Psych 1115: Chapters 3, 4, 5

State of Consciousness

The awareness and perception of one's surroundings and mental processes, including wakefulness, sleep stages, altered states (like meditation and hypnosis), and unconsciousness, are influenced by brain activity. EEG and other neuroimaging techniques can measure this.

Dreams

Dreams are experiences during sleep that involve vivid sensations, emotions, and stories. They reflect desires, fears, memories, and unresolved conflicts from the subconscious mind. Dreams can be entertaining, insightful, or disturbing, and they happen during REM sleep, which is marked by rapid eye movements.

Dreams as Wish Fulfillment (Freudian Interpretation)

Dreams are the result of conflict between unconscious desires by higher mental processes, what we see in the dream as manifest (symbolic) content is a censored of the unconscious desires which are the latent (realistic) content.

Dreams as Information Processing

Dreams reflect our mind sorting through and storing recent memories.

Consolidation

Stabilizing new memories in long-term storage.

Developing Neural Pathways

Dreams keep the brain engaged during offline periods. Builds and maintains neural connections, especially in very young children.

Activation Synthesis Theory

Brain fires in semi-random way. The primary sensory areas and limb system are randomly active wile the frontal cortex is relatively inhibited.

Dreams as Cognitive Development

Dreams stimulated of scenarios that we could experience and reflect our level of cognitive development.

Psychoactive Drug

A chemical substance that alters perceptions, moods and cognition on two major features. Acts directly on the nervous system by altering neuro transmission and creates change in some cognitive process.

Addiction

Everyday term for compulsive behaviour patterns that continue despite harmful consequences.

Substance Abuse Disorder

Compulsive craving of and continued substance use despite significant life disruption and risk. Diagnosed using major guidelines set out by organizations like the American Psychiatric Association.

Tolerance

Diminishing drug effects with regular continued use.

Withdrawal

Discomfort and distress that occurs after regular drug use stops. Regular drug users can develop strong tolerance to the drug and no longer like taking it but continue to avoid withdrawal effects. (All drug abuse affects dopamine levels)

Gambling Disorder

Problematic and compulsive urge to gamble.

Stimulants

Drugs that increase brain activity and energy use by the body by activating the sympathetic nervous system and increasing general activity. Leads to crashes after heavy use.

Depressants

Drugs that slow down the central nervous system, resulting in relaxation, sedation, and decreased brain activity. Inhibits nervous system and slows cognition, reaction speed and can slur speech and impair motor/sensory functions at higher dosages. (Affects GABA activity)

Hallucinogens

Drugs that reliably cause sensory stimulation and alternations to perception. Also called psychedelics. Many hallucinogens act on serotonin system and are also associated with better mood.

Alcohol

Socially destructive drug that can slow neural processing, disrupt memory and lead to impaired self-awareness/control. Consumption also leads to dis-inhibited behaviour, where normally suppressed conduct is released. (Affects frontal cortex)

Anticonvulsants

Controls seizure activity.

General Anesthesia

Deliberately cause the the loss of consciousness

Anti-anxiety

Formerly used to control generalized anxiety. Now almost entirely replaced by new drugs.

Euthanasia/Capital Punishment

Can be used to deliberately cause death

Barbiturates and Tranquilizers

Relatively unsafe class of drug, prone to cause addiction, as well as dangerous levels of nervous system depression when mixed with alcohol

Opiates

Effectively relives pain, but paired with high potential for addiction due to psychoactive effects.

Nicotine

Increases arousal and blood pressure, while suppressing appetite; highly addictive and leads to lung damage and cancerous effects. Withdrawal leads to craving and anxiety.

Cocaine

Blocks reuptake of dopamine; administration reaches rapidly into the brain causing extreme increase in dopamine action. At high levels can lead to cardiac arrest and convulsions.

Amphetamines

Blocks dopamine and re-uptake and causes more neurotransmitter to be released into synapse. Low strength can have therapeutic effects like prescription of adderall for adhd.

Methamphetamine

Sustained euphoria, irritability, hypertension and anti-social behaviours.

MDMA/Ecstasy

Euphoria and minor hallucinations. Major side effect is dehydration, overheating and cognitive issues caused by serotonin depletion.

LSD

Serves as a powerful hallucinogenic, causing alterations to perception and mood. Low risk to damage to the body and brain but should be taken in lower dosages to over being overwhelmed. Strong abnormalities can cause panic attacks.

Cannabis

Mildly hallucinogenic. In most common doses will enhance sensation, offer mild pain relief and alter perception of time without causing major changes to perception of reality. Impairs memory and attention leading to association with academic nonperformance. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient.

Biological Perspective

Genes produce the brain’s neurotransmitter systems varies between people. Probability of developing addiction increases significantly if an identical twin or close family members have substance abuse issues.

Psychological Perspective

The biggest psychological factor associated with addiction is various forms of stress; ie. traumatic events, major life transitions and psychiatric disorders.

Socio-Cultural Perspective

Drug consumption by a close friend group may have impact on individual behaviour and stigmatize drug consumption.

Nature vs Nurture

Debates about whether people’s traits are inborn and will inevitably develop, or are the results of social upbringing and experience, are old and have been discussed widely that have big impacts on behaviour.

Behaviour Genetics

The study of how heredity and genes contribute to human behaviour.

Heredity

Characteristics that are transferred from parents to offspring.

Genes

The blueprint to making the body, the biochemical units of heredity found on DNA.

DNA

Found in every cell contains genes

Chromosomal Inheritance

Humans each have 23 pairs of chromosomes, each pair coming the biological mother and father. Females have 2 X chromosomes and males have 1 X chromosome and 1 short Y monochrome.

