Unit 3:1 - Divisions of the nervous system and parts of the brain

 

Description of the nervous system

"Nerves are cylindrical bundles of fibers that start at the brain and central cord and branch out to every other part of the body, according to the University of Michigan Medical School. 

Neurons send signals to other cells through thin fibers called axons, which cause chemicals known as neurotransmitters to be released at junctions called synapses, the NIH noted. A synapse gives a command to the cell and the entire communication process typically takes only a fraction of a millisecond.

Sensory neurons react to physical stimuli such as light, sound and touch and send feedback to the central nervous system about the body’s surrounding environment, according to the American Psychological Association. Motor neurons, located in the central nervous system or in peripheral ganglia, transmit signals to activate the muscles or glands.

Glial cells, derived from the Greek word for "glue," are specialized cells that support, protect or nourish nerve cells, according to the National Institute on Aging."

 

https://www.livescience.com/22665-nervous-system.html

 

 

 

Unit 3:2 - Perception and memory

 

 

Perception can also be influenced by an individual's expectations, motives, and interests. The term perceptual set refers to the tendency to perceive objects or situations from a particular frame of reference. Perceptual sets usually lead us to reasonably accurate conclusions.

 

Perceptual set theory stresses the idea of perception as an active process involving selection, inference and interpretation.
The concept of perceptual set is important to the active process of perception.  Allport (1955) defined perceptual set as:

Perceptual set is a tendency to perceive or notice some aspects of the available sensory data and ignore others.  According to Vernon, 1955 perceptual set works in two ways:
(1) The perceiver has certain expectations and focuses attention on particular aspects of the sensory data: This he calls a Selector'.
(2) The perceiver knows how to classify, understand and name selected data and what inferences to draw from it. This she calls an 'Interpreter'.
It has been found that a number of variables, or factors, influence perceptual set, and set in turn influences perception. The factors include:

• Expectations
• Emotion
• Motivation
• Culture 

 

Unit 3:3 - The cells of the nervous system and neurotransmitters at synapses

 

 

Other synapses are electrical; in these synapses, ions flow directly between cells. At a chemical synapse, an action potential triggers the presynaptic neuron to release neurotransmitters. These molecules bind to receptors on the postsynaptic cell and make it more or less likely to fire an action potential.

 

 

 

 

Unit 3:4 - Communication and social behaviour

 

 

Permissive Parenting

Excessively lenient parenting

 

Authoritarian Parenting

Unreasonable strict parenting

 

Authoritative Parenting

Demanding but responsive parenting

 

Securely Attached

Plays with mother, Distressed when mother leaves, resists comfort from strange & runs to mother for comfort when she returns

 

Insecurely Attached - Detached

Hardly plays, indifferent/mild distress when mother leaves, takes comfort from stranger if required. Ignores mother when returns

 

Insecurely Attached - Resistant

Does not play with toys, distressed when mother leaves, resists comfort from the stranger. When mother returns behaviour is inconsistent by seeking and resisting comfort at the same time (signs of anger and resentment.

 

Behavioural Skills

Ability to react appropriately in social situations

 

Emotional Skills

Ability to form stable relationships and demonstrate feeling towards each other

 

Cognitive Skills

Ability to gain knowledge and develop the problem solving skills necessarey to funtion effectively

 

Non-Verbal Communication in Infants

Smiling makes the baby appealing and loveable. This is done for survival to ensure food, care and attention is received from caregiver.

 

How language help human in the Short Term

Allows humans to convey necessary info for day to day living

 

How language help human in the Long Term

Transfer and receipt of info from generation to generation

 

Learning - Practice on motor skills

Repeated use of a motor skill promotes the establishment of a motor pathway by increasing the number of synaptic connections being formed between neurons in the pathways.

 

Imitation

A great deal of human behaviour is learned by observing and copying the behaviour of others

 

Shaping

Using reinforcement in training by reinforcing behaviour acts whuhc are successively getting closer to the desire behaviour

 

Trial and Error Learning

Involve trying to do something various ways intil the correct method is found - positive consequences

 

Positive reinforcement

When the desired behaviour is performed a reward is given to increase chance of repeated

 

Negative Reinforcement

When certain behaviour is performed, negative consequence come to an end

 

Extinction

When a behavioural act is not rewarded it will disappear

 

Generalisation

Ability to respond in the same way to many different but related stimuli

 

Discrimination

Ability to distinguish between different but related stimuli and so give them different responses

 

Social Facilitation

Describe the increase performance of individuals when they are placed in a competitive situation

 

Deindividuation

Loss of personal identity in a group leading to diminished restraints on behavior

 

Internalisation

Change their beliefs by listening to the views of others. If they are persuaded by the opinion forwarded they will adopt it as there own.

 

Identification

Change their beliefs to be like someone they respect or admire.