Year 10 Pre-VCE Psychology Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering key concepts from Year 10 Pre-VCE Psychology lecture notes, focusing on the brain, nervous system, personality, mental health, and stress.

The scientific study of human thoughts, feelings, and behavior and how these three concepts are interconnected.

Psychology

Mental Processes

Thoughts and feelings are known as what?

Behavior

Outward action that can be directly observed.

Interconnected

Thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are ___.

Scientific Method

Collect information (data) related to a topic, question or issue of interest. The data is then summarised and analysed, and a conclusion is drawn about what it tells us.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer layer of the brain.

Corpus Callosum

Bridge joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

Forebrain

Processes sensory information, helps with reasoning and problem-solving, and regulates autonomic, endocrine, and motor functions

Midbrain

Helps to regulate movement and process auditory and visual information

Hindbrain

Helps to regulate autonomic functions, relay sensory information, coordinate movement, and maintain balance and equilibrium.

Cerebellum

Coordinates fine muscle movements and is involved in posture and balance. It is also involved in activities requiring a rapid and skilled sequence of movements

Medulla

Controls vital bodily functions such as swallowing, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, vomiting, salivating, coughing and sneezing – all of which occur automatically and are important for survival

Pons

Involved in sleep, dreaming, waking up from sleep, as well as helping us control our breathing and coordinate some muscle movements; acts as a ‘messenger’ by relaying and connecting messages between the cerebral cortex and cerebellum a well as between the medulla and midbrain.

Forebrain

The largest and most prominent part of the brain; involved in complex cognitive processes such as thinking, learning, memory, perception as well as aspects of emotion and personality.

Hypothalamus

Controls the pituitary gland and thus influences the release of certain hormones such as the growth hormone and oxytocin; also controls homeostasis (including vital functions such as hunger, thirst, and body temperature).

Thalamus

Filters information from almost all the sense receptor sites and then passes it to the relevant areas of the brain for further processing.

Cerebrum

Consists of an outer cerebral cortex and layer of neural tissue where neurons form connections with each other; consists of the two cerebral hemispheres – basically the outer cover of the brain.

Hemispheric Specialisation

Functions or show greater control over processing certain functions than the other.

Hemispheric Specialisation

Functions or show greater control over processing certain functions than the other

True

Each hemisphere of the brain has contra-lateral organisation, true or false?

Frontal Lobes

Largest lobe, located in the upper forward sectionof eachhemisphere – behind your forehead. Contains the primarymotor cortex–aspecialised areaformotor function andmovement.

Parietal Lobes

Located at the top and centre of the brain between the frontal and occipital lobes of EACH brain hemisphere; Involved in functions such as: ▪ Sense of touch ▪ Detection ofmovement ▪ Location of objects and one’s own body within thesurrounding environment or space.

Occipital Lobes

Located at the back of thebrain; Contains the primary visual cortex

Temporal Lobes

Locatedin the lower, centralareaofthe brain, above and around each ear; Usedin auditory perception,memory, visual perception&recognisingfaces

Neuron

The basic functional unit of our nervous system which carries information.

Dendrites

Branch-like extensions that receive the message (i.e. the electrical impulse) from the pre-synaptic (sending) neuron.

Axons

The stick-like region of a neuron along which the message (i.e. the electrical neural impulse) is relayed, from the pre-synaptic (sending) neuron to the post-synaptic (receiving) neuron.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical substances that are released from the axon terminal buttons into the synapse, to enhance the speed and transmission of the message as it travels from the pre-synaptic to post-synaptic neuron.

Synapse / Synaptic Gap

The tiny gap of space between the pre- and post-synaptic neuron, that acts as a site of communication (onto which the neurotransmitter is released).

Motor neurons

Relay information relating to movement FROM the brain (CNS) to the body part that needs to be moved (PNS) via the spinal cord.

Sensory neurons

Communicate information related to sensations (e.g. heat, cold, touch, textures, pressure, pain) FROM the body parts (PNS) to the brain (CNS) via the spinal cord.

Interneurons

A special type of neuron that is in charge of communicating or relaying messages between motor and sensory neurons, as motor and sensory neurons rarely connect directly.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Comprised of the brain and spinal cord; integrating information coming from various parts of the body , coordinating different activities in the body and controlling behaviour.

Spinal Cord

A long cable of nerve tissue (neurons) that connects the brain to the peripheral nervous system (basically, the rest of the body).

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

All nerves that lie outside the CNS (brain and spinal cord); connect the CNS to the body’s organs, muscles and glands (such as skin and limbs).

Somatic Nervous System

A network of nerves that relay sensory information to the CNS (incoming sensory info from the body) and motor information from the CNS (messages sent from the brain to move a particular part of the body).

Autonomic Nervous System

involved in regulating and controlling involuntary body functions that help to keep us alive such as heartbeat, blood flow, respiration, and digestion.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Controls the body’s response to emergencies and threats; initiates the fight- flight response prepares our body to either fight (confront the threat head- on) or flight (run away).

