IB Psychology Paper 1

Human beings are information processors and that mental processes guide behavior. The mind is a complex machine. Information input to the sensory system comes via bottom-up, info is processed in the mind by top-down processing.

The mind can be studied scientifically by developing theories and scientific research methods. CLOA often uses the experimental method b/c it was assumed to be the most scientific method. But now daily context as well.

Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors. Bartlett, first to say this, coined the term schema which is defined as a mental representation of knowledge. B- humans remember in terms of what makes sense to them, culturally influenced. (Bartlett war of ghosts)

Traditionally favored controlled experiment that takes place in the laboratory. Strength-all variables controlled; weakness- suffer from artificiality. Today variety of methods, case studies. Since cognitive processes are localized in the brain, modern technologies (CAT, fMRI), which areas of the brain are active when making a decision.

- APA guidelines; right to withdraw, consent, lack of deception. - Consider intended uses and impacts of their specific technologies, as well as the potential for accidental use, misuse, and abuse. - provide inherent safety features to the extent considered reasonably possible to maximize the prevention of accidents, misuse, and abuse. - initiate ethical discussions among themselves and support public engagements. - provide human test subjects with a clear understanding of the personal information acquired and how it will be stored, analyzed, and applied. - responsibly handle any personal information obtained from test subjects. - respect the limitations of a cognitive model as an imperfect representation of a test subject.

Mental representations guide behavior Ex: stereotypes

Atkinson and Schiffron's Multistore Model of Memory (1968). Looks at memory as an active process. Memories flow from a sensory stage → short term memories → long term memory. Another way that humans can be looked at as information processors is by looking at them with the Schema Theory. A schema is a mental model of the world, which shows that humans process information in order to be able to create a mental model.

The Stroop Effect- This is a classic laboratory experiment that involves the manipulation of an independent variable (color or name of word) to see what effect it has on the dependent variable (reaction time). It attempts to control the influence of all other extraneous variables - such as other cognitive processes or skills. It also allows us to establish a cause and effect relationship between task and mental process. (Say the color of a word even though they're in different colors)

'War of the Ghosts', Bartlett (1932) showed that memory is not just a factual recording of what has occurred, but that we make \"effort after meaning\". By this, Bartlett meant that we try to fit what we remember with what we really know and understand about the world. As a result, we quite often change our memories so they become more sensible to us. This shows how the culture or social environment we reside in has an effect on our schema of the world, in turn showing how cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors.

Schema theory is a cognitive theory about information processing. A cognitive schema is networks of knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about certain aspects of the world. - It organize info about the world with fixed and variable slots. - related to form systems -are active recognition devices -help to predict future events based on what happened before -represent general knowledge rather than definitions

Multi-store model (Atkinson and Shiffrin) -humans are information processors. Assumptions: -memory consists of a # of separate stores -memory processes are sequential Processes: Attention-pay attention to something so you can remember it Coding- give the material a form that helps you remember it Rehearsal- keeping material active by repeating it until it can be stored. Baddeley and Hitch (Working memory model)

All behavior has a physiological basis ( brain processes, neurotransmitters, hormones and genes). Biological researchers take a reductionist approach to the study of behavior - breaking complex human behavior into its smallest part eg. focusing on the role of a gene, a neurotransmitter, or a localized part of the brain.

Behavior can be inherited. Although researchers are not able to identify the role of specific genes in specific behaviours numerous studies have shown a link between genes and behavior. Two keys ways of researching this link are through correlational ( twin and adoption studies) and linkage studies.

Behavior may be influenced by evolutionary processes. Evolutionary processes include Darwin's theory of natural selection - natural selection is the process by which species adapt to their environment. Natural selection leads to evolutionary change when individuals with certain characteristics (adaptations) have a greater survival or reproductive rate than other individuals in a population and pass on these inheritable genetic characteristics to their offspring.

Animal studies provide insight into human behavior. 90% of the animals used have been rodents and birds, principally rats, mice, and pigeons. Only about 5% of the animals are monkeys and other primates. Use of dogs or cats is rare. There are no basic differences between the physiologies of lab animals and humans. Both control their internal biochemistry by releasing the same endocrine hormones, both send out similar chemical transmitters from neurons in the CNS and PNS and both react in the same way to infection or tissue damage.

1) All behavior has a physiological basis: This can be seen in the case studies of Phineas Gage who was a railroad worker who suffered a personality change after an iron rod shot through his brain. Damasio et al (1994) used imaging techniques to reconstruct the exact path of the iron rod. They were able to create a three-dimensional model of Gage's skull that showed that the iron bar went through prefrontal areas of the brain, thus showing a link between a specific part of the brain and social and emotional reasoning. 2. Behavior can be inherited. One of most well known and largest studies into twins is the Minnesota Twin Study ( Bouchard et al, 1990), a longitudinal study that has been ongoing since 1979, conducted at the University of Minnesota.The study tracks down separated twins from across the world and participants complete approximately 50 hours of medical and psychological assessments including personality traits, occupational interests and mental ability. He found that an identical twin reared away from his or her cotwin seems to have about an equal chance of being similar to the co-twin in terms of personality,interests, and attitudes as one who has been reared with his or her co-twin. This leads to the conclusion that the similarities between twins are due to genes, not environment, since the differences between twins reared apart must mainly be due to the environment. 3. Behaviour may be influenced by evolutionary processes. For example, a study by Chartrand & Bargh (1999 ) examined the chameleon effect in humans. The chameleon effect is the natural tendency to imitate each other's each other's body postures, hand gestures, speaking accents, and other behaviours. Their study showed that people who engaged in more imitative behavior rated the person they imitated higher in terms of likeability, suggesting that mimicry (imitation) facilitated social interaction and bonding, an important adaptive behavior for the success of the group. 4. Animal studies provide insight into human behaviour. Experiments on animals have made an important contribution to advances in medicine and psychology that have brought major improvements in the health and well being of humans and animals. Studies that we look at (have looked at) using animals include;Martinez & Kesner ( 1991 ) the role of acetycholine on memory (rats) Rosenzweig and Bennett (1972 ) effects of deprivation on brain development (rats)Matsuzawa (2007) Spatial memory (chimpanzees)Zola-Morgan et al (2000) Hippocampal damage and memory ( monkeys)Harlow (1962) Love in infant monkeys. However the use of animals in psychological research raises huge ethical issues about the use and treatment of animals in research.