Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

MCAT Self Study > Psychology Cognition > Flashcards

Psychology Cognition Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
MCAT flashcards
1
Q

What are the four pillars of information processing?

A
  1. Thinking requires sensation, emotion, and storage.
  2. Stimuli must be analyzed by the brain.
  3. Decisions in one situation can be extrapolated in order to help solve a different problem
  4. Problem solving is not only dependent on a cognitive level, but also on the context and complexity of the situation.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What was Jean Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive theory?

A

Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete Operational
Formal Operational

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is accommodation vs assimilation in terms of Piaget’s cognitive theory?

A

Assimilation is classifying new information to preexisiting schemas.

Accommodation is schemas being modified to fit new information.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Describe the Sensorimotor Stage.

A

Age: First two years of life.
The child learns to manipulate the environment around him/her. Sucking thumb , or throwing objects in order to get a physical response.
The end of this stage occurs when Object Permanence develops.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe the Preoperational Stage

A

Age: 2- 7 years.

Characterized by egocentrism, symbolic thinking, and inability to understand conservation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Describe Concerete Operational

A

Age: 7-11 years.

Child has gained the ability to understand conservation. Child will begin thinking logically.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Describe Formal Operational

A

Age: 11 +

Child has gained the ability to think abstract thoughts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Relate Culture and Cognitive Developement

A

Vygotsky claimed one’s culture was the driving force behind cognitive development. The ideas, thoughts, roles passed down from one generation to the next determines how a child will develop.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Compare fluid and crystallized intelligence.

A

Fluid intelligence is problem solving.

Crystallized intelligence is using learned skills.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What might be the solution to being “stuck” on a problem?

A

The framing of the problem may need to be altered.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is functional fixedness?

A

The inability to consider solutions to a problem in a nontraditional way.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What some types of problem solving techniques?

A

Trail & Error
Inductive Reasoning: create theory via generalizations
Deductive Reasoning: use rules to solve a problem.
Algorithms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe availability heuristics.

A

Using our own knowledge to classify information, but this might not always be correct.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe representative heuristics.

A

Representativeness heuristic involves categorizing items on the basis of whether they fit the prototypical, stereotypical, or representative image of the category.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is disconfirmation principle?

A

Tendency for people to extend critical scrutiny to information which contradicts their prior beliefs and accept uncritically information that is congruent with their prior beliefs. Leads to overconfidence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe Intuition.

A

The ability to act of perception that may not be supported by evidence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are Gardner’s 7 types of intelligence?

A

Linguistic, Logical-Math, Musical, Visual, Bodily, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal.

18
Q

Describe Alertness:

A

Alertness is the state of consciousness in which we are awake. We can perceive, process, and communicate.

19
Q

Describe Alpha, Beta, and theta waves

A

Beta waves occur during high levels of concentration.
Alpha waves in a state of relaxation before sleep.
Theta waves start after you begin Stage 1 of sleep.

20
Q

Describe the different stages of sleep

A

Stage 1: immediately when you begin to sleep.
Stage 2: characterized by k complex and spindles.
Stage 3 & 4: considered deep sleep with delta waves.

1-4 are NON REM Sleep.

21
Q

Contrast Dyssomnia and Parasomnias

A

Dyssomia are disorders that prevent sleep, stay asleep, or avoid sleeping.

Parasomnia are abnormal movements in sleep.

22
Q

Describe different dyssomias

A

insomnia: inability to fall asleep due to stress, anxiety, etc.
narcolepsy: lacking control of sleep.
sleep paralysis: can’t move during sleep, but you’re awake.
sleep apnea: not breathing while you’re sleeping.

23
Q

How can you remember the different between hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations?

A

Hypnagogic hallucinations occur when one is going to bed. Hypnopompic hallucinations occur when one is popping up out of bed.

24
Q

What are night tremors?

A

Occur in children, intense anxiety in deep sleep.

25
Q

Describe the uses of hypnosis.

A

Hypnosis puts someone into a relaxed state and makes them highly susceptible. Can be used for pain management, therapy, memory enhancement, weight loss, etc.

26
Q

REM Sleep

A

Rapid Eye Movement. Dreaming occurs here. Paradoxical because brain activity is high even though the body isn’t moving.

27
Q

Describe Freud’s theory of dreaming:

A

Dream represent unconscious wishes/urges/conflicts/desires.
Manifest content- literal content of the dream
Latent content- what is the underlying meaning to the dream?

28
Q

What is the Activation Synthesis Hypothesis?

A

Dreams are our brains trying to find meaning to random brain activity, they have no real meaning.

29
Q

What is the difference between confirmation bias vs belief perseverance?

A

Belief perseverance occurs when you ignore something you don’t like or you don’t agree with.
Confirmation bias occurs when you actively seek out things you agree with.

30
Q

Types of CA drugs.

A

Depressants, Stimulants, Opiates, and Hallucinogens.

31
Q

Describe different depressants

A

Alcohol: increase dopamine, increase GABA receptors, decrease cognitive function. Diseases such as liver failure, Korsakoff’s Syndrome, etc.

Benzodiazepines: increase GABA activity causing relaxation, but are highly addictive. Don’t take with alcohol. Used in anxiety medication.

32
Q

Describe different stimulants.

A

Amphetamines: increase arousal, increase dopamine, reduce sleep, reduce food, increase heart rate, anxiety, etc.
Cocaine: anesthetic and vasoconstrictive properties
Ectasy: hallucinogen combined with amphetamines.
Opiates: decrease pain and sense of euphoria.

33
Q

Describe different hallucinogens.

A

LSD: Physiologic effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, dilation of pupils, sweating, and increased body temperature.

Marijuana: THC increases GABA receptors and dopamine

34
Q

Describe selective and divided attention:

A

selective attention is when you’re particular about what you allow into your processing.
divided attention is performing multiple tasks at the same time; multitasking.

35
Q

What are the 5 components to language?

A

Phonology: actually sounds of the language.
Morphology: structure of the words.
Semantics: meaning of the word.
Syntax: putting words together to form a sentence.
Pragmatic: dependence on the language in real life application.

36
Q

What is the timeline of language acquisition?

A 
9-12 months: babbling
12 to 18 months: one word per month
18 to 20 months: explosion of language
2 to 3 years: longer sentences
5 years : rules mostly mastered
37
Q

Describe Nativist theory

A

Noam Chomsky. Children has a LAD which allows them to learn a language. Critical period is the best time to learn a language. It’s harder during the sensitive period to learn a language.

38
Q

Describe learning theory:

A

BF Skinner. Language is via operant training. Rewarded for learning different words and sentences, etc.

39
Q

Describe Interactionist Approach:

A

Vygotsky. biological and social factors interact in order to learn a language. Need to communicate makes children learn a language.

40
Q

What is the Whorfian hypothesis?

A

Language determines thought. Language determines the way we think.

41
Q

Compare and contrast Broca’s and Wernicke’s area.

A

Broca’s Area controls speech
Wernicke’s area controls language comprehension

Broca’s aphasia is when you can’t speak properly, but you can understand everything
Wernicke’s aphasia is when a patient can’t understand anything, so speech is slurred

42
Q

What is conduction aphasia?

A

Conduction aphasia is when the arcuate fasciculus is damaged. People can speak and understand everything, but won’t be able to repeat it back to you.

MCAT Self Study (53 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions