were initially shown one of two different series of slides that depicted a college student at the university bookstore, with different objects of the same type changed in some slides. One version of the slides would, for example, show a screwdriver while the other would show a wrench, and the audio narrative accompanying the slides would only refer to the object as a “tool”. In the second phase, subjects would read a narrative description of the events in the slides, except this time a specific tool was named, which would be the incorrect tool half the time. Finally, in the third phase, subjects had to list five examples of specific types of objects, such as tools, but were told to only list examples which they had not seen in the slides. Subjects who had read an incorrect narrative were far less likely to list the written object (which they hadn’t actually seen) than the control subjects (28% vs. 43%), and were far more likely to incorrectly list the item which they had actually seen (33% vs. 26%)
Prime example of retroactive interference
Nativist Hypothesis
Nativist theory is a biologically based theory, which argues that humans are pre-programmed with the innate ability to develop language. Noam Chomsky is the main theorist associated with the nativist perspective. He developed the idea of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
Ethnographic methods
Ethnographic studies focus on large cultural groups of people who interact over time. Ethnography is a set of qualitative methods that are used in social sciences that focus on the observation of social practices and interactions.[11] Its aim is to observe a situation without imposing any deductive structure or framework upon it and to view everything as strange or unique.[12]
Medulla Oblongata
The medulla oblongata (or medulla) is located in the brainstem, anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions ranging from vomiting to sneezing. The medulla contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and vasomotor centers and therefore deals with the autonomic functions of breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.
Dichotic Listening
During a standard dichotic listening test, a participant is presented with two different auditory stimuli simultaneously (usually speech). The different stimuli are directed into different ears over headphones.[1][page needed] Participants are asked to pay attention to one or both of the stimuli.
- Used to study selective attention
Life Course Perspective
Environment, behaviors, and stressors from an early age in life can influence life outcomes (and health) later in life.
Associative Learning
Associative learning is the process by which a person or animal learns an association between two stimuli. In classical conditioning a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with a reflex eliciting stimulus until eventually the neutral stimulus elicits a response on its own. In operant conditioning, a behavior that is reinforced or punished in the presence of a stimulus becomes more or less likely to occur in the presence of that stimulus.
Self-Determination Theory
Humans are inherently proactive with their potential and mastering their inner forces (such as drives and emotions)
Humans have an inherent tendency toward growth development and integrated functioning
Optimal development and actions are inherent in humans but they don’t happen automatically
- Completedness
- Relatedness
- Autonomy
Expectancy-Value Theory
proposes that motivation is a function of the expectancies one has and the value of the goal. When more than one behavior is possible, the behavior chosen will be the one with the largest combination of expected success and value.
Yerkes-Dodson Law
empirical relationship between arousal and performance which states that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point. When levels of arousal become too high, performance decreases.
