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9 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are psychological processes? |
Mechanisms and underlying psychological principles of mental processes
Example processes: Sensation/perception Emotion Cognition
Example context: Experiment with alcohol and placebo conditions |
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Methodological Issues |
Uncontrolled observation –Naturalistic study
Uncontrolled Observation –Self-selection: Groups may differ on factors that can influenceoutcome •Example: those who drink at lunch may be less motivated or more stressed
Controlled Observation
–Random Assignment •Prevents self -selection •is it generalizable? –Expectancy Controls •Expectancy can influence behavior separate frompharmacological effects •Include control groups or conditions •Taste rating designs –Balanced Placebo Designs •Four test condition Expectancies about effect of alcohol •Expectancies about type of beverage (alcohol or non-alcohol) –Absolute vs. Relative Effects •Participants asked to abstain •Withdrawal may impair performance •Is this an absolute effect or is it simply relative to the withdrawal -induced impairment? -Caffeine and nicotine research |
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Emotional Regulation and Drinking |
•Motivational model of alcohol use –Regulation of positive and negative emotions –Two main motivations to drink: Expectancies of alcohol’s effects may lead to more drinking Majority of people drink for both motives –Limitations: |
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Experiments on Mood |
Experiments on Mood •Dose level –Effects on mood may depend on dose –Experimental studies are often limited to a low dose •Setting –Lab can induce anxiety –Naturalistic setting –mood varies •Ascending vs. Descending Blood Alcohol Curve –As BAC increases = –As BAC peaks and declines = –Moderate/heavy drinkers experience greater stimulating effects compared to lighter drinkers –Personality differences Experiments on Mood •Attentional Demands –Alcohol reduces our capacity to deal with demands on our attentional processing –Study: Participants instructed that in 15 min they would have to give a speech –Does alcohol alter stress? •Smoking effects –Does smoking relieve anxiety? –Does smoking enhance attention? –Does smoking improve mood? |
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Sensory Motor Activity |
•Studies typically conducted in the laboratory •Relevant for real -life behaviors such as driving •Visual Search Task –Low dose alcohol (0.5 g/kg) –High dose alcohol (0.7 g/kg) –Placebo –No beverage control group
•Attention and Reaction Time –Simple reaction time –Divided attention •Motor Coordination –Dual tracking and reaction time task –Expecting and receiving alcohol performed better than expecting placebo receiving alcohol •Risk Perception –Under alcohol participants take longer to detect hazards and respond abruptly
•Driving Simulator Performance –Driving assessed under 4 different (increasing) alcohol BAC levels –Smoking –relative effect –Marijuana
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Cognition |
•Working Memory •Stages of Memory
•Expectancy Effects –Balanced Placebo Design –Expectancies about alcohol can affect behavior •Alcohol reduces anxiety •Alcohol increases aggression •Chronic Memory Effects –Alcohol -dependent, heavy drinkers and binge drinkers exhibit more memory impairment than social drinkers –Wernicke -Korsakoff syndrome –Alcohol dementia |
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Neuropsychological Explanations |
•Structural –Associates structural damage with deficits –Three main theories: •Frontal Lobe Hypothesis •Right Hemisphere Hypothesis •Generalized/diffuse Hypothesis •Process –Focuses on underlying processes as opposed to damage to specific brain regions –Two main hypotheses: •Premature Aging •Increased Vulnerability |
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Structural Neuropsychological Explanations |
•Frontal Lobe Hypothesis –Alcoholic samples have smaller, less functional frontal lobes –Associated deficits: •Right Hemisphere Hypothesis –Left brain –verbal; right brain –visuospatial •Generalized/Diffuse Hypothesis –Widespread cognitive impairment on many different tasks, multiple brain regions affected |
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Process Neuropsychological Explanations |
•Premature Aging Hypothesis –Alcoholic brains look like aged brains –Not much support •Increased Vulnerability Hypothesis –Older brains are more vulnerable to alcohol impairment •Recovery of Functions –Abstinence results in some recovery of function •Cognitive Efficiency and Compensation |
