EXAM REVISION

Psychology Exam Review

EXAM REVISION Theories and Issues The nature of psychology  Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and the mind  The approach to psychology is systematic and therefore more accurate than everyday casual  observations  The main goals of psychological science are: description, explanation, control and  application  Research can be basic (quest for knowledge for its own sake) or applied (solving practical  problems)  Psychologists study biological, psychological and environmental factors Mind body and Nature Nurture Interactions  Mind body Interactions o The relations between mental process in the brain and the functioning of other bodily systems  Nature/Nurture? Psychology’s intellectual routes  Mind--‐body problem: o Mind--‐body dualism:  mind is a spiritual entity  mind is not subject to physical laws  Monism: o mind and body are the same o mind is not spiritually separate from the body Perspectives on behaviour  Psychology emerged in 1879 – Wilhelm Wundt – first psychology lab.  Two early schools of thought: o Structuralism – basic components of consciousness o Functionalism – purposes of consciousness

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Psychology Exam Review

Research methods

Methods of Research  Descriptive Research  Naturalistic Observation  Surveys  Correlational Research  Experimental Research

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Psychology Exam Review

Threats to validity  Internal validity  Confounding variables  Placebo effect  Experimenter expectancy effect  External Validity  Replication Analysing and Interpreting Data  Descriptive Statistics  Measures of variability  Inferential statistics  Meta-analysis

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Psychology Exam Review

Learning   

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Learning Simple Learning Associative Learning o Classical and Operant Conditioning Observational/Social Learning

Processes in Classical Conditioning  Reinforcement  Acquisition  Extinction  Spontaneous Recovery  Generalisation  Discrimination  Higher--‐order conditioning Operant Conditioning  Reinforcement o Positive & Negative  Punishment o Positive & Negative  Shaping  Operant generalisation

Schedules of reinforcement  Continuous – reinforced after every response  Interval – dependent on time  Ratio – dependent on behaviour  Fixed – rewarded for a set amount of time of  behaviours  Variable – rewarded after varying time or varied  number of behaviours

Observational Learning  Social Learning Theory: Albert Bandura o Attention o Retention o Motor reproduction o Motivation  Bobo Doll experiment Text Book  Read chapter 7  Further information on concepts covered within the lecture  The Adaptive Brain 

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Psychology Exam Review

Emotion Theories of Emotion  James--‐Lange Somatic theory (Somatic theory of emotion)  Cannon--‐Bard Theory  Schechter--‐Singer Theory (Two--‐factor theory of emotion)  Cognitive Appraisal Theory Emotion  6 basic (universal) emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise)  There are cultural and gender differences in emotion  Happiness and Anger Emotional Intelligence  Ability to read other’s emotions accurately, to respond to them appropriately, to  motivate oneself, to be aware of one’s emotions and to regulate and control one’s  own emotional responses  Mayer--‐Salovey--‐Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test  High emotional intelligence is associated with positive outcomes Text book  Read chapter 11  Primary, cognitive and behavioural components of emotion  physical responses  Negative Emotions  Optimal levels of arousal  Happiness  Further information on theories of emotion

Motivation Perspectives on Motivation  Instincts and Evolutionary perspective  Drive--‐reduction Theory  Optimum Arousal  Approach and Avoidance motivation  Incentives and Expectancies  Hierarchy of Motives  Self--‐determination theory  Achievement Motivation  Achievement Goal Theory Motivational conflict  Approach--‐ approach conflict  Avoidance--‐avoidance conflict  Approach--‐avoidance conflict Text book  Read chapter 11  The psychology of Hunger and Sex  Further information on motivational theorie

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Psychology Exam Review

States of consciousness Cognitive Neuroscience Viewpoint  Directed controlled (conscious processing)  Automatic (unconscious processing)  Dual processing theory Consciousness as Mind  Consciousness as Mind o Descartes o Cartesian View o Pineal Gland o Freudian view point Theories of Consciousness  Computational  Complexity/Connectivity  Oscillations  Quantum  Emergent Consciousness  Attention Schema Theory  Infinite Regress Consciousness as the waking state  Consciousness as a physiological state  Consciousness without response  Sleep as an altered state of consciousness Sleep and Dreaming  Behavioural and Neurophysiological definition Circadian Rhythms  Sleep/wake cycle  Body temperature  Hormone and Enzyme Production  Alertness/Performance Neurophysiological Definition of Sleep  Electroencephalography (EEG)  Polysomnography Sleep and Aging  Changes in sleep as we age Importance of Sleep  Not entirely understood  Sleep deprivation studies Improving sleep quality and quantity Dreams  When we dream  What we dream  Why we dream  Theories on dreaming Hypnosis  Hypnotisability  Posthypnotic suggestions  Posthypnotic Amnesia

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Psychology Exam Review  Theories Text book  Read Chapter 6  Sleep disorders  Drug induced states

Research ethics Research Ethics  No specific questions on Gregory Donovan’s talk, however, some of these concepts are from  Your text and were covered in the second part of the lecture and your text.  No questions on Ethical Experiments disused in the lecture or Bizarre Experiments discussed in the practicals.  National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines  Informed consent  History of Ethics in Australia

The brain and the nervous system Brain and Behaviour  The mind body problem  Comparison of mammalian  brains  Structures of the brain  Neurons & Glia  Neuron structure  History Text book  Read chapter 4  Further information on neurons, the nervous system, the brain and it’s structures  and hemispheric lateralisation  Neurotransmitters  Plasticity in the brain  Interactions with the endocrine system

Sensation and Perception The brain mechanisms underlying sensation and perception  fMRI  Common principles  Visual system  Perception Text Book  Read Chapter 5  Further information on other sensory systems:  Audition  Taste and Smell  The Skin and Body Senses  Further information on perception and critical periods and perceptual development

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