Psych/Soc MCAT

Retrospective Study

Examines past records (retrospective: looking to the past)

Prospective Study

Examines incoming records (prospective: looking forward)

Embedded study

When researchers are embedded into the group of participants

Confounding Variable

Variable that changes the relationship between IV and DV that is being tested

Mediating Variable

Variable that explains the relationship between IV and DV

Moderating Variable

Variable that provides context for the relationship between IV and DV (like a mediating variable) but isn’t solely responsible for the outcome

• i.e. maternal age can explain a higher rate of birth defects but does not necessitate it

Aspect of Withdrawl

Symptoms of Withdraw are often the opposite of the symptoms of the drug craved

Drive Reduction Theory

Theory stating motivation comes from eliminating uncomfy internal states that come from ignoring biological needs

Incidence

Number of new cases

Cross-Sectional Study

study looking at a sample of a larger group at a certain point in time

• like looking at the cross-section of a cake instead of the whole thing

Prevalence

how common a disease is (new+current cases)

case-control study

compares affected individuals with unaffected ones

Social constructionism

Knowledge is built from interacting with others. People prioritizing what they are told over biological instincts

Hans Eysenck

Studied genetic influence on personality

Abraham Maslow

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs

Physiological needs > Safety > Love+Belonging > Esteem > Self-Actualization

BF Skinner

Studied how behavior is influenced by consequences (rewards/punishment thru operant conditioning)

Gordon Allport

Allport Trait Theory of Personality

• Cardinal - Traits that dominate personality

• Central - Traits central to the personality

• Secondary - Traits dependent of circumstance

Ethnocentrism

Viewing other cultures through the lens of ones own culture

• not eating bugs in a foreign country bc your country doesn’t see bugs as food

Reconstructive Bias

The tendency to misremember details when recalling memories

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency to respond differently to research questions when they know answers are recorded

Attrition Bias

When a patient drops out of a long-term study due to attrition

Response Bias

Innacurate responses with studies that rely on self-reporting results

Different Types of Stress

Distress - Bad

Neustress - Neutral

Eustress - Good

Deductive / Inductive Reasoning

Upside down triangle method

• Deductive (Top Down): Broad Observation > Specific Conclusion

• Inductive (Bottom Up): Specific Observation > Broad conclusion

Elaboration Likelihood Model

How people get persuaded

• Central Route: Careful consideration of evidence

• Peripheral Route: Superficial details like speakers attractiveness and length of persuasive message

Hidden Curriculum

Norms, Values, and Behaviors implemented into a curriculum without being officially part of the curriculum

Educational Stratification

People w more resources have better educational opportunities

Medicalization

Treating social problems like medical issues

• medicalization of shyness as anxiety disorder

Core components to emotion

Physiological: Arousal

Cognitive: Subjective experiences

Behavioral: Expressive Displays

Core components to attitude

Cognitive: Subjective experiences

Affective: emotional response

Behavioral: Actions

Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotions

Emotions are the combination of physiological and cognitive aspects

• stimulus detected > Physiology and Cognitive response > Emotion felt

James-Lange Theory of Emotion

Physiological Aspects of emotion lead to cognitive aspects

• I see a lion > heart rate rises > I feel scared

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotions

cognitive and physiological aspects occur simultaneously and independently

Yerkes Dodson Theory of Emotion

Performance is best with moderate emotional stimulation

Explicit vs Implicit Memory

Both Long Term Memory

• Explicit involves factual information or specific events

• Implicit effortless involved procedural or behavioral memory

Working Memory

Short-Term memory that enables us to store information in the subconcious for executive function

Habituation and Dishabituation

Habituation - When repeated exposure to a stimulus leads to a decrease in response

Dishabituation - When response is recovered after a long period of not being exposed to the habituated stimulus

Acquisition

Turning a neutral stimulus into a conditioned one by pairing it with an unconditioned stimulus

Sensory Memory

High Accuracy memory that lasts a very short amount of time

• Iconic memory: Visual

• Echoic memory: Audio

Prejudice vs Discrimination

Prejudice is an attitude

Discrimination is an action (disciriminaction)

Construct Validity

If the terms defined in a study are valid

External Valditiy

if research can generally apply to cases outside of the study

Criterion Validity

Tests can accurately predict an outcome

Availability vs Representative Hueristic

Hueristic - Way of approaching problem solving

Availability: Reasoning using what first comes to mind

Representative: Reasoning using stereotypes

Causation Bias

innacurate attribution of cause + effect relationships

Primary vs Secondary Groups

Primary: Long-lasting deep connection between group members

Secondary: Superficial shallow connection between group members

Informational Influence

Believing what others say as evidence of reality

Normative Influence

Influence to conform to norms for social approval

Ingratiation

Flattering someone so they comply to your requests

Folkway

Informal / unwritten norms (think ettiquette)

Mores

Moral norms

• i.e. not stealing or cheating

Informal vs Formal Norms

unwritten vs written rules of society

approach vs avoidance conflict

approach means pros to the decision

avoidance means cons to the decision

conflict happens when chosing between two options w pros(approach-approach), two options w cons(avoidance-avoidance), or to take an option with both pros and cons (approach-avoidance)

Asch’s Study

Social pressure affects people to conform in group settings

• in the study a varying number of people conformed for each tiral

Fundamental Attribution Error

Incorrectly attributing someone’s actions by overemphasizing internal aspects (their morals and values) instead of external aspects (environment/ if they had a rough day)

Biomedical Approach to Pysch Disorders

focuses on biological and medical causes and treatments of disorders (drugs like ssri’s)