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Activates after a danger or threat has passed and it calms the body after action; responsible for maintaining normal automatic day-to-day body functioning, e.g. digestion, normal heart rate & breathing, and plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis

Neurotransmitters

Chemical substances that carry information between neurons; allow for messages to be sent from pre-synaptic to post-synaptic neurons in a faster and more efficient way.

GABA

Works to obstruct or prevent firing and activity within the post-synaptic neuron.

Glutamate

Stimulates and activates post-synaptic neurons.

Parkinson’s Disease

A neurodegenerative disorder that affects the functioning of the central nervous system and a specific brain structure known as the Substantia Nigra.

Normality

A pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviour that conform to a usual, typical or expected standard

Abnormality

A pattern of thoughts, feelings or behaviour that are deviant, distressing and dysfunctional.

Typical Behaviour

When the individual acts as they ‘usually’ do – the behaviour they show is standard or normal.

Atypical Behaviour

When the individual acts in ways that are ‘unusual’ or not typical or standard for them; act ‘out of character’.

Adaptive Behaviour

Any behaviour that allows the individual to adjust to the environment effectively and appropriately.

Maladaptive Behavior

Any behaviour that interferes with and does not allow an individual to adjust to the environment effectively and appropriately.

Biopsychosocial Model

A holistic approach to describing and explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence a person’s level of physical and mental health.

Internal Factors

Factors stemming from within a person.

External Factors

Factors coming from the surrounding environment.

Continuum of Mental Health

Illustrates the concept of mental health as being ever changing and never in a static (unmoving or remaining the same) state; we may be satisfied and mentally stable moment one moment but stressed or upset the next moment.

Mental Health

a state of wellbeing in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to their community

Mental Health Problem

a period of low mentalhealth in a person's life that affects the way a person thinks, feels and/or behaves, but to a lesser extent and of a shorter duration than a mental disorder.

Mental Disorder

a mental state that involves thoughts, feelings and behaviours which are associated with impairment in daily life, personal distress, atypical thoughts, feelings & behavioursand dysfunction

High Levels of Functioning

Can act independently and fulfil any tasks that they need to; the actions and behaviours effectively used when completing daily tasks.

Emotional wellbeing

Our ability to express emotions.

Resilience to Life Stressors

The ability to cope with and adapt to life stressors which results in restored positive mental functioning.

Stress

Is a state of physiological (‘biological’) and psychological arousal produced by internal or external individual stressors that are perceived by as challenging or exceeding the their ability or resourcesto cope.

Stressor

A stimulus (person, object, situation, event – ‘POSE’) that causes or produces stress and challenges our ability to cope.

External

Internal VS external stressors. Is a fight with a friend considered an external or internal stressor?

Eustress

A positive psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by presence of apositive psychological statee.g. being happy, enthusiastic, & alert.

Distress

A negative psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of a negative psychological state such as feeling angry, anxious, nervous, irritable or tensed.

Daily Pressures

The everyday issues, problems and stressors which are encountered frequently and which can cause a person to feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

Life Events

Refer to events that bring on significant change for a person by forcing them to adapt into new circumstances which require long-term adjustments and which have immediate consequences.

Acculturative Stress

Stress people experience when trying to adapt or ‘fit in’ to a new culture, especially when the new culture they are moving into is very different from their original culture.

Major Stress

Stress that a person experiences as a result of going through an extremely disturbing and distressing experience.

Catastrophes

An unpredictable event that causes serious and widespread damage or suffering, can affect many people at the same time and is out of their control.

Fight Response

The organism confronts the threat or stressor directly; activates the sympathetic nervous system and physiological changes occur to provide energy to the body to deal with the threat or stressor

Flight Response

The organism flees, runs away or escapes from the threat or stressor as a safe option; activates the sympathetic nervous system – increasing energy and glucose to the muscles to allow the organism to quickly run away.

Freeze Response

The organism’s body experiences shock and a temporary loss of muscle tone; becoming still and immobile (unmoving or ‘frozen’) until they can process and decide how they will respond to the threat or stressor

Cortisol

A primary (main) stress hormone which is released to help people respond to and deal with stressors.

Alarm Reaction stage

It is made up of two sub-stages called Shock and Countershock; a body’s immediate and initial defensive reaction to the stressor.

Countershock sub-stage

person’s body rebounds from the previous shocked and frozen state when they enter this next sub-stage of Alarm Reaction

Context-Specific Effectiveness

Is when a coping strategy or method is said to be suitable (‘effective’) for dealing with the stressful situation (‘the context’).

Coping Flexibility

Capacity to consider the demands of different stressful situations and change or adjust one’s coping methods and strategies accordingly.

Approach Coping Strategy

Involves making an effort to directly encounter, confront and deal with the stressor.

Avoidant Coping Strategy

Involves making an effort to evade or escape a stressor as well as any of its effects.

Resilience

ability to cope with and adapt to life stressors and consequently ‘bounce back’ from a time of stress to restore positive mental functioning.

Adequate Diet

Is a biological protective factor for resilience. What does this directly influence, allowing a better chance to deal with the stressors?

Adequate Sleep

Is a psychological protective factor for resilience. Some of these effects are e.g. irritability and irrational thinking, what are we talking about here?