PSY 5

  

5. How does cognitive psychology help you to understand memory? How can the accuracy of memory be affected by cognitive and schematic processes? What are some memory strategies that could help students dealing with memory problems or inaccuracies? Try to choose different ones from your classmates.

Here are some strategies that you might want to incorporate into your Discussion post:

Chunking; spaced practice; primacy effects; recency effects; state-dependent learning; context-dependent learning; tip of the tongue phenomenon; elaborative encoding; distributed practice; massed practice, spacing effect; self-reference effect; forgetting curve; overlearning; priming; iconic memory; echoic memory; maintenance rehearsal; retroactive interference; proactive interference; schemas. Note: This list is not exhaustive. Feel free to add other terms and concepts to your plan that are not included on this listing.

6. Describe how the forces of nature and nurture have influenced the development of one of Gardner’s multiple intelligences in your own life. If you had to select a number representing the importance of nature and nurture in shaping this intelligence (1 being the least effect, 10 being the strongest effect), what number would you choose for each one, and why? Be sure to justify your answer with scientific evidence from your reading.

Conclude with a brief discussion about whether or not you believe subjects like art, music, gym, etc. should be emphasized equally with other subjects like reading and math, in order to teach Gardner’s multiple intelligences directly to school-aged children. Why or why not?

7. Describe a specific behavior that you engage in fairly regularly, and discuss how this behavior is controlled by the different lobes of your cerebral cortex, as well as the more primitive parts of your brain. Which hemisphere or half of the brain do you believe was most heavily involved in the processing of this behavior within your brain, and why? Finally, which neurotransmitters do you believe were most active in your brain during the completion of this behavior, and why?

Here’s a sample Discussion response to help you get a sense of what you need to do here:

The behavior that I am going to describe in detail is reading. This action involves the use of a key part of your brain called the cerebral cortex. This is the outer layer of the brain, and as you read, the different lobes or sections of the cerebral cortex are activated. Specifically, being able to see the words uses your vision, and focusing in on the specific features of the letters allows you to differentiate one letter from another. This is controlled by the occipital lobe of your brain – the visual cortex is located here. Both hemispheres, or halves, of the brain are involved when you use your eyes to read. In addition, the frontal lobe is involved in interpreting and understanding the meaning of the words, sentences, and paragraphs which you read. Further, the left hemisphere of your temporal lobe is believed to be primarily involved in making the sounds that are made when you read silently, even if you do not say a word. Other parts of the brain that are involved in reading include the cerebellum (this part of the brain controls the movement of your eyes) and the reticular activating system (this controls your ability to focus and pay attention). With regard to some of the neurotransmitters involved in reading, glutamate would be one that is critical to this activity. Since it is one of the main excitatory neurotransmitters, glutamate is necessary for learning and memory – two functions necessary for reading to be effective. In addition, epinephrine is another neurotransmitter (it is also a hormone) that is needed for reading to occur. Epinephrine regulates attention, mental focus, and arousal. All of these are critical to the successful reader. This is just a brief overview of what goes on within the brain when you read. Simply amazing isn’t it?