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Psych 1000, Modules 24-42
Memorial University
194
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
03/06/2016

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Term
Sensation
Definition
the act of using our sensory systems to detect environmental stimuli (external energy is turned into internal neural signals and passed into the CNS)
Term
Perception
Definition
the act of recognizing and identifying internalized sensory stimuli (achieved by bottom-up and top-down processing)
Term
Visual
Definition
Vision - Visible LIght (electromagnetic energy)
Term
Auditiory
Definition
Hearing - Air pressure waves (sound waves)
Term
Somatosensory
Definition
Tactile - Pressure, damage to skin, thermal energy (temps)
Term
Gustatory
Definition
Taste - Chemicals (typically in food)
Term
Olfactory
Definition
Smell - odorants (airborne chemicals)

Uses olfactory receptor neurons.
Over 300 different types of receptors
Term
Kinaesthetic and Vestibular
Definition
Gravitational Forces etc.
Term
Transduction
Definition
process of converting an external physical stimulus into neural impulses.
Term
Sensory receptor cells
Definition
- specialized cells
- convert a form of environmental stimuli into neural impulses
Term
Absolute Threshold
Definition
the minimum energy needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.
Term
Light Absolute Threshold
Definition
the flame of a single candle 50km away on a clear, dark night
Term
Sound Absolute Threshold
Definition
the tick of a watch at 6 meters in a quiet room
Term
Smell Absolute Threshold
Definition
one drop of perfume diffused through a 6 room apartment
Term
Taste Absolute Threshold
Definition
one teaspoon of sugar in 2 gallons of water
Term
Touch Absolute Threshold
Definition
the wing of a fly falling on cheek from 1cm
Term
Difference Threshold
Definition
- the minimal difference needed to notice a difference between two stimuli
- AKA "Just Noticeable Difference" (JND)
Term
Weber's Law
Definition
To be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a certain PERCENTAGE, not by an absolute amount
ex. Weight --> 2% change
Term
Sensory Adaptation
Definition
With repeated exposure to stimulus, sensory cell exhibit a reduced response. eg, tag in shirt or sound of train
Term
Bottom-Up Processing
Definition
perceptions arising from sum of independent sensations
Term
Top-Down Processing
Definition
perceptions guided by higher-level mental functions
Term
Perceptual Set
Definition
the readiness to interpret a stimulus in a certain way. (a bias)
Term
Subliminal
Definition
- below one's threshold for conscious awareness.
- not able to be made conscious
Sub (below), Limen (threshold)
Term
Greenwald's Experiments
Definition
- Early 1990's
- Subject listened daily to subliminal recordings for increasing memory of self-esteem
- Experimenter switched labels on products
- No effects on self esteem or memory
- Subjects BELIEVED they improved anyways
Term
Tactile/Cutaneous Senses
Definition
Combination of: pressure, touch, temperature, vibration, pain

Po-Tay-Toes Vagina Pussy
Term
Free Nerve Endings
Definition
- Located near surface of skin
- General touch: ie. temp, light pressure, pain
- More FNE, more sensitive skin
Term
Meissner's corpuscles
Definition
- Located in fingertips, palms, lips (hairless skin areas)
- Transduce information about sensitive touch
Term
Pacinian corpuscles
Definition
- Located deep in skin
- Respond to vibrations and heavy pressure
Term
Somatosensory Pathways
Definition
Tactile receptors - spinal cord (using respective pathways for touch or pressure/vibration) - brainstem - thalamus - somatosensory cortex
Term
Nociception
Definition
the neural process of encoding and processing noxious stimuli
Term
Analgesia
Definition
Inability to experience pain
Term
Fast Pain Pathway
Definition
- Myelinated
- Sharp, localized pain
Term
Slow Pain Pathway
Definition
- Unmyelinated
- Nagging, burning pain
Term
Gate-Control Theory
Definition
Melzack & Wall
- Proposed "Neurological gate" in spinal cord
- When gate is open, pain transmission can ascend to brain
- Activated via nociceptors
- Activation of other fibres closes gate
Term
Top Down Influences on Pain
Definition
1. Attention
2. Expectation
Term
Mitral Cells
Definition
