HSP3U1 - Exam Review

Key Terms 

Natural Selection - the process where characteristics change over many generations and individuals with favoruable characteristics survive and reproduce, passing on their traits. 

Genetics - the study of genes and gene variations. (genes determine our physical and sometimes other traits)

Donald Johanson - a palentologist that discovered the fossil of “Lucy,” a human ancestor. 

Bipedal - the ability for an individual to walk on two feet. 

Homonid - a type of  great ape that consist of humans, chimps, gorillas, and orangutans.

Ethnography - the detailed study of a culture.

Ethnology - the comparative study of two or more cultures.

Cognitive Process - the mental operations the brain performs to process information.

Psychoanalysis - the analysis of the unconscious mind.

Inferiority Complex - A self-perfecting drive, and when we are unsuccessful, we feel inferior. 

Yerkes-Dodson Law - The theory that there is a correlation between stress levels and productivity.

Social Group - Collections of individuals who interact and have a relationship due to mutual features.

Social Insitutions - Established pattern of beliefs, behaviour, etc. that serve specific social functions. (ex. religions, education, family)

Socialization - The process by which individuals acquire knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviours of their society. 

Social Deviance - Someone or something that goes against the norms of society.

Structural Functionalism - That each role, relationship, norm, etc. in society serve a purpose. 

A) Key Course Concepts

Anthropology - the systematic study of humankind.

• Genetics and culture is what makes us human, so they examine what we think, how we live and communicate, and interact with their physical and cultural environment. 

Psychology - the science of human behaviour

• Cognitive processes are what make us human, and focus on the individual, and what they think and feel.

Sociology - the study of social groups and organizations

• Socialization and group behaviour makes us human, and take events and link it to larger social groups and issues. 

Nature vs. Nurture 

• Nature argues that the things we do and how we behave is linked to our nature, and is predetermined by our genetics. It is physical.

• Often used as an explanation intelligence, personality, aggression, and overall human behaviour. 

• Nuture argues that the things that we do and how we behave are determined by our environment and culture. It is learned.

Social Darwinism 

• Takes the theories of Charles Darwin and uses them to justify the thinking that certain people are better than others due to their genetics. 

Impact of Gender on Social Sciences

• More women choose to go into social sciences due to a variety of learning styles and gender roles. 

• Men tend to go into stem, and women tend to do “lighter subjects” such as psychology and schooling. 

B) Human Origins

Charles Darwin

• One of the first people to theorize human evolution and natural selection. 

• A Geologist who travelled the word (including Australia and the Galapagos Islands) and documented the transmutations/abnormalities in animals. Also wrote the book On the Origin of Species.

• Documented the various types of animals and observed their different characteristics.

• Darwin’s greatest and best observations came from the Galapagos Islands. (the Galapagos Tortises and Finches)

• Darwin thought that all species adapt to their environment, and species were forced to evolve in order to survive, passing on survival characateristics.

Bipedalism 

• Darwin speculated that the importance of bipedalism was that it freed the hands from walking, and allowed for other tasks, such as toolmaking. 

Other theories that support bipedalism:

• Dart’s theory - standing up allows humans to look over tall grass for predators.

• Thermoregulatory Hypothesis - Standing up exposes less bodily surface area to the sun, and exposes humans to the cool breeze.

• Stanford’s Theory - favoured individuals who walked the most efficiently over large areas, and let them stay in trees less, and allowed them to scavenge efficiently, and carry carcasses. 

The Ape Line

Australopithecus (3.5-2.9 million years ago)

• Considered to be the missing link between human ancestors and ape relatives

• Lucy is a Australopithecus, and was the first fossil found in 1973.

• Unable to walk upright (bent knees)

Homo Habilis (2.4-1.5 million years ago)

• First species to use stone tools

• Had a larger brain than Australopithecus

Homo Erectus (1.8 million - 400,000 years ago)

• Walked in a similar fashion to humans.

• The first ancestor to leave Africa

• Discovered fire, so they lived longer.

• They cooked meat, so they could remove diseases, and get more protein from meat, helping the brain develop. This may have contributed to the population growth. 

Homo Heidelbergensis (700,000-300,000 years ago)

• Stood and weighed the same as modern humans

• The first homonid that develop the ability for speech

• Found in Germany

Neanderthals (300,000-70,000 years ago)

• Neanderthals and modern humans lived at the same time, and were considered to be competitors.

• Some think they died off, and others believed they bred with humans.

Homo Sapiens (200,000-present)

• Would make tools out of more sophisticated materials like bone and wood.

