psychology …and medicine zsolt b. major - 4081237@t-email.hu 2nd lecture

PSYCHOLOGY…AND MEDICINE

Zsolt B. Major - 4081237@t-email.hu

2nd lecture

THE SUBJECTS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Just like…

…marbles…

General psychology

• Detection/Sensation

• Perception• Attention• Memory• Learning• Imagination• Thinking

Prove me absolute clearly, objectively,

that you really exists…

Synaptic gap

Neurotransmitters(Stimulators/facilitators vs. Inhibitors)

+ + + + + + +

- - - - - - -+ + + + + + +

- - - - - - -

I/0 (basic) Information

Neurons–

& it’s network

Units – eg. areas in brain

Biological funds

Detection/Sensetion - Perception

Physical stimuli:

- luster(light) (electrometic radiation)

- sound wave

- pressure

- heat

- chemical substances

Sensory-organs

(Special receptors)

- eg. rods,

- hair cells

- etc.

Transduction

Perception

1 / 0 Information&

MEANING

Detection/Sensation

• Seeing• Hearing• Smelling• Tasting• Skin sensation

(pressure and temperature)

• Pain• Body Sense

Modalities

Sensations are psychological experiences associated with simple stimuli, that have not, as yet, been endowed with meaning

ABSOLU THRESHOLD = the minimum amount of stimulus energy reliably registers on the sensory organs

DIFFERENCE THRESHOULD = the minimum difference between two stimuli that can be reliably distinguished by the sensory organ

Perception – …Meaning - for survive…

TOP-DOWN PROCESSES:

(came from previous experience, knowledge,

expactations…)

Let’s find examples!

Signal-detection theory

Is there a blob, or not…?!

Sensation is often viewed as the process of detecting a signal that is embedded in noise.

In some case, a signal may be „falsly” detected even when only noise is present. (False alarm or

hit)The difference between hits and false alarms is a measure of the magnitude of the stimulu’s effect

on the sensory organ.

The use of signal-detection theory allows the processes of detecting a stimulus to be separated

into two numbers:Representing the observer’s sensitivity to the

signal representing the observer’s bias to respond

that the signal is present

Perception …Meaning - for survive…

• Foreground-Background• Figure&ground• Grouping (good

continuation, proximity, similarity)

Lokalization (Gestalt) the slave market with a disappearing bust of Voltaire

To localize objects, we must first separate them and organize them into groups

Distance perception

• Monocular (relative size, cover, relative height, linear perspective, motion parallax = looking out the train window: distant object’s picture move more slowly on the retina)

• Binocular

Perception …for survive…

Another example for complex top-down precesses…:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9uwB9lPJ5Y

TOP-DOWN PROCESSES – practical benefits:

Do not rely to our memory, that we left the 1 mg syringe in the drawer when we need it, but verify it!

We jot down the medical history immediately , because our memory is constructive .

Exact asking when getting medical history („bump” or „collision” remembering to an accident – see open-closed questions in practice!)

The patients forget the drug doses for the same reason, follow the instructions inaccurately – to prevent this see also the practice!

„Positive benefit”: Differential diagnosis = constructive thinking!!

Social psychology

Social psychologyPerception of social environment

• PERCEPTION BY SCHEMAS (Through schematic processing, we percieve and interpret incoming information in terms of simplified memory structures called schemas. Schemas are mini-theories about everyday objects and events that allow us to process information efficiently not have to built up in every moment the perception by bottom up processes…)– („top-down process” = constructive…, and allow us making mistakes, misunderstandings in social perception)

• FIRST IMPRESSIONThe first information we recieve (in the first 7 second…!) an initial schema and, hence, becomes more powerful in determining our impression than does later informations…

• HALO EFFECTEg. We see a Blonde, cute little girl, and we suppose that she is smart too – coming from the „Cute, blonde little girls are good girls, so often smart” schemas…

STEREOTYPEis a constant schema, usually schema of groups of peopleNeed for predictability…

They are toughs

Self-protecting mechanism…

SELF FULFILLING PROPHECYOnce activated, stereotypes can set in motion a chain of behavioral processes that serve to draw out from ourselves and others behavior that confirms the initial stereotype.The other poeple starts to behave that way, what we were thinkinkg about him, how he would…

ATTRIBUTIONS(internal – external factors):

Attribution is the process by which we interpret and explain the behavior of other poeple.

One major attribution task is to decide wether someone’s action should be attributed to dispositional (person’s personality or attitudes) or to

situational causes (social forces, or other external circumstances)

• Fundamental attribution error – we are inclined attaches more significance on internal, dispositional factors…(eg. Recruitment exam to university)

• See: Constructive perception – self-fulfilling processes…

INDIVIDUATION= the possible solution

Although streteotypes are activated automatically, under the right conditions they can be controlled through effortful thinking.

INDIVIDUATION is the process of forming impressions of others by assessing their personal qualities in a step-by-step checking process, which is about to check out if our stereotype corresponde or not with the person’s real behavior?

STEREOTYPES, ATTRIBUTIONS – practical benefits:

Consciously pay attention to our appearance – first impression…(To prevent the fundamental attributional error by the patients…)!

Let us be able to leave our streotypes – do not mistake the fundamental atrributional error

eg. With a homeless patient…!)or with an angry patient – may be he/she has been waiting for 3 hours… - self-fulfilling processes: if we are hideous,

agressive with him/her, he/she will became really it…

Questions…?

END of the 2nd lecture

Thank you for your attention!

Litterature:

Atkinson & Hilgard.: Psychologyp.110-118., 157-167.

650-662.

Always the related content to the lecture’s theme!

• Induced movement (the moon „moves” behind the clouds)

• Stroboscopic motion• Real movement

Motion perception

Perception …for survive…