Psychology AOS1 Flashcards
Outline critical and sensitive periods in development and give examples of each
Critical periods are functions that have a set time period to develop it at all throughout an individual’s lifespan. If the functions are not acquired during their critical periods, it may never develop or may not be fully functional. This is due to the brain’s processes and levels of plasticity at this time . For example, language acquisition, or the ability to perceive and comprehend language. Sensitive periods occur when the brain is most sensitive to learning from environmental influences. Sensitive periods involve the optimal period for a skill to be developed. This time period is more flexible than a critical period. For example, the acquisition of a second language involves a sensitive period up to the age of 12 due to the process of maturation and brain plasticity .
Define nature and nurture and give an example of a characteristic influenced by each factor.
Nature is the factors that influence development ,which are genetically passed down from biological parents to their children. For example, individuals can be born with a genetic predisposition. Nurture is factors from an individual’s physical or social surroundings that influence development.For example family relationships affect a person’s characteristics now.
Define cognitive, emotional and social development and give an example of each.
Emotional development is the continuous, lifelong development of skills that allow individuals to control, express, and recognise emotions in an appropriate way. For example being able to recognise the emotions of others
Cognitive development is the continuous, lifelong development of the ability to think, comprehend, and organise information from the internal and external environment. For example, planning, decision making, working memory, and impulse control.
Social development is the continuous, lifelong development of certain skills, attitudes, relationships, and behaviours that enable an individual to interact with others and to function as a member of society. For example, Knowing how to manage conflict, listen to instructions, turn-taking in both play and conversations, and how to work in a team
Outline Ainworth’s theory of emotional development.
Ainsworth conducted studies on attachment using infants and their mothers. Her most well-known contribution to attachment research was the ‘Strange Situation’ procedure. Ainsworth’s maternal sensitivity hypothesis argues that a child’s attachment style depends on their mother’s behaviour towards them. ‘Sensitive’ mothers are responsive to the child’s needs and respond to their moods and feelings correctly. Sensitive mothers are more likely to have securely attached children.
Outline the 4 stages of cognitive development as proposed by Piaget including the key accomplishments in each stage
Sensorimotor stage is between the ages of 0-2. Children will begin to perform goal-directed behaviour, which involves engaging in behaviour to meet a goal that has been purposefully planned. For example, an infant might want to play with a specific toy. When they achieve goal-directed behaviour, they realise that they can reach out their hand and grasp the toy in order to achieve this goal.
Preoperational stage is between the ages of 2-7. At the beginning of this stage, children are egocentric, meaning that they cannot understand the perspectives of others. In such a way, children may believe that the way in which they think about the world is exactly the same as how everyone else does. By the end of this stage, children should overcome this egocentrism.
Concrete stage is between the ages of 7-12. Children develop the understanding of conservation, which is the knowledge that the properties of an object remain consistent even when the object’s appearance is altered. For example, understanding that when water from a tall, skinny glass is poured into a short, wide glass, the quantity of water remains the same.
Formal operational is from 12 onwards. Children develop the ability to use reason and logic. Logic is the ability to objectively consider a problem and consider all possible solutions, whereas reasoning involves using logic to process a concept and to reach a sensible and valid conclusion.
Outline the difference between typical and atypical behaviour and give an example of each.
Typical behaviours are activities that are consistent with how an individual usually behaves. For example, if somebody is extroverted, then behaviour that demonstrates these traits (e.g. being talkative) would be considered typical. By contrast, atypical behaviours are activities that are unusual or unnatural according to how an individual usually behaves. For example, being loud may be considered atypical behaviour while being at normal volume would be considered typical.
Outline the different approaches to describing normality (sociocultural, functional, historical, medical, statistical, and situational) and give an example of each.
Sociocultural People perceive things as normal according to a particular set of codes relating to the social and cultural context that they are part of. For example, eating snails.
Functional People are considered normal if their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours allow them to cope with the demands of everyday lives. For example, playing with their hair.
Historical, What people perceive as normal changes throughout different historical periods. For example, women rights
Medical Things that are abnormal have underlying biological causes and can be diagnosed clearly according to different symptoms.For example, not breathing right.