- send axons to form olfactory nerve (like ganglion cells of visual system)
Term
Olfactory Reception Process
Definition
1. Odorants bind to receptors
2. Receptor cells are activated and send electric signals
3. Signals are relayed in glomeruli
4. Signals are transmitted to temporal lobe and limbic areas
Term
5 Basic Taste Sensations
Definition
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (taste of MSG)
Term
Taste Buds
Definition
- Clusters of 60-100 taste receptor cells
- Reproduce every 1-2 weeks
Term
Papillae
Definition
- Bumps on tongue with surrounding pores. 60-100 taste buds per papillae
Term
Vestibular Sense
Definition
Sense of balance (orientation)
Term
Otoliths
Definition
- Move in fluid in the ear when the head rotates or tilts, which stimulate hair-like receptors that send messages to the cerebellum
Term
Frequency
Definition
- Determines pitch of sound
- Measured in Hertz (Hz) (cycles per second)
Term
Range of Hearing in Humans
Definition
20-20,000 Hz
Although we hear best from 200-5000 Hz (Human Voice)
Term
Amplitude
Definition
- Magnitude (height) of a wave length
- Determines loudness
- Measured in decibels (dB)
Term
Decibels
Definition
- Log base 10 scale
- We perceive doubling in loudness every 10 dB even though there is 10x as much energy
Term
Tympanic Membrane
Definition
Eardrum
Term
The Ossicles
Definition
- Maleus (hammer), incus (anvil), stapes (stirrup)
- Three smallest bones in human body
- In ear
Term
Auditory Pathways
Definition
Information travels from receptor nerve to inferior colliculus (midbrain) to thalamus to auditory cortex (temporal lobe)
Term
Place Theory
Definition
Different pitches are heard because different frequencies trigger activity in different parts of the basilar membrane (cochlea)
Term
Frequency Theory
Definition
Brain perceives pitch based on the firing rate of the auditory nerve, regardless of origin of fibres
Term
Sound Localization
Definition
1. General Loudness
2. Loudness differences in two ears
3. Timing differences in two ears
Term
Conduction Deafness
Definition
Hearing loss caused by damage of the mechanical system. May be "treated" with hearing aids which amplify sound.
Term
Nerve Deafness
Definition
Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or the auditory nerves
- Once destroyed, tissues remain dead
Term
Cochlear Implants
Definition
- Device that converts sounds to electrical signals
- Stimulates the auditory nerves thru electrodes connected to cochlea
Term
Sensory Adaptation
Definition
eg. When exposed to loud sounds, muscles contract to diminish sounds intensity

eg. Tag on your shirt becomes less noticeably itchy
Term
Cocktail Party Phenomenon
Definition
More likely to hear your own name in a loud/crowded environment
Term
Cornea
Definition
transparent protective outer surface of the eye. Contains pain (touch) receptors
Term
Sclera
Definition
White of eye
Term
Pupil
Definition
- Small, black adjustable opening in the eye
- Larger in dim light and when aroused
Term
Iris
Definition
- The coloured muscle surrounding the pupil
- Controls size of pupil
Term
How Eye Works
Definition
1. Light is partially bent thru cornea
2. Passes thru pupil
3. Passes through lens which focuses light waves
4. Light projected onto the retina
Term
Retina
Definition
- Specialized cells at back of eye
- Contains all receptor cells (rods and cones)
- Contains Fovea
Term
Fovea
Definition
Central, clearest image on retina (mostly cones)
Term
Photoreceptors
Definition
specialized neurons that transduce energy into neural signals
(Rods & Cones)
Term
Rods
Definition
Photoreceptor:
- Respond to all wavelengths of light
- Used for periphery and night vision
- Not as acute as cones
- Over 100 million
Term
Cones
Definition
Photoreceptor:
- Several types that respond best to particular wavelengths of light
- Used for central and colour vision
- Very acute (clear)
- 4-5 million
- Has own connection to a singular ganglion cell
Term
Bipolar Cells
Definition
transmit signals from photoreceptors to ganglion cells
Term
Ganglion Cells
Definition
Send axons (signals) to the brain
Term
Horizontal Cells
Definition
Inhibit cells in adjacent regions (enhance contrast)
Term
Light Effects on Rods & Cones
Definition
Closes Na+ channels and causes hyperpolarization which increases potentials in bipolar cells.
