Transcript Slide 1

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1.1 Why Study Psychology?
Psychology provides tools to help us
gain insight into our own behavior,
as well as our relationships with
others.
Definition of Psychology:
the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
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4 Goals of Psychology:
• 1. Description:
the kid at
• 2. Explanation:
he wants
the candy aisle is having a melt down.
the pretty candy
• 3. Prediction:
He will get the
candy
• 4. Influence:
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Wal-Mart knows that moms have already lost
patience with their kids by the time they get to
the checkout line so they put the candy there to
get the kids to wear mom down to buy the candy.
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Psychology is
Empirical that
means information is
obtained through
observation and
experimentation not
common sense or
guessing.
http://lewweb.net/science/images/SMflowchart.jpeg
moisiadis.com
Psychology is a behavioral science.
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Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Theory of natural selection (1859)
Darwin’s theory encouraged scientific inquiry
Very controversial
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John Locke
One of his major contributions was to the field of psychology
and he is often called the “Father of English Psychology.”
In the essay, Locke proposes that we are all born with certain knowledge and
principles that helps us to become part of society. The theory known as
Tabula Rasa meaning white sheets helps explain development. He states that
it is through experience, of the world around us, this is how one forms ideas. He
further states that human knowledge is gathered in 2 distinct ways through
sensation and reflection.
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Wilhelm Wundt
Structuralism vs.
Broke down consciousness to basic
thoughts.
Introspection self-observation
of one’s own
conscious
experiences
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW6nm6
9Z_IE
Functionalism
Investigate the function, or purpose
of consciousness rather than its structure
Leaned toward applied work
(natural surroundings) Environment
William James
(1842-1910) 8
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Psychology’s Perspectives
 A lot depends on your viewpoint
You have 7 to remember:
1. Psychoanalysis
2. Cognitive
3. Behavioral
4. Biological
5. Socio-cultural
6. Humanistic
7. evolutionary
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Focuses on Darwinism.
We behave the way we
do because we inherited
those behaviors.

Thus, those behaviors
must have helped ensure
our ancestors survival.
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How could this behavior ensured
Homer’s ancestors survival?
Hindsight bias is the tendency to think that past events were more predictable than they
actually were.
!!!!Show variable videos
Knowing about hindsight bias is useful in two ways:
Firstly, it gives you something to say when your parents accuse you of failing to predict an
event. You can accuse him of having hindsight bias.(Well, it's better than saying "Yeah, we
It is the tendency for
people to accept very
general or vague
characterizations of
themselves and take
them to be accurate.
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Just knowing you are participating in a study can
change the outcome.
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Just the fact that you know you are in an experiment can cause change.
http://www.propagandaposters.us/poster11.html
Recording the results from our
studies.
 Must use a common language so
we all know what we are talking
about.
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Just describes
sets of data.
 You might create a
frequency distribution.
 Frequency polygons
or histograms.
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 Valid:it is accurate
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Reliable:
It can be replicated
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/two-early-approaches-functionalism-andstructuralism.html
Explain what you
mean in your
hypothesis.
• How will the variables
be measured in “real
life” terms.
• How you
operationalize the
variables will tell us if
the study is valid and
reliable.
•
Let’s say your
hypothesis is that
chocolate causes violent
behavior.
• What do you mean by
chocolate?
• What do you mean by
violent behavior?
The object of an
experiment is to prove that
A causes B.
 A confounding variable is
anything that could cause
change in B, that is not A.
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If I wanted to prove that
smoking causes heart
issues, what are some
confounding variables?
Lifestyle and family
history may also
effect the heart.
The Simple Experiment
The simple experiment is one of the most basic methods of determining if there is a
cause-and-effect relationship between two variables. Find more information on the
parts of a simple experiment and how results are measured.
Correlational Studies
Correlational studies are one of the two major types of psychology research. Learn
more about the subtypes of correlational studies as well as methods of observation
and scientific surveys.
What Is Longitudinal Research?
Longitudinal research involves conducting a study over a period of time, sometimes
for months or even years.
What Is a Cross-Sectional Study?
Cross-sectional research is a type of research method often used in developmental
psychology, but also utilized in many other areas including social science, education
and other branches of science...
What Is a Survey?
Surveys are an important data collection tool often used in psychology research.
Surveys have the benefit of being easy and relatively inexpensive to administer.
