Psych Midterm #3

instinct theory

behavior driven by innate, unlearned, species specific patterns

• ex. migration

• laebls behavior rather than explaining

• cannot account for learned or flexible behavior

drive reduction theory

physiological need (hunger/thirst)

• creates a drive that pushes us to reduce it & return to homeostadid

• need → drive → action → need satisfied → drive reduced

optimal arousal theory / yerkes-dodson law

people motivated to seek ideal level of arousal (not reduce)

• moderate arousal is best (too low =boredom, too high= anxiety)

• easy tasks → higher arousal better

• harder tasks → lower arousal

maslow’s hierarchy of needs

1) physiological

2) safety

3) love/belongingness

4) esteem

5) self actualization

intrinsic motivation

doing something for its own sake (enjoyment, interest, personal satisfaction)

extrinsic motivation

doing something for extrenal reward to avoid punishment (money, praise, grades)

overjustification effect

offering rewards for activity people already enjoy can decrease intrinsic motivation

• they start to see the reward as the reason for doing it

• ex. people losing interest in sports done for long time

kepper, greene, nisbett study

prechoolers who already liked drawing split into 3 groups

• expected reward, unexpected reward, no reward

• expected reward spent the least amt. of time drawing than other groups

self determination theory

intrinsic motivation grows when people feel autonomy, competence, and relatedness

3 emotional components

1) Biological

• heart rate, breathing, sweating, hormones

• amygdala, hypothalmus, limbic

• sympathetic / parasympathetic

2) cognitive

• how we interpret/label situation shapes emotion

3) behavioral → expressive actions

James Lange theory

arousal comes first → emotion is awareness of body’s response

cannon -bard theory

arousal and emotion occur simultaneously —> thalamus

schachter singer two factor

arousal + cognitive label = emotion

lazarus theory

appraisal comes first, then emotion

Darwin’s take on emotion (universality)

emotional expressions evolved because they help survival/ communication

paul ekman take on emotion (universality)

six basic emotions:

• anger, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness, surprise

• innate roots

cultural specificity on emotion

display rules: culturally learned norms about when, where, and how to show emotion

• emotion recognition varies: people better at identifying emotions from their own cutlure (in group advantage)

• gestures vary greatly across cultures

north american culture

individualism: focus on personal goals, independence, self expression

• values high arousal positive effect (HAP):" excitement, enthusiasm

• encourages outward expression & “standing out”

east asian culture

collectivism: group harmony, interdependence, fitting in

• low arousal positive affect (LAP): calm, peacefulness, contentment

• encourages emotional restraint to maintain harmony

health psychology

sutdies how psychological, behavioral, social factors affect health, illness, recovery

• biopsychosocial model : health depends on biology, psychology, social/cultural context

stress

process of appraising/ responding to events (stressors) that we see as threatening / challenging

hans selye’s general adaption syndrome (GAS)

alarm → resistance → exhaustion

appraisal

same event is more/less stressful depending on our perception if we see it as challange or threat

cold virus and stressor study

Sheldon cohen et al

• helahty volunteers completed measure of recent life stress then exposed to cold virus and quarintined

• higher stress levels → more likely to develop cold

• chronic stress supresses immune system → more vulnerable

• study shows how psychological stress and physical health is connected

holmes and rahe’s social readjustment rating scale (SRRS)

assigns life change units (LCUs) to life events

• death of spouse = 100, divorce= 73

• adds up LCUs over year → higher total → higher risk of stress related illness

• includes both pos. and neg. events

• limiations: ignores individual coping, relies on self report/memory, correlation does not imply causation

problem focused coping

directly tackkle dsource of stress

works best when stressor controllable

• ex. make a plan, study more

emotion focused coping

manage emoitonal response to stress (ex. meditation, exercise)

works best when stressor is uncontrollable (ex. death of loved one)

Active coping

• Active (cognitive): changing how you think about stressor

• Active (behavioral): takign action

avoidant coping

ignoring, denying, escaping stressor

control beliefs

believing you have control over events → reduces negative effects of stress

• locus of control: internal“my actions matter” → better health outcomes than external “this is fate”

• learned helplessness: repeated uncontrollable events → feeling powerless, depression

self efficacy

belief in ability to succeed at specfic task

higher → more persistence, better coping, more healthy behaviors, lower stress response

social integration

number and variety of social connections and roles

more integration → lower mortality risk, better heath

social support (quality/types of help recieved)

tangible: concrete, practical help (money, rides, food)

advice: guidance, suggestions

emotional: comfort, empathy

positive interaction: fun, enjoyable time, lifts mood

• support buffers harmful effects of stress

type A personality

competitive, hostile, impatient, time pressured, driven

• linked type A to heart disease b/c of hostility/anger

type B personality

relaxed, patient, easygoing, less competitive

lower cardiovascular risk

happiness

high life satisfaction, low negative feelings, high positive feelings

internal causes of happiness

personality (extrovert, emotional stability)

temperament: genetic set point

outlook: optimism

resilience: ability to bounce back from hardships

external causes of happiness

sufficient material resources: money

social resources: close relationships, community

desirable society: safety, stability, freedom, fair government

adaption level phenomenon

adapt to new circumstances, happiness returns to baseline

hedonic treadmill

gains (raises/purchases) are temporary happiness

relative deprivation

happiness depends on how we compare ourselves to others

3 ways to be happier

1) strengthen social connections

2) practice gratitude and optimism

3) take care of body

3 interventions to improve subjective well being (SWB)