Term
Medial (nasal) Retina
Definition
Visual Pathway: projects to opposite side of the brain
Term
Lateral Retina
Definition
Visual Pathway: projects to same side of the brain
Term
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)
Definition
- 6 Layers of Cells
- Ganglion cells of left and right eye that respond to same part of the visual field, project to nearby places in the LGN.
- Image on retina (retinotopic image) is preserved in LGN
- Projects to visual cortex on same side of brain
Term
Primary Visual Cortex
Definition
- 6 Layers if cell
- Preservation of retinal image on visual cortex
- More area area is dedicated to processing inputs from the fovea
- Image is upside down
Term
Feature detectors
Definition
- Neurons in visual cortex respond to specific features of a visual stimulus.
- Simple cells: certain Shapes (bars, circles)
- Complex cells: Respond to lines with specific angles regardless of where they are in the visual field.
Term
Ocular dominance columns
Definition
as you move parallel to the surface of cortex, there are alternating columns of cells that are driven by left and right eye (same areas of visual field).
Term
Orientation Columns
Definition
as you move perpendicular to the surface, the preferred orientation of the complex cells changes gradually from horizontal to vertical and back again.
Term
Supercluster cells
Definition
Respond only to more complex patterns. Information is passed to them by feature detection cells.
Term
Features processed by visual system
Definition
- Form, colour, motion, depth.
- Brain damage to specific cortical regions ay result in blindness in particular dimension (e.g. face blindness, motion blindness, cortical colour blindness etc.)
Term
"What" Pathway
Definition
- Temporal lobe
- Object recognition
Term
"Where" Pathway
Definition
- Parietal Lobe
- Movement processing
- Spatial orientation
Term
Trichromatic Theory
Definition
- Various colours are formed by combinations of the primary colours
- Red, Green, and Blue
- Eye has three types of colour receptors: "tri-"chromatic.
- Other colours formed by amount of activity in these receptors. (ie. yellow = red+green)
^^ Not correct. Each responds to a range of wavelengths.
Term
Three Types of Cones
Definition
Short, medium and long OR Blue, green and red
Term
Colour afterimages
Definition
When the opposite colour is enhanced briefly after viewing a colour.
ie. Blue --> Yellow, Green --> Red
Term
Hering
Definition
Noticed that trichromatic theory doesn't explain all facets of colour vision... YELLOW IS PRIMARY COLOUR!!!
Term
Functions of Consciousness
Definition
- Processing Information
- Awareness of Internal States (hunger, thirst)
- Learning new tasks
Term
Inattentional Blindess
Definition
Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere.
Term
Change Blindness
Definition
Failing to notice a change in the environment when attending to something.
Term
Dual Processing
Definition
Information processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
Term
Thamalus
Definition
Sub-nuclei project to cerebral cortex.
- If damaged on one side, lack of awarenes of events in one side of visual field/body sensations
Term
Preconsciousness
Definition
state in which information can become readily available to conscious if necessary. ie. What did you do last weekend?
Term
Unconscious state
Definition
state in which information is not easily accessible to conscious awareness (may take a while to recall) ie. someone's name.
Term
Explicit Memory
Definition
involves pieces of knowledge that we are fully aware of
Term
Implicit Memory
Definition
knowledge that we have stored in memory that we are not typically aware of or able to recall at will (unconscious)
Term
Sleep
Definition
periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness
Term
Circadian Rhythms
Definition
Circa-about, diem-day. Daily sleep cycles.
