Psychology- MCAT Hero- sensing the environment Flashcards
weber law
delta I / I = K
so for question find out what delta I is and divide by I to find k
100, feel dif at 110 –> delta I = 10
10/100= 0.1
so now if asks if I =1000 when will I feel a dif?
4 outcomes from signal detection theory
hit- present and detected
miss- present but missed
false pos- no signal but thought was
accurate rejection- no signal and rejected
propioceptor
located in tendons, ligaments and joints- special type of mechanoreceptor to detect position of the body
ciliary mucscles
change shape of lens
light converts ___- retinal to ____ retinal
cis to trans, this causes hyper polarization of the photoreceptor cell
In retinal, absorption of a photon promotes a p electron to a higher-energy orbital (a p-p* excitation). This excitation “breaks” the p component of the double bond, thus allowing free rotation about the bond between carbon atom 11 and carbon atom 12 (see Figure 5). Thus, when 11-cis-retinal absorbs a photon in the visible range of the spectrum, free rotation about the bond between carbon atom 11 and carbon atom 12 can occur and the all-trans-retinal can form. This isomerization occurs in a few picoseconds (10-12 s) or less. Energy from light is crucial for this isomerization process: absorption of a photon leads to isomerization about half the time; in contrast, spontaneous isomerization in the dark occurs only once in 1000 years! The molecule resulting from the isomerization is called all-trans-retin
eardrum
tympanic membrane - before the 3 small bones (ossicles) in the tympanic cavity
auditory process
sound–> ear drum–> ossicles–> cochleae –> vestibulocochlear nerve –> brainstem –> thalmus —> auditory cortex (in temporal lobe) - this is where it is translated into what we can understand
MGN
brainstem in hearing
details such as frequency, location and duration are deciphered
bitter taste
quinine
sour
acidic
umami
amino acids, glutamate and nucleotides
kinaesthetic sense vs vestibular sense
kin–> muscle memory, position, movement, –> proprioception
vest–> hair cells in the ear –> balance focused
3 components of emotion
cognitive, physiological, behavioural
joy vs happiness
happiness is shorter
joy - more through spiritual connections, witnessing/completing selfless acts
Brain region involved in the generation and experience of emotions
limbic system (HAT hippo)
role of limbic in emotion
1- amygdala
2- amygdala communicates to the hypothalamus which controls physiological features - HR, loss of appetite
3- hypo interacts with prefrontal cortex- this area decides how someone will choose to behave in the situation
physiological aspect of our emotions controlled under
limbic system, autonomic system, RAS
the nature of stress
1- appraisal ( the way someone interprets any given event )
excess cortisol and the immune system
prevents activity of WBC
cognitive appraisal
subjective evaluation of the stressor
primary vs secondary appraisal
primary= initial examination (is it irrelevant, being-positive, or stressful)
if it is evaluated as stressful the secondary appraisal happens
secondary= evaluation of ones ability to cope with the stress
general adaptation syndrome
three distinct stages
- alarm
- resistance
- exhaustive - leading to burnout breakdown
arousal theory
ppl preform actions to maintain arousal - state of being awake and reactive to stimuli - seeking to achieve optimal arousal the it falls below certain level and decrease it when too high
Yerkes-dodson law
a U shape curve of optimal arousal
expenctancy- value theory
postulates that motivation for a given behavior or action is determined by two factors: (i) expectancy, ie, how probable it is that a wanted (instrumental) outcome is achieved through the behavior or action; (ii) value, ie, how much the individual values the desired outcome.
motivation is a function of 2 variables: expectancy and value (ability and benefit)
expectancy: their belief in their ability to succeed. for motivation to occur, the learner needs to have faith that they have some ability to succed- ppl are motivated to do something they will ikley fail at
value: for motivation to occur - learner needs to see benerfit and value in what the desired outcome is
incentive theory
desire to pursue rewards or incentives
4 primacy factors that influence motivation
instincts, arousal, drives and needs
opponent- process theory
explains continuous drug use
- body will counter the drug
ex. alcohol is a depressant, so to compensate to continued exposure, body will increase arousal - result in withdrawal symptoms that last longer than the drug - anxiety, bitterness and irritability
contends that the primary or initial reaction to an emotional event (State A) will be followed by an opposite secondary emotional state (State B).