Case Study
A case study is a type of research than involves closely following one individual or
group of people. This type of research is often used in situations where researchers
are observing something fairly rare or difficult to replicate in a lab setting.
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Assignment is the process by which participants are
put into a group, experimental or control.
 Random Assignment means that each participant
has an equal chance of being placed into any group.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgQhefFOXrM&feature=related
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Its symbol is σ
The formula is easy: it is the square root of the Variance.
So now you ask, "What is the Variance?"
 Variance
 The Variance is defined as:
 The average of the squared differences from the Mean.
 To calculate the variance follow these steps:
 Work out the Mean (the simple average of the
numbers) Then for each number: subtract the Mean and
square the result (the squared difference). Then work out
the average of those squared differences. (Why Square?)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFGcMIL2NVo
•A negative z score
means a number below
the mean.
•A positive z score means a
number above the mean.
Negatively skewed distribution (mean<median<mode)
Positively skewed distribution (mean>median>mode)
http://www.sophia.org/identifying-positive-skew/identifying-positive-skew-tutorial?topic=measures-of-shape
Outliers, skew distributions. When a distribution
includes an extreme score that is very high the
distribution is said to be positively skewed.
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Range: distance between the highest and lowest
score in a distribution.
 Variance and standard deviation are closely related,
the standard deviation is simply the square root of the
variance and both measure the average distance of any
score from the mean.
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Team I has range 6 inches, Team II has range 17 inches.
Disadvantages of the Range
•Ignores the way in which data are distributed
•Only uses two entries from the data set
•Sensitive to outliers
http://rchsbowman.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/statistics-notes-%E2%80%94-measures-of-variation/
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How to Read a Correlation Coefficient
Correlations may be either strong or
weak. They can be computed by a
statistic called the correlation coefficient.
Hint -.92 is exactly as strong as +.92
Descriptive Statistics Descriptive Statistics consists of organizing and
summarizing data.
Inferential Statistics Interfential Statistics consists of using data you’ve
collected to form conclusions.
Here's a sample question: Let’s say there are 20 statistics classes at your university,
and you’ve collected the ages of all the students in one class.
Ages of students in your statistics class: 19, 21, 18, 18, 34, 30, 25, 26, 24, 24, 19, 18, 21,
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A descriptive question that could be asked about this data is "What is the most
common age of student in your statistics class?" The answer in this case would be
18. An inferential question that could be asked about this data is "Are the ages of
the students in this classroom similar to what you would expect in a normal
statistics class at this university?"
In statistics, we deal with populations and samples.
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p value = likelihood that results
are a fluke or coincidental
 Which should you trust more,
results with a low or high p
value?
 How low?
 If p < 0.05, then the results are
“statistically significant”.
 Statistically significant – not
likely due to random chance
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Infer your data
hahahahaha
get it infer
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Glial Cells
Your brain is composed of trillions of neurons and glial cells.
Glial Cells-guide the growth of developing neurons and help provide
nutrition for and get rid of wastes of neurons and help form an
insulating sheath around neurons that speeds conduction.
Neurogenesis:
the growth of new
nuerons. (get it grow
a genius hahaha)
myroadtomedicalschool.blogspot.com
Neurons do NOT touch each other- the space in
between is call the synapse.
For example, touching a
Hot Flame would send
the signal to the CNS.
(red arrow)
Sends signals TO the CNS (Central Nervous
System)
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http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/introduction-psychology/67053#web-67053
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Sends signals AWAY from the CNS.
For example, if you
were about to hit a
soccer ball a message
will come away from
the CNS to tell your leg
to kick.
http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/introduction-psychology/67053#web-67053
Contained within the CNS. Does the processing in
the brain.
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http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/introduction-psychology/67053#web-67053
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+Too much acetylcholine is
associated with depression,
and too little in the
hippocampus has been
associated with dementia
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-Lack of ACh has been linked to
Alzheimer’s disease. Also, if ACh
is unable to reach our muscles,
then they can’t contract and we
are paralyzed.
Thought this was cook also
causes paralysis and found in
Botox and botchalism and the
Black widow spider’s venom
contains ach
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 Its function is motor movement and
alertness.
-Lack of dopamine is
associated with
Parkinson’s disease.
+Overabundance is
associated with
schizophrenia.
A system of glands that secrete
hormones.