Term
Entrainment
Definition
Synchronization of circadian rhythms to the external 24 hours daily light-dark cycle.
Term
Pineal gland
Definition
secretes the sleep hormone melatonin
Term
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
Definition
- Activation suppresses melatonin release.
- Receives inputs from the optic nerve (light)
Term
Stage 1 of Sleep
Definition
5min
- transition into sleep
- transition from alpha to theta waves (EEG)
- Heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases
- Hypnagogic state (hallucinations) and myclonic jerks
Term
Stage 2 of Sleep
Definition
15-20min
- muscles more relaced
- sleep spindles emerge in EEG (burst of rapid brain waves)
Term
Stage 3 of Sleep
Definition
5-10min
- Theta waves and delta waves
Term
Stage 4 of Sleep
Definition
20-30min
- Slow heart rate, body in total relaxation
- Mostly delta waves
- Deepest sleep
- Sleep walking & bed wetting more likely
Term
REM
Definition
10min - Also called paradoxical sleep
- Difficult to awaken but EEG resembles awake state.
- Eye movements, breathing/heart rate increases.
- Dreams
- Muscles paralyzed
- Increased time spent in REM following period of REM deprivation
Term
Sleep Theory: Adaptive Theory
Definition
sleeping serves as a protection function e.g. reduces dangerous night activities including predation from nocturnal animals
Term
Sleep Theory: Growth
Definition
promotes growth. Growth hormone is secreted during deep sleep, and children sleep more than adults.
Term
Sleep Theory: Restorative Theory
Definition
sleep allows for recovery from use during day. Sleep deprivation compromises immune function.
Term
Sleep Theory: Memory
Definition
storing memories from the day's events
Term
Activation Synthesis: Dreaming
Definition
Brainstem activates areas of the cortex and limbic system. Triggers random sensations and emotions. Brain tries to make sense of these and forms a story.
Term
Hypnosis
Definition
altered state of consciousness with heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation and intense focus
Term
Who is more readily hypnotized?
Definition
People who are...
1) More susceptible to suggestion
2) highly imaginative and live rich fantasy lives. e.g. readily absorbed into movie plots
Term
Social Influence Theory (Explanation for Hypnosis)
Definition
- People are just acting in ways expected of them by another person
- An extension of conformity or obedience
- When motivation for being hypnotized is reduced, subjects are less responsive
Term
Divided Consciousness Theory (Explanation for Hypnosis)
Definition
- Hypnosis involves a dissociation (splitting) of consciousness and attention to one aspect of experience.
Evidence: Stroop test. Performing tasks under hypnosis that are difficult when not hypnotized.
Term
Hypnosis in the Brain
Definition
Neuroimaging suggests ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX involved when used to anesthetize or reduce pain.
Term
Psychoactive Drugs
Definition
Chemicals that affect consciousness (awareness, sesnation, perception, mood) and behaviour
Term
Physical Dependence
Definition
- a physiological need for a drug to function normally.
- marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Term
Psychological Dependence
Definition
a psychological desire to use a drug to produce desired psychological state or remove a negative one
Term
Addiction
Definition
- a compulsive craving for and use of a drug despite adverse consequences (to person or others)
Term
Symptoms of Withdrawal
Definition
- usually opposite of those produced by drug
- implies a physical dependence
Term
Agonists
Definition
bind to receptor sites and mimic neurotransmitters
Term
Antagonists
Definition
bind to receptor sites and block neurotransmitters from binding
Term
Ways that drugs alter availability of neurotransmitters
Definition
1) Blocking SYNTHESIS of NT
2) Blocking BREAK DOWN of NT
3) Increasing or decreasing RELEASE of NT
4) Increasing or decreasing RE-UPTAKE of NT
Term
Three Categories of Psychoactive Drugs
Definition
Depressants, stimulants and Hallucinogens
Term
Depressants
Definition
- act on the central nervous system (CNS) to suppress bodily processes
e.g. alcohol, sedative-hypnotics, barbiturates, opiates (morphine, heroin)
Term
Stimulants
Definition
- Enhance neural activity
- Increase alertness and attention
- Boost mood briefly
- Activate Sympathetic Nervous System (heart rate, breathing rate, dilating pupils etc.)