1) writing down/ sharing things you’re thankful for

2) acts of kindness/ prosocial behavior

2) mindfulness/meditation

oppression based stress

experiencing discrimination, prejudice, marginalization, systemic inequality based on identity

• microaggressions, institutional barries, threat of violence, bias

• ongoing, uncontrollable, unpredictablw

weathering

cumulative physical wear and tear on body from chronic exposure to economic disadvantage / discrimination

• earlier health decline, higher disease risk at younger ages

allostatic load

“wear and tear on body → chronic activation of stress response

• overtime body cannot retunr to baseline → damages organs/systems

• biological mechanism compared to weathering (broader pattern)

physical effects

hypertension/cardiovascular disease

• weakened immune function

• chronic fatigue, sleep problems, headaches

• diabetes

• early aging, shorter life

psychological/ emotional effects

anxiety, depression

• anger, shame, helplessness

• trauma related symptoms

• low self esteem

• stereotype threat: anxiety about confirming negative stereotype (can hurt performance)

behavioral effects

• withdrawal/ avoidance

• substance use as cope

• sleep disruption + changes in eating

plaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development

1) sensorimotor: birth - 2

• learn through senses/ actions

• object permanence

• no symbolic thoughts

2) preoperational: 2-7

• uses symbols (langugae, pretend play, drawing)

• limits: 1 pov, personification of inanimate objects, no irreversability

3) concrete operational: 7-11

• logical thinking about real objects + can conserve + understadn reversibility

• struggles with abstract/hypothetical thinking

4) formal operational: 12-adult

• abstract thinking, deductive reasoning, problem solving, ideal, morality

object permeanence

understandign that objects continue to exist when out of sight

egocentrism

difficulty seeing world from another person’s perspective

• picking up the phone and doing phsyical motions (child cannot understand that you can’t see their motions through the phone)

animism

belief inanimate objects have life, feelings, intentions

• moon is following me

conservation

quantity stays same despite changes in shape/appearance

• develops in concrete operational

• liquid moving to longer cup does not mean theres “more” liquid

irreversability vs. reversibility

preoperational children can’t mentally undo action

• concrete operational can understand action can be reversed

• ex. bike to dead end, preoperational: will try to go around, concrete: reverse their steps

abstract thinking

reasoning about ideas, hypotheticals, concepts that aren’t physically present

• formal operational (final stage)

criticisms of plaget

underestimated infants’ abilities

• development continuous, not age based

• ignores cultural/ social influences

Ainsworth’s levels of attachment experiment

The strange situation:

1) caregiver and infant in room with toys

2) stanger enters

3) caregiver leaves, infant with stranger

4) caregiver returns

5) infant alone briefly, reunion again

secure attachment

• caregiver sensitive/responsive

• mother leaves: distressed, uses mother as secure base

• mother returns: seeks contact, easiily comforted, returns to play

insecure-avoidant attachment

• caregiver distant/ unresponsive

• mother leaves: shows little/no distress

• mother returns: ignores/avoids mother

insecure/ambivalent/resistant attachment

caregiver inconsistent

• mother leaves: very distressed, clingy before

• mother returns: wants contact, resists or is angry, not easily soothed

disorganized attachment

• linked to abused, neglect, trauma

• mother leaves: confused, fearful behavior

• mother returns: contradictory behavior (approaches, then freezes/backs away)

baumrind’s parenting styles 2 dimensions

1) responsiveness/warmth: nurturing, affection, support (high or low)

2) demandingness/control: rules, expectations, discipline (high or low)

authoritative parenting

sets clear rules, explains reasons, listens, supportive.flexible

• BEST oucomes: self reliant, high self esteem, good social skills, academic success

• high warmth high demand

authoritarian parenting

“because I said so”, strict rules, punishment, little explanation/warmth

• anxious, withdrawn, lower self esteem, easily aggravated, poorer social skills, may rebel

• low warmth, high demand

permissive parenting (gentle parenting)

warm, lenient, few rules/consequences, acts like friend

• impulsive, poor self control, struggles with authority

• high warmth, low demand

neglectful parenting

indfiferent, uninvolved, meets few needs

• often higher social skills, low self esteem, attachment problems, behavior issues

• low warmth, low demand