Similar to nervous system,
except hormones work a lot
slower than neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters
slow
exerts control by releasing special
chemical substances into the blood
called hormones
fast
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Function deals with mood control. That includes sexual activity,
concentration, attention and emotions.
-Lack of serotonin
has been linked to
depression.
Coordinates simple movements
with sensory information.
 Most important structure in
Midbrain is the Reticular Formation:
controls arousal and ability to focus
our attention.
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Major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in
information processing throughout the cortex and
especially memory formation in the hippocampus. Both
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schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s may involve glutamate receptors.
6. Dopamine & Glutamate in Addiction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op0XqgWQn7E
 Gamma-aminobutyric
acid
We become addicted
to endorphin causing
feelings.
glassrocklife.com
Drugs and alcohol bind important receptors on neurons
Binds:
Agonists may mimic a
neurotransmitter and bind to its
receptors site to produce the
effect of the neurotransmitter
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BLOCKS
Antagonists block a receptor
site inhibiting the effect of the
neurotransmitter or agonist.
018 Agonists and Antagonists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXREQnFGHGA
Made up of densely
packed neurons we call
“gray matter”
 Glial Cells: support
brain cells.
 Wrinkles are called
fissures.
 If you lay brain out it
would be as big as a
large Pizza 2000 pizza.
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Wernick-Decodes speech
Broca-Commands speech
http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html?pop=yes&pid=1574
Contains portion of Reticular activating system
critical for arousal.
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Wernick-Decodes speech
Broca-Commands speech
http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html?pop=yes&pid=1574
logic
sequential
tasks.
Speech
spatial
creative tasks.
Connects the 2
hemispheres.
Somatic nerves control skeletal muscle, bones, skin that a
person can control
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 Sensory neurons which relay info about environment to CNS
 Motor neurons which initiate appropriate response
Autonomic nerves control the muscles of the glandsReflex
and Arc
internal organs which we can’t control
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 Sympathetic & parasympathetic components
“FLIGHT OR FIGHT RESPONSE”
Sympathetic component prepares body for stress
[neurotransmitter used=norepinephrine]
 Diverts blood from internal organs to skeletal muscles,
heart & brain
Parasympathetic brings things back to normal
[neurotransmitter used=acetylcholine]
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Work in conjunction/opposition to each other
 Ex. “on” / “off” switches
Sympathetic nervous system also stimulates secretion of
epinephrine and nor-epinephrine from the medulla of the
adrenal glands
 Prepares body for “flight or fight” response
 “Epi-pen” given in allergic reactions as it relaxes
constricted airways
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A system of glands that secrete
hormones.
Similar to nervous system,
except hormones work a lot
slower than neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters
slow
exerts control by releasing special
chemical substances into the blood
called hormones
fast
Transduction
is the process of converting physical energy into
electrochemical codes.
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Remember Ethan in
Sky High. He changes
his body to slime.
Solid form to liquid
form. Change from
one form of energy to
another. Click the
picture to watch power
placement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el0BSM0WRlU
Top-Down Processing The top-down process is
driven by prior knowledge and expectations as well as
our specific goals of the moment.
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Suppose though, I asked you to find all the occurrences of the letter “P” in the
image? Now as you scan the image the letter “P” should start to stand out a bit
more and it’s possible that even the highly visible red letters start to fade into the
background. At the very least you likely aren’t noticing the words they spell out.
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You see more of what you’re looking for and less of what you
aren’t.
The Major Endocrine Glands
Chromosomal Abnormalities
Klinefelter’s syndrome: have extra X
chromosome, causes minimal sexual
development and extreme introversion
Turner syndrome: born with only a single X
chromosome. Shortness, webbed necks
and differences in physical sexual
development
Down’s syndrome: extra chromosome on
the twenty first pari
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Bottom-up processing: we start with the sensory
receptors sand work up to higher levels of processing.
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Top Down: prior knowledge
 The idea that, to perceive a difference
between two stimuli, they must differ by a
constant percentage; not a constant amount.
Predicts how and when we detect the presence
of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background
noise (other stimulation). SDT assumes that
there is no single absolute threshold and
detection depends on:
Carol Lee/ Tony Stone Images
Person’s experience
Expectations
Motivation
Level of fatigue
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Circadian Rhythm is our 24 hour
biological clock.
Our body temperature and awareness
changes throughout the day.
Annual Cycles: seasonal variations (bears
hibernation, seasonal affective disorder)
28 day cycles: menstrual cycle.