- Decrease appetite
e.g. caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, Ecstacy (MDMA)
Term
Hallucinogens
Definition
- mixed effects on neural activity (distort functioning)
e.g. LSD, marijuana
- Distort perception, and produce hallucinations (vivid images in the absence of sensory input)
Term
Alcohol
Definition
- Enhances GABA and inhibits widespread areas of brain
- Inhibits judgement, leading to disinhibition
- Effects cerebellum
- At high doses, can suppress vomit reflex and respiration, leading to death (medulla)
Term
Sedative-hypnotics (benzodiazepines)
Definition
DEPRESSANTS
- Enhance GABA
- Used to reduce anxiety
- Potential for abuse/dependency
- Can be dangerous if mixed with alcohol
e.g. Valium, Ativan, Xanax
Term
Anxiolytics
Definition
drugs used to reduce anxiety
Term
Opiates
Definition
DEPRESSANTS
- produce a "blissful pleasure"
- high abuse & overdose potential (e.g. heroin)
- repeated use stops brain from producing its own endorphins.
- Agonizing withdrawal
e.g. Heroin, Oxycodone, Fentanyl
Term
Caffeine
Definition
- Worlds most consumed psychoactive substance
- 3-4 hour effect
- Blocks adenosine
- Withdrawal: fatique & headache
Term
Nicotine
Definition
- As addictive as heroin and cocaine
- Releases dopamine and endorphins
- Quick release of epinephrine and norepinephrine (alertness and arousal)
- Stimulates acetylcholine receptors (calming effect)
- Withdrawal craving several weeks/months
Term
Cocaine
Definition
- Derived from coca leaf
- Sniffed, smoked, injected
- Blocks reuptake of dopamine
- Intense euphoria and well being
- Rapid tolerance
- Depletes neuromtransmitters causing crash
- Emotional disturbance, suspicious, aggression, convulsions, cardiac arrest and respiratory failure
Term
Caffeine
Definition
- Worlds most consumed psychoactive substance
- 3-4 hour effect
- Blocks adenosine
- Withdrawal: fatique & headache
Term
Nicotine
Definition
- As addictive as heroin and cocaine
- Releases dopamine and endorphins
- Quick release of epinephrine and norepinephrine (alertness and arousal)
- Stimulates acetylcholine receptors (calming effect)
- Withdrawal craving several weeks/months
Term
Cocaine
Definition
- Derived from coca leaf
- Sniffed, smoked, injected
- Blocks reuptake of dopamine
- Intense euphoria and well being
- Rapid tolerance
- Depletes neuromtransmitters causing crash
- Emotional disturbance, suspicious, aggression, convulsions, cardiac arrest and respiratory failure
Term
Amphetamines
Definition
- Manufactured
- Increase energy and alertness
- Increase dopamine
- Followed by crash
- Oral
- Prescribed for ADHD, weight loss, narcolepsy, decongestion
e.g. Adderall, ritalin, decedrine
Term
Methamphetamines
Definition
STIMULANT
- Usually smoked
- Very addictive
- Produced by breaking down ephedrine with toxic solvents in amateur "meth labs"
- High lasts up to 8 hours
- Release of dopamine
Term
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Definition
STIMULANT
- Also a mild hallucinogen
- Produces euphoria (dopamine release) and social intimacy for 3-4 hours (blocks re-uptake of serotonin)
- Risk of short term dehydration
Term
LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
Definition
- Causes a common pattern of hallucinations
- At its peak, people may feel separated from their bodies and experience vivid dreamlike scenes.
- Blocks serotonin
- Flashbacks may occur
Term
Marijuana (Cannabis)
Definition
- Consists of leaves and flowers of the hemp plant.
