IB PSYCHOLOGY SL EXAM STUDIES

Bandura et al.

BOBO study: SLOA: social cognitive theory- self efficacy, social learning theory, promoting prosocial behavior

• aim: to test if children would imitate aggression modelled by an adult

• simplified procedure: children either observed an adult model physically and verbally abusing an inflatable bobo doll or observed an adult playing quietly with tinker toys, children were then placed in a room with doll and their behavior was observed through a one-way mirror

• results:

children in aggressive condition- aggressive

Capsi eat al.

5-HTT gene: BLOA Genes and Behavior, Genetic similarity

• Aim: To investifate if the 5-HTT gene (aka serotonin transporter gene) influences depression following stressful life events

• participants from New Zealand divided by short and long alleles

• Results: participants with at least one “short” allele reported significantly more depressive symptoms after stress than those with two long alleles WHEN there was stress (noted by questionaires)

Taijafel et al.

:Social Identity Theory, social categorization

• AIM: to see if grouping people based on arbitrary criteria (minimal groups) would lead to in-group favoritism

• boys were assigned to groups which were assigned points (money) to others using matrices

• boys chose to maximize difference between groups (favoring their won group) even if it meant their group received fewer points

• categorization is sufficient to trigger intergroup discrimination

Latané and Darley- smoke

Smoke filled room: Bystanderism, influence of group, Pluralistic ignorance

Aim: To test if the presence of others affects the likelihood of reporting an emergency

Participants were in a room filling with smoke either alone, with two calm confederates, or with two other naive participants

Results: Alone- 75% reported, Two confederates 10% reported it, 3 naive participants: 38% reported

Pluralistic ignorance occurs when people look to others for cues, leading to inaction

Loftus and Palmer

Car crash video: CLOA reliability of cognitive processes- framing effect, leading questions, Reconstructive Memory

AIM: to see if leading questions influence speed estimation and subsequent memory of event

45 students watched care crash videos. the verb used in the question (“smashed",””hit,” “bumped.”) and second experiment asked if they saw broken glass a week later

RESULTS: “smashed led to the highest speed estimate and more false reports of broken glass

External information provided after an even can change original memory

Baddely and Hitch

Dual task study: CLOA models of memory- working memory model

Aim: To investigate if people can use different parts of short-term memory at the same time

Participants performed a digit-span task (repeating numbers) while simultaneously completing a verbal reasoning task

Results: Participants could do both tasks successfully, though reasoning was slightly slower as the digit string increases'

STM is not a single store but consists of multiple components that cna process information independently

Maguire et al.;

brain sturcture of London Taxi Drivers; techniques to study brian-MRI, Neurplasticity, Localization of Function

AIM: To investigate whether structural changes in the brain (hippocampus- the “gateway” for memeory and spatial navigation) could be detected in people with extensive experience in spatial navigation

Quasi-experiment comparing right-handed male London taxi drivers to healthy non-taxi drivers using MRI scans

Results: taxi drivers had significantly increased grey matter volume in the posterior hippocampus, non-taxi drivers had more grey matter in the anterior hippocampus

The brain can physically change in response to the environment demands, demonstrating neuroplasticity

Batson et al

CLOA/SLOA empathy-alturism theory—> prosocial behavior

“Elaine” study

AIM: to test if empathy leads to genuine altruism or if people help just to escape their own distress

Participants observed a confederate (Elaine) receiving electric shocks

• IV 1- high similarity vs low similarity

• IV 2- easy escape (leave after 2 shocks) vs difficult escape (must watch all 10)

High empathy: most helped regardless of whether escape was easy or difficult

Low empathy: most left when escape was easy, they only helped when escape was difficult

— True empathy triggers altruism; lack of empathy leads to helping only for self-interest (to stop feeling bad)

Throne et al

armit secretions and attractiveness study, pheromones and behavior

AIM: investigate the effect of male pheromones on female rating of male attractiveness

