Year 13 Revision Schedule Flashcards
Psychology revision schedule containing all 6 topics across 3 papers: - Biological Approach - Cognitive Approach - Socialcultural Approach - Relationships - Developmental - Research Methods
How does an MRI scan work?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
Magnetic Resonance Imaging: all protons are aligned in the body, then disaligned, then realigned again to produce the image.
How does Maguire use and MRI scanner?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
Maguire used an MRI scanner before and after the participants completed their task to travel through London using only a map.
What was Maguire able to see as a result of the MRI scans?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
Plasticity of the brain - changes to the appearance of the brain.
What are 2 positives of an MRI?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
- painless and don’t cause any harm
- allow to see plasticity of the brain
What are 3 negatives of MRIs?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
- not available to everyone (metal implants, pregnant women) - reduces variability
- very unnatural - low ecological validity
- does not show areas of the brain that are active
What is an FMRI?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
Works similarly to an MRI, produces an image of the brain, but also shows the specific areas of the brain that are active while the participant completes a task. Uses a blood oxygenation level dependent technique (BOLD).
How does Fisher use an FMRI?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
During his “Love Study”, Fisher uses an FMRI to see the areas where Dopamine is present when participants are shown photographs of people they are in love with.
What was Fisher able to see from the FMRI?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
Fisher was able to see the areas where Dopamine was present, but not how much Dopamine there was.
What are 2 positives of an FMRI scan?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
- more natural than an MRI as the participants must be completing a task or activity in order to produce an image - increases ecological validity
- painless and does not have any side effects - high ethical value
What are 2 negatives of an FMRI scan?
Biological Approach - Techniques to study the brain
- can see the presence of a neurotransmitter but not the volume of it
- also cannot be used by anyone with metal implants due to the magnetic field - reduces variability
What is the Multi-Store Memory Model?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
The concept that the brain is divided into separate stores for the Long Term and Short Term memory.
How does the Multi-Store Memory Model work?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
Sensory Input > attention > STM > rehearsal > LTM
What do we know about the Short Term Memory?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
- holds 7+/- 2 items at a time
- for up to 18 seconds
- responsible for episodic memories
What do we know about the Long Term Memory?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
- infinite capacity
- infinite time items can be held for
- items can be retreived at any time
How did Milner use HM’s brain to investigate the Multi-Store Memory Model?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
HM had surgery to remove part of his hippocampus. She asked him a series of questions relating to both his short and long term memory.
What did Milner find from her research with HM?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
Milner found that HM was able to recall information about his family and events from his past, but was unable to form new episodic memories. This proved that the Multi-Store Memory Model must consist of separate stores.
What were 3 benefits of Milner’s research?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
- could be useful when researching the impacts and effects of Dementia and Alzheimer’s
- Longitudinal study - spans over 50 years so the researcher can see the development and changes of the brain
- HM was observed in his natural environment - high ecological validity
What are 2 negatives of Milner’s study of HM?
Cognitive Approach - Multi-Store Memory Model
- the downside of longitudinal case studies is that they cannot be replicated easily
- retrospective in nature - there was not alot of evidence of HM’s cognitive abilities before his bike accident
According to Piaget, what are the 4 stages of play?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)
Formal Operational Stage (11-16 years)
What is Object Permanence and when does it start to develop?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
- The idea that something still exists even when you can’t see it
- Occurs in the Sensorimotor Stage
What is Conservation? When does it occur?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
- The understanding that the amount of something stays the same, even if it’s physical appearance changes
- Occurs in the Preoperational Stage
What are 3 strengths of Piaget’s theory of stages of play?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
- He was the first to create this theory, and it has been widely accepted
- His research has had a large impact on education
- The theory shows the development of cognitive function over a long period of time
What are 3 limitations of Piaget’s theory of the stages of play?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
- Lots of the language used in the study was not appropriate for the age of the children
- The theory describes what happens, but does not explain how or why
- Later researchers have questioned the timings of the stages and suggest that they may occur earlier than Piaget predicted
What was the aim of Baillargeon’s study into object permanence?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
To investigate at what age children begin to develop object permanence.
What was the procedure of Baillargeon’s study into object permanence?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
A box was placed at the top of a train track behind a curtain. The box was moved forward onto the track, but as the curtains closed, the box moved back again. The idea was that the child would stare longer at the car when the box was supposed to be blocking the track, as if to question why the car did not stop.
