Awkward Moments

Psychology of Perception

Chapter 4 Reading Schedule

For Friday Oct 12 Read Pages 115-134 in the text.

The rest you can spread out over your break. Be prepared for a quiz on Chapter 4 (all of it) on 10/22/07.

Lack of Sleep Can Be Deadly, New Research Shows

READ STORY HERE

Helpful Site on ADD/ ADHD

Click Here

Class WILL Be in Session on Wednesday!

Here is the Learning Styles Test (Click). Please email results to me by Wednesday.


How did I do?

Highest on Social, 2nd highest score was on Solitary! Barbara found hers to be similar!

Here's what is said about a high social score:

Common pursuits:
Some examples of pursuits that people with a strong social style may follow include counseling, teaching, training and coaching, sales, politics, human resources, and others.

Why Learning Styles? Understand the basis of learning styles.
Your learning styles have more influence than you may realize. Your preferred styles guide the way you learn. They also change the way you internally represent experiences, the way you recall information, and even the words you choose. We explore more of these features in this chapter.

Research shows us that each learning style uses different parts of the brain. By involving more of the brain during learning, we remember more of what we learn. Researchers using brain-imaging technologies have been able to find out the key areas of the brain responsible for each learning style. For example:

Visual.
The occipital lobes at the back of the brain manage the visual sense. Both the occipital and parietal lobes manage spatial orientation.
Aural. The temporal lobes handle aural content. The right temporal lobe is especially important for music.
Verbal.
The temporal and frontal lobes, especially two specialized areas called Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas (in the left hemisphere of these two lobes).
Physical.
The cerebellum and the motor cortex (at the back of the frontal lobe) handle much of our physical movement.
Logical.
The parietal lobes, especially the left side, drive our logical thinking.
Social.
The frontal and temporal lobes handle much of our social activities. The limbic system (not shown apart from the hippocampus) also influences both the social and solitary styles. The limbic system has a lot to do with emotions, moods and aggression.
Solitary.
The frontal and parietal lobes, and the limbic system, are also active with this style.

Man Without a Memory - Clive Wearing [BBC - Time: Daytime]

Test Help Summaries

TEST HELP...

Group 1
Memory:
To help the mental functioning of our clients we need to have a basic understanding of how humans process information. Information processing examines the uptake, selection, coding, and storage of information. This process is similar to a computer. Entering data through a keyboard involves forming a memory code which is encoding. Saving data in file on a hard disk involves maintaining encoded information in memory over time, or storage. Calling up file and displaying data on a monitor is similar to the retrieval process in information processing which involves recovering information from memory stores. It is also important to note that learning can occur with gradual changes in the strength of connections through experiences.

Group 2

Consciousness: awareness of internal and external stimuli
- Most fundamental element of human cognition
- Includes awareness of self, others, and various aspects of physical environment

Consciousness: follows a continuum from coma (mental state with no responses can be elicited) to alertness
(ability to respond to any stimuli)

Consciousness can be evaluated by response to the various types of stimuli

States of low alertness are called disoriented states
- Person looses awareness of time, place, and person
- Can indicate an organically based mental disorder

Orientation: A form of consciousness that is assessed by asking questions such as…..
Time?
Hour?
Month? ……Etc.

Example: Drunken Person
- Being intoxicated is an example of a disoriented state in which consciousness is limited


Group 3
PERCEPTION
What is it?
*perception is the interpretation of sensory input
What are the two theories?
enrichment theory-the view that the information we receive through our senses is formless and we must augment this information to make sense of it
i.e. Exhibit 3.5 pg.86
differentiation theory-the view that all information needed to interpret sensory input is continued in the sensations

Group 4

Attention

Focusing on a specific stimuli whether it be a phone or a lecture without outside interference
Evaluating Attention Capabilities
serial 7’s: focus on the ability to attend; start at 100 and subtracting 7’s
spelling backwards/ reciting months of year backwards
Vigilance and concentration
Aspects of attention
look like you are paying attention (outward appearance)
hypervigilance: paying too much attention to outward stimuli
concentration: the ability to focus inwardly on the task at hand (pay attention without looking- typing without looking at keyboard)

Group 5
Associationism – Mental associations in your mind.
Three fundamental factors of associations:
o Continuity – associations formed because two events occur together in the same time or space.
 Example: If a child touches a stove and burns himself. That child has a lasting association that the stove is hot.
o Similarity- associations being formed because events or ideas that occur close together have features that are similar.
 Example: When learning Spanish, think of a similar word in English to help learn.
o Repetition- associations that often occur together.
 Example: If you’ve always eaten pancakes and syrup together then you’ll always associate pancakes with syrup.
o Reinforcement – 4th major factor. Any event that brings about learning or increases the probability that a particular response will occur.
 Classical conditioning- reinforcement that involves the strengthening of an association between a stimulus and a response through the presentation of a second stimulus. (Ex. A dog can learnto flex its paw in response to a bell (first stimulus) that is associated with a second stimulus (a shock)
 Operant conditioning- reinforcement refers to the acquisition of new responses because of their effect on the environment. (Ex. If a response solves a problem for a child, the child will repeat that response if provided with a similar situation, because of the associated result.)


