VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[rani_b]

Hey guys!

In the freeze response, BP drops, heart rate decreases and the body is immobile. Is this similar to what happens in the 'shock' phase of the GAS? Can you describe it as the body acting as if it is injured? I'm asking because I was doing a NEAP paper that said ' the body acts injured (or dead) as it cannot deal with the threat/the threat is too overwhelming.'

[KiNSKi01]

Yep u would expect to see the same physiological changes in the freeze response as you see in the shock phase of GAS. (GAS model details physiological changes which occur due to a stressor which is present over a prolonged period of time whereas FFF response is in terms of an immediate threat)

It makes sense that the freeze response can be described as the body acting injured/dead as animals in the wild display the freeze response  when e.g antelope in the jaws of a cheetah pretends to be dead so that the cheetah will search for more prey and release the antelope.
HOWEVER, I don't think this would be the best description/explanation of the freeze response. I am interested to see what others say about this

 

[rani_b]

HOWEVER, I don't think this would be the best description/explanation of the freeze response. I am interested to see what others say about this

Yeah I think I'll just stick with a safe answer like 'the freeze response results in an immobile state and is activated when the threat is too overwhelming.'

[Bri MT]

Yeah I think I'll just stick with a safe answer like 'the freeze response results in an immobile state and is activated when the threat is too overwhelming.'

You could also include adrenaline being released into the bloodstream and functions which aren't essential in the short term being inhibited (eg digestion)

[KiNSKi01]

Lol got another question on this topic

Since the first stage of GAS produces the same physiological response as the freeze response (despite GAS being to a prolonged period of stress and freeze response to an immediate threat) How are we meant to distinguish the two if something like this comes up in a MCQ?

[Bri MT]

Lol got another question on this topic

Since the first stage of GAS produces the same physiological response as the freeze response (despite GAS being to a prolonged period of stress and freeze response to an immediate threat) How are we meant to distinguish the two if something like this comes up in a MCQ?

The GAS is a biological model of stress not just a long term model of stress.  FFF and GAS aren't mutually exclusive

[rani_b]

"Benjy the beagle works at Hobart Airport as a sniffer dog. When he notes the scent of a restricted substance he sits down beside its source, e.g. a bag. Each time he does this he receives a treat from his handler.

It is most likely Benjy's behaviour was acquired through:
A. Classical conditioning only
B. operant conditioning only
C. observational learning only
D. both classical and operant conditioning

Why is the answer D and not B?

[KiNSKi01]

The GAS is a biological model of stress not just a long term model of stress.  FFF and GAS aren't mutually exclusive

Thankyou for clearing that up!

[ebaade4]

I've been doing some previous VCAA exams and have come across questions regarding descriptive and inferential statistics, but I don't recall learning it throughout the year. Is this still relevant to the current SD? If so, what is the difference between the two? Thanks 

[studyingg]

"Benjy the beagle works at Hobart Airport as a sniffer dog. When he notes the scent of a restricted substance he sits down beside its source, e.g. a bag. Each time he does this he receives a treat from his handler.

It is most likely Benjy's behaviour was acquired through:
A. Classical conditioning only
B. operant conditioning only
C. observational learning only
D. both classical and operant conditioning

Why is the answer D and not B?

because classical conditioning did occur due to the repeated association between the NS (the scent) and UCS (receiving a treat)
during conditioning:
 the scent of the substance (NS)  + Receiving a treat (UCS) ------ salvation in response to the treat (UCR)

after conditioning:

the scent of the substance (cs) ----- salvation in response to the scent (cr)


-ps idk if the cs/ns would include sitting down after smelling the substance- but I don't think so.

so the most correct response would be D, simply due to the fact that the reinforcement used repeatedly is also a UCS and thus CC did occur

A lot of the times with classical conditioning, operant conditioning also occurs, for example an important thing to know is that the principle of opperant conditioning can be can be applied to the Little Albert experiment as some of his responses to the white rat ( antecedent) such as crawling away (behavior) lead to the consequence of negative reinforcement.

[studyingg]

I've been doing some previous VCAA exams and have come across questions regarding descriptive and inferential statistics, but I don't recall learning it throughout the year. Is this still relevant to the current SD? If so, what is the difference between the two? Thanks 

They are  in the study design, so I suggest you revise them haha
basically

Descriptive statistics are data used to analyse, summarise, and visually represent raw data to make it easily understood. for example, the mean and standard deviation, bar charts and other graphs are descriptive statistics. This type of data only describes trends and patterns seen in results, therefore it cannot be used to draw conclusions and generalisations. However, you may be asked to draw a conclusion 'based on the results', which would entail drawing a conclusion based on descriptive statistics. These statistics 'represent the sample'

Inferential statistics on the other hand are data used to objectively make conclusions and generalisations (inferences), and interpret whether or not there is a causal link between the IV and DV. If data is considered 'statistically significant', inferential statistics were likely used to determine this, and it basically means that the difference between the experimental and control group is significant enough to infer that the IV caused a change in the DV. P-values are an example of an inferential statistic, however they are out of the study design. So we will probably get questions about reliability and have to use descriptive statistics to make a judgement on whether or not the data will/won't be statistically significant.