What were the two conditions in the procedure of Baillargeon’s study of object permanence?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
Possible condition - no obstacle
Impossible condition - block on track
What were the findings of Baillargeon’s study into object permanence?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
Baillargeon found that:
- infants understood that the car and box still exist
- the children understand that the box should have stopped the car
How do the findings of Baillargeon’s study into object permanence, support Piaget’s theory?
Developmental Psychology - Developing as a learner
- Object permanence is a stage of cognitive development
- Object permanence does not develop until 6 months old, so Piaget’s theory of up to 2 years may be extensive
What is localisation of function?
Biological Approach - Localisation of Function
The idea that different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions
What was the aim of Milner’s study of localisation of function?
Biological Approach - Localisation of Function
To investiage whether different areas of the brain had different responsibilities for functions of the brain.
How did Milner investigate localisation of function?
Biological Approach - Localisation of Function
Working with a participant called HM, Milner used MRI scans to see images of HM’s brain. Following a brain operation, HM had part of his temporal lobe removed. HM was then asked several questions about his past.
What did Milner discover about localisation of function in her study with HM?
Biological Approach - Localisation of Function
Milner discovered that HM could recall events from decades ago, but was unable to remember simple things like what he had for breakfast. This was because the temporal lobe is responsible for creating new episodic memories, which HM could not do due to his brain operation to remove that area.
What is neuroplasticity?
Biological Approach - Brain and Behaviour
The physical change in appearance of the brain
What was the aim of Maguire’s study into neuroplasticity?
Biological Approach - Brain and Behaviour
Maguire’s aim was to see the physical changes to the appearance of the brain after learning new information.
What was the procedure of Maguire’s study into neuroplasticity?
Biological Approach - Brain and Behaviour
Maguire’s sample consisted of a group of taxi drivers and non-taxi drivers. They were all asked to navigate their way through London using only a map. Every participant had an MRI scan before and after the study.
What were the results of Maguire’s study into neuroplasticity?
Biological Approach - Brain and Behaviour
Maguire found that the participants who were taxi drivers had an increase in the size of their posterior hippocampus, and a decrease in the size of their anterior hippocampus. The non-taxi drivers had a decrease in the size of their posterior hippocampus, and an increase in the anterior hippocampus.
What was the explanaition for the results of Maguire’s study of neuroplasticity?
Biological Approach - Brain and Behaviour
The role of the posterior hippocampus is to process old information. The role of the anterior hippocampus is to process new information. Therefore the taxi drivers had an increase in the size of their posterior hippocampus because they already knew the routes, and were not learning anything new. The non-taxi drivers had an increase in the size of their anterior hippocampus because they were learning new information and routes.
What are neurotransmitters?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
Electrical signals sent through the brain
How do neurotransmitters work?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
The action potential travels through the axon to the vesicles. The vesicles are stimulated to fire the neurone. The neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap and are picked up by the receptors. Whether the neurotransmitter is inhibitory or excitatory will depend on whether the axon fires or not. The action potential then travels down the axon again, and the process repeats.
What was the aim of Roger and Kesner’s study into neurotransmitters?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
The aim of Roger and Kesner’s study was to investigate the changes in ACH in rats when in placed in a maze.
What was the procedure of Roger and Kesner’s study of neurotransmitters?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
The rats were put into a maze for some time, before being injected with scopolamine and acetycholine. They were then placed back into the maze to see how their behaviour changed.
What were the results of Roger and Kesner’s study of neurotransmitters?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
R&K found that the rats injected with scopolamine had no impact on their ability to complete the maze. But the rats who were given acetycholine struggled to complete the maze, as their spatial awareness was displaced.
What are agonisits?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
Agonists make a neuron more likely to fire.
What are antagonists?
Biological Approach - Brain & Behaviour
Antagonists make neurons less likely to fire.
What is the Multi-Store Memory Model?
Cognitive Approach - Cognitive Processes
The idea created by Atkinson and Shiffrin, that the sensory, short-term and long-term memory all exist as different stores.
What is the sensory store in the MSMM?
Cognitive Approach - Cognitive Processes
Sensory inputs enter the memory through the sensory store. This has limited capacity and requires attention to be paid to the information in order for it to be transferred to the STM.
What is the Short-Term Memory store?
Cognitive Approach - Cognitive Processes
Information is passed to the STM from the sensory store. The STM can hold 7+/- 2 items at a time, for up to 18 seconds (30 seconds with rehearsal).
