Factors relating to Substance Abuse and Addicitve Behviours

Explain factors related to the development of substance abuse or addictive behaviour & examine prevention strategies and treatments for substance abuse and addictive behaviour (22 marks) A substance is anything that people can ingest to alter mood, cognition or behaviour: specifically to induce feelings of self-confidence, fun or relaxation. However, there is an issue with 'substances', in that they can often cause a dependence or addiction. An addiction can be described as the behavioural and other responses that include compulsion to certain substances continuously, in order to avoid psychological and physiological deficits in the absence of the substance: namely discomfort, anxiety etc. An addiction may relate to anything in one's life which may cause the process of uncontrollable usage. This essay shall seek to outline the key reasons for development of a substance abuse, whilst assessing the prevention strategies and treatment for the subsequent substance abuses and addictive behaviours - with key reference to smoking and addiction to nicotine. From a biological perspective, there are a number of factors which relate to the causation of substance abuse and addictive behaviours. Drugs often stimulate the release of hormones which are conducive with positive feelings. In the case of smoking, the drug is nicotine and hormone released is adrenaline. This increases the

  • Word count: 3127
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Discuss the use of technology in investigating cognitive processes

Discuss the use of technology in investigating cognitive processes. The use of technology to study cognitive processes is prominent in research conducted into the cognitive level of analysis. In the past, the study of the brain was limited to people suffering from head injuries and the effects of accidental damage. It was only possible to study the brain during autopsy. However, today it is possible to use technology in order to study cognitive processes. Two of the most popular neuro-imaging techniques used are positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). PET scans are used to examine activity in brain function over periods of time. Participants are given a small amount of radioactive material which bonds with the glucose in the body. As areas of the brain use up the glucose, the positively charged particles (positrons) remain and are picked up by the scan. These positrons acts as markers which produce a colour-coded map of the activity occurring and allow the researcher to see changes in activity over time. PET scans have been used in research such as that by Raine et al. (1997) who conducted research with the aim of discovering whether murderers who had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) showed evidence of brain abnormalities. The scans showed that the NGRI group had reduced activity in the amygdala and the

  • Word count: 854
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Explain how environmental processes can affect one physiological process.

PSYCHOLOGY IB RSA Academy DR. Higgs-Allen Hassan AlSaffar (With reference to empirical research studies) Explain how environmental processes can affect one physiological process. Brain plasticity, also called neuroplasticity, is a common term used by neuroscientists, referring to the brain's ability to constantly change, grow, and remap itself over the course of a lifespan at any age - for better or worse. That such distinctive attribute makes the brain a quite even more valuable organ, as it can regularly adapt itself to deal with new inputs such as knowledgeable phases (gaining knowledge) and / or real life phases (environmental demands). Majorly there are several different types of brain plasticity. The first occurs when new-born babies are born and start developing into children. Studies have shown that the immature brain grows and creates neural networks at an unparalleled frequency, as the brain is submerged with new sensual contribution from the outside world. Identified in 1965, that human brain structure was thought to be determined by genetics and thus fixed and unchangeable. But an experiment carried

  • Word count: 1185
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Clive Wearing and HM - Two Evaluations of Brain Function and memory loss.

Strengths Each case study has given us a unique understanding of brain-functioning - outline specifically what each case has done to further our understanding HM Clive Wearing The amygdala and hippocampus play a great role in memory. The removal of these could cause anterograde amnesia, where the patient is able to learn new things, however only after a lot of practice, though the patient does not remember how he has learned these things The herpes simplex encephalitis in the hippocampus plays a role in the cognitive function of memory, and although it is quite hard, it can be attacked by viruses Studies like these can raise interesting question for further research HM Clive Wearing Which specific bit of the brain that was removed from HM was most responsible for the amnesia as well as the severity of his case? What is it about Clive Wearing that made him susceptible to getting amnesia from what would normally just be a regular cold virus? If there are enough similar cases then generalisations can start to be made HM Clive Wearing People with anterograde amnesia could also be looked at and studied, as well as other people with amnesia such as Clive Wearing. Each study could then be compiled according to the surgery, if any, that has been done on them, thereby creating a picture of which areas of the brain most cause amnesia or the severity of it in patients The

  • Word count: 1107
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Psychology Experiment. The study that is being replicated is the first experiment of J.R. Stroops The Stroop Effect, which involved the effect of interfering color stimuli upon reading names of colors serially.

Introduction In a study of cognitive interference, J. Stroop was able to exemplify that when two stimuli are occurring simultaneously, brains will only be able to respond to one, and thus the verbalization process is compromised. Redding and Gerjets showed that manually responding to stimuli had a greater or lesser effect on the interference, showing that responding manually to a stimulus would be able to occur more quickly while making more errors. The study that is being replicated is the first experiment of J.R. Stroop's The Stroop Effect, which involved the effect of interfering color stimuli upon reading names of colors serially. Mr. Stroop placed colors into two groups; reading colors that were in a color that was not the same as the color of the word themselves, and reading color names printed in black. The result was that participants were able to say the word faster and with less errors in reading words written in black. Less interference allowed the participants to perform better. The aim of this experiment is to show that cognitive interference occurs when someone is faced with two stimuli at the same time. Method Design This experiment used a repeated measures design to show the effect the two different sets of words would have on the ability of a person to verbally respond. This way of experimenting shows the true difference between the times it takes

  • Word count: 2233
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Psychodynamics - On unconscious