[matthewzz]

Hi there! I just had a question regarding reliability and validity in the research methods section. I'm not too sure on how these can be applied in a question or research scenario, let alone what they even are! If anyone can explain this to be that would be amazing.

Also, in terms of long-term potentiation, how are we supposed to answer in a question on the role of glutamate? Is it just that it is excitatory and therefore helps strengthen the connection? Thanks!

[ebaade4]

They are  in the study design, so I suggest you revise them haha
basically

Descriptive statistics are data used to analyse, summarise, and visually represent raw data to make it easily understood. for example, the mean and standard deviation, bar charts and other graphs are descriptive statistics. This type of data only describes trends and patterns seen in results, therefore it cannot be used to draw conclusions and generalisations. However, you may be asked to draw a conclusion 'based on the results', which would entail drawing a conclusion based on descriptive statistics. These statistics 'represent the sample'

Inferential statistics on the other hand are data used to objectively make conclusions and generalisations (inferences), and interpret whether or not there is a causal link between the IV and DV. If data is considered 'statistically significant', inferential statistics were likely used to determine this, and it basically means that the difference between the experimental and control group is significant enough to infer that the IV caused a change in the DV. P-values are an example of an inferential statistic, however they are out of the study design. So we will probably get questions about reliability and have to use descriptive statistics to make a judgement on whether or not the data will/won't be statistically significant.

thanks !!!

[rani_b]

-ps idk if the cs/ns would include sitting down after smelling the substance- but I don't think so.

Oh I see! Thanks.

I don't think the CS could be sitting down because that's not a reflexive response - that was what i was trying so hard to look for haha

[studyingg]

Hi there! I just had a question regarding reliability and validity in the research methods section. I'm not too sure on how these can be applied in a question or research scenario, let alone what they even are! If anyone can explain this to be that would be amazing.

Also, in terms of long-term potentiation, how are we supposed to answer in a question on the role of glutamate? Is it just that it is excitatory and therefore helps strengthen the connection? Thanks!

Validity: is whether the variables in a research actually/acurately represent the variables that they are said to measure.
for example: measuring cortisol levels in the blood stream is a valid measure of stress, however measuring IQ results to represent memory would be invalid.

in psych, everything we study is a psychological construct (it can't be directly measures), so we need valid measures of the effects of this construct.

to go into more detail validity can be categorized as internal or external validity.

Internal valditity is whether there is a causal relationship between the IV and DV, that is whether the iV actually caused the change in the DV. So if you want to discuss validity in research scenario always discuss the effects of exraneous/confounding variables, as they cast doubt on whether the IV caused the change in the DV and thus whether the research is internally valid. internal validity also impacts whether you can draw a conclusion (for e.g/ a valid conclusion cannot be drawn due to the presence of X confounding variable)

external validity is whether the results can be generalised to an external setting or wider population. For this you'll have to discuss whether the sample is representitive and whether the opperationalisation of the variables is valid. For example, an experiment that takes place in a sleep lab is not externally valid, because of the dissonance between natrual settings and those in the experiment. Moreover, If i'm measuring memory through IQ scores, I can't generalise my findings to suggest that my IV can be used to improve students memories in the classroom.

reliability is the liklihood that replicating the experiment will provide simillar/same results. If something is reliable the findings can be generalised to the wider population due to their consistency. In the exam, you can discuss reliability if you are given a standard deviation, if the s.dev is high the experiment is likely unreliable due to the variability between participants. There is an overlap between reliability and external validity. Moreover if something is more objective its more likely to be reliable than a subjective measure.

It is possible to have an experiment that is invalid but reliable, but not vice versa.


Also,

Glutamate plays an important role in synaptic plasticity:
synaptic plasticity is the ability of connections between neurons to change in strength. Synaptic plasticity plays a fundamental role in learning and memory because this feature of the nervous system enables the learning of new memories. Two key processes that occur as a result of synaptic plasticity are LTP and LTD. They take place throughout the brain, but to a greater extent in the cerebral cortext and the hippocampus, at glutamageric synapses. Glutamageric synapses are synaptic connections whereby glutamate is released and glutamate receptors uptake this neurotransmitter. Therefore glutamate plays a role in LTP and LTD by modulating the excitability properties of neurons. LTP is when the same group of neurons fire together simultaneously, glutamate is released, and its excitatory effect enables information to travel along these neural pathways, as a result neurons along such pathways become more sensitive to glutamate, due to the increased sensitivity and number of glutamate receptors. Thus glutamate makes neurons along this pathway more excitable, and thus enhances their efficiency in transmitting info. (obviously LTD is the opposite)

hope this helped