Group 6
MEMORY

• Memory is considered the most critical component of the learning process

• There is a distinction made between immediate, long-term, and short-term memory:
 Immediate Memory = information that is retained for up to 10 seconds
 Immediate Memory Loss can be tested by digit span (when a person repeats a list of numbers forward and backwards)
 Short-Term Memory Loss: Caused by impairment in areas involving regular and rehearsed information
 Short-Term Memory has limits: can maintain unrehearsed information for 20-30 seconds or rehearsed information for 5-10 minutes
 Long-Term Memory Loss: Caused by problem in retrieving information

• George Miller
 He concluded that when information is added to short-term memory, some of the older information will have to be displaced.
 He wrote: “ The Magical Number Seven, plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information.”

• Information-Processing Approach – ( 4 Stages or “4 R’s”)
 Registration – receives information through senses
 Rehearsal – important in helping short term memory
 Retention – remembering the information provided
 Recall – Memory loss is generally caused by a problem in recall (retrieval of the needed information)


Also Interesting read to help you understand (perhaps) a little better...

Group Choices: 1st Assignment (Observation) Due on October 3rd

Group 1
Matt
Katie
Kellie
*Ages 7-12

Group 2
Deanna
Maegan
Stephanie
*Adolescents

Group 3
Jessica
Danielle
Ana
*Age 3

Group 4
Jackie
Darraugh
Naomi
*Adolescents

Group 5
Amanda
Katrina
Shemeka
*Adolescents

Group 6
Katelyn
Barbara
Angela
*Pregnancy

Midterm Date Change: The Votes are In...OCTOBER 10th

That is Wednesday, two weeks earlier than scheduled. Please reply on comment so that I know you are keeping up with the class (and its changes!) Thanks!

Strange Piaget Clip that Helps With Memory!

I am Betting that More than Half of You Can Read This

I'm one of the 55. Are You?

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too.
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd
waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the
hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the
ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is
taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can
sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the
huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but
the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas
tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Not sure if anyone else got this in their email but I thought if I asked you in class...we would see how accurate the stats are ;)

Sigmund Freud Clips!

Wrap Wednesday

So, we will plan on ending class at 11:40am...and head over to get these chicken wraps. They had better be good! ;)

Quarter Life Crisis

Congrats to Deanna- 100% on Worldview Paper

Deanna, your paper was honest, insightful, and covered the topics. No filler, used spell check...well written. The only 50/50.

Honorable Mentions:
Darraugh, Matt and Katrina

Grades, Documents, and Power Point Slides

Hotchalk!

If you didn't receive an email invite, let me know. P.S. Some of you have joined, but picked Usernames I can't decipher...if it doesn't have any part of your name in it, I don't know who you are and can't post your grades :)

For future reference, I am giving you the powerpoint slides in the beginning to help you get going...but please don't expect them the entire semester. It is expected that prior to starting a new chapter in class, you will have read the chapter we are discussing/ I am presenting. If indeed, you have done the reading, it won't be necessary for you to write down every word of the presentation slides ;) You should be applying the presentation material to what you have already learned (or at least read).

LOOKING AHEAD: Summary for Chapter Three will be DUE ON MONDAY. In this case I don't want a paper, or paragraphs. I would like to have you turn in a hard copy of bulleted points that shows that you have read and processed the material.

Rules:
Do not use headings as bullet points.
Points need to be in your own words.
Points may be a question.

This exercise will not only annoy you, but improve your reading comprehension which the majority of the class listed as a weakness.

Worldview Paper Grading

Okay- so here's the deal. A few papers need little work, a few need a lot of work. Generally I am finding that certain sections are great within your papers while others are missing completely... or don't answer the topic. So, I will hand them back on Monday. Many of you will have the opportunity to improve your points. If you choose to rework your paper in the needed spots, go ahead and take the paper I have made comments on for a guide. When you turn in the improved paper (BY FRIDAY)...you will need to turn in the original with my comments as well as the new hard copy.

I will address current themes that I have found in your work in class on Monday. Enjoy the rest of the weekend if you are checking in before Monday!

Congrats Maegen on the 8/10 on Scary Pop Quiz!

Mitochondria!

How Exciting!

House MD - Baby vaccination

Example of What? What did he do that was wrong in this clip- was there anything right?

Introduction to Second Life

What are the possible impacts of second life on our clients?
For In Class Discussion and Viewing on Friday.

Week 2, Chapter 2

Case Study: Raul (Download) Discussion for Chapter 2: CLICK HERE

Glossary for Chapter 2 (taken Directly from Your Text):
Hope this proves helpful for studying!

