PSYCH 3723 WEEK 9 Flashcards
Alcohol Myopia
a concept that describes how alcohol affects our ability to think clearly. When we’re under the influence of alcohol, our brain’s ability to process information is reduced. This means we tend to react more strongly to immediate and noticeable things in our environment, rather than considering the situation as a whole. Essentially, alcohol myopia makes us “shortsighted” in our thinking, causing us to focus on what’s right in front of us rather than taking in the bigger picture.
Amygdala
A part of the brain that deals with emotions and feelings.
Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC):
A brain area involved in making decisions.
Attitude embodiment:
Doing something physical can change how much someone likes or dislikes something.
Let’s say you’re feeling stressed out. If you force yourself to smile, even though you don’t feel like it, you might find that your mood improves. This is because the physical act of smiling can actually trick your brain into feeling happier.
Body-specificity hypothesis
The idea that being left or right-handed affects how we think about things as good or bad.
EEG (Electroencephalography):
A way to see what the brain is doing by measuring its electrical activity.
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging):
A method to see which parts of the brain are working harder by looking at changes in blood flow.
Heritability
Genes can make us more likely to have certain attitudes by influencing our experiences.
Life-stages hypothesis:
People are most likely to change their attitudes when they’re young or old.
MEG (Magnetoencephalography):
Another way to see what the brain is doing by measuring its magnetic activity.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography):
A method to see how active a part of the brain is by tracking a radioactive substance.
PFC (Prefrontal cortex):
An important part of the brain for planning and making decisions.
Social cognitive neuroscience (SCN):
Studying how people’s brains work when they interact with others and make decisions.
Social desirability:
Answering questions in a way that makes you look good
Visceral Fit Hypothesis
more inclined to believe that certain events or outcomes are likely to occur if they align with our current bodily sensations or emotional state
Imagine you’re feeling really confident and energetic because you just finished a great workout. In this heightened state, you might be more likely to believe that you’ll succeed in a challenging task or achieve your goals. Your positive physical state “fits” with the idea of success, making you more optimistic about the outcome. This is an example of how our current physical sensations can influence our beliefs and expectations about the future.