Statistical Normality is based on how the majority of people think, feel, and behave. For example, the majority of people have brown eyes.
Situational, Normality is based on what is acceptable in different contexts. For example, one is expected to be happy with a good test score.
An understanding of adaptive and maladaptive behaviours including examples of each.
To be adaptive means being able to adjust to the environment appropriately and function effectively. Adaptivity and normality often go hand in hand as being adaptive suggests that you are functioning in a way that is expected, and hence normal. For example, being independent at a certain age.
To be maladaptive means being unable to adapt to the environment appropriately and function effectively, and suggests abnormality. For example, being dependent on an adult past a certain age.
Outline the biopsychosocial model including examples of biological, psychological and social factors that influence mental health.
The biopsychosocial model is a holistic, interdisciplinary framework for understanding the human experience in terms of the influence of biological, psychological, and social factors.
Biological factors are internal genetic and/or physiologically based factors. Like genetic predisposition
Psychological factors are internal factors pertaining to an individual’s mental processes, including their cognition, affect, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. Like attitudes and beliefs.
Social factors are external factors relating to an individual’s interactions with others and their external environment, including their relationships and community involvement. Like interpersonal relationships
What is neurodivergence? Give a few examples of characteristics considered neurodivergent.
Neurodivergent individuals who have a variation in neurological development and functioning. Examples of characteristics are better equipped to express themselves through creativity may not be able to focus for extended periods but are very detail focused.
Outline the role and function of a psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health workers and organisations in supporting the mental health of individuals.
Psychologist is an individual who is professionally trained in one or more branches or subfields of psychology. They make a diagnostic judgement by identifying and considering a patient’s context and symptoms
A psychiatrist is a doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and study of mental, behavioural, and personality disorders. They prescribe medication for mental health conditions
Mental health organisation a company or group that works to address or advocate for mental health, such as through providing support or specialised services. They raise awareness
Choose either Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Dyslexia to describe in detail including brain differences and similarities to that of a neurotypical brain, symptoms, and treatment.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication difficulties, narrow interests, and repetitive behaviours. A greater brain volume in childhood; however, brain volumes become equivalent after adolescence. A thinner temporal cortex, which is associated with processing sounds and speech. A thicker frontal cortex, which is associated with complex social and cognitive processes. Smaller internal structures, such as the amygdala, which are involved in processing emotions. Their strengths are that they have exceptional attention to detail, superior retention of facts, high level of motivation and enthusiasm in activities of interest. Their weaknesses are Being unable to make or keep eye contact Being unable to read others’ facial expressions and recognise others’ emotions.
Outline the 5 criteria for categorising behaviour (cultural, social, statistical rarity, personal distress and maladaptive behaviour).
Cultural perspectives are the influence of society and community on one’s thoughts. Cultural perspectives involve the awareness of different customs, beliefs, and traditions, different rules and etiquette attitudes towards the importance of mental health. When you use cultural perspectives to categorise a behaviour, you should be aware of a person’s background and consider if the behaviour is actually typical in that culture. It
Social norms are society’s unofficial rules and expectations regarding how individuals should act. They exist on a larger and more generalised scale compared to cultural perspectives, which are specific to cultures. It is important to note that social norms and cultural perspectives are interlinked and that cultural perspectives often inform society’s expectations. When you use social norms to categorise a behaviour, you need to be aware of the expectations placed on a group of people but consider how an individual acts in accordance to these expectations.
Statistical rarity is something that lies outside the range of statistical normality and is also unusual enough to be considered significant. When categorising behaviour as typical or atypical, an individual’s behaviour is often compared with others.
Personal distress is an aversive and often self-oriented emotional reaction. The emotional reaction does not always have to be grand and noticeable, just inconsistent with how the individual usually behaves. Sometimes, personal distress may be visual, for example continuously crying, however, it can also be internalised and hard to pick up on
Maladaptive behaviour is an action that impairs an individual’s ability to meet the changing demands of their everyday life. Maladaptive behaviours are similar to personal distress in that they cause an individual to be unable to cope.When you use maladaptive behaviours as criteria to categorise behaviour as typical or atypical, you should consider if the individual is acting in a way that prevents them from functioning effectively.
