Psych -final Flashcards
a person’s ability to adapt to the environment and learn from experience
intelligence
a subarea of psychology that develops psychological tests that assess an individual’s abilities, skills, beliefs, and personality traits in a wide range of settings
psychometrics
reported to have measured intelligence in an objective way. One of the first to use the psychometric approach.
charles spearman
intelligence has a general mental ability factor, g, that represents what different cognitive tasks have in common (one # defines how smart you are)
general intelligence theory
rejected the idea that a single # can tell us our intelligence. We actually have many difference kinds of intelligence…
howard gardner
there are at least nine different types of intelligence; verbal, musical, spatial, mathematical, movement, understanding self, understanding others, naturalistic, and existential. (gave you a number based on these, at least 9 numbers)
multiple intelligence theory
a better way to measure intelligence is to analyze three types of reasoning processes, being able to solve problems…
robert sternberg
intelligence can be divided into three reasoning processes: analytical, creative, and practical
triarchic theory
measured intelligence by the size of your head
francis galton
said the bigger the brain, the more intelligent the person
paul broca
: appointed to a committee to distinguish between normal children and intellectually deficient children (idiots, imbeciles, and morons). How can we easily measure a person’s ability to perform cognitive tasks?
alfred binet
items arranged in order of increasing difficulty. The items measured vocabulary, memory, common knowledge, and other cognitive abilities.
binet-simon intelligence scale
a measure that estimates a child’s intellectual progress by comparing the child’s score on an intelligence test ot the scores of average children the same age.
mental age
developed the Stanford-Binet intelligence Scale. Improved on the concept of mental age
lewis terman
mental age/chronological ageX100
IQ
a. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
b. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
examples of IQ tests
the test is measuring what it is supposed to measure(hitting the target)
validity of IQ tests
consistency…a person’s score on the test at one point in time should be similar to the score obtained at a later time
reliability of IQ tests
How far the scores are from the mean.
standard deviations
a statistical arrangement of scores where the vast majority of scores fall in the middle range and fewer falling near the extreme ends of the curve
normal distribution
the various physiological and psychological factors that cause us to act in a specific way at a particular time
motivation
3 characteristics of motivation
- You are energized to engage in some activity
- You direct your energy toward reaching a specific goal
- You have different intensities of feelings about reaching that goal
humans are motivated by a variety of tendencies or biological forces that determine behavior.
instinct approach
we are motivated to seek out activities that provide a level of stimulation that allows us to maintain our optimal level of arousal
arousal theory
performance on a task is an interaction between the level of physiological arousal and the difficulty of the task
yerkes-dodson law
someone who needs more arousal than the normal person
sensation seeker
motivation to perform an activity occurs because the reward/pleasure center in the brain has been stimulated (nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area). We feel good when eating, gambling, drugs, sex.
reward/pleasure center approach
neurotransmitter involved in pleasure.
dopamine
as we aim to fulfill our basic needs, we experience different types of motivation
self-determination theory
goals that can be either objects or thoughts that we learn to value and that we are motivated to obtain
incentive
engaging in certain activities or behaviors that either reduce biological needs or help us obtain incentives or external rewards
extrinsic motivation
engaging in certain activities or behaviors because the behaviors themselves are personally rewarding
intrinsic motivation
we must fulfill our biological needs before we satisfy our social needs. First satisfy bottom needs. (most widely accepted theory of motivation)
maslow’s hierarchy of needs
order of needs from bottom to top
- Physiological needs: food and water
- Safety: employment, housing, health, security
- Love/belonging: friendships, family
- Esteem: confidence, achievement, respect
- Self-actualization: creativity, problem solving
the desire to set challenging goals and to persist in pursuing those goals in the face of obstacles, frustrations, and setbacks
achievement need
the story you told about the picture is scored in terms of achievement themes: setting goals, competing, overcoming obstacles
i. McClelland and Atkinson developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT):
i. Those who persist longer at a certain task; perform better on tasks, activities, or exams; set challenging but realistic goals; competitive; attracted to careers that require initiative. (Michael phelps)
high need for achievement
People who are motivated to avoid failure by choosing easy, non-challenging tasks where failure is unlikely to occur
fear of failure
i. Individuals that score high on tests of ability or intelligence but perform more poorly than their scores would predict. Slackers.