• Carvings/paintings were made by them

C) Cultural Anthropology

Leaky’s Angels 

Leaky’s Angels were a group of three women who lived among and studies primates. The group consisted of Jane Goodal, who studied chimpanzees, Dian Fossey, who studied gorillas, and Birute Galdikas, who studies orangutans. Created by Louis Leaky.

Rite of Passage 

• A ceremony that mark important milestones in a person’s life. They usually support values of a culture and a certain world view.

D) Psychology

Parts of the Brain 

Frontal Lobe 

• Decision making, planning, and problem solving, Motor control, cognition, intelligence, attention, and language comprehension. 

• ADHD, Depression, and Schizophernia are associated with this part of the brain. 

Parietal Lobe

• Perception, touch, pressure, temperature, spatial awareness, numbers.

• Associated with Alzhimer’s, ADHD, Schizophrenia

Occipital Lobe 

• Vision

• Associated with hallucinations, schizophrenia, and autism.

Temporal Lobe 

• Recognition, Hearing, Vision, Smell, Language, Learning, and Memory

• Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia

Cerebellum 

• Automatic movements, learning, attention

• Autism, Dyslexia, Schizophrenia

Brain Stem

• Automatic Bodily Functions, Coordination

• Autism

Sigmund Freud

The Three Parts of the Mind

Id - Represents biological desires, governed by the pleasure principle.

Ego - the middle ground between the Id and Superego, consisting of the conscience and ego.

Superego - The surface of the personality, develops with experience, governed by the reality principle.

The Oedipus Complex

• The idea that a child wants to possess the parent of the opposite sex and dominate the parent of the same sex. 

Conditioning 

Classical Conditioning (Pavlonion Conditioning)

• The type of conditioning that must have a unconditioned stimuli, a conditioned stimuli, an unconditioned response, and a conditioned response. 

• A biological stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus to produce a response.

Operant Conditioning 

• This type of conditioning aims to train a certain response in an individual with a reward and punishment system.

Cognitive Bias

• An individual’s idea of reality based on what they percieve.

Cognitive Bias Tests

• Inkblot Tests

• Thematic Apperception Tests, where a subject is asked to tell a story based on a series of pictures.

• Word Association Tests

Hierarchy of Needs

• The idea that people need to feel and develop these traits in order to feel truly happy.

Physiological Needs - The need to feel physically healthy and fit.

Safety - The need to feel safe and secure. 

Belonging and Love - The need for a community and being loved.

Esteem - The feeling of accomplishment

Self-Actualization - The feeling of reaching one’s full potential and knowing oneself. 

Multiple Intelligence 

The theory developed by Howard Gardner that each person possesses multiple intelligences.

Visual/Spatial

• People who are visual learners, and tend to be artistic.

Mathematical/Logical

• People who are problem-solvers, reasoning, and are good with numbers

Bodily/Kinesthetic

• Learn best through activity, and prefer to do the activity. Hands-on

Musical

• Learn best through patterns, rhythms, tempo, and song

Intrapersonal 

• People who know themselves well

Interpersonal 

• People who know how to socialize with others well

Natural

• People who are outdoorsy and know their environment.

E) Clinical Psychology

Criteria for Identifying Mental Disorders

• Distorted Perception

• Innapropriate behaviour

• Danger to oneself or others

• Discomfort in common situations

Models of Mental Health Disorders

Psychoanalytical 

• Centered around Freud’s theories about how abnormalities stem from psychological causes. 

Behavioural 

• Emphasis on the environment and how abnormal behaviour is acquired through conditioning and learning. 

Cognitive 

• A person’s thoughts are responsible for their behaviour, and how information is processed and the impact of it.

Biological 

• Disorders are caused by physical or organic factors, related to the physical structure and function of the brain. 

Categories of Mental Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

• The most common category of mental illness, and feelings are driven by fear and anxiety, causing behavioural disturbances. 

• ex. Anxiety, Panic Disorders, PTSD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

• Obessions/Compulsions that are excessive and persist beyond developmentally appropriate periods. 

• ex. OCD, Body Dysmorphia, Hoarding

Dissociative Disorders

• Distruption and discontinuity in the normal integration in consciousness.

• DID, Depersonalisation Disorder, Derealization disorder

Personality Disorders

• Enduirng pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates from cultural and societal expectations.

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder, BPD, ASPD

Schizophrenic Disorders

• Delusions, Hallucinations, Disoragnized thinking, Abnormal motor behaviour, Negative Symptoms

• Schizophrenia

Eating Disorders

• Persistent disturbance of eating or related behaviour.