What is the Long - Term Memory store?
Cognitive Approach - Cognitive Processes
When information is rehearsed enough, it moves from the STM to the LTM. This has an unlimited capacity which can be held for an unlimited time.
What were Gottman’s four horsemen?
Relationships - Why relationships end
Criticism - partners verbally attack each other’s personality and character.
Defensiveness - partners deny all responsibility for conflict and put all the blame on each other.
Contempt - attacking sense of self with the intent to abuse and insult.
Stonewalling - withdrawing from contact to avoid conflict.
What is assimilation?
Cognitive Approach - Schema Theory
To adapt to the new culture and leave the old one behind
What does levelling mean?
Cognitive Approach - Schema Theory
This occurs when recalling a story or event, people forget to mention the details they didn’t think were important.
What does sharpening mean?
Cognitive Approach - Schema Theory
This occurs when people are recalling an event or story, and change the order of elements and add details or emotions.
What was the aim of Wedekind’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
To investigate the role of the MHC gene in the formation of relationships
What was the procedure of Wedekind’s study into the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
- Males - wore 1 t-shirt for 2 nights, without any scents (deodorant, body wash, no spicy food)
- Females - some were on the contraceptive pill and others were ovulating
- There were 7 t-shirts divided into 3 boxes: 3 attractive, 3 unattractive, 1 control
- The female participants were asked to rate the t-shirts based on which they thought were most attractive
What were the results of Wedekind’s study into the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
- The females who were ovulating were attracted to the male scents with the opposite MHC gene to their own
- The females who were taking the contraceptive pill were not attracted to any of the scents
Give a brief application of the results of Wedekind’s study of the formation of relationships
Formation of Relationships - Biological
- The ovulating females were attracted to the opposite MHC gene as it would allow their offspring to have the strongest immune systems - evolutionary development
- The females on the contraceptive pill did not feel an attraction because the pill forces the body to believe that it is already pregnant, and so the female does not feel the want to “mate”
What was the aim of Fisher’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
To investigate the role of Dopamine in the formation of relationships
What was the procedure of Fisher’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
- Participants who claimed to have been in love for 7.5 months
- P’s took a test to check that they were definitely in love
- P’s were connected to an FMRI and shown photos of the person they were in love with, and a neutral acquaintance
What were the results of Fisher’s study into the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
The photos of the participants’ love ones stimulated a larger surface area of the brain being affected by dopamine
How can Fisher’s study be applied to the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Biological
The dopamine acts as a ‘reward’ hormone, making the participants want to spend more time with their loved ones.
What was the aim of Zaydi and Shuraydi’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Sociocultural
To investigate the impact of acculturative stress on the formation of relationships
What was the procedure of Zaydi and Shuraydi’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Sociocultural
- unstructured interviews with Muslim, Pakistani women who were single and aged 16 - 30 years old
- asked questions to gague how the women felt about arranged marriages
What were the results of Zaydi and Shuraydi’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Sociocultural
- They prefer to choose their own partner, or work with their parents to find a suitable partner
- They would prefer to marry for love
What was the aim of Dion’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Cognitive
To decipher if physically attractive people are assumed to have more socially desirable qualities
What was the procedure of Dion’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Cognitive
- Photos of people were rated by American university students, and rated “attractive” or “unattractive”.
- Participants were then asked about the level of hapiness these people are more likely to experience in various areas of their lives.
What were the results of Dion’s study of the formation of relationships?
Formation of Relationships - Cognitive
- attractive people were predicted to be successful, happier and have more successful personality traits.
- unattractive people were predicted to be better parents.
What is Enculturation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
A psychological change due to contact with two or more social groups, including changes to one’s behaviour.
What is Acculturative Stress?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
Feeling stress or anxious for to changing culture and being unable to assimilate with either culture.
What is Assimilation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
Abandoning the old culture to adopt the expectations and characteristics new one.
What is integration?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
The act of keeping the values and characteristics of both the old and new cultures.
What is Marginalisation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
The individual is unable to keep the values and characteristics of either culture due to discrimination.
What is Separation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
The individual keeps the values and expectations of their old culture, and avoids those of their new one.
What was the aim of Berry’s study of acculturation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
To investigate the responses of acculturation when conforming in a group.
What is Acculturation?
Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences
The process of adopting the norms, values and characteristics of a new social group.
