Psychology 3

mnemonics

Any kind of memory system or aid to memory Using mental pictures Making things meaningful Making information familiar Forming bizarre, unusual or exaggerated mental associations

NREM Rebound

observed in people who are deprived of NREM sleep, particularly Deep sleep (stages 3 and 4

Major depressive Disorder

-A mood disorder in which the person has suffered one or more intense episodes of depression. -Average age of onset of first episode: 14-15 -Average length of an episode if untreated: 8-9 mths -75% of those who have suffered one episode will experience others (chronicity) -Landmark symptoms: Anhedonia, helplessness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, poor self-esteem and self-hatred, weight gain or loss, insomnia/hypersomnia, social withdrawal, extreme sadness, impaired concentration, substance abuse...

Improving Memory

-Alternating study sessions with brief rest period -Lack of sleep decreases retention; sleep aids consolidation -Hunger decreases retention -mnemonics

Hippocampus

-Brain structure associated with information passing from short-term memory into long-term memory -If damaged, person can no longer "create" long-term memories = Anterograde Amnesia -Memories prior to damage will remain intact -Examples: H.M. and Clive Wearing in the clip

Sleep Lab Measures

-Electroencephalogram (EEG): Measures brain wave activity -Electrooculargram (EOG): Measures eye movements -Electromyogram (EMG): Measures muscular activity (movement) -Heart rate -Blood pressure

Anxiety

-Feelings of apprehension, dread, or uneasiness -Involves activation of the sympathetic nervous system -Response of anticipation which prepares us in the face of uncertainty

Freud's methods

-Free association: say a word and client would say first word that pops up. themes would emerge -Dream Analysis: remember your dreams, write them down. manifest content: the story symbolic content: meaning of the dreams

What is the DSM-5?

-In Canada, the United States, and much of Europe, psychological problems are classified by use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-5 -This manual provides a system of classification for the various disorders

Explain the main functions of REM sleep

-In early life, may stimulate the developing brain: The younger one is, the more time spent in Rem sleep -May help us process emotional events. -May serve as the brain's "night lamp", periodically allowing for neural firing (cortical activation) -Most theorists agree that dreams reflect our waking thoughts, fantasies, and emotions. -Psychoanalysts suggest that images in dreams serve as visible signs of hidden (unconscious) ideas, desires, impulses, emotions, relationships, and so forth. -Important for learning: Consolidation of memories; Release of proteins during Rem sleep, which are important in the formation of neural networks. Research demonstrates that, when learning a new task, Rem sleep increases.

Dreams

-Most people dream four or five times a night. Dreams get longer as sleep progresses -Not all people remember their dreams; last dream is usually the one remembered. -Dreams are usually spaced about 90 minutes apart (one cycle=90 minutes) -First dream lasts only 10 minutes. -Last dream averages 30 minutes and may last as long as 50.

REM Rebound + Alcohol

-Occurrence of extra time spent in Rem/Paradoxical sleep following REM sleep deprivation. -Alcohol suppresses REM sleep and sets up a powerful rebound when it is withdrawn. -ohol and other depressant drugs may help a person sleep but greatly reduce sleep quality.

Mention the effects of sleep deprivation.

-Sleep-Deprivation Psychosis (Confusion, disorientation, delusions, and hallucinations that occur because of sleep loss) -Concentration problems -Decision-making problems -Lowered pain threshold -Lowered immune system -Decreased beta wave activity -Somatic problems (gastro-intestinal, headaches) -Poor body temperature control -Tremors, trembling -Impaired fine motor coordination etc

Statistical abnormality

-Whatever deviates from the norm (the average) -not necessarily clinically abnormal -doesn't necessarily cause any harm

Describe some behavioral remedies for insomnia.

-adopting a regular sleep schedule -stimulus control (only sleep in bed) -eating starchy foods before bed -avoid fighting insomnia (only go to bed when you cannot stay awake) -reducing stress

Cognative Behavioural Therapy CBT

-gradual exposure to phobia -desensitization -habituation leads to extinction -reality testing -most efficient approach

Freud

-neurologist -father of psychoanalysis believed mood disorders were a result of unconscious material leaking out and the conscious having to deal with it

what is a savings score?

Amount of time saved (expressed as a percentage) when relearning information that we thought was forgotten Demonstrates that memories in LTM are permanent

altered states of consciousness

Awareness that is distinctly different in quality or pattern from waking consciousness ex. hypnosis, drugs, alcohol, meditation, sleep

Bipolar 1 and 2

Bipolar I Disorder: (extreme) Mood disorder in which a person has episodes of mania (excited, hyperactive, energetic, grandiose behaviour) and also periods of deep depression. Bipolar II Disorder: Mood disorder in which a person is mostly depressed (sad, despondent, guilt-ridden) but has also had one or more episodes of mild mania (hypomania). Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder: Depression Mania Main treatment = Lithium (mood stabilizer) Runs in families

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Device designed to detect, amplify, and record surface electrical activity in the brain (neural firing and cortical activity) does not pick up firing in the brain stem (too deep)

Define and explain the causes of Insomnia

Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep Sleeping pills exacerbate insomnia; cause decrease in REM and Stage 4 sleep and may cause dependency. Temporary Insomnia: Brief period of sleeplessness caused by worry, stress, and excitement. Avoid fighting it and read a book, for example, until you're struggling to stay awake. Chronic Insomnia: Exists if sleeping troubles last for more than three weeks. Adopt regular schedule; go to bed at the same time each night, for example. Drug-Dependency Insomnia: Sleeplessness that follows withdrawal from sleeping pills

What is in the DSM-5?