Biopsychosocial Approach to Psychological Disorders

Focuses on Biological, Psychological, and Social components of disorders and addresses each component in treatment

DSM-5

Manual that pairs psychological disorders with common symptoms and patterns

Schizophrenia Disorders

(+) symptoms: adding a behavior or cognition

• Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech or behavior

(-) symptoms: loss of a behavior or cognition

• Avolition (loss of motivation) and loss of affect (emotional responses)

Linked to genetic factors and adolescent marijuana usage

High levels of dopaminergic transmission

Depressive Disorder

• Major depressive disorder - has at least on major episode

• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthmia) - has persistent depressive symptoms but not enough to be considered MAJOR

• seasonal depression

High glucocorticoids,

Low serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine

Bipolar Disorder

Classified by manic/hypomanic episodes

• BP1 Disorder - At least one manic episode

• BP2 Disorder - At least one hypomanic and one depressive episode

• Cyclothymic - Periods of depressive or manic symptoms but not severe enough to be an episode

High norepinephrine and serotonin

Highly heritable

Anxiety

Excessive fear impairing normal function classified by the cause of the impairment

• Phobias (10% of population), Separation anx, Social anx, selective mutism, panic disorder, agoraphobia (linked with panic disorder)

• Generalized anxiety Disorder - Persisting anxiety over general things over 6 months

OCD and related Disorders

characterized by perceived needs (obsessions) matched with actions to meet those needs (compulsions)

• Body dysmorphia - obsession over an unrealisticly attainable imperfect body part and the compulsion to fix it

• Hoarding - obsession over having things and the compulsion to have more

PTSD

characterized by certain symptoms

• intrusion symptoms: nightmares / flashbacks

• Avoidance symptoms: avoiding trauma

• Negative mood

• Amnesia

• Arousal symptoms: (easily startled)

Dissociative Disorders

• Dissociative Amnesia: inability to recall past experiences paired with dissociative fugue (a dissociative wander away from familiar places)

• Dissociative Identity Disorder: 2+ personalities control one’s behavior

• Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder: feeling deattachment from one’s surroundings

Somatic Symptoms

linked to or caused by significant bodily symptoms

• Illness anxiety - fear of obtaining or having an illness

• Conversion Disorder - Unexplained symptoms affecting motor/sensory function

Major Depressive Episode Symptoms

Sadness + SIG E CAPS

• Sleep

• Interest

• Guilt

• Energy

• Concentration

• Appetite

• Psychomotor fxn

• Suicidal thoughts

Personality Disorders (3 Clusters)

Cluster A - Odd, eccentric

• Paranoid, Schizo

Cluster B - Dramatic, Emotional, Erratic

• Narcissism, Antisocial, Borderline, Histronic (pick me)

Cluster C - Anxious, Fearful (

• avoidant, dependent, OCD)

Alzheimer’s

gradual memory loss, disorientation to time and place, problems with abstract thoughts

linked to genetics, brain atrophy

Low acetylcholine

B amyloid protein plaque build up and tangles in tau protein

Parkinson’s

Characterized by resting tremors, expressionless face, shuffling gait, rigid muscles when exhibiting executive function

Caused by decrease in dopamine in substantia nigra

Social Facilitation

People performance level changes when others are around (performance is facilitated by the social aspect)

Deindividuation

Loss of self-identity in group settings

Group polarization

Groups tend to make more extreme decisions than they would as individuals

Groupthink

When decisions are made from ideas originating in the group ignoring outside factors like ethics to better conform with the group

Assimilation

The merging of an individual’s culture with a new one

Socialization

The social process of developing and spreading norms and beliefs

Stigma

Extreme disapproval of a person or group based on perceived differences

Deviance

Violating norms

Compliance

Change in behavior at the request of others

Obedience

change of behavior from authority request

Functional Attitude Theory

Attitudes towards things serve 4 functions

1) Knowledge

2) Ego Expression

3) Ego Defense

4) Adaptability

Learning Theory

Attitudes are learned through interaction and instruction

Social Cognitive Theory

Attitudes are obtained from observations of others and environments

Functionalism Theory

Made by Emile Durkheim (FED)

States that society is a complex system of components with specfic functions

Manifest Function

A deliberate action that helps a given system

Latent Function

Unintended or unexpected benefit to a system coming from a manifest function

Conflict Theory

Karl Marx

Everything is a competition and differences in power maintain social order

Symbolic Interactionism

Herbert Mead

Explores how people interact through a shared understanding of symbols like words or gestures

Social Constructionism

Explores society through social constructs which are ideas that are created and accepted within a society

Rational Choice Theory

States that people make decisions that maximize benefits while minimizing costs

Exchange Theory

Ration Choice theory applied in a group setting

Feminist Theory

critiques institutionalized discrimination against women

4 Ethical Tenets of American Medicine

Autonomy - Recognizing patients have the right to chose what healthcare they receive

Beneficence - Acting in the patient’s best interest

Nonmaleficence - avoiding treatments where risk outweighs reward

Justice - Equal distribution and treatment of similar patients

Material Culture

Physical items associated with a certain group

Symbolic Culture

Ideas associated with a certain group

Cultural Lag

Material Culture tends to shift faster than Symbolic culture

Cultural Barrier

Social/Cultural difference impeding interaction

Culture

Lifestyle of a group

• Can flow from evolutionary principles and can influence evolution

Demographics

Statistics of populations that can be mathematically applied to sociology

• Commonly regarding age, gender, race + ethnicity, sexuality, and place of origin

Migration

Movement of people from one place to another

• Immigration is movement towards a place

• Emigration is movement away from a place