used to explain why ppl enjoy rollercaosters
opponent-process theory of motivation
In other words, a stimulus that initially inspires displeasure will likely be followed by a pleasurable after-feeling and vice versa. The second important aspect of this theory is that after repeated exposure to the same emotional event, the State A reaction will begin to weaken, whereas the State B reaction will strengthen in intensity and duration. Thus, over time, the after-feeling can become the prevailing emotional experience associated with a particular stimulus event. One example of this phenomenon is how, for some people, an initial unpleasant fear aroused by a good roller-coaster ride becomes, over time, an enjoyable and much sought-after experience.
3 components in self-determination theory
autonomy ( in control of ones actions), competence (complete and excel n tasks) and relatedness (need to feel accepted and wanted in relationships)
is a macro theory of human motivation and personality that concerns people’s inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind choices people make without external influence and interference.
describe mallows hierarchy
from bottom to top
- physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization
ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the ventral prefrontal cortex
VPC- is critical for experiencing emotion and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is included in controlling emotional responses from the amygdala and design making
3 things I can classify the stress as
irrelevant
banging- positive
stressful —> then go on to secondary appraisal - how well can I cope?
forebrain includes
cerebrum, thalamus, limbic, hypo
for abstract thinking, logic and emotions
midbrain
tegmenjtum, tectum and cerebral peduncles
production of dopamine, vision and hearing
hindbrain
cerebellum, pons, medular
- vital body functions and sexual arousal
left side of brain more for
processing the high visual field- grammar, positive emotions, speech (Broca and wernick) and writing
more logic and reasoning (math and science) whereas the right is more art and creativity
right side for
processing the left visual field, negative emotions, recognition of emotions and spatial skills (facial recognition)
creativity and art
GABA function
reduce the excitability of neurons ( def can lead to anxiety and depression)
high levels of PTH cause
released by the parathyroid hormone - PTH cause increase level of calcium
bc calcitonin –> tone down the calcium
route of embryonic development
zygote, morula, blastula
Psychoanalytic perspective-
developed by Sigmund Freud, says that our personalities are comprised of unconscious memories, emotions, and thoughts. It is thought that our dreams reveal elements of our unconsciousness.
Trait perspective
our personality is determined by the presence and absence of differing levels of traits
says that our personality is formed through various environmental and cognitive experiences, and through observational learning, we are likely to mimic positive behaviors that we observe in others.
(e.g. If you see someone going to the gym everyday, and the result is a fit, muscular body, you may copy this behavior in hopes of attaining the same result)
social cognitive perspective of personality
diff between biological perspective and behaviourist perspective
Biological perspective- says that at least part of our personality is predetermined by our genetic make-up.
Behaviorist perspective- says that our personalities are produced by patterns of behavior that we learn according to our environment
(e.g. If we grow with parents that behave supportively, we are more likely to be supportive parents ourselves).
The trait vs. state controversy
states that the severity of someone’s reaction in any given situation is dictated by their traits (personality) or by the situation itself (state).
Biomedical vs. biopsychosocial approaches
Biomedical approach- this approach looks at psychological disorders from a biological perspective, including factors such as genetics, brain structure, and brain chemistry.
Biopsychosocial approach- this approach looks at psychological disorders from a sociological/cultural perspective including factors such as education, socioeconomic standards, and expectations held by peers.
components of attitude
cognitive, affective and behavioural
cognitive
someones belief and knowledge- know lions are dangerous, your attitude towards them may be negative and earful
affective
someones feeling or emotions- largely shape attitude - if you love someone, most likely dress with loving attitude
behavioural
someones actions
