Behavioral Sciences 4 Cognition, Consciousness, and Language

Behavioral Sciences 4: Cognition, Consciousness, and Language Cognition Language Information The brain encodes, stores, and retrieves info much like a Processing Model: computer. Piaget’s Stages: Involve schemas and assimilation vs. accommodation. Sensorimotor: 0 2 yrs. Child manipulates the environment to meet physical needs through circular reactions. Object permanence develops at the end of this stage. Preoperational: 2 7 yrs. Pretend play, symbolic thinking so they learn to talk, egocentrism & centration. Concrete Operational: 7 11 yrs. Understands the feelings of others. Conservation develops. Math. Formal Operational: 11 years and older. Abstract thought and problem solving. Moral reasoning. Problem-Solving Types: Trial-and-Error Algorithms Deductive Reasoning: Form conclusions from rules. Inductive Reasoning: Form conclusions from evidence. Mental Set: A pattern of approach for a given problem. Functional The tendency to use objects only in the way they are Fixedness: normally utilized. Creates barriers to problem-solving. Heuristics: “Rules of thumb” Availability Heuristic: When we make our decisions based on how easily Phonology: The actual sound of speech. Morphology: The building blocks of words. Semantics: The meaning of words. Syntax: Rules dictating word order. Pragmatics: Changes in language delivery depending on context. Theories of Nativist (biological) Theory: Language acquisition is Language innate. Development: Learning (behaviorist) Theory: Language acquisition is controlled by operant conditioning and reinforcement by parents and caregivers. Social Interactionist Theory: Language acquisition is caused by a motivation to communicate and interact with others. Whorfian Linguistic Relativity. The lens by which we view and Hypothesis: interpret the world is created by language. Broca’s Area: Produces speech Wernicke’s Area: Language comprehension Arcuate Fasciculus: Connects Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area. Aphasia: Language deficit Broca’s Aphasia: Difficult to generate speech. Wernicke’s Aphasia: Lack of comprehension. Conduction Aphasia: Can’t repeat words. similar instances can be imagined. Representativeness The tendency to make decisions about actions / events Heuristic: based on our standard representations of the events. Confirmation Bias: The tendency to focus on information that fits an individual’s beliefs, while rejecting information that goes against those beliefs. Gardner’s Theory of 7 areas of intelligence: Linguistic, logicalMultiple mathematical, musical, visual-spatial, bodilyIntelligences: kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal. Consciousness Alertness: State of being awake and thinking. EEG shows BETA waves when alert or concentrating, ALPHA waves when awake but tired, eyes closed. BETA: #freq ¯amp; ALPHA: Synchronous Sleep: More info on right Hypnosis: Individuals appear to be in normal control of their faculties but are in a highly suggestible state. Used for pain control, psychological therapy, memory enhancement. Meditation: Quieting of the mind. Used for relief of anxiety. Consciousness-Altering Drugs Depressants: Alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines. They #GABA. Stimulants: Amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy. #Dopamine, #norepinephrine, #serotonin at synaptic cleft. Opiates & Opioids: Heroin, morphine, opium, oxycodone & hydrocodone. Can cause death by respiratory depression. Hallucinogens: LSD, peyote, mescaline, ketamine. Mesolimbic Mediates drug addiction. Includes nucleus accumbens, Pathway: medial forebrain bundle, and ventral tegmental area. Dopamine is the main neurotransmitter. Sleep Beta – Alpha – Theta – Delta BAT-D mnemonic for sequential order of brain waves. Stage 1: Light sleep. THETA waves Stage 2: Slightly deeper. THETA waves, sleep spindles, K complexes. ¯heart rate, ¯respiration, ¯temperature. Stages 3 & 4 Deep sleep. DELTA waves. Slow-wave sleep (SWS). Most sleep disorders occur during stage 3 & 4 nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Growth hormone released. Rapid Eye Mvmt: REM sleep. The mind appears awake on EEG, but the person is asleep. Eye movements and body paralysis. Mostly BETA waves. Sleep Cycle: 90 min. Stages: 1-2-3-4-3-2-REM or 1-2-3-4-REM Circadian 24 hours. Melatonin triggers sleepiness. Cortisol Rhythm: promotes wakefulness Dreaming: Mostly during REM. Activation- Dreams result from brain activation during REM Synthesis Theory: sleep. Activation in brainstem, synthesis in cortex. Sleep Disorders: Dyssomnias: Difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or avoid sleep. Insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea. Parasomnias: Abnormal movements or behaviors during sleep. Night terrors, sleepwalking. Alertness Selective Attention: Allows one to pay attention to particular stimulus while determining if additional stimuli in the background require attention. Divided Attention: Uses automatic processing to pay attention to multiple activities at one time.