• ex. Anorexia, Bulimia

Psychophysiological Disorders

• Cateroized by phsyical symptoms that are partially induced by emotional factors

• ex. Insomnia, PTSD, IBS, Hypotension

Impulse Control

• Conditions involving problems in the self-control of emotions or behaviours

• ex. Kleptomania, Pyromania, Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Not Criminally Responsible Defence (NCRD)

• People who commit criminal acts under the influence of mental illness aren’t considered to be responsible for their acts. 

• Someone may be diagnosed with a mental disorder doesn’t automatically expemt them from criminal responsibility. 

• The person must prove that they are:

• Unable to understand the nature of object of proceedings

• Unable to understand the consequences of proceedings

• Unable to communicate with counsel (lawyers)

• An accused that is fouund not criminally responsible is diverted to a provincial or territorial Review Borard. 

• The Review Board has three possible decisions:

• an absolute discharge

• a conditional discharge

• detention in a hospital

Mental Health Treatments 

Psychotherapy

• Examines a person’s unconsious thoughts

• Involves months or years of question and answer sessions involving a patient and a therapist.

Cognitive Behvaioural Therapy

• A behavioural modification therapy that attempts to train the mind to abandon its normal behaviour.

• Positive emotions are connected with positive behaviours and vice versa. 

Group Therapy

• One or more therapists treat a small group of patients.

• Emphasis is placed on sharing emotions and experiences

Electroconvulsive Therapy

• Done under anethesia, and small electrical currents are passed through the brain, triggering brief seizures.

• Changes brain chemistry that can reverse symptoms of mental illness

• Used as a last resort

Pharmaceuticals

• Antidepressants, Anti-Anxiety, Mood Stablizers, etc. 

F) Sociology 

Conflict vs. Cohesion

Conflict Theory

• The theory was developed by Karl Marx as he saw conflict among economic class

• Argues that society is characterized by conflict between different social groups, especially those with differing levels of power and resources. 

• Some groups benefit more than others.

Cohesion Theory

• Order and social harmony are required for society to function.

• Those who do not participate in this are abnormal.

Symbolic Interactionism 

• Developed by George Herbert Mead

• Focuses on how individuals interpret and give meaning to symbols and then act according to their subjective interpretation in their interactions with others. 

• Emphasizes the importance of share meanings, symbols, and communication in shaping social relationships.

• Also proposes that humans develop a sense of self through the reactions of others. 

Agents of Socialization

Religion

• A person’s faith can outline their beliefs and morals

• Religious groups may have diverse practices from other groups, and can isolate them from one another because of this. 

Family

• The environment a child grows up in can have a different effect on the connection between the child and the parent. 

• Children of divorce may have a strong bond with a parent, bu have financial or time constraints, as well as emotional challenges. 

• Children raised in an aggressive enviornment tend to be more violent.

Media

• The usage of social media and magazines cna change of an individual’s self-perception and view of others.

• Harmful social media standards are more catered to the appearance of women while men have more violent content suggested to them. 

Socioeconomics

• Boycotting can pressure businesses or governments to change their policies, and so cna striking.

• Advancig technology and science can reshape economies, create new industries, and alter social interactions.

• Modernization can lead to economic growth, urban development, and changes in social rules.

People to Know:

Gregor Mendel - known for his discoveries in genetics using pea plants. 

Louis Leaky - the founder of Leaky’s Angels, and established proof in human evolution.

Franz Boas - known as the “father of modern anthropology,” and was the first to apply the scientific method to anthropology. 

Katherine and Isabel Myers-Briggs - a mother daughter duo that invented the Myers-Briggs personality test.

Harry Harlow - performed an experiment with newborn monkeys, proving the importance of love and comfort. 

Abraham Maslow - the creator of the hierarchy of needs.

Philip Zimabardo - the man behind the Standford Prison Experiment.

Stanley Milgram - the man behind the Milgram Project.

Ivan Pavlov - behind the Pavlov’s Dog Experiement, and made developments on conditioning. 

David Keirsey - Identified the 4 basic temperaments of humankind: The Artisan, The Idealist, The Rationalist, and the Gaurdian. This was the Kiersey Temperment Sorter (KTS).

B.F. Skinner - Examined the learning with both positive and negative reinforcement with rats. When rats hit a lever, food would fall (positive reinforcement), another group had a electric current going through them until they hit the level (negative reinforcement)

Emile Durkheim - Developed the theory of functionalism, and showed society as a system. Emphasizes the interconnectedness of different parts of a society.

Karl Marx - The authour of the communist manifesto, developed communism, and conflict theory.