- Active ingredient is THC (remains in body for a month or more)
- Causes relaxation, reduced inhibition, may produce euphoric high
- Can amplify sensitivity to sensory inputs.
- May reduce nausea
- Impairs motor coordination, perceptual skills, and reaction time
Term
Mesolimbic Pathway
Definition
- Pleasure pathway in the brain
- From ventral tegmental area of midbrain to nucleus accumbens and cortex
Term
Learning
Definition
A relatively permanent change in behaviour based on experience
- Modification of nervous system as a result of experience w environmental stimuli
Term
Filter stimuli
Definition
We learn to ignore unimportant stimuli to attend to important ones
Term
Adapt
Definition
- PREDICT and PREPARE for biologically important events
e.g. start the digestive tract when you're about to ingest a big meal
- ADJUST our behaviour according to their consequences (learn not to touch the stove)
Term
Associative learning
Definition
- Involves new "connection" between two things
- classical or pavlovian conditioning: between two stimuli
- Operant conditioning: between your behaviour and what follows
Term
Non-Associative learning
Definition
Change in UNLEARNED behaviour with repeated exposure to the same stimulus

The stimulus naturally produces a response in the first place (no learning required). However, experience with that stimulus results in a (learned) change in responding to it (decrease or increase).
Term
Habituation
Definition
Non-Associative learning

- Decrease in behaviour with repeated exposure to the same stimulus.
- The initial response DOES NOT require learning.
- But, experience with that stimulus results in a learned change in responding to it
Term
Sensitization
Definition
Non-Associative learning

- Increase in behaviour with repeated exposure to the same stimulus.
- Learn that a stimulus is important
Term
Observational Learning
Definition
Changes in behaviour by watching other.
Term
Types of learning
Definition
Non associative learning, Associative learning, Observational learning

Latent learning, insight
Term
Dishabituation
Definition
Full strength recovery of habituated response in presence of a novel stimulus
Term
Classical conditioning
Definition
- A neutral stimulus becomes able to elicit a behavioral response due to its association with a stimulus that naturally produces the response.
- a new stimulus becomes capable of eliciting a response due to its association with a stimulus that produces the response.
Term
Ivan Pavlov
Definition
Russian
Studied digestive system (Nobel Prize in1904)
Interested in salivation responses to types of food.
Place food in mouth, dog salivates (reflexively)
However, Pavlov observed “psychic secretions” in his dogs.
Dogs would salivate to sounds associated with feeding
Term
Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
Definition
A stimulus that naturally and automatically causes a response (food).
Term
Unconditioned Response (UR)
Definition
The reflexive (unlearned) response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus (salivation).
Term
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Definition
An initially neutral stimulus (e.g. tone) that, after being paired with the US, comes to elicit a response.
Term
Conditioned Response (CR)
Definition
The learned response to the conditioned stimulus (salivating in response to tone).
Term
Acquisition
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
- Initial learning of the conditioned response by pairing of the US and CS.
- The ORDER and TIMING of the CS and US presentation is extremely important (CS must precede the US slightly, 1/2 sec is optimal)
- NOVELTY and INTENSITY of CS are also important
Term
Stimulus Generalization
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS.
Term
Stimulus Discrimination
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
An Organism learns to emit a specific behaviour in the presence of a stimulus, but not in the presence of stimuli similar to the original stimulus.

EX: Pavlov presented a specific tone to dogs prior to food but presented other (similar) tones which were never followed by food. Dogs learned to respond only to the tone predicting food.
Term
Perceptual Set
Definition
readiness to interpret a certain stimulus in a certain way
Term
Higher-Order Conditioning
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
Occurs when a new stimulus comes to elicit a CR by its association with a conditioned stimulus that already produces a conditioned response.
Term
Extinction
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
- Reduction of a conditioned response after repeated presentations of the conditioned stimulus alone.
- Not the same as "forgetting", memory decay.
- Considered a LEARNING process, learn that CS no longer predicts the US.
Term
Spontaneous Recovery
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS
Re-emergence of a conditioned response some time after extinction has occurred.
