Psych 100

Class Structure and Requirements

  • Textbook: Sage learning or equivalent.

  • Class structure:

    • Lab: 15% (10 lab classes, 10 assignments, 10 points each)

    • Attendance: 85% for lectures.

    • Quizzes: 10%

    • Open book quizzes for each chapter reading.

    • Due dates outlined in the syllabus.

    • Two lowest quiz grades are dropped.

    • Papers: 25%

    • Topic of interest (5 pages).

    • Lab-based APA Research (6-10 pages).

    • Penalty of 2 points deducted for every 24-hour period late.

    • Students must choose one of the following:

    • SONA: participation in research labs.

    • JEP: a joint educational program with a mentor.

    • Two alternative essays.

    • Exams: 45%

    • 50 multiple-choice questions.

    • Use of lockdown browser required.

    • Fully charged laptop necessary.

    • Allowed materials: a full piece of white paper cheat sheet (both sides, typed or handwritten).

    • If more than half the class misses a question, all students receive the point.

  • Tips for Success:

    • Utilize the writing center.

    • Regular attendance is crucial.

    • Stay engaged with reading materials.

    • Communication is encouraged.

  • AI Usage Policy:

    • Read the AI section in the syllabus for guidelines on proper usage.

    • Submissions will be run through Turnitin.com for plagiarism checking.

Vocabulary and Key Concepts

  • Transpsychology: Study of the psychological factors that transcend individual differences.

  • Operational Definitions: Specific measures that define how observations are quantified.

    • Example: Defining intelligence by the score on an IQ test.

  • Theory: A coherent model of concepts that aids in making predictions about future occurrences.

  • Variable: An element in the world that can be altered or measured by a researcher.

    • Example variable: mood or movement measures.

  • Pygmalion Effect: Phenomenon where higher expectations result in enhanced performance and behavior.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology

  • Psyche: Means breath, spirit, or soul (related to Greek mythology).

  • Ology: The study or science of.

  • Historical Context:

    • Philosophers of the past inquired about the mind; physiologists documented the brain's anatomy.

  • Definition of Psychology:

    • Scientific study of behavior (observable actions) and mind (subjective experiences such as thoughts and emotions).

  • Mind-Body Problem:

    • Derived from Dualism (Descartes), positing mind and body as separate entities.

    • Implications for psychology suggest that the mind emerges from brain activity with inferences about mental states based on behavior.

Types of Psychologists

  • Clinical Psychologists:

    • Engage in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.

  • Applied Psychologists:

    • Apply psychological principles to practical issues in various fields like education and industry.

  • Research Psychologists:

    • Focus on discovering fundamental principles related to human behavior and cognition.

Research Areas in Psychology

  • Basic Research Varieties:

    • Abnormal psychology

    • Behavioral genetics

    • Behavioral neuroscience

    • Cognitive psychology

    • Comparative psychology

    • Developmental psychology

    • Personality psychology

    • Social psychology

  • Key Questions in Research:

    • Examining the influence of genetics versus environment on behavior (epigenetics).

  • Foundational Contributions:

    • Structuralism: Wundt and Titchener's focus on breaking consciousness into components through introspection.

    • Functionalism: James and Angell's emphasis on the purpose of psychological processes, impacted by Darwin's theories.

Important Historical Figures in Psychology

  • Mary Whiton Calkins: First woman to head a psychology laboratory and serve as APA President in 1905; studied self.

  • Behaviorism: Focus on observing behavior without consideration for mental states, pioneered by John Watson.

  • Psychoanalysis: Freud's theories revolutionized psychology by focusing attention on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences.

  • Humanism: Advocated for free will and intrinsic personal growth as a response to behavioral theories.

Chapter 2: Research Methods in Psychology

Scientific Method Steps

  1. Observation: Noting phenomena.

  2. Detect Regularities: Finding patterns in behavior.

  3. Generate Hypotheses: Creating specific predictions.

  4. Conduct Observations/Experiments: Collecting data through systematic analysis.

Importance of Literature Review

  • Conduct a thorough review to acknowledge prior research, providing context for current study.

