Imagine that you are riding a bus. A girl gets on, and you recognize her as someone you know but have not seen for two years.
1. What are the roles of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system in allowing you to recognize the person and remember who she is?
2. What are the roles of sensation and perception in allowing you to recognize who the person is?
3. Give examples of episodic and semantic memory that could be topics of conversation as you talk to your friend.
4. You and your friend come from similar backgrounds and once had similar personalities and interests. As you talk to each other, you both realize that you have become very different people. Give an example of one dimension and one theme of development that applies to this situation, and define the dimension and theme you use.
5. a) Your friend tells you about a tragedy that happened in her life. What would cause most people to make a situational attribution and not a personal attribution?
b) Since the tragedy, your friend has lost interest in doing things that used to interest her, and she has been blaming herself for the tragedy. How might a psychologist determine if her struggle is mental illness? What type of disorder might she have?
I beleive it has something to do with cognitive
1. The central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) both play crucial roles in allowing you to recognize the person and remember who she is. The CNS, which consists of the brain and spinal cord, processes and integrates information received from the PNS. In this scenario, as you see the girl, visual information from your eyes is transmitted through the PNS to the brain. The brain then processes this information, compares it with stored memories and facial recognition patterns, and retrieves relevant memories associated with the girl's face. The PNS, composed of the nerves that branch out from the CNS, transmits sensory information collected by your senses to the brain for further processing and interpretation.
2. Sensation refers to the process by which our sensory receptors detect and respond to environmental stimuli, such as visual stimuli in this scenario. Perception, on the other hand, involves interpreting and organizing the sensory information received from the environment. In recognizing the person, the sensory receptors in your eyes detect the visual stimuli and transmit signals through the PNS to the brain. The brain then perceives and interprets these signals, forming a meaningful perception of the person's face and allowing you to recognize who she is based on stored memories and facial recognition patterns.
3. Episodic memory refers to memory of specific personal experiences and events. In your conversation with your friend, examples of episodic memory topics could include reminiscing about a memorable vacation you both took together or recalling a specific event from your shared past. Semantic memory, on the other hand, refers to general knowledge, concepts, and facts not associated with personal experiences. Examples of semantic memory topics could include discussing a favorite book, sharing knowledge about a common interest or hobby, or talking about a historical event.
4. One dimension that applies to this situation is the psychological dimension of development. This dimension encompasses changes in an individual's thinking, emotions, personality, and self-perception over time. In this case, you and your friend have become very different people, indicating that your personalities, interests, and identities have evolved in different ways.
One possible theme of development that could apply here is individuality. As people grow and develop, they often become more unique and express their own individuality. Each person's life experiences, values, and choices contribute to shaping their individuality, which can result in differences between two individuals who once had similar backgrounds and personalities.
5a. Most people would likely make a situational attribution rather than a personal attribution when hearing about a tragedy because situational attributions involve external factors and circumstances, whereas personal attributions involve internal characteristics and traits of an individual. Tragedies are often seen as events that happen due to unpredictable or uncontrollable circumstances, such as accidents or natural disasters, which would lead people to make situational attributions rather than blaming the person involved.
b. To determine if your friend's struggle is mental illness, a psychologist would typically conduct an evaluation that may involve psychological assessments, interviews, and observation of symptoms and behaviors. If your friend has experienced a significant change in her interests, persistent feelings of guilt or blame, and a negative impact on her functioning and well-being, it could indicate the presence of mental health difficulties.
Based on the symptoms described, your friend might be experiencing symptoms consistent with depression. Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, and changes in cognitive and physical functioning. However, it is important to note that only a qualified mental health professional can diagnose a specific disorder based on a comprehensive evaluation.