Allostasis The process of maintaining stability through change.
Allostatic load The cumulative cost to the body of allostasis; allostatic overload is a state in which serious pathophysiology can occur.
Amino acids A group of nitrogen-containing organic compounds that serve as the units of structure associated with proteins.
Angina pectoris A coronary condition involving pain and tightness in the chest.
Autosomes Chromosomes other than sex chromosomes.
Axons Long fibers that carry impulses from the cell body of a neuron to other cells.
Canalization The process by which people inherit general pathways that constrain their growth and developmental processes.
Central nervous system The brain and spinal cord.
Chromosome disorders Abnormalities or defects caused by errors in an entire chromosome or part of a chromosome.
Cystic fibrosis A serious disease of the exocrine gland that causes secretion of excess, thick body fluids.
Dendrites The branched fibers on the cell body that bring messages to the cell body of the neuron.
Development The refinement or improvement of body components.
Diastolic pressure The measure of the blood’s flow during the relaxation of the heart.
Differentiation theory The view that all information needed to interpret sensory input is contained in the sensations themselves.
Dominant gene A gene that is always expressed for a trait, in paired genes.
Down syndrome A disorder, characterized by mental retardation, that is associated with the presence of three chromosomes, rather than a pair, for chromosome 21.
Endocarditis An infection or other factor that damages the heart’s valves.
Fragile X syndrome A serious form of mental retardation that is identified in karyotype studies by a constriction at the end of the long arm of the X chromosome.
Frontal lobe The portion of the brain that participates in body movements, thinking, feeling, imagining, and making decisions.
Genotype The actual genes an individual carries for a specific trait.
Glia The supporting cells that make up the bulk of the brain.
Gray matter Areas of the nervous system with a high density of cell bodies and dendrites with few myelinated axons.
Growth A technical term that refers to the addition of new biophysical components, such as new cells or an increase in body size.
Hemophilia A condition that is due to a defective gene on the X chromosome that causes a defi ciency in the blood coagulation factor VIII.
Huntington’s chorea A disorder involving a dominant autosomal gene and characterized by progressive chorea (purposeless motions) and the eventual development of dementia (mental deterioration).
Hyperplasia The type of growth that involves an increase in the number of cells.
Hypertrophic growth The type of growth in which increases are observed in the size of cells.
Klinefelter’s syndrome A condition in which a male is born with an extra X chromosome (XXY).
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome A disorder that involves a gene on the X chromosome and is characterized by mental retardation, spasticity, and self-mutilation.
Malignant tumors Tumors that are not self-contained.
Meiosis The process of cell division that creates the sex cells.
Mitosis The cellular process in which a body cell reproduces itself by dividing and producing two new daughter cells.
Mitral valve prolapse A valvular disease of the heart involving the protrusion of one or both cusps of the mitral valve back into the left atrium.
Monoamines A group of nonacidic neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin.
Multifactorial disorders Developmental disorders caused by multiple genes.
Mutation Random events that distort key characteristics in an organism’s growth and development.
Myelination The process of coating the nerve cells with myelin, a substance that forms around neurons and acts as insulation, allowing faster and more efficient transmission of nerve impulses.
Myocardial infarction The condition in which insufficient oxygen is directed to the heart’s muscle.
Myocarditis An infection or other factor that damages the heart’s muscle.
Neurons The cells in the nervous system involved in conveying information from one cell to another.
Neurotransmitters Chemicals that are synthesized inside the neuron.
Occipital lobe Part of brain located below the parietal lobe and involved in the receiving and sending of visual information.
Parasympathetic nervous system The branch of the nervous system that counteracts the activities of the sympathetic nervous system and conserves body resources
Parietal lobe The portion of the brain that is primarily involved in the process of integrating sensory information.
Peptides Chains of amino acids.
Pericardium The thin sac that encloses the heart.
Peripheral nervous system All those nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord.
Phenotype The trait expressed by genes in the individual.
Proliferation The stage in brain development when neurons are produced.
Proteins Any organic compound that has a large combination of amino acids.
Purines The category of chemicals that includes adenosine.
Recessive gene The gene that is not expressed in a trait unless paired with a similar or homozygous gene.
Single-gene disorders Inherited dysfunctions or defects that result from dominant, recessive, or X chromosome–linked genes.
Sympathetic nervous system The branch of the nervous system that mobilizes the body for emergencies.
Synaptic cleft The space between any two neurons or between a neuron and another cell.
Systolic pressure A measure of the heart when it is constricting and pumping blood out and through the body.
Tay-Sachs disease A neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive mental and physical retardation.
Temporal lobe The portion of the brain involved in emotions and human motivation.
Tumor Mass of purposeless tissue caused by cell growth.
Turner’s syndrome Condition in which a female is born with only one X chromosome (X0).