Operational Definitions and Theory

  • Importance of clearly defining variables for consistent measurement (e.g., defining depressive symptoms through a self-report questionnaire).

  • Theories vs. Hypotheses:

    • Theory: General framework supported by empirical evidence, allowing testable predictions.

    • Hypothesis: Specific, narrower prediction derived from a theory.

Types of Studies

  • Descriptive Studies: Observing behavior without manipulation.

    • Examples include participant observation and naturalistic observation.

  • Self-Reports and Psychological Tests: Surveys and interviews gathering individual subjective experiences.

  • Correlational Studies: Examining relationships between variables while acknowledging ethical constraints of manipulation (Correlation does not imply causation).

Chapter 3: Biological Processes in Psychology

Neurons and Neural Communication

  • Types of Neurons:

    • Sensory Neurons: Carry information from sensory receptors to the brain.

    • Interneurons: Connect sensory and motor neurons.

    • Motor Neurons: Transmit signals from the brain to muscles and glands.

  • Synaptic Transmission Process:

    • Action potential travels down the axon to trigger neurotransmitter release into the synapse, affecting the postsynaptic recipient.

  • Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers that can be excitatory or inhibitory in function (e.g., dopamine, serotonin).

Brain Areas and Functions

  • Amygdala: Key structure for emotion processing.

  • Hypothalamus: Regulates homeostasis and is involved in the endocrine system.

  • Occipital Lobes: Responsible for visual processing.

Chapter 4: Human Development

Overview of Human Development

  • Development Phases:

    • In-Utero to adulthood, covering significant physical and cognitive changes.

  • Environmental Influence: Genetics interact with environmental factors influencing overall development.

  • Major Developmental Theories:

    • Piaget: Cognitive development through assimilation and accommodation as children interact with their environment.

    • Vygotsky: Emphasized the role of culture and collaboration in learning.

Attachment Styles

  • Secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized, each depicting a child's response to parental attachment.

Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception

Key Concepts

  • Differentiation between sensation (raw data received through the senses) and perception (interpretation of sensory information).

  • Gestalt Principles: Laws that describe how we organize visual elements (e.g., proximity, similarity, closure).

  • Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Processing: Top-down processing involves using existing knowledge to interpret new information, while bottom-up processing is driven by sensory input alone.

Chapter 6: Consciousness, Sleep, and Altered States

States of Consciousness

  • Sleep: Defined as an altered state of consciousness regulated by circadian rhythms controlled by the hypothalamus.

  • Sleep Disorders: Differentiating between dyssomnias (insomnia, hypersomnia) and parasomnias (nightmares, sleepwalking).

Psychological Implications of Sleep

  • Restoration theory suggests that sleep is necessary for growth and repair of bodily systems. Dreaming theories (wish fulfillment by Freud, activation-synthesis hypothesis).

Chapter 7: Learning and Conditioning

Classical and Operant Conditioning

  • Classical Conditioning: Understanding the association between unconditioned stimuli and conditioned stimuli (Pavlov's experiments).

  • Operant Conditioning: Learning that references the consequences of behavior (reinforcement and punishment effects on future actions).

Learning Applications

  • Discussing how different learning paradigms can be applied to explain behaviors like addiction or phobias.

Chapter 8: Memory

Memory Processes

  • Stages of Memory: Encoding, storage, and retrieval processes that determine how information is stored and accessed.

  • Types of Memory: Distinction between explicit (declarative) and implicit (non-declarative) memories.

Memory Distortion and Influence

  • Schemas influence what and how we remember, demonstrating the interactions of cognition with memory processing.

Chapter 9: Language and Thought

Relationship Between Language and Thought

  • Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis: Language shapes thought processes and perception of the world.

  • Grammar Components: Phonology, syntax, semantics governing language structure.

Language Development Stages

  • Describe language acquisition across developmental milestones from crying to telegraphic speech.

Conclusion

  • The notes encompass the structural and behavioral aspects prevalent in psychology education, addressing historical frameworks, modern research methodologies, and practical implications for understanding human cognition, emotion, and behavior in a comprehensive format.