AP Psychology Exam 1

What information is missing before we can draw a conclusion? How many of the E’s are due to absences? What could contribute to the uneven distribution of A’s in 3 rd and 6 th vs 1 st and 7 th ? –What possible correlation could you come up with?

What do you notice?

Stats: Unit 1 Exam 100% of students who came on his or her own time to ask questions earned a B or higher on the test –What is the extraneous variable here? Is this cause/effect? 94.6% of students who passed every reading test earned a B or higher on the test 98.7% of students who failed every reading test earned a D or lower on the test –What correlations can you make? Are they positive or negative? How will you personally be able to work against the extraneous variable from the first bullet if you were not successful on this test?

Where do we go from here… Let’s make a deal… 1.Conference 2.Study 3.Improve 4.Drop this test

Periods 1 and 3 most missed questions 68) A negative correlation between degree of wealth and likelihood of suffering from a psychological disorder would indicate that a.Poverty makes people vulnerable to psychological disorders b.The poor are more likely to have a psychological disorder than the wealthy c.Psychological disorders usually prevent people from accumulating wealth d.Poverty causes vulnerability to psychological disorders e.All the above are true

Cont’d 72.) Alexandra is told that research supports the value of cosmetic surgery for boosting self-esteem. Belinda is told that the esteem-enhancing value of cosmetic surgery has been refuted by research. Both women would consider the findings to be common sense. This best illustrates the power of a.Random sampling b.The false consensus effect c.The hindsight bias d.Illusory correlation e.Confirmation bias

Neurons: Three types. Sensory neurons - afferent Motor neurons - efferent Interneurons: intervene between one neuron and another

The Neuron: the basic building block (cell) of the nervous system. Neurons are composed of the following parts: –Axon –Soma –Dendrite –Myelin sheath –Terminal Branches/Buttons

Neuron Parts continued –Synapse-space between neurons. Aka Synaptic Gap/Cleft – Nodes of Ranvier – gap between axons –Action Potential- electrical charge that runs through the neuron caused by depolarization of the neuron.

All or None Law: Like firing a gun Neuron will fire or it won’t – there is no between –Squeezing a trigger hard or soft? –Turning on a light switch slow or fast?

Track!

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Acetylcholine (ACh) Released by motor neurons Contraction of skeletal muscles Regulates heart muscles, promotes arousal in brain and spinal cord ACh gone wrong – depletion = Alzheimer’s, low ACh means low attention/arousal

Dopamine (DA) Control of voluntary movement Cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at DA synapses “reward pathway” DA gone wrong – Parkinson’s = death of DA, Schizophrenic disorders, addictive disorders (sex, drugs, videogames)

Norepinephrine (NE) Found in Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Mood and arousal, fight or flight Cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at NE synapses NE gone wrong - depression

Serotonin Regulation of sleep and wakefulness, aggression Prozac and antidepressant drugs affect serotonin circuits Serotonin gone wrong – depressive disorders

GABA or gamma-aminobutryic acid Inhibitory transmitter Regulates anxiety, sleep/arousal GABA gone wrong – lack of GABA = Anxiety disorders, tremors, insomnia, epilepsy

Glutamate Widely distributed excitatory transmitter Learning and memory Glutamate gone wrong – Schizophrenia, migraine headaches

Opioid Peptides (endorphins) Brain’s “pain killers” – modulate pain/pleasure Roles in pain relief and response to stress Regulation of eating behavior “Runner’s High”

Monoamines 3 neurotransmitters –Dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin

GABA and Glutumate Consist of amino acids –GABA - produces only inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (PSP) –Glutamate – widely distributed in the brain, only has excitatory effects

Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters can be excitatory or inhibitory: Excitatory – neurotransmitter bound to receptor site makes the neuron more likely to fire inhibitory – neurotransmitter bound to postsynaptic receptor site prevents likelihood of neuron firing –Agonists excite, –Antagonists inhibit Endorphins block Heroin tolerance and withdrawal

MAOI’s Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor Antidepressants used to treat depression, anxiety, etc

SSRI Antidepressants Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor Anti depressant drugs (and some other illegal drugs like cocaine) –block the reuptake of neurotransmitters, keeping in the synapse longer, – intensifying their activity. –For some depressed people that elevates their mood.

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Neural Transmissions - Review After firing neurons go into refractory period when it cannot fire. –But a neuron can fire 100s of times a second, repeating the chemical/electrical process. –Action potentials travel at 200 mph. Remember though: A neuron either fires or it doesn’t. It is an all or nothing response. Intense feelings are combinations of neurons and the rate in which they fire, not a single intense firing.

Nerves Are long bundles of neurons that send and return messages to and from the body from the spinal column.

Neural Networks Neurons can communicate with hundred or thousands of other neurons simultaneously. Neural networks can be built of visual, sensory, cognitive, emotional information drawn from throughout the brain and body.

Nervous System Central Nervous System--the brain and spinal chord, that’s it.

Peripheral Nervous System If it’s not the brain or spinal chord, it is this. Contains nerves that take messages to and from the body to the brain. It has two parts: the skeletal nervous system and the autonomic system.

Peripheral Nervous System Skeletal or voluntary N.S. This is the part of the nervous system that tells your muscles to move. You can choose to do that.

Peripheral Nervous System: The Autonomic System This is the part of the system that you don’t have to think about brain messages to and from: heart, glands, organs, lungs etc., pain messages, tickles, strokes...

Peripheral System: Autonomic: Sympathetic Nervous System Works to arouse your body in the flight or fight mode. Speeds heartbeat, raises blood pressure and blood sugar, sweat is produced, pupils dilate, adrenaline is produced., slows digestion, dilates arteries, makes you alert. We feel sympathy for Bill Clinton because he is always aroused.

Peripheral System: Autonomic: Parasympathetic Nervous System This system calms you down. The body goes back to homeostasis, or balance. Para chutes slow you down.