PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
What are the differences between the conscious and unconscious mind?
Unconscious mind has more control. It is divided into three parts:
1) Id- encourages physical satisfaction,
2) Superego- wants us to do the right thing,
3) Ego- our most conscious self. Unconscious stores memories, desires and fears, etc. Conscious is surface thoughts.
How do advertisers use this knowledge? Provide examples.
Advertisers and Adults:
create ads to generate specific feelings, puts down other products, bandwagon/popular
Advertisers and children:
Star Power & TV, cool packaging, media, location in stores/schools, omit facts
Describe what is happening to the brain in each step of development (childhood, teenagehood, adulthood)
Childhood:
Want to eat junk food because the pleasure centers of the brain develop sooner than their ability to calculate long term consequences. Junk food has chemicals that disrupt hormones. Non-violent games stimulate a part of the brain associated with concentration and self-control, violent games stimulate a part of the brain linked to aggressive and compulsive behaviours. Youth that exercises before studying able to retain more information
Teenaghood:
Melatonin does not get produced until later at night = night owls. Larger rewards mechanism in the brain. Prefrontal cortex developing making it harder to read emotions
Adulthood:
Parts of the brain shrink, communication between neurons reduced. Blood flow may also decrease. Inflammation may increase.
Know three personality disorders. What are they? How do they affect the person? Treatment?
Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD): Fear or inability to be alone. Rely on people around them for comfort and attendance. Affects: Vulnerable, low self-esteem, doubt themselves, have trouble disagreeing. Treatment: Short-term Psychotherapy, meds for other side effects (depression, anxiety).
Seasonal Effectiveness Disorder: Form of depression relating to seasons, relating mostly to winter. Affects: Feelings of sadness, low energy, thoughts of suicide, low self-esteem. Treatment: Therapy and medication, light therapy
Pica: Eating disorder, people eat non-food items, flaking paint, dirt, clay. Affects: Stomach aches, bowel problems, iron deficiency, people with Pica also have other personality disorders, Pica used as a coping mechanism. Treatment options: treating nourishment deficiencies, therapeutic steps
New brain research topics. What was the research? What did they find?
Chocolate Improving Brain Function:
968 people, questionnaires and physical examinations
Examined: ageing, spatial memory, development of heart diseases, organization, attention, abstract thinking, memory.
- More women ate it regularly.
- more chocolate = ate more veggies and less alcohol + overall healthier
- lower chance of getting diabetes and higher cholesterol
The Link Between Weed And Schizophrenia:
Studied genetic data associated with schizophrenia and applied that info to 2000 healthy people to try to predict marijuana use. Genetic variants predicting schizophrenia can also be used to predict who will smoke pot.
Processing Language:
We enhance the ability to hear speech sounds with a built-in filter. Sounds of speech project areas in the brain unique to humans and the language.
To understand sentences the brain must break it down: Left side of brain processes language, right side interprets pitch and tone, Posterior region processes semantic info, integrates speech, motion, and face processing.
What is perception? How does it work?
We see things as how they ACTUALLY exist, then our brain interprets what we see for understanding, this is called closure. It can be influenced by prior knowledge, background, culture, etc. Perceptual constancy: the brain will adjust as you move (approaching a building = bigger)
What do two parts of the brain do? How do these control our behaviour?
Frontal Lobe: motor control and cognitive activities (planning, making decisions, setting goals, and purposeful behaviour)
Cerebellum: coordinates body movements, and maintains equilibrium.
What are addictions? How do they work in the brain? Why are youth at a bigger risk?
Compulsive Behavior, Continued abuse of drugs despite negative consequences, changes in the brain’s structure and function. Drugs can be “Imposters” of Brain Messages. The brain isn’t complete.