24 hour cycle: our circadian rhythm or 25 hours?
90 minute cycle: sleep cycles.
􀂄 Environmental cues
􀂄 When darkness falls, the eyes indirectly inform the
 pineal gland (responsible for the body’s natural
 cycles and registering light and darkness).
 􀂄 The pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin
 in response to darkness, making us drowsy. This
 affects the brain cells which produce Serotonin, a
 sleep-related transmitter substance.
 􀂄 The serotonin is concentrated in the Raphe Nuclei
 (near the pons), which secrete a substance that
 acts to induce light sleep.
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Stage 1: Alpha and theta waves produced in light sleep
 Hypnic Jerk: Reflex muscle twitch throughout body that
may occur
 Stage 2: Deeper sleep; sleep spindles (distinctive brainwave activity of half second or longer)
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 Stage 3: Deeper sleep; Delta waves appear (very large
and slow), breathing regular, BP falls.
 Stage 4: Deepest level of normal sleep; almost purely
Delta waves (50%) – less blood flow to the brain
REM: Rapid Eye Movement
This is a very active stage of sleep.
Composes 20-25 % of a normal nights sleep.
Breathing, heart rate and brain wave activity
quicken.
 Vivid Dreams can occur.
 From REM, you go back to Stage 2
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Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: Occurs during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye
movement occurs.
 Rapid Eye Movements (REM): Associated with dreaming; sleep is very light.
 REM Behavioral Disorder.
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A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts
passing through a sleeping person’s mind.
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Manifest Content: the remembered storyline
of a dream. (what the man thinks it is)
Latent Content: the underlying meaning of
a dream. (what your dream really means)
 Activation-synthesis hypothesis:
 Dreams represent random activation of
brain cells during REM sleep
 Problem Solving
 Dreams focus on the problems we have in
an attempt to find a solution
 Threat simulation
 Dreams evolved to help us practice skills
we need to avoid threats.
 Dreams act to sort
out and understand
the memories that
you experience that
day.
 REM sleep does
increase after
stressful events.
Activation-Synthesis Theory:
 during the night our brainstem
releases random neural activity,
dreams may be a way to make
sense of that activity.
Hypnosis is an altered state of heightened
suggestibility.
 The hypnotic state is characterized by:
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Narrow and focused attention
Imagination
Passive receptive attitude
Reduced reaction to pain
Heightened suggestibility
Meditation refers to a set
of techniques that promote a
heightened sense of
awareness.
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 can involve body movements
and posture, focusing of
attention on a focal point, or
control of breathing
 can induce relaxation, lower
blood pressure, and can be
associated with a sense of
euphoria
Psychoactive Drug: Substance capable of altering behavior
Stimulant: Substance that increases activity in body and
nervous system
 Depressant: Substance that decreases activity in body and
nervous system
 Hallucinogen: Substance that alters or distorts sensory
perceptions
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http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=782
Physical Dependence:
Addiction based on drug
tolerance and withdrawal
symptoms
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 Drug Tolerance: Reduction in
body’s response to a drug
 Withdrawal
Symptoms: Physical illness
following withdrawal of the
drug
Psychological
Dependence: Drug
dependence based on
psychological or
emotional needs
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 Amphetamines
(Speed)
 Cocaine
 Crack
 “the crash”
BBC's Horizon Is alcohol worse
Barbiturates: Sedative drugs that depress
brain activity
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 Induce sleep, promote talkativeness, social
interaction
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Benzodiazepines : Lower anxiety & tension
 Safer than Barbiturates
 Rohypnol: Related to Valium; lowers inhibitions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFS3MY7rrsI
and produces relaxation or intoxication. Larger
doses can induce short-term amnesia and sleep
 Drug Interaction: One drug increases the effect of
another
 GHB: depressant that relaxes and sedates;
combination of degreasing solvent and drain cleaner
 Alcohol: NOT a stimulant but
DOES lower inhibitions
 Depressant-impacts glutamate,
serotonin and dopamine
Binge Drinking: Five or more drinks in a
short time; four or more for women Serious sign of alcohol abuse
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Dawn Farm Education Series Oct 25, 2007
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Don't Drink and Drive
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymiF-okrdMg&feature=related
Opiates
 Heroin and
morphine
 Addition comes
fast and the
withdrawal
symptoms are bad