Each disorder has a: -symptomolpgy, -diagnosis (ex. 5\8 of symptoms), -prognosis (how the disorder evolves over time), -epidiology (numbers and stats), -comordity (occurence of two disorders at once), -ethology (known causes for the disorder) (either nature/genetics or nurture/environment) -NOTHING ON INTERVENTION

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Extreme preoccupation with certain thoughts and compulsive performance of certain behaviors (rituals) Obsessions: Recurring images or irrational thoughts that a person cannot prevent: Anxiety-producing Intrusive Most common: Being dirty (germs) or wondering if you performed an action (turned off the stove) Compulsions: Irrational acts that a person feels compelled to repeat against his/her will Help to control anxiety created by obsessions: Anxiety-reducing Checkers and cleaners

Sleep Cycles info

Following stage 4, the sleeper enters REM sleep, where dreaming occurs. A cycle of sleep (stages 1 to 4 followed by a period of REM) lasts approximatly 90 minutes. Since we sleep an average of 8 hours, there are 5 such cycles per night and therefore 5 dreams per night. Then it goes backwards (4, 3, 2, 1) No more deep sleep in the last 2 cycles The longest dream is the last one

Retroactive and Proactive Interference

Interference: Tendency for new memories to impair retrieval of older memories, and vice versa Retroactive Interference: Tendency for new memories to interfere with retrieval of old memories Proactive Interference: Prior learning inhibits (interferes) with recall of later learning

Mood Disorders

Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar disorder): Emotional disorders involving extreme sadness (exaggerated, prolonged, or unreasonable) and several cognitive, behavioral and emotional Bipolar Disorders: Emotional disorders involving both depression and mania (agitation and euphoria). Dysthymic Disorder: Mild depression that persists for two years or more. Cyclothymic Disorder: Mild depression that alternates with periods of mild mania. *Overall, women are twice as likely as men to experience depression

Define clinical abnormality; include characteristics of abnormality

Maladaptive behavior: Clinical abnormality -Behaviour that makes it difficult to function, to adapt to the environment, and to meet everyday demands -Causes distress -Causes harm to self or others Interferes with daily functioning -Presence of hallucinations and delusions is always abnormal -Age inappropriate behaviours -Too much or too little of a behavior (not enough eating, too much crying etc) -Always take into account age, context and culture

Anxiety disorders

Panic Disorder (with or without agoraphobia): Brief moments of sudden, intense and unexpected panic. Specific Phobia: An intense, irrational fear of specific objects, activities, or situations. coping mechanism. they try to avoid it at all cost Polyphobia: if a specific phobia is not treated, then it is common to develop more phobias OCD

What are the main differences between REM and NREM?

Rapid Eye Movements (REM): -Associated with dreaming; Rem sleep also called Paradoxical sleep -Body is paralyzed during REM sleep. -EOG shows rapid eye movements -Beta brain wave pattern -Seems important in learning and consolidation Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: -Occurs during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye movement occurs. -Seems to help us recover from daily fatigue.

Explain the differences between Recall, Recognition and Relearning.

Recall and Recognition: Supply or reproduce facts or information with some (recognition) or no (recall) external cues; direct retrieval of facts or information. Learning again something that was previously learned Used to measure memory of prior learning

Define and explain the causes of Sleep apnea

Repeated interruption of breathing during sleep. Breathing stops for periods of 20 seconds to two minutes. Apnea victims complain of hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness). Causes: brain stops sending signals to diaphragm; blockage of upper air passages.

Repression, Retrograde Amnesia, Anterograde Amnesia

Repression: Unconsciously pushing painful, embarrassing or threatening memories out of awareness/consciousness Retrograde Amnesia: Forgetting events that occurred before an injury or brain trauma (concussion): Organic cause Anterograde Amnesia: Inability to consolidate: To form new memories. Involves damage to the hippocampus

sleep disorders

Sleepwalking (Somnambulism): Occurs in NREM sleep during Stages 3 and 4 Sleeptalking: Speaking while asleep; occurs in NREM sleep Night terrors: Occurs in NREM sleep, during stage 4 (deep sleep). Occurs mainly in children who generally outgrow it. Hypersomnia: Excessive daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy: Sleep disorder that causes a person to suddenly slip directly into REM sleep, this can occur at any time, even during waking hours.

What are the four stages of sleep?

Stage 1: Small, irregular waves produced in light sleep (Beta and theta waves). Stage 2: Deeper sleep; sleep spindles (bursts of distinctive brain-wave activity) appear. Theta waves Stage 3: Deeper sleep; Delta waves appear; very large and slow Stage 4: People reach deep sleep (deepest level of sleep). Brain waves are almost pure delta.

Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Symptoms of Depression associated with low level of Serotonin: -Antidepressant drugs, SSRI's as Prozac and Zoloft, raise the availability of Serotonin in the brain. By doing so, symptoms are reduced. -placebo and medication had same results in mild-moderately depressed individuals

serial position effect

Tendency to make the most errors in remembering the middle items of an ordered list. Remember the last items on list because they are still in STM. Remember the first because they entered in an "empty" short-term memory.

Explain the main functions of Deep sleep

The restorative hypothesis: -Deep sleep is important to restore/repair the body -In support of this, increase in release of growth hormones at onset of deep sleep; growth hormones stimulate cell division = growth & repair -Increase in delta sleep (delta sleep) after extensive physical training

Explain dysthymia and cyclothymia

dysthymia: -milder version of depression -poor self esteem on most days, no energy -clinically abnormal -can't make decisions cyclothymia: -milder version of bipolar disorder -at least two years

consolidation

the formation of engrams by making neural connections from the memory traces. The hippocampus is essential for this process