ii. Poor self-concept, low self-esteem, poor peer relationships, shy, depressed
underachievement
a response that consists of four components:
a. You interpret or appraise some stimulus in terms of your well-being
b. You experience a subjective feeling such as fear or happiness
c. You have physiological responses, such as changes in heart rate or breathing
d. You may show observable behaviors, such as smiling or crying
emotion
physiological changes in the body give rise to emotional feelings
peripheral theories
our brains interpret specific physiological changes as feelings or emotions and there is a different physiological pattern underlying each emotion. You see a bear, adrenaline makes you run away, THEN you feel fear. You running away causes the fear.
james lange theory
emotions originate in the brain and are not the result of physiological responses, but happen at the same time
cannon-bard theory
sensations and feedback from the movement of facial muscles and skin are interpreted by your brain as different emotions
facial feedback hypothesis
your interpretation or appraisal or thought or memory of a situation, object, or event can contribute to an emotional state
cognitive appraisal theory
monitors and evaluates whether stimuli have positive or negative emotional significance for our well-being and survival
amygdala
functions of emotion
a. Sending social signals
b. Survival,
c. attention(we attend to emotional events)
d. memory:
a main function of emotions is to produce general arousal that will prepare the body for action
arousal
emotions help us evaluate objects, people, and situations in terms of how good or bad they are for our well-being and survival
evolutionary theory of emotions
study of a person’s biological, emotional, cognitive, personal, and social development across the lifespan, from infancy through late adulthood
human development
extends from conception to birth and lasts around 266 days. 3 phases: germinal, embryonic, fetal
prenatal period
: the first stage of prenatal development and refers to the two-week period following conception (-)
germinal
the sperm penetrates the ovum’s outer membrane. After fertilization occurs, we now call the cells a zygote
conception
second stage of prenatal period and spans the 2-8 weeks that follow conception.
1. This stage begins when the zygote implants (attaches) to the wall of the uterus. Cell divide and differentiate into bone, muscle, and body organs. (+)
embryonic stage
third stage of prenatal period and begins around two months after conception
1. Lasts until birth (usually 38-42 weeks)
fetal stage
an organ that connects the blood supply of the mother to that of the fetus
1. Acts like a filter, allowing oxygen and nutrients to pass through while keeping out some toxic of harmful substances
placenta
an agent that can cause harm to a developing fetus
teratogens
a. The growth of our sense…sight, hearing, tough, smell, and taste…beginning during the prenatal and continuing through childhood
sensory and motor development
i. newborns prefer mother right after birth (recognize eyes)
ii. at four months can distinguish mother’s face from stranger’s face
iii. 3 or 4 years, and infant’s visual ability are equal to those of an adult’s
faces
i. One month old can hear and distinguish subtle sounds
ii. By six months, infants can make all the sounds necessary to learn the language in which they are raised
hearing
i. Newborns have a well-developed sense of touch
ii. Touch will elicit a number of reflexes, such as grasping and suckling
touch
i. Newborns can distinguish between subtle odors
ii. Six weeks old infants can distinguish between the smell of their mother and the smell of a stranger
iii. Preference for sweet/salt and dislike bitter
smell and taste
a. the stages of motor skills that all infants pass through s they acquire the muscular control necessary for making coordinated movements.
motor development
the parts closer to the center of the infant’s body develop before parts farther away. Activities involving the trunk are mastered before activities involving the arms and legs
proximodistal principle
the parts of the body closer to the head develop before the parts closer to the feet. Activities involving the head and neck are mastered before activities involving the arms and legs
cephalocaudal principle
influence and interaction of genetic factors, brain changes, cognitive factors, coping abilities, and cultural factors in the development of emotional behaviors, expressions, thoughts, and feelings
emotional development
an individual’s stable and long term patter of mood and emotional behavior. Influenced by genetic factors
temperament
a close, fundamental emotional bond that develops between the infant and his or her parents or caregiver
attachment
an emotional bond characteristic of infants who use their primary caregiver as a safe home base from which they can wander off and explore environments
secure attachment
: an emotional bond characteristic of infants who avoid of show ambivalence or resistance toward their caregiver
insecure attachment
iii. Ainsworth says attachments occur by
- The infants temperament
2. The caregiver’s attitude (responsiveness, caring)
a. How a person perceives, thinks, and gains an understanding of his or her world through the interaction and influence of genetic and learned factors
cognitive development
the process by which a child uses old methods or experiences to deal with new situations. Early on, the child will put an object in its mouth because its knowledge of objects are that they are for eating…
assimilation
: the process by which a child changes old methods to deal with or adjust to new situations. Blocks are now for stacking
accommodation
four different stages…sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational…each of which is more advance than he previous
d. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development
: infants interact and learn about their environments by relating their sensory experiences (hearing/seeing) to their motor actions (mouthing/grasping). Birth to around two years
sensorimotor
the understanding that objects or events continue to exist even if they can no longer be heard, touched, or seen
object permanence
children learn to use symbols, such as words or mental images, to solve simple problems and to think or talk about things that are not present. Around two to seven years old
preoperational
even though the shape of an object is changed, the total amount remains the same
conservation
children can perform a number of logical mental operations on concrete objects that are physically present. Around seven to eleven years of age
concrete operational
being able to sort objects by both size and color (objects must be present)
classification
adolescents and adults develop the ability to think about and solve abstract problems in a logical manner. 12-adulthood
formal operational
tendency of adolescents to believe that others are always watching and evaluating them, and the belief that everyone thinks and cares about the same things they do
egocentrism
an individual seeks pleasure form different areas of the body that are associated with sexual feelings
b. Freud’s psychosexual stages of development:
infant’s pleasure seeking is centered on the mouth. birth to 18 months.
