LP 5A 1 Why should we study psychology? It all seems like common sense (isn t it)? What are some common misconceptions people have that were covered in General Psychology 201? Misconception A majority of relationships between adolescents and parents are characterized as being negative and in constant conflict. A majority of the elderly are incapable of taking care of themselves and in nursing homes. Hypnosis is an effective means of increasing the accuracy of memories that are not consciously accessible and can allow feats of strength. Fact Only a minority of relationships between adolescents and parents are characterized as in constant conflict (chapter 9, page 390). 5% of the people 65-74 and 18% of the people who are 85 and older are in nursing homes (chapter 9, page 399). Hypnosis does not increase the accuracy of one s recovered memory. It will, however, increase a person s confidence in these recovered memories (chapter 4, page 162). We will examine the thinking process (chapter 7) why people have these misconceptions and have a difficult time believing these facts.
LP 5A 2 How can you Apply your Knowledge from General Psychology 201? What procedures should you use to assess claims? (chapter 1) Maximizing your brain s potential (chapter 2) Strategies for controlling pain (chapter 3) Strategies for improving sleep (chapter 4) What are good parenting styles? (chapter 9) What social issues can be addressed from General Psychology 201? Why is it important to have information (including scientific data) made public? What are the effects of sleep deprivation? Why are we sleep deprived? What are the effects of drugs on behavior? Why do people abuse drugs? What are the effects of day care on childhood social development?
LP 5A 3 What are some of the things we will learn in psychology 202? Why does the political process and political figures evoke strong emotions? Why do political campaigns lack discussions of the issues and consist more of sound bites and mudslinging, even though the public doesn t want sound bites and mudslinging? Why is there so much sexual content on television, reality television shows, celebrities sensationalized, and trash TV? Why is gambling behavior (such as slot machines) hard to stop? What is one reason (there are many) that explains why it is difficult for people (usually women) to leave abusive (psychologically, physically, or sexually) relationships? How do superstitious beliefs develop? Why do people lie? Will small fines (caps on punitive damages) deter large corporations and small businesses from breaking the law? How reliable/unreliable is memory? Why should you care? What strategies can you use to improve your memory? How do labels and stereotypes affect memory? Why do I believe that the world wide web is more likely to fragment society, rather than bring it together? Why is American politics so polarized? What thinking strategies do we use to process information in a biased manner? Are people with a high I.Q. more likely to be socially maladjusted than people with a low I.Q.? Is intelligence genetic or learned? Why do people on both sides of the issue seem to think the evidence supports their position? Why are people overweight? What factors affect eating behavior? What is the role of emotions in persuasion (political or advertising)? Why do we deny or downplay its influence?
LP 5A 4 General Psychology 202 Psychology of Learning Introduction: What is learning? Classical conditioning Principles of classical conditioning (Pavlov and his dogs): (UCS, UCR, neutral stimulus, CS, CR) Factors that affect conditioning (stimulus generalization, stimulus discrimination, extinction, spontaneous recovery) From Pavlov to Watson Conditioned emotional reactions (Little Albert) Classical conditioning and drug use Contemporary views of classical conditioning (timing of the pairing) Cognitive aspects of classical conditioning Evolutionary aspects of classical conditioning Taste aversions/one trial learning, biological preparedness Operant conditioning Thorndike and the Law of Effect B.F. Skinner Reinforcement (positive and negative) Punishments In focus 5.3 Alternatives to punishments Shaping Schedules of reinforcement Contemporary views of operant conditioning Cognitive aspects of operant conditioning Learned helplessness Operant conditioning and biological predispositions Observational learning Principles of observational learning Critical Thinking 5.5: Does Reel violence cause Real Aggressive behavior? Application: Using learning principles to improve self-control
LP 5A 5 Conditioning The process of learning associations between environmental events and behavioral responses. Two basic forms of conditioning are: Classical conditioning (often involves involuntary responses) Operant conditioning (often involves voluntary responses) Classical Conditioning A process of learning an association between two stimuli that involves repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with a responseproducing stimulus until the neutral stimulus elicits the same response. These learned behaviors involve involuntary responses or reflexes. Examples from your text: Pavlov s dogs Little Albert One trial learning: Taste aversions Stimulus control: Getting a better night s rest* * This is more a generic form of conditioning, not classical conditioning from Chapter 4
If you have trouble with the language being used, replace conditioning with learned, and response with behavior. LP 5A 6 Standard term Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned response (UCR) Everyday language Unlearned stimulus Unlearned behavior Neutral stimulus Conditioned stimulus (CS) Conditioned response (CR) Learned stimulus Learned behavior A stimulus causes a response
LP 5A 7 One Trial Learning: Taste aversions Lithium and coyotes Spaghetti story Identify the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), unconditioned response (UCR), neutral stimulus, conditioned stimulus (CS), conditioned response (CR). How does the findings of taste aversions violate two basic principles of classical conditioning? Learning of an association does not require repeated pairings of the stimulus and response. The time delay is in hours and not seconds.
LP 5A 8 Other terms associated with Classical Conditioning: Stimulus generalization Stimulus discrimination Extinction Spontaneous recovery Classically conditioned placebo effect Classically conditioned compensatory response What are examples of classical conditioning in real-life? How does classical conditioning help explain events in the realworld? What are examples in politics where they want you to like a particular candidate or feel disgust at a particular candidate? What are examples in advertising (Tommy Hilfiger, cigarettes, Pepsi, etc.)? What are examples with music (eg. soundtracks to movies such as Titanic)?
LP 5A 9 They could Westinghouse him Over one hundred years ago, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse were in a fight for which type of electricity would be the standard: direct current (DC) or alternating (AC). Edison s power plants produced DC, while Westinghouse s power plants produced AC. Edison tried to convince the public that AC power was a dangerous alternative to DC power. As part of a tool of persuasion against Westinghouse, Edison, recommended that Westinghouse s AC generators should be used for electrocution of those sentenced to die (there were a lot of problems with hanging people at the time) even though he was against the death penalty. Source: Flatow, I. (1992). They all Laughed UCS: UCR: Neutral stimulus: CS: CR: capital punishment (electrocution), state sponsored murder negative feelings Westinghouse s AC power Westinghouse s AC power negative feelings