Behavioral Sciences Ch4

Question 1

Cognition

Answer 1

How our brains process and react to the incredible information overload presented to us by the world

Question 2

Information processing model

Answer 2

The brain encodes, stores and retrieve information much like a computer

Question 3

Piaget’s stages of cognitive development

Answer 3

SENSORIMOTOR STAGE
- Focus on manipulating the environment to meet physical needs through circular reactions
- Object permanence ends this stage
PREOPERATIONAL STAGE
- Symbolic thinking, egocentrism, and centration
CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STATE
- understanding the feelings of others and manipulating physical objects
FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE
- Abstract thought ad problem solving

Question 4

What are some biological factors that affect cognition

Answer 4

• Brain disorders
• genetic and chromosomal conditions
• metabolic derangements
• drug use

Question 5

Problem solving

Answer 5

Requires identification and understanding of the problem, generation of potential solutions, testing of potential solutions and evaluation of results

Question 6

Mental set

Answer 6

a pattern of approach for a given problem
- Inappropriate mental set can negatively affect problem solving

Question 7

Functional Fixedness

Answer 7

The tendency to use objects only in the way they are normally utilized, which may create barriers to problem solving

Question 8

Types of Problem solving

Answer 8

• Trial and error
• Algorithms
• Deductive reasoning: deriving conclusions from a general set of rules
• Inductive reasoning: deriving generalizations from evidence

Question 9

Heuristics

Answer 9

Shortcuts or rules of thumb used to make decisions

Question 10

Biases

Answer 10

When an experimenter or decision maker is unable to objectively evaluate information

Question 11

Intuition

Answer 11

A gut feeling regarding a particular decision. However, intuition can often be attributed to experience with similar situations

Question 12

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple intelligences

Answer 12

At least eight areas of intelligence
- linguistic, logical-mathematical, music, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist

Question 13

What are the states of consciousness

Answer 13

Alertness, sleep, dreaming, and altered states

Question 14

Alertness

Answer 14

The state of being awake and able to think, perceive, process, and express information
- beta and delta waves predominate on electroencephalography

Question 15

Sleep

Answer 15

STAGE 1
- light sleep, theta waves
STAGE 2
- slightly deeper, theta waves, sleep spindles (bursts) and K complexes (single spikes)
STAGE 3 & 4
- slow wave sleep, delta waves, consolidate declarative memories through dreaming
RAPID EYE MOVEMEMNT
- EEG close to awake, but person asleep
- eye movement and body paralysis
- Consolidate procedural memeories

Question 16

Sleep cycle

Answer 16

• About 90 min in adults
• Normal cycle 1-2-3-4-3-2-REM, although REM becomes more frequent in the morning

Question 17

Melatonin release

Answer 17

• Triggered by changes in light
• released by pineal gland
• results in sleepiness

Question 18

Cortisol

Answer 18

Increase in early morning and help promote wakefulness

Question 19

Dreaming

Answer 19

• Mostly occurs during REM sleep
• Many different models to account for the content and purpose of dreaming

Question 20

Dyssomnias

Answer 20

Disorders that make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or avoid sleep

Question 21

Parasomnias

Answer 21

abnormal movements or behaviours during sleep

Question 22

Insomnia

Answer 22

difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- related to anxiety, depression, medications or disruption of sleep cycles and circadian rhythms

Question 23

Narcolepsy

Answer 23

lack of voluntary control over the onset of sleep
- Cataplexy: a loss of muscle and intrusion of REM in waking hours
- Usually caused by emotional trigger

Question 24

Sleep paralysis

Answer 24

a sensation of being unable to move despite being awake

Question 25

Sleep apnea

Answer 25

an inability to breath during sleep - Obstructive: physical blockage in the pharynx or trachea prevents airflow - Central: brain fails to send signals to the diaphragm to breathe

Question 26

Hypnosis

Answer 26

A state of consciousness in which individuals appear to be in control of their normal faculties but are highly suggestible - Often used for pain control, psychological therapy, memory enhancement, weight loss, smoking cessation

Question 27

Meditiation

Answer 27

Involves quieting of the mind and is often used for relief of anxiety or religious purposes

Question 28

Depressents

Answer 28

- Alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines - Promote or mimic GABA activity in the brain

Question 29

Stimulants

Answer 29

- Amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy - Increase dopamine, norepinephrine or serotonin concentration in the synaptic cleft

Question 30

Opiates and Opioids

Answer 30

- Heroin, morphine, opium, and prescription pain medications (oxycodone) - Cause death by respiratory depression - Bind to opioid receptors suppressing pain

Question 31

Hallucinogens

Answer 31

- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), peyote, mescaline, ketamine, psilocybin containing mushrooms - Distortions of reality and enhanced sensory experiences - Increased HR, BP, dilation of pupils, sweating and increased body temperature

Question 32

Marijuana

Answer 32

- Depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogenic effects - Active ingredient THC

Question 33

What pathway mediates drug addication

Answer 33

The mesolimbic pathway, which includes the nucleus accumbens, medial forebrain bundle and ventral tegmental area - dopamine is the main neurotransmitter of this pathway

Question 34

Selective attention

Answer 34

Allows one to pay attention to a particular stimulus while determining if additional stimuli in the background required attention

Question 35

Divided attention

Answer 35

Uses automatic processing to pay attention to multiple activities at one time

Question 36

Phonology

Answer 36

Actual sound of speech

Question 37

Morphology

Answer 37

the building blocks of words

Question 38

Semantics

Answer 38

meaning of words

Question 39

Syntax

Answer 39

rules dictating word order (grammer)

Question 40

Paragmatics

Answer 40

the changes in language delivery depending on context

Question 41

Nativist Theory

Answer 41

Explains language acquisition as being innate and controlled by the language acquisition device (LAD)

Question 42

Learning theory

Answer 42

Explains language acquisition as being controlled by operant conditioning and reinforcement by caregivers

Question 43

Social interactionist theroy

Answer 43

Explains language acquisition as being caused by a motivation to communicate and interact with others

Question 44

Whorfian Hypothesis

Answer 44

States that the lens through which we view and interpret the world is created by language

Question 45

Broca's Area

Answer 45

Motor function of speech is controlled - damage results in Broca's aphasia - nonfluent aphasia in which generative generating each word requires great effort

Question 46

Wernicke's Area

Answer 46

Language comprehension - Damage results in Wernicke's Aphasia - fluent nonsensical aphasia with lack of comprehension

Question 47

Arcuate fasciculus

Answer 47

connects Wernicke's and Broca's area - Damage results in conduction aphasia - the inability to repeat words heard despite intact speech generation and comprehension