Psych 2000 Exam #3 LSU

Piaget's Theory

He had 4 theories stating that as we age we exhibit new skills and overcome earlier challenges.

Stage 1: Sensorimotor

From birth till age 2. At this stage we slowly learn how to use our senses and our motor skills. We develop the skills such as grasping, pushing, tasting. At the end of this stage we learn Object Permanence.

Object Permanence

We learn this at a very young age. Around age 2 we learn that objects still exist even though they are not in sight. (Sensorimotor)

Stage 2: Preoperational

From age 2 - 7. In this stage we learn how to walk, talk, imagine, play, and ask questions, but we are not yet capable of logical thought. We also often believe in stories are tales like Santa.

Animism

Everything that moves is alive. (Preoperational)

Ego-centrism

Inability to see the world through any one else s point of view. (Preoperational)

Centration

Focusing on only one feature of an object (Preoperational).

Conservation

Ability to understand that altering the appearance of something does not change its amount (Preoperational).

Irreversibility

The idea of mentally reversing actions (Preoperational).

Stage 3: Concrete

From age 7 - 12. In this stage conservation and reversible thinking are now doable. We can also focus on more then one feature of an object at a time. We can think logically.

Stage 4: Formal

From age 12 - adulthood. We are now capable of abstract thinking, critical thinking, and problem solving. One key is that not all people will develop each of these skills associated with this stage.

Criticism of Piaget's Theories

Development is continuous and doesn't have clear hierarchies like his theory. Children express their mental abilities at a variation ages. He stressed the importance of children's' interactions with objects, not with humans.

Nature

Refers to heredity, the influence of inherited characteristics on our personality, physique, intellect, and social prowess.

Nurture

Refers to the influence of the our environment on what we grow up to be like. This is how our parents influence us.

Nature v Nurture

Debate that discusses how our personality, behavior, intellect, etc come to exist. Does it come from our DNA or does it come from how we are raised? Turns out that its a mixture of both!

Mono-zygotic (Identical)

This is the term used to describe twins that come from a single egg. A single egg is impregnated and splits forming two babies. Each baby will be the same sex and have the same physical features.

Di-zygotic (Fraternal)

This is the term used that describes the phenomena that occurs when two eggs are fertilized at the same time.

Dicephaly (Conjoined)

This is the term used when two separate beings are attached form the waist down (Abby and Brittany).

Genetics

This is the science of heredity. Understanding how genes transmit human characteristics and traits.

How many chromosomes do normal humans have?

46; 23 from mom and 23 from dad.

Dominant Genes

These genes are highly active and influencing genes. This type of gene will always be expressed.

Recessive Genes

These genes are less active and influencing. They can only be expressed if matched with another less active gene.

Epigenetics

This is changing the widely accepted linear conception of genome function by explaining how environmental and psychological factors regulate the activity of our genome without involving changes in the DNA sequence.

Who is Erikson?

He was the man who created the 8 major "crises" theory.

Stage 1 (Babies)

Trust v Mistrust. Do we get the proper care from those we trust or do we not get cared for and mistrust those who are suppose to care for us?

Stage 2 (Few months old)

Autonomy v Shame and Doubt. Do we gain independence through control of our own actions or do we get blocked and develop a sense of shame for failing?

Stage 3 (age 3-6)

Initiative v Guilt. Do we learn how to control or actions and behaviors or do we fail and develop a sense of guilt and anxiousness?

Stage 4 (age 6-12)

Industry v Inferiority. Do we succeed in learning and develop a sense of industry or do we fail to learn and feel incompetent.

Stage 5 (age 12-19)

Identity v Identity Confusion. The main questions are "Who am I? Where am I going? Do I have a unified sense of self?" You make decision about occupation, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior.

Stage 6 (age 19-35)

Intimacy v Isolation. The main questions are "Shall I share my life with another? Can I form a committed relationship with another?" You determine who you are with another human being, leading to satisfying intimacy or isolation and loneliness.

Stage 7 (age 35-60)

Generativity v Stagnation. The main questions are "Will I produce something of value? Have I contributed?" We challenge ourselves to transmit something positive to the next gen or we will feel stagnant.

Stage 8 (60-DEATH)

Integrity v Despair. The main questions are "Have I lived a full life?" Have you accepted your life (successes and failures) or fear death and feel empty.

Motivation

The process by which activities are started, directed, and continued so that our needs and wants are met.

Intrinsic Motivation

A person preforms an action that rewards them internally.

Extrinsic Motivation

A person preforms an action that effects them on the outside. An example of this would be a person working to be rewarded with pay.