Alleles

Each chromosome has the same gene locations, but each chromosome can have different versions of the same gene.

Genome

The entire collection an organism’s genes, individual genomes can be identical but tiny genetic differences make a big practical difference.

Code to Structure

Genes are transcribed as an RNA message which is then translated into proteins, proteins then build all parts of the body and regulate it’s activity.

Heritability

An estimate of the amount of variation in a trait that is explained by genetic factors. If the heritability of happiness is 0,50 it means that individual differences in happiness due to genetics are 50% in the measure group.

Interaction of Genes and Environment

Genetic traits influence the social environment, which in turn affects behaviour

Molecular Genetics

The study of molecular structure and function of genes. Behaviour genetic studies show how high heritability for IQ, mental health, height, etc.

Epigenetics

The study of how genes can be regulated by the environment without changes to coding DNA. Molecular attachments to the DNA that increase or decrease gene expression and are gained from life experience.

Evolution

The change in heritable characteristics over time

Natural Selection

Inherited traits that increase an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction are more likely to be passed on to the next generation.

Evolutionary Psychology

Study of the evolution of behaviour using principles or natural selection.

Requirements for Natural Selection

Variation, Heredity, Fitness

Evolutionary Psychology

Genes selected during our ancestral history gave us a great capacity to learn. Humans share a common genetic profile or genome.

Learned Influences on Behaviour

Genes, evolved adaptations, social transmission and culture.

Influence of Parents on Children

Influence values, beliefs and cultural practices of children and has the biggest effect and extreme negative end.

Influence of Peers

Use of language and accent more likely to reflect vocabulary and teaches new social skills.

Culture

The patterns of ideas, habits and traditions shared by a group of people and passed on to future generations. We are born ready to observe and copy others among us.

Norms

The rules for accepted, expected and proper behaviours.

Culture Shock

When a person’s own expectations of norms come into conflict with another future with different priorities.

Individualists

Value independence. Promote personal ideas and goals over those of the social group.

Collectivists

Value interdependence. Promote the goals and values of one’s group and define their identity primarily by reference to their group.

Variation Across Time

Across time language changes in vocabulary and pronunciation; cultures face quicker paces of life, increases in gender equality and a decrease in socialization.

Sex

Biological characteristic that define reproductive role.

Gender

The physical, social and behavioural characteristics that are culturally associated identity.

Relational Agression

Spreading rumours and internationally damaging reputation.

Puberty

Period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing.

Intersex

People mixed with primary sexual characteristics from a male or female.

Social Learning Theory

We learn gendered behaviour by imitation and by rewards and punishments that shape our behaviour.

Gender Schema

The cognitive frameworks for developing concepts of male and female.

Gender Typing

The acquisition of perceived masculine or feminine traits by children.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how and why humans grow and change across the course of their lives. Born as babies with limited cognitive abilities up to adult lives.

What does not change with age

Personality, Routines, Temperament

What does change with age

Height, Voice, Behaviour

Zygote

The organism formed by the fusion of the sperm and egg and divides in half.

Embryo

Develops from the zygote after two weeks and develops from two weeks to two months; implantation of the developing organism in the uterine wall while outer cells become the placenta.

Fetus

Develops from two months to birth; developing organism begins to resemble something like a human and a recognizable nervous system.

Fetal Sensory Development

Sound and light reaches the womb being able to see subtle images through the womb. During development fetuses habituate to annoying sounds, kicking less and less with repeated exposure.

Teratogens

Chemical or viral agents that cause negative changes to developing organism (monster producing molecules)

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Caused by consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Both physical and mental abnormalities.

Microcephaly

Abnormally small brain development with many potential causes including zika virus

Birth and early Reflexes

Arrive with reflexes support li,.ke sucking tonuguing, etc

Birth

Neuronal growth followed by synaptic running. “Big Growth Spurt”

Critical Period

Neuronal growth followed by synaptic running

Maturation

Orderly, reliable changes in with age. Movement abilities develop as cerebellum, motor cortex muscles and mature. Cultures encourage certain development.

Temperament

Emotional reactivity and intensity. Often related to the degree of the activity by the autonomic nervous system.

Habituation

Decrease in response elicited by the repeated presentation of a stimulus. One of the simplest forms of learning.

Infantile Amnesia

The lack of episodic (event) memory between birth and ~3 years.

Neurological Explanation

Memory abilities too immature of long term memory.

Language Explanation

Lack of language early in life make first memories inaccessible later.

Procedural Memories

Implicit memory stores unconscious knowledge of tasks or skills acquired through repetition and practice, enabling automatic behaviors like biking or tying shoelaces.

Conditioning

Flashcards are used in learning to connect a behavior with a specific stimulus or response. This process modifies behavior by linking a neutral stimulus to a desired or undesired outcome.

Jean Piaget

One of the first psychologists to preform systematic experiments on child cognition. Noticed that children made same errors depending on age.

Schema

A mental framework that organizes our experiences. Used to interpret new information

Accommodation

Adjust and create concepts

Assimilate

The process of absorbing or integrating new information, ideas, or culture into one's existing knowledge or identity.

Piaget Sensorimotor Stage

From birth to ~2 years, children rely on basic perceptions and motor activities and interact with world in a very fixed way ignoring object properties.

Object Permanence

The awareness that objects still exist when they art not directly perceived.

Scale Errors

Failure to take the size of an object into account when trying to preform actions with it.

Baby Physics

Infants are more surprised by physically impossible events than possible ones.

Baby Math

Baby have some sense of numbers and proportion even when objects are hidden.

Piaget’s Preoperational Stage

Between ages 2-6, children can build schemas and represent them with words and images. Uses intuition, but not logic and abstraction yet; problems using cognitive operation.