Biological rhythms

Question 1

What are the different types of neurons?

Answer 1

• Sensory neurons (PNS)
• Motor neurons (cell body in CSN, axons in PNS)
• Relay neurons (CNS, brain)

Question 2

How is an electrical impulse within a neuron created?

Answer 2

The cell body has a negative charge when in rest. A stimulus triggers a positive charge which creates action potential, and then turns into an electrical impulse.

Question 3

What is summation?

Answer 3

• Upon receiving a stimulus, a neuron sums all excitatory and inhibitory influences
• Overall more positive -> more likely to fire
• Overall more negative -> less likely to fire

Question 4

What are excitatory/inhibitory influences?

Answer 4

Positive and negative influences on a neuron that influence how likely it is to fire

Question 5

List the parts of a neuron

Answer 5

• Cell body
• Dendrites
• Axon
• Myelin sheath
• Nodes of Ranvier
• Terminal button

Question 6

List the parts involved in synaptic transmission

Answer 6

• Pre-synaptic nerve terminal
• Vesicle
• Neurotransmitters
• Synapse
• Post-synaptic receptor sites

Question 7

What is the role of the unconscious in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 7

• The unconscious mind determines behaviour
• Stores repressed traumas which can be accessed through dreams or Freudian slips

Question 8

Explain ‘personality’ in the psychodynamic approach

Answer 8

• Id: operates by the please principle, base desires, is present at birth
• Ego: operates by the reality principle, is a mediator, deploys defence mechanisms, forms at age 2
• Superego: operates by the morality principle, based on the standards of the same-sex parent, forms at age 6

Question 9

Explain Freud’s psychosexual stages

Answer 9

• 5 stages, each is marked by a conflict that becomes a fixation if not resolved
• Oral (0-1yrs), anal (1-3yrs), phallic (3-6yrs), latency, genital (puberty)

Question 10

What are the strengths of the psychosexual approach?

Answer 10

• Can explain human behaviour, has had an overall positive impact on psychology
• Introduced psychoanalysis as a form of treatment

Question 11

What are the limitations of the psychosexual approach?

Answer 11

• Psychotherapy does not apply to all disorders and can be harmful to some
• Cannot be tested/proven, based on subjective analysis of case studies, unscientific

Question 12

What are the assumptions of the humanistic approach?

Answer 12

• Self-determination and free will exist
• Everyone is unique so subjective experience should be prioritised (holism)

Question 13

Explain Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 13

• Physiological needs, safety, love, self-esteem, self-actualisation
• Must fulfil each stage in order to progress to the next

Question 14

Explain Carl Rogers’ contributions to the humanistic approach

Answer 14

• Low self-esteem is caused by a disconnect between the self-concept and the ideal self
• ‘Client-centred therapy’ (counselling) aims to close that gap
• Does this by providing unconditional positive regard, which childhood may have lacked