PSYCH Notes

personality core

developed from early environmental interactions, includes perceptions of external world, self, basic attitudes

typical responses

predictable behaviors and ways of reacting to our environment

role-related behaviors

more variable, daily behaviors influenced by the particular context in which we find ourselves

Constitutional Theory (Sheldon 1942)

genetically determined somatotypes (body types) predispose the individual toward behavioral consistency

Ectomorph

tense, introverted, socially restrained, inhibited personality

endomorph

affectionate, sociable, relaxed, lazy and jovial personality

mesomorph

adventurous, risk taking, dominance, aggressiveness

Eynsenck’s Personality Theory

relationship between specific traits generates superordinate trait dimensions

neuroticism

tense, anxious, moody, excitable

stability

calm, even-tempered, easygoing

psychoticism

aggressive, hostile, egocentric

superego

empathetic, cooperative, altruistic

Cattell Theories

16 factors describe personality, 16 factor questionnaire

5-Factor Model Theory

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism. Factors most consistently associated with physical activity behavior. Extraversion and conscientiousness are more strongly related to moderate/vigorous activity than mild/moderate activity

Eysenckian/Catellian Frameworks

made specific predictions regarding how personality would relate to physical activity and exercise behavior. Extraverts more likely to adopt and adhere to a physical activity/exercise regimen

Intensity preference

a predisposition to select a particular exercise intensity when given the opportunity

Intensity tolerance

a trait that influences one’s ability to continue exercising at an imposed level of intensity even when activity is unpleasant

Hardiness/Dispositional Resilience

resilience facing stressful events

Personality and Sport

level of competition, performance over the course of a season, type of sport, discrete athletic behaviors

Aspects of sport that personality IS NOT related to

status like starter, single game performance, specific playing position, participation in one specific sport over another

stress

a state of disharmony or threatened balance of physiological or psychological functioning

eustress

positive stressor

distress

negative stressor

General Adaptation Syndrome

arousal and alarm, resistance , exhaustion

2 major components physiological stress response

sympathetic nervous system, hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis

Cortisol and catecholamines

prepare the body to handle stressor, increasing blood glucose, heart rate, blood pressure, decreases digestion, immune function

Fight or Flight

behavioral response of aggression or fleeing. often due to a physical stressor, activation of SNS and HPA axis

tend or befriend

behavioral response involving the tendency to affiliate. may occur more frequently under certain conditions. more common in women. interactions of the hormone oxytocin with SNS and HPA responses

Homeostasis

ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite constant changes to external environment

Allostasis

The process of achieving stability through change. Changing internal environment to adjust to new conditions

Allostatic Load

cost of coping or adapting to a stressor. Increased allostatic load leads to illness and diseases

Biopsychosocial Model (Challenge/Threat)

an individual’s stress response is based on their appraisal of the stressor. Results of this appraisal trigger specific biological responses

Challenge state

high perceived control and expected success, involves effort or engagement, primarily catecholamine releases

Threat State

low perceived control and expected failure, distress or negative affect, involves cortisol release

active stressors

tasks/situations in which the individual’s response leads to a particular outcome

Passive stressors

tasks/situations in which individual’s response has no bearing on the outcome

Neuroelectric Measures

EEG, ERPs

Cardiovascular measures

heart rate and blood pressure

Cerebrovascular Measures

functional MRI, near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

ocular measures

pupillometry and eye tracking

dermal measures

galvanic skin response (GSR)

muscular measures

electromyography (EMG) blood flow

Hormonal measures

catecholamines and cortisol

Habituation

decreased magnitude of response to some familiar challenge

Sensitization

augmented response to a novel stressor

mental health

overall wellness of how you think, feel and behave

mental illness

encompasses all diagnosable mental disorders

Mental conditions

health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior associated with distress and or impaired function

Depressive disorders

characterized by depressed mood or anhedonia

Anhedonia

loss of interest, pleasure, enjoyment, like major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder

Bipolar and related disorders

characterized by states of mania, hypomania, or dramatic shifts in mood/energy

mania

state of extremely elevated mood or energy level

major depressive disorder

changes in weight or appetite, sleep, activity, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, cognitive impairments, suicide ideation or planning

Persistent depressive disorder

symptoms last longer than MDD but may be more mild. Duration of 2 years in adults, 1 year in children

Bipolar disorder

one or more episodes of mania or mixed episodes of mania and depression. Thoughts are grandiose or delusional, decreased need for sleep, easily distracted, excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that are likely to have painful consequences

Bipolar 1

More severe episodes of mania, with or without depression

Bipolar 2

hypomania with depressive episodes

Cyclothymia

manic and depressive states of insufficient intensity/duration to diagnose as bipolar or major depression. increased risk of developing bipolar disorder

MDD prevalence

leading cause of disability in the US for ages 15-44. Lifetime prevalence: 16%. Median age at onset is 32 years.

MDD comorbidities and mortality

increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, alcohol and drug use, obesity, suicide

Monoamine hypothesis

low levels of serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine

brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

a growth factor important for nerve growth, lower levels related to severity of depression symptoms

prefrontal cortex

highest order mental functions, planning complex cognitive behavior, rational thinking, personality expression, decision making, social behavior

Hippocampus

learning and memory formation

Amygdala

role in feeling and sensing others emotions specially fear

Neuroanatomy of depression

PFC, hippocampus volume decreases. Amygdala volume increases

Endorphin hypothesis

increase in endogenous opioids

distraction hypothesis

break from negative thoughts

mastery experience

exercises provides sense of accomplishment, self-worth, personal control over environment

social reinforcement

provides an opportunity to interact with ote

tolerance

a need for markedly increased amounts of substances to achieve intoxication or desired effect

withdrawal

characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance

3 stages of development of addiction

initial drug taking, habitual drug taking, drug craving and repeated relapse

experiment

a study where the researchers deliberately manipulate a variable of interest

randomized controlled trial

participants in a study are randomly assigned to groups

observational study

researchers observe the size and direction of a relationship without directly manipulating the variable of interest

cross sectional

occurring at one single point in time

longitudinal

occurring over time or at multiple timepoints

systematic review

a type of literature review where existing research is reviewed and summarized

meta analysis

often follows similar procedures to a systematic review, but also conducts statistics on the results of the reviewed studies

Meta analysis (thompson et al. 2020)

significant effect on PA prevention of alcohol initiation. No clear evidence for an effect of PA on alcohol consumption. Limitations: variability in interventions and study designs

schizophrenia diagnostic criteria

two or more of the following during 1 month period: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, negative symptom. Social occupational dysfunction. Duration of at least 6 months

positive symptoms of schizophrenia

symptoms that seem to represent an excess of typical function: delusions, hallucinations, inappropriate affect, disorganized speech or thought

negative symptoms

symptoms that seem to represent a reduction or loss of typical function, includes: affective flattening, avolition, catatonia

prevalence and comorbidities of schizophrenia

worldwide range from 0.5% to 1%, effects 26 million people worldwide