1. Conflict: if the infant’s oral gratification is rewarded too much or too little, the infant would continue to seek oral gratification as an adult
oral
infant’s pleasure seeking is centered on the anus and its process of elimination. 1.5-3 years old
1. Conflict: if the infant became fixated at this stage, he/she would engage in retention activities as an adults—very neat, OCD
anal
infant’s pleasure seeking is centered on the genitals. 3-6 years old
1. Conflict: if the infant became fixated at this stage, he/she would compete with the parent of the same sex for the pleasures or affections of the parent of the opposite sex
phallic
the child represses sexual thoughts and engages in nonsexual activities such as developing social and intellectual skills. 6-puberty
latency
sexual desires reappear and the individual seeks to fulfill those desires. Puberty-adulthood
genital
: an individual’s primary goal is to satisfy desires associated with social needs
c. Erikson psychosocial stages of development:
: birth to 12 months. Problem: the helpless infant requires care and attention. Needs met: sense of trust. Needs unmet: sense of mistrust
trust vs mistrust
1-3 years old. Problem: the child has a desire to explore his/her environment. Needs met: develop independence. Needs unmet: sense of shame
ii. Autonomy vs shame and doubt:
3-5 years of age. Problem: the child has a need to develop plans and initiate them. Needs met: responsibility. Needs unmet: guild and unable to plan for the future.
initiative vs guilt
5-12 years of age. Problem: child will be required to work and complete school projects etc…needs met: sense of industry. Needs unmet: sense of incompetence
industry vs inferiority
adolescence. Problem: individual has a need to leave behind irresponsibility nd become more purposeful and responsible. Needs met: positive identity. Unmet: sense of low self-esteem and socially withdrawn.
identity vs role confusion
a developmental period, lasting from around 12 to 18 years of age, biological, cognitive, social, and personality traits change from childlike to adultlike
adolescence
a developmental period between 9 and 17. Biological changes result in developing secondary sexual characteristics and reaching sexual maturity
puberty
body structures that are specific to each sex and are related to reproduction
primary sexual characteristics
physical characteristics other than reproductive organs that differentiate males and females
secondary sexual characteristics
i. 2 years before boys
ii. onset usually occurs between 9 and 13
girls during puberty
levels increase eightfold, which stimulates the development of both primary and secondary sexual
estrogen
i. 10 and 14
ii. 2 years after girls
boys during puberty
stimulates the growth of genital organs and the development of secondary sexual characteristics
testosterone
how a person perceives, thinks, and gains an understanding of the world through the interaction and influence of genetic and learned factors
cognitive development
adolescents and adults develop abilities to think about abstract or hypothetical concepts, to consider an issue from another viewpoint, and to solve problems in a logical way
formal operational
attempt to direct the child’s activities in a rational and intelligent way
a. Supportive, loving, committed. Rules discussed with kids
authoritative
: less controlling parents who don’t punish, few demands
a. Warm and supportive. Don’t guide kids
permissive
attempt to shape and control the behavior and attitudes of their children in accordance with a strict code of conduct
a. Absolute obedience is a virtue
authoritarian
how we describe ourselves; values goals traits perceptions etc.
self identity
: how much we value our worth, importance, attractiveness, and social competence
self esteem
gradual and natural slowing of our physical and psychological processes
normal aging
caused by genetic defects, physiological problems, diseases…age faster
pathological aging
rate in which we encode information into LTM to retrieve information from LTM
processing speed
rate at which we can identify a stimulus
perceptual speed
: rate at which we respond to some stimulus
reaction time
