Positive Psychology: WJEC: As Psychology Terms Part 6

Schizophrenia.

| Use of antipsychotic drugs can help some people reduce these levels.

Simple chemicals found in foods and also manufactured by the body.

For those interested (and who wouldn't be if it keeps you happy and healthy?!) ->

Acetylcholine comes from e.g., egg yolks ( 1 large egg = 147mg), meat, seafood, nuts (2 tbsps peanut butter = 18mg)

Serotonin from trytophan containing foods such as protein based foods.

Gamma-amminobutyric acida (GABA) is built up from glutamiate found in fermented foods (sauerkraut), natural protein based foods.

It blocks the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter, that makes us sleepy - hence it is a legal stimulant.
Increases blood pressure, digestive juices, it can be a diuretic, and hence increase dehydration. As with everything - good and bad sides and individual differences are important.

Buss (1989) found that males valued physical attractiveness more wild females valued only potential and occupational status more.

Men prefer women with a low waist to hip ratio possibly indicative of higher conception rate.

Both sexes were interested in body parts that were protective of healthy e.g. eyes skin and complexion. As well aspects relating to fertility and fitness: men focusing on hips and women preferring apparent strength and overall fitness (e.g. muscle tone)

Dopamine

| - antipsychotic drug therapies include chloropromazine, clozapine.

Serotonin (drug therapy - SSRIs such as Prozac) and noradrenaline (drug therapy tricyclic antidepressants, TCAs or monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOISs).

Serotonin (drug therapy

And early form of psychosurgery in which holes were cut into skulls.

Destruction of very specific areas of the brain.

AIM: investigation into whether criminals who had committed murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity brain structures different from those that are not committed murder.
METHOD: PET scans on 41 criminals alongside a control group matched by age sex and diagnosis but who had not committed murder. Ppts had stopped taking any medication for two weeks before to ensure no confounding effects.
FINDINGS: Compare to the control group the criminals were found to have less activity in prefrontal and parietal areas, but no difference in temporal areas of the brain. They also had less activity in the corpus callosum, And imbalance between the two hemispheres associated with the amygdala (R high L diminished), the hippocampus (R high, L diminished), and the thalamus (R high, L same as control). R=right, L=left.
CONCLUSION: The criminal group showed different Levels of activity in various parts of the brain. This may be related to their violent behaviour.

The id is, present from birth represents the unconscious depths of our psyche, and operates on a pleasure principle.
The id, according to Freud, will seek satisfaction at any cost and is not capable of moral or logical thinking.
KEY PRINCIPLE: Pleasure.

The ego is the conscious part of our psyche, of which we are aware, and enables us to meet the demands of the id, which is always seeking pleasure, in a socially acceptable manner. (Emerges from 2 yrs old)
KEY PRINCIPLE: reality.

The superego is unconscious and operates on the morality principle, as the individual's conscience, guiding behaviour with a sense of what is right and wrong.
It is from the superego that Freud believes that we feel guilt. It emerges at about five years of age.
KEY PRINCIPLE - morality

Freud posited five:

1) Oral stage 0 to 1-year-old. Satisfaction gained from putting things in the mouth. Resolution involves trusting and been able to give and receive affection from healthy relationships..
2) Anal stage, 1 to 3 years old. Pleasure again from going to the toilet and emergence of conflict when parents demand that the child uses the potty. How's the resolution involves dealing with authority figures in an appropriate manner.
3) Phallic stage, 3-5 yrs. Child has unconscious sexual desires for the opposite sex parent whilst there and punishment from same-sex parent. (Oedipus or Electra complex) This causes psychological conflict. Resolution involves internalising the values of behaviour of the same sex parent leading to development of morals and gender identity.
4) Latency 5-12 yrs old. Sexuality is dormant while the child learns gender and social rules and develops self-confidence.
5) Genital stage 12+: individual becomes interested in the opposite sex.