Term
Phobia
Definition
Persistent, irrational or obsessive fear of a specific object or situation that may arise as a result of fear conditioning.
Term
Systematic desensitization
Definition
A process used to produce extinction of phobia through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation.
Term
Tolerance and overdose
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING AND DRUG EFFECT

- Stimuli associated with drug use can signal body to prepare for impending drug so users needs more drug to attain an effect.

- In the absence of stimuli, the same dose produces more powerful effect (even death). e.g. Heroin overdose when taking it in a novel setting.
Term
Craving
Definition
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING AND DRUG EFFECT

-Certain stimuli associated with use of drugs come to elicit intense cravings for drug.
Term
Conditioned taste aversion
Definition
A form of classical conditioning where a previously neutral stimulus elicits an aversive reaction after it is paired with illness.
- Requires only one conditioning trial
- Delay between CS and US can be up to 12 hours.
Term
Biological Predispositions
Definition
- As opposed to the behaviourists assumption that all associations could be made equally well, we seem biologically prepared to make certain associations better than others.
- John Garcia: Biological constraints on learning (e.g. Rats associate taste with nausea but not sight. Birds of prey do the opposite)
Term
Operant behaviours
Definition
- Behaviours that operate on the environment to produce rewarding or aversive results.
- Increased through REINFORCEMENT
- Decreased through PUNISHMENT
Term
Operant conditioning
Definition
- Form of associative learning in which associations are made between behaviours and their outcomes.
Term
Law of Effect
Definition
Rewarded behaviour is stamped in, unrewarded behaviour is stamped out.
Term
B.F. Skinner
Definition
- Interested in the "law of effect"
- User the term "operant" to describe behaviours that operate on the world
- Discovered principles of reinforcement and punishment
Term
Operant chamber (Skinner box)
Definition
- Simple chamber with lever to obtain food pellets, and a signal for food availability (a light or speaker)
- Used to systematically examine acquisition and persistence of operant behaviours by manipulating stimuli
Term
Reinforcement
Definition
The process that INCREASES the likelihood of a behaviour
Term
Reinforcer
Definition
- Any experience (consequence of a behaviour) that leads to reinforcement
- Primary reinforcer
- Secondary reinforcer
Term
Primary reinforcer
Definition
Satisfies biological need (will work for food)
Term
Secondary reinforcer
Definition
Learned reinforcers through associations with primary reinforcers
Term
Olfactory Bulb
Definition
the first region where olfactory information reaches the brain on its way from the nose
Term
Piriform Cortex
Definition
- Located in Cerebral Cortex
- Plastic
- Responsible for detection of odours
Term
Memory & Olfactory Sense
Definition
- Olfactory bulb sends information to the amygdala and hippocampus
- Able to link emotions, fear and memories with certain smells
Term
Thalamus & Senses
Definition
- A relay station in the brain for all senses except olfactory
Term
Insula
Definition
- Part of the cortex responsible for disgust
- Can be activated when we smell or taste something revolting
- Also activated with repulsive visual images
Term
anosmia
Definition
inability to smell - smell disorder
Term
ageusia
Definition
inability to taste - taste disorder
Term
Merkel's Discs
Definition
Tactile Receptor Cell
- transduce information about light to moderate pressure on skin
Term
Ruffini's end-organs
Definition
Tactile Receptor Cell
- Located deep in skin
- Register heavy pressure and movement of joints
Term
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
Definition
a small group of neurons in the hypothalamus responsible for coordinating the many rhythms of the body. Including circadian rhythms.
- Prompts the pineal gland to release melatonin
Term
hypnagogic state
Definition
a pre-sleep period often characterized by vivid sensory phenomena
Term
Strabismus
Definition
- A misalignment of the eyes when attempting to focus on an object.
- Occurs in 2 o 4 % of cases.
Term
Amblyopia
Definition
- Partial or complete loss of vision due to abnormal development of the brain's visual cortex in infancy.
- Strabismus is the most common cause of amblyopia.
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