psychology paper 2 subjects to work on

Question 1

What is the id in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

Operates on the pleasure principle, demands instant gratification.

Question 2

What is the ego in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 2

Operates on reality principle. Mediator between ego and superego.

Question 3

What is the superego in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 3

Works on morality principle. Punishes ego though guilt.

Question 4

What happens at the Latency stage?

Answer 4

Earlier conflicts are repressed.

Question 5

When does the oedipus complex occur?

Answer 5

During the phallic stage.

Question 6

What are defence mechanisms used for?

Answer 6

Used by ego to keep id “in check”.

Question 7

What are the defence mechanisms?

Answer 7

Repression- forcing destressing memory out of unconscious mind.
Denial- Refusing to acknowledge reality.
Displacement- Transferring feelings from true source to substitute target.

Question 8

What was the case study used by Freud?

Answer 8

Little Hans.

Question 9

What is the main limitation of Freud’s methods?

Answer 9

Lacked scientific rigour.

Question 10

Is the humanistic approach free will or determinist?

Answer 10

Free will- person centred approach.

Question 11

What is congruence?

Answer 11

The overlap between the ideal self with the real self.

Question 12

What practical application does congruence have?

Answer 12

Rogers’ client centred therapy.

Question 13

Where might worthlessness and low self-esteem occur?

Answer 13

Childhood- Lack of unconditional positive regard from parents.

Question 14

What is a strength of the humanistic approach?

Answer 14

Anti-reductionist. They advocate holism- idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering whole person.

Question 15

What is a limitation of the humanistic approach?

Answer 15

Untestable concepts. Difficult to test subjects like “the self”. Lacks empirical evidence as it is anti scientific.

Question 16

Function of CNS?

Answer 16

Central nervous system. Contains brain and spinal cord.
Spinal cord transmits info to and from the brain.

Question 17

Function of PNS?

Answer 17

Network of messenger neurons.
Sensory neurons send info into CNS
Motor neurons send info away from CNA
Also contains ANS and SNS.

Question 18

Function of SNS?

Answer 18

Somatic nervous system-
Under conscious control. A voluntary process controlling muscle movement.

Question 19

Function of ANS?

Answer 19

Autonomic nervous system-
Controls internal organs and glands.
Involuntary system (not under conscious control).

Question 20

Function of sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 20

Increases bodily activities, releases noradrenaline, activates stress response.

Question 21

Function of parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 21

Decreases bodily activities. Releases acetycholine.

Question 22

What is a neurotransmitter?

Answer 22

Chemicals that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron in the chain.

Question 23

What is a synapse?

Answer 23

Gap separating the neurons.

Question 24

What does the synapse include that is the space between the neurons?

Answer 24

Synaptic cleft.

Question 25

What is the end of a neuron called?

Answer 25

presynaptic terminal.

Question 26

What is excitation?

Answer 26

When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of a polysynaptic neuron.

Question 27

What is inhibition?

Answer 27

When a neurotransmitter changes charge of polysynaptic neuron to more negative.

Question 28

What is split brain research?

Answer 28

Research on people who have had their brain split in half, which severed the corpus collosum.

Question 29

What is the name of the part of the brain that connects the left and right hemispheres?

Answer 29

Corpus callosum.

Question 30

What is hemispheric laterisation?

Answer 30

The idea that the hemispheres are not the same. The left and right sides of the brain have different specialities in different mental processes.

Question 31

What is the left hemisphere more dominant in?

Answer 31

Language and speech.

Question 32

What is the right hemisphere more dominant in?

Answer 32

Visual motor skills.

Question 33

What did Broca find in regards to hemispheric laterisation?

Answer 33

Damage to particular area of the left side of the brain hemisphere led to language problems, but damage to right side did not have same consequence.

Question 34

Who researched into split-brain patients?

Answer 34

Sperry.

Question 35

What were the aims Sperry's research?

Answer 35

Treatment for epilepsy where surgeon cut through corpus collosum. Aimed to prevent electrical activity that accompanies seizure, crossing from one hemisphere to another. Led to communication between two hemispheres being removed.

Question 36

What was Sperry's research?

Answer 36

Conducted Quasi-experiment comparing patients who had undergone a collostomy. Found info presented to left hemisphere could be spoken, but not spoken if delivered to right hemisphere. Right hemisphere could select object using left hand.

Question 37

What did Gazzaniga find?

Answer 37

When each hemisphere of patients were presented faces, right hemisphere was more able to recognise them suggesting right hemisphere is specialised for facial recognition.

Question 38

What is an fMRI?

Answer 38

Detects blood flow in brain. Detects magnetic variations between oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. When brain is more active, consumes more oxygen and blood flow is directed to the active area. fMRI produces 3d image showing parts tht are active therefore involved in particular processes.

Question 39

What is EEG?

Answer 39

Measures electrical activity in brain via electrodes using a skull cap. Scan presents brainwave patterns generated by neurons showing overall brain activity. Often used as a diagnostic, indicating epilepsy, sleep disorders, tumours.

Question 40

What is an ultradian rhythm?

Answer 40

Biological process that repeats more frequently than every 24 hours.

Question 41

What is an infradian rhythm?

Answer 41

Biological process that repeats less frequently than 24 hours.

Question 42

Example of infradian rhythm?

Answer 42

Menstrual cycle. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Question 43

Who researched into infradian rhythms?

Answer 43

Stern and McClintock.

Question 44

What did Stern and McClintock research into?

Answer 44

Studied 29 women with irregular periods. Pheromones were taken from some of them at different stages of their cycles, via cotton pads. Pads were cleaned then rubbed on upper lids of other participants. Many women experienced changes to their cycle, brought them closer to cycle of their "odour doner".

Question 45

What % of women experienced changes to their cycle in Stern and McClintock's research?

Answer 45

68%

Question 46

Example of ultradian rhythms?

Answer 46

Stages of sleep.

Question 47

How does a sleep pattern occur?

Answer 47

90 minute periods.

Question 48

What are the 5 stages of sleep?

Answer 48

1&2- light sleep. Easily woken, brainwaves become more rhythmic (alpha waves) slowing further as sleep becomes deeper (beta waves). 3&4- Difficult to rouse someone. Deep sleep characterised by delta waves, which are slower. 5- REM. Body paralysed but brain activity speeds up.