Assess the role of the unconscious and conscious mind on human behavior in relation to two psychodynamic theories Psychodynamics, as its name implies, is concerned with the dynamics of the mind. For the most part, psychodynamic approach attempts to understand how human personality is shaped by past experience and workings of the mind. Mind is understood in terms of conscious and unconscious levels. Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are psychodynamic psychologists who developed theories on the basis of such a portrait of mind. Freud's psychoanalytic theory emphasizes the importance of innate drives, which shape personality mostly in childhood, through gratification focused on different areas of the body. According to the focus of gratification corresponding to certain age, the development is divided into stages. To deal with innate drives and impulses, personality operates on three main systems (id, ego, and superego), which are one by one set to work. Id is the most primitive part, operating on the pleasure principle. It seeks immediate gratification of the innate drives. Later on, child learns that gratification must be delayed if the situation is not appropriate. Then, the rational part of the personality - ego, is at work. Last but not least, superego is a part representing values and morals of the society and thus helps a person judge what is right and what is wrong. The

  • Word count: 1011
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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A. In the context of human behavior outline one theory from the humanistic perspective (4 marks) and B. Explain one way in which methodology or cultural considerations have an impact on theory outlined in A (4 marks).

A. In the context of human behavior outline one theory from the humanistic perspective (4 marks). In our society most of people wish their American dream happened - they wish to win on a lottery, quit their jobs and live free lives, travelling and spending the money. Yet, the studies show that many lottery winners actually stay in their jobs or open their own companies. Is it just the will to earn even more or something else. Maslow came up with an idea that this is because having the money is most basic need fulfilled by working. Thanks to money we can buy food, shelter, clothes and other necessities - so they can fulfill our physiological and safety needs. However Maslow suggested that there is a hierarchy of needs and those two are just at the bottom. He claimed that people stay in work because they have friends in there. Though they can also satisfy their love and belongingness needs. Moreover, by staying at work and climbing up the ladder of career they can get respected and thus satisfy their need of esteem - the last necessary need to be fulfilled in order for self-actualization process to occur. Self-actualization is argued by Maslow to be the most advanced human need, based on desire to grow and use one's capacities to their fullest. Everyone has the need for it, however all other needs (deficiency needs) have to be fulfilled to start self-actualization. B. Explain

  • Word count: 376
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Evaluation of drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia

* What are the advantages and disadvantages of using medication for the treatment of schizophrenia? According to the Medical Model of psychology one of the way genes may influence behavior is through biochemical agents in the brain. The view, that the brain produces its own hallucinogens is supported by some evidence, and more specifically by Smythies's findings of hallucinogen-like chemicals in the brain. Additionally, dopamine, a neurotransmitter, has received the majority of research attention. It is agreed that rather than the production of dopamine, the amount of it that is utilized plays role in schizophrenia. More dopamine is utilized either as a result of rather sensitive post-synaptic receptors for the neurotransmitter or because of an increased number of the receptor sites. This results in the fact that in people suffering from Schizophrenia the number of these receptor sites is higher and they are more densely packed. The medical model offers a variety of somatic therapies for abnormal behavior and schizophrenia. Chemotherapy1, Electroconvulsive therapy2, and psychosurgery3 are probably the basic categories of these therapies. As it has been mentioned previously, schizophrenia is caused by the presence of chemicals in the brain and by dopamine. Therefore the most effective way of curing schizophrenia would be by blocking the dopamine receptors, which is an

  • Word count: 709
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Env. explanations of learning

Describe and evaluate one of the key concepts - environmental explanations of learning. Environmental explanations of learning can be explained and evaluated through several processes like classical conditioning, social learning theory, and learned helplessness. Each process can be assessed by looking at specific investigations conducted in each area respectively: 'Little Albert' by Watson and Rayner, 'Bashing Bobo' by Bandura and Ross, and 'Mongrel Dogs' by Seligman and Maier. In 1920, two behaviorists, Watson and Rayner, conducted an experiment to explore whether our emotional responses could be classically conditioned. They believed that the roots of the complex stimulus-response relationships were built from several basic unconditioned ones. To test this theory, they attempted to instill a phobia in a 9-month old infant by the name of Little Albert. A hammer was used to strike a steel bar behind the child to produce a loud clanging sound. In response, Albert naturally began to cry. The conditioning process then followed, and a white rat was presented to Albert. Whenever Albert reached out to touch the rat, the bar was struck to produce the clanging sound. He would jump violently and fall forward, whimpering while burying his face in the mattress. Soon, Albert began to withdraw his hand whenever the rat came near him. The process was repeated five times more in one

  • Word count: 2350
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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Gender and Cultural Differences in Depression

* DISCUSS GENDER AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES REGARDING A DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR OF YOUR CHOICE. Depression is classified to be persistent low mood for at least two weeks, plus at least five of the following symptoms must be present. These include hypersomnia or insomnia, overeating and weight gain or loss of appetite and decrease in weight, agitation or slowing in movement, daily fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, inability to think or concentrate, loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. The rates that people suffer from depression vary tremendously between the two sexes and from culture to culture, though. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and more specifically the number of women suffering from depression is noted to be 2-3 times higher than the number of men. One out of four women is experiencing or at least has experienced clinical depression. The risk factors can be divided into separate categories. To begin with, hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle, menopause, or the uses of oral contraceptives are very usual for most women and can be main causes for depression. Similarly, most women who have experienced infertility or miscarriages are also very likely to experience the symptoms of depression. All those are hormonal and biological factors that women have little, almost

  • Word count: 828
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Psychology
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