Instinct Approach

Motivation that assumes people are governed by instincts similar to those of animals.

Drive

A psychological tension and physical arousal when there is a need to motivate an organism to act to reduce the need.

Need

Requirement for survival (food or water).

Primary Drives

Involves needs of the body such as hunger or thirst.

Secondary (Acquired) Drives

These are learned through experience or conditioning, such as the need for approval and money.

Drive Reduction Theory

This theory assumes behavior arises from needs that cause internal drives to push the organism to satisfy those needs.

Homeostasis

Tendency of an organism to try and keep its body at its regular (desired) state.

3 needs:

Achievement, power, and affiliation.

Amygdala

Located within the limbic system on each side of the brain. Associated with both fear and pleasure (emotions). This part process info in two ways (High and low road).

High Road

In this situation the Amygdala use cortical pathways. This results in a slower more complex response. This slow and complicated response allows us to recognize the threat and take control of our senses.

Low Road

In this situation the Amygdala uses pathways under the cortex, which is faster. Even though this response is quicker it isn't always better. It doesn't allow us to properly observe the situation using our senses, but allow an almost immediate response such as a cry of "HELP!!"

Schachter and Singer Model

Cognitive Arousal Theory. (ANS = autonomic nervous system)

Cognitive Arousal Theory

Two things happen before emotion occurs: the physical arousal and a labeling of the arousal based on environmental cues.

Lazarus and the Cognitive Mediational Theory

The most important aspect of any emotional experience is how the person interprets or appraises the stimulus that causes the emotional reaction.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial expressions provide feedback to the brain concerning the emotion being expressed, which in turn not only intensifies the emotion, but also actually causes the emotion.

Conformity

Changing one's own behavior to more closely math the action of others. Asch did an experiment with a card with individual lines and asked actors to answer incorrectly. After watching a group answer incorrectly each time the participant had the answer, but still decided to fail with the group.

Compliance

Occurs when people change their behavior as a result of others input. Person asking for change really has no authority over the individual. Foot-in-the-Door (small request followed by bigger one), Door-in-Face (large request first), or Lowball (once a commitment is made the work increases).

Obedience

Changing one's behavior at the direct order of an authority figure. Milgram Experiment in which professor shocked their students at the command of an instructor even though the shocks were of incredible amounts.

Prejudice

Unsupported and negative stereotypes.

Discrimination

Treating people differently because of prejudice toward the social group to which they belong.

How to reduce prejudice?

Prejudice can be overcome through education,equal status theory, and working towards a common goal.

Equal Status Theory

Contact between groups in which the groups have equal status, with neither group having power over the other.

Stereotypes

A set of characteristics that people believe is shared by all members of a particular social category.

Social Loafing

Theory that lazy people work well alone, but work poorly in groups.

Attitude

Tendency to respond positively or negatively toward a certain, idea, person, object, or situation.

Three components of Attitude:

The affective (who the person feels), the behavioral (how the person reacts), and the cognitive (what a person thinks about himself and the situation).

Attitude formation:

Direct contact (person comes into direct contact with the focus of the attitude), Direct Instruction (direct instruction from others toward the focus of the attitude), Interaction with others (formed from being around others with certain attitudes), and Vicarious Conditioning (formed from watching others and how they react).

Persuasion

Process by which one person tries to change the belief, opinion, position, or course of action of another person through argument, pleading, or explanation.

Parts of Persuasion:

The communicator, the message, the Target audience and the medium.

Cognitive Dissonance

This is when people experience a level of emotional discomfort from doing things they normally wouldn't. The action goes against anything their normal selves. An example of this would be someone saying "That was really stupid of you." but you don't think of yourself as stupid.

Ways to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance:

Change behavior to match attitude, change their current conflicting cognition to justify behavior, or to form a new cognition to justify behavior.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Philip Zimbardo's study of the effect of roles on behavior. Participants were randomly assigned to play either prisoners or guards in a mock prison. The study was ended early because of the "guards'" role-induced cruelty.

Adolescence refers to the period between:

Age 13 and early 20s.

What may cause miscarriages and low birth weight?

Caffeine

During the embryonic period, the embryo...

Becomes vulnerable to diseases the mother may have.

A researcher spends her entire career comparing the relative influences of heredity and environment on the development of alcoholism in men. This researcher works in the field of:

Behavioral Genetics

Can genes and experience affect each other?

Yes

In late adulthood people engage in a process called:

A life review.

When do humans hit peak physical function?

20s

A 4 year old watches her dad pour a liquid from a short wide glass into a small tall glass. She believes that there is now more liquid in the tall glass. This is known as:

Centration