Neuroscience, Sensation, Perception, Psychological Disorders, Mental Health, Assessment & Intelligence, Personality, Identity, & Thinking, Cognition, Bias, Reasoning, Stress, Health, and Exercise, Perception Principles

Flashcards based on provided lecture notes.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter involved in reward and motivation.

Addictive substances

Increase dopamine in the nucleus accumbens.

Sensation

Detection of physical energy (light, sound).

Perception

Brain’s interpretation of sensory input.

Transduction

Conversion of physical signals into neural signals.

Fast Pathway (A-delta fibers)

Sharp, immediate pain pathway.

Slow Pathway (C fibers)

Throbbing, dull pain pathway.

Gate Control Theory

Non-painful input can “close the gate” to pain.

Cornea

Bends light in the eye.

Pupil

Regulates light entry in the eye.

Iris

Colored part of the eye, controls pupil.

Lens

Focuses light on retina.

Retina

Contains rods (light/dark) & cones (color).

Fovea

Center of retina, sharpest vision.

Optic Nerve

Sends signals from the eye to brain.

Visible light

Humans perceive 400–700 nm wavelengths.

Wavelength

Color perception.

Amplitude

Brightness perception.

Vestibular system

Detect movement, orientation.

Thalamus

Processes and relays all sensory input (except smell) to the cortex.

Process of Hearing - Step 1

Eardrum vibrates.

Process of Hearing - Step 2

Vibrations pass through ossicles (hammer, anvil, stirrup).

Process of Hearing - Step 3

Travel to cochlea (fluid-filled) → hair cells transduce into neural signals.

Process of Hearing - Step 4

Sent via auditory nerve to brain.

Personality Disorders

Maladaptive, enduring traits.

Learning Disorders

Issues with processing academic info.

Anxiety Disorders

Excessive fear.

Depressive Disorders

Persistent low mood, loss of interest.

Schizophrenia

Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Excessive, uncontrollable worry, muscle tension, fatigue, restlessness.

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech.

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Flat affect, social withdrawal.

Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Impaired executive function.

Bipolar I

At least 1 full manic episode.

Bipolar II

Hypomania + major depressive episode.

Suicide Prevalence

Higher in men, LGBTQ+ youth, those with mood disorders.

Suicide Risk factors

Hopelessness, impulsivity, access to means.

CBT

Change thoughts and behaviors.

Psychoanalytic Therapy

Uncover unconscious conflicts.

Humanistic Therapy

Focus on growth, self-actualization.

Behavioral Therapy

Conditioning to change behavior.

Group Therapy

Shared experiences, cost-effective.

Effectiveness of Treatment Measurement

Symptom tracking, functional improvements, comparison to placebo/control groups.

How to Pick a Therapist

Credentials, specialization, approach, cultural sensitivity, comfort level.

Antidepressants

SSRIs (e.g., fluoxetine).

Anxiolytics

Benzodiazepines (short-term use).

Mood Stabilizers

Lithium for bipolar.

Antipsychotics

For Schizophrenia.

Stimulants

Eg Ritalin. For ADHD.

Antidepressants

SSRIs.

Types of Assessment

Projective Tests (e.g., Rorschach).

Types of Assessment

Self-report (e.g., MMPI).

Types of Assessment

Intelligence Tests (e.g., WAIS).

Types of Assessment

Neuropsychological Tests (e.g., Stroop).

IQ Tests

Stanford-Binet, WAIS.

Achievement Tests

What you've learned.

Aptitude Tests

Potential to learn.

Spearman’s g

General intelligence.

Gardner’s MI

8 types (e.g., spatial, linguistic).

Sternberg's types of intelligence

Analytical, creative, practical.

Type A

Competitive, impatient, aggressive—higher heart disease risk.

Type B

Relaxed, easy-going—lower risk.

Internal Locus of Control

You control outcomes.

External Locus of Control

Fate/luck controls outcomes.

Self-concept

Knowledge about who you are.

Self-esteem

How you feel about who you are.

Narcissism

Self-importance.

Machiavellianism

Manipulativeness.

Psychopathy

Lack of empathy/remorse.

Convergent Thinking

One right answer.

Divergent Thinking

Many possible answers (creativity).

Box of Tacks, Candle, Matches (Duncker’s Problem)

Illustrates functional fixedness: inability to use objects in novel ways.

Formal Reasoning

Logical thinking using clear rules (e.g., syllogisms, math).

Availability Heuristic

Basing judgment on easily recalled examples.

Representativeness Heuristic

Matching prototype, ignoring probability.

Confirmation bias

Seek info that supports beliefs.

Daily Hassles

Everyday annoyances (traffic, chores).

Major Stressors

Life events (divorce, death).

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) - Alarm

Fight/flight.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) - Resistance

Cope with stressor.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) - Exhaustion

Reserves depleted.

Diathesis-Stress Model

Disorders result from predisposition (genetic/biological) + stress trigger.

Exercise Effects

Lowers anxiety & depression. Boosts mood, cognition, physical health.

Health Psychology

Study how behavior, biology, and social factors influence health.

Biopsychosocial Model

Combines biological, psychological, and social influences on health.

Gestalt Principle - Proximity

Group nearby items.

Gestalt Principle - Similarity

Group similar items.

Gestalt Principle - Closure

Fill in gaps.

Gestalt Principle - Continuity

Smooth patterns preferred.

Gestalt Principle - Figure-ground

Distinguish object from background.

Sensory Adaptation

Decreased sensitivity after constant exposure to a stimulus.