Social and Cross-Cultural Psychology: Concepts and History
Concept and Scope of Social Psychology
Social psychology is the systematic study of people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in social contexts. It’s the scientific study of how we feel about, think about, and behave toward the people around us and how our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are influenced by those people. The subject matter of social psychology is broad and relevant to everyday life. Social psychologists study why we are helpful or aggressive, the benefits of relationships, and
Read MoreBrain Lobes, Functions, and Cognitive Processes
Frontal Lobe
The frontal lobe controls emotions and adaptation of personality to event experiences. It is also responsible for foresight, imagination, and self-awareness. Main areas of the frontal lobe include:
Parietal Lobe
The parietal lobe is the principal sensory area for touch. Lesions can cause sensory issues and impairment in cognitive receptive speech.
Temporal Lobe
The temporal lobe is involved in cognition, emotion, and memory.
Occipital Lobe
The occipital lobe is responsible for vision, visual
Read MoreUnderstanding Emotions: Components, Theories, and Brain Areas
Emotions Components
- Feelings
- Cognitions
- Actions
James-Lange Theory
2 Hypotheses:
- Weaker action/physiology = less emotion
- Stronger action/physiology = stronger emotion
Is physiological arousal sufficient for emotions?
Möbius Syndrome (M.S.)
Condition where subjects are unable to move facial muscles for smiling.
- M.S. subjects are able to experience happiness & joy.
- Autonomic rather than muscular activity triggers affective components of emotions.
Brain Areas Associated with Emotion
- Limbic system: areas of
Understanding Criminal Behavior: Serial Killers and Domestic Abuse
Serial Killers and the Psychology of ‘Nothing to Lose’
When an author (perpetrator) feels they have nothing left to lose, the significance of a murder diminishes. Bank robbers, cornered during an escape after a prior killing, exemplify this. In the majority of killings and assassinations, police identify the perpetrator relatively easily; approximately 90% of these crimes are solved. The remaining 10% often involve mishandled judicial investigations, such as failing to properly seal the crime scene,
Read MoreResearch Methods: Validity, Reliability, and Experimental Design
*Valid logic: True premises always lead to a true conclusion. Sound logic: The argument is valid and all of the premises are true
Hypotheses:
Directional alternative hypothesis: –
Group 1 will perform better than Group 2 -As X goes up, so does Y -As X goes up, Y goes down
Causal or Associative Hypotheses — –
Some attempt to define a causal relationship -The experimenter must be in control of the cause -“If I change X, then I think that Y will also change” …-Co-Occurrence: -The presumed cause
Capacitor and Circuit Problems: Solutions and Analysis
Problem 1: Spherical Capacitor
A spherical capacitor consists of a thin conducting shell of radius a, surrounded by a thin conducting shell of radius b (where b > a). When the capacitor is connected to a battery, the inner shell has charge +Q and the outer shell has charge –Q.
(a) Let r denote the distance from the center of the shells. Use Gauss’s law to find a symbolic expression for the electric field between the shells.
(b) Find a symbolic expression for the magnitude of the potential difference
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