AP PSYCH chapter 3 + 4

Psychology 12th addition textbook

conciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

cognitive neuroscience

study of the brain activity linked with cognition

(including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

selective attention

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

change blindness

failing to notice changes in the environment; a form of inattentional blindness

dual processing

information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without conciously experiencing it

parallel processing

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously;

• the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision.

sequential processing

the processing of one aspect of a problem at a time; used when we focus attention on new or complex tasks/problems

sleep

periodic, natural loss of consciousness - different from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep

a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active.

alpha waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus

delta waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

know the REM graphs and how to read them

suprachaismatic nucleus SCN

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm.

In response to light, the SCN causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness

why do we sleep?

1. protection

2. recuperation

3. memory

4. creative thinking

5. growth

(P.R.M.C.G)

lack of sleep does what

increases ghrelin (makes u fat)

decreases metabolic rate (makes u fat)

increases the production of cortisol (makes u stressed)

enhances limbic brain responses to the sight of food and decreases critical responses that help us decrease temptations (cravings increase)

EEG measures

brain waves

EMG measures

muscle tension

effects of sleep deprivation on body : brain

• Decreased ability to

  • focus

  • pay attention

  • process and store memories

• increased risk of depression

effects of sleep deprivation on body : heart

increased risk of high blood pressure

effects of sleep deprivation on body : immune system

decreased production of immune cells

increased risk of viral infections like colds

effects of sleep deprivation on body : fat cells

increased production = greater risk of obesity

effects of sleep deprivation on body : joints

increased inflammation + arthritis

effects of sleep deprivation on body : stomach

increase in hunger-arousing : ghrelin

decrease in hunger-suppressing : leptin (L=LEAN)

insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

1 in 10 adults have it

narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, at random times.

1 in 2000 adults have it

sleep apnea

temporary cessations (stopping) of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

1 in 20 adults

sleep walking/talking

walking or carrying out behaviors while asleep

1-15 in 100 in the general population

night terrors

high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered

1 in 100 adults + 1 in 30 children have it

effects of insomnia

chronic tiredness, reliance on sleeping pills and alcohol which reduce REM sleep and lead to tolerance

effects of narcolepsy

risk of falling asleep at dangerous moments but last less than 5 mins

effects of sleep apnea

fatigue and depression, associated with obesity (esp among males)

effects of sleepwalking/talking

not many serious concerns they return to their beds on their own or with help of family and dont remember it in the morning

effects of night terrors

doubling of a child's heart and breathing rates during the attack but they dont remember a lot of it when they wake up

dreams

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind

manifest content

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream

latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

why do we have dreams

We don't know but some theories are that

1. help develop and preserve neural pathways

2. to make sense of neural static

3. to reflect on cognitive development

psychoactive drug

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

substance use disorder

disorder characterized by continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect

withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

What is the process that leads to drug tolerance?

With repeated exposure to a psychoactive drug, the user's brain chemistry adapts and the drug's effect lessens. Thus. it takes bigger doses to get the desired effect.

depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

alchohol use disorder

alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use

barbiturates

drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

stimulants

Drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

nicotine

a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

what are the physiological effects of nicotine

1. arouses brain to a state of alertness

2. increases heart rate and blood pressure

3. at high levels, it relaxes muscles

4. triggers the release of neurotransmitters that can reduce stress

5. reduces circulation

6. suppresses appetite for carbs

near-death experience

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as through cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)

the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations

effects of marijuana use

1. alleviates chronic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea

2. not associated with tobacco-related cancers like lung cancer

3. predictive of increased risk of traffic accidents, chronic bronchitis, psychosis social anxiety disorder, suicidal thoughts

4. likely contributes to impaired attention, learning, memory, and academic achievement.

alchohol

• is a depressant

• pleasurable effects- initial high followed by relaxation and disinhibition

• negative aftereffects- depression, memory loss, organ damage, impaired reactions

heroin

• is a depressant

• pleasurable effects= rush of euphoria + pain relief

• negative aftereffects = Depressed physiology, agonizing withdrawal

caffeine

• is a stimulant

• pleasurable effects = alertness

• negative aftereffects = Anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia in high doses; uncomfortable withdrawal

nicotine

• is a stimulant

• pleasurable effects = arousal + relaxation, sense of well-being

• negative aftereffects = heart disease and cancer

cocaine

• is a stimulant

• pleasurable effects = euphoria, confidence, energy

• negative aftereffects = Cardiovascular stress, suspiciousness, depressive crash

methamphetamine

• is a stimulant

• pleasurable effects = euphoria, alertness, energy

• negative aftereffects = Irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures

Ecstacy/MDMA/Molly

• is a stimulant/mild hallucinogen

• pleasurable effects = emotional elevation, disinhibition

• negative afterffects= dehydration, overheating, depressed mood, impaired brain and immune functioning

LSD

• is a hallucinogen

• pleasurable effects = visual "trip"

• negative aftereffects = risk of panic

marijuana THC

• is a mild hallucinogen

• pleasurable effects = enhanced sensation, relief of pain, distortion of time, relaxation

• negative afterffects= impaired learning and memory, increased risk of psychological disorders

biological influences of disordered drug use:

• genetic predispositions

• variations in neurotransmitter systems

psychological influnces of disordered drug use

• lacking sense of purpose

• significant stress

• depression

Social-cultural influences of disordered drug use

• difficult environment

• cultural acceptance of drug use

• negative peer influences

behavior genetics

1. the study of how genetic and environmental factors influence individual differences in behavior.

heredity

the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring.

environment

every nongenetic influence

chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

genes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes

• segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins

synthesizing = combining

genome

the complete instructions for making an organism

• consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes.

identical (monozygotic) twins

develop from a single fertilized egg that splits making them genetically identical.

if identical twins have the same genes, will they have the same number of copies of those genes repeated within their genome?

no - this helps explain why one twin can have a. greater risk of illnesses and disorders

fraternal (dizygotic) twins

develop from two fertilized eggs.

• they share the same prenatal environment but are the same as normal brothers and sisters.

temperament

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

heritability

• the proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes.

  • The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied

interaction

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).

molecular genetics

studies molecular structure and the function of genes

molecular behavior genetics

studies how the structure and function of genes interact with the environment to influence behavior

epigenetics

environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.

natural selection

inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

mutation

random error in gene replication that leads to change

social script

a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations.

selection effect

people tend to select similar others and sort themselves out into like-minded groups.

culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

norm

what is considered normal or socially acceptable

individualism

giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications.

collectivism

giving priority to the goals of one’s group and defining their identity accordingly.

following will be contrasts between individualism and collectivism

self

individualism = independent (from themsleves)

collectivism = interdependent (belonging to to other groups)

life task?

individualism = discover and express one’s uniqueness

collectivism = maintain connections, fit in, perform role.

what matters?

individualism = me

collectivism = us

coping method ?

individualism = change reality

collectivism = accommodate to reality

morality ?

individualism = self-based

collectivism = defined by social networks