Repeated measures, they rated attractiveness of male faces while eposed to either male axillary extracts (pheromones) or a control scent

RESULTS: participants rated the male faces as significantly more attractive when exposed to the pheromones compared to the control

Human pheromones may influence socio-sexual behavior and attraction

Madsen et al

Prosocial Behavior driven by kin selection theory for why we engage in prosocial behavior

participants endured physical pain longer to earn money for closer relatives

AIM: to investigate the “kinship effect” on altruistic behavior, testing if people are more willing to endure pain for closer relatives

• Participants performed a painful physical task (wall sit) and for every second they held the position, a designated relative received a reward (money or food)

RESULTS: participants held the painful position for significantly longer durations when the reward was for a closer relative compared to a more distance one or friend

Human altruism is influenced by genetic relatedness, supported the evolutionary theory that we prioritize the survival of our own games

Crockett et al

BLOA- neurotransmitters, agonist of serotonin

Links serotonin to moral decision making and prosocial behavior

• focuses on whether changing serotonin availability alters how willing people are to harm others when faced with different types of moral dilemmas

• Aim. Test how serotonin influences choices involving harm to others

• Procedure: participants took citalopram (Sri that increases serotonin availability) or a placebo p, then responded to moral dilemmas- impersonal or personal

• Results:participants were less likely to choose direct harm in personal dilemmas

• Increased serotonin activity was linked to more Prosocial choices in emotional salient situations

Romach et al

BLOA- neurotransmitter: antagonist of dopamine

dopamine- related drugs can change behavior

AIM: to investigate the effect of a dopamine antagonist (Ecopipam) on the subject effects and cravings of cocaine in addicts

• 15 cocaine addicts in a randomized double-blind study received a placebo or varying doses of Ecopipam, followed by an injection of cocaine

Results: those who took the antagonist reported significantly reduced feelings of “being high” or “eurphoric” compared to the placebo group

Latane and Darley- seizure

To investigate if the number of bystanders influence the likelihood of helping an emergency

• participants sat in private booths discussing college life over an intercom

• they heard a confederate have a staged seizure, believing they were in a 1-on-1, group of 3, or group of 6 ]

• Findings:

  • alone- 85% helped

  • 3- 62% helped

  • 6- 31% helped

As the number of bystanders increases, the perceived individual responsibility decreases

Darley and Gross

Schema Theory, Confirmation Bias, Bias in thinking and decision making

Hannah test taking video

• Participants were either told she came from high socioeconomic status or low socioeconomic background

  • watched video of her taking a test, performing task as ambiguous as possible

• higher the status, the higher rating of performance

Dabbs et al

testosterone in prisoners (using saliva samples)

more testosterone, more violent crimes anf had more confrontationd in orison

correlationsl study

Basu et. al

• Aim: To investigate how gender-appropriate behaviors are socialized (enculturated) in different cultures.

• Participants: Adolescents and their parents from Delhi, India and Shanghai, China.

• Findings:

  • In both cultures, parents applied strict gender norms.

  • Girls were often restricted in their movement and dress (e.g., told to be "ladylike").

  • Boys were encouraged to be "brave" and "tough."

  • Mothers were found to be the primary "agents" of this enculturation.

• Conclusion: Gender roles are enculturated through parental reinforcement and supervision, often more strictly for girls than boys.

Miranda and Matheny

Acculturation/ Assimilation

To see which factors decrease acculturative stress in Latino immigrants in the USA

• Latino immigrants completed a survey about their life in the US

• Immigrants had lower stress: good proficiency in English, effective coping skills, strong family cohesion (family support)

Acculturation is easier when you have social support and can communicate in the new culture

Tversky and Kahneman

Availibility Heuristic -system 1 of Dual Processing Model

• ease with which examples come to mind affects our judgement

• list of names-judge if there is more female or male

• 80% incorrect judgement was the chosen famous name gender