psych study guide

1. What is the pleasure principle put forth by Freud? The pleasure principle put forth by Freud is a psychic force that motivates people to seek immediate gratification of instinctual desires such as sex, hunger, thirst, and elimination. Many principles of pleasure have been linked to good being. the idea that humans seek to decrease tension through fulfilling instinctual needs. It further states that if this principle is embodied, an organism would seek to fulfill its instinctual needs no matter the consequence 2. What does the term hedonia mean? Eudaimonia? Hedonia is high positive affect, low negative affect, and high life satisfaction. Eudaimonia is human flourishing associated with living a life of virtue. Pleasant experience and pleasure emotions attain happiness. 3. Does the research support the notion that humans can experience more than one emotion at the same time? Yes, research supports the notion that humans can experience more than one emotion at the same time. Psychologists often interpret mixed emotional experiences, defined as experiencing more than one emotion over a given period of time. 4. Which type of emotions did Isen find contributed to people being more likely to help others, think in flexible ways, engage in effective problem-solving, and be more willing to exhibit self-control? Isen’s study (Estrada, Ibsen, Young) exhibited mild positive emotions. 5. What did Isen find in the experiment where she gave physicians candy and then evaluated their decision making and reasoning abilities? Researchers randomly assigned doctors to receive a small bag of candy. Found in the experience: The doctors given the candy came to the correct diagnosis quicker and exhibited more cognitive flexibility in this problem solving task. 6. Know the broaden and build model of positive emotions proposed by Fredrickson. How do positive emotions impact the number of things someone wants to do? Creativity? Perceptions of stress? Playfulness? posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people’s momentary thought-action repertoires. (4 assumptions) 1. Positive emotions impact one’s thought-action repertoire. ( when we experience positive emotions, we tend to be: less focused, more action orientated, open to new thoughts and ideas, and open to social relationships and connections with others.) 2. “UNDOING”: positive emotions undo the effect of negative emotions. (Can one speed up the recovery from an increased cardiovascular activity via- emotions with positive emotions) 3. Positive emotions help us “bounce back”. (Participants with high resiliency scores reported more positive emotions during stress.) 4. Positive emotions improve well-being and help build resources. (Negative emotions can cause a downward spiral, positive emotions can create an upward spiral) more playful young adult subjects reported lower perceived stress

7. Be familiar with the Fredrickson and Johnson study of own race bias. Frederickson and Johnson study their own race bias: We are better able to distinguish differences in people of our own race. (Induced joy, fear, neutral conditions with videos). Joy condition: recognized faces of other races at same rates as own race, not true for fear or neutral conditions the study found that positive emotions can help build resources -in this study, the researchers assessed positive emotions, negative emotions, and coping (creative problem solving) at time 1 and then at time 2 (5 weeks later) -initial levels of positive emotions at time 1 predicted an increase in coping (creative problem solving) at time 2 -this also resulted in an upward spiral of positive emotions 8. What has Sheldon Cohen’s research team found with regard to emotional style and susceptibility to a rhinovirus? study people who report positive emotions are less likely to catch colds and also less likely to report symptoms when they do get sick. True regardless: optimism, extra version, purpose, and self-esteem and of their age, race, gender, education, body mass of pre-study immunity to the virus. 9. What about the association of emotional style and the number of expected symptoms? What about health practices? -People who scored low on positive emotional style were three times more likely to get sick than those with high positive emotional styles. -Higher negative emotional styles reported more symptoms than expected from objective health markers. -Positive emotional styles was also associated with better health practices and lower levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. -"This held true regardless of their levels of optimism, extraversion, purpose and self-esteem, and of their age, race, gender, education, body mass or pre-study immunity to the virus." 10. Be familiar with the study of emotion and cardiovascular recovery presented on pages 141-2 (3rd edition or on page 143 4th edition) What is “undoing”? positive emotions increase resiliency even when heart rate is elevated due to stressful video clips. The undoing hypothesis were supported as participants in the joy and contentment conditions were able to undo the effects of negative emotions more quickly than the people in other conditions. "undoing" is the idea that positive emotions can "undo" or counter the effects of negative emotions 11. What was the conclusion of the Lyubomisky et al, (2005) review of the links between happiness and other variables? concludes that some parts of happiness are in control, others are not. (Individual variability) 12. What is flow? What is flow associated with? engagement in interesting activities that match or challenge task-related skills. (Tends to be very happy) engagement in a consuming and interesting activity

stage kidney study? Attractiveness? Individuals with end-stage kidney failure showed signs of positive emotions despite pain. 22. Be able to differentiate between the behavioral activation and inhibition systems Behavioral Activation(BAS) is movement towards an approach to something usually to gain reward. (start an interesting book, learning or practicing a skill, taking part in workplace training, and volunteering) Behavioral Inhibition(BIS) is movement away from something usually to avoid punishment; something negative. 23. What are the pros and cons of utilizing a problem focused coping strategy? Pros: it is good for when there is a problem that needs to be solved. (going to the doctor when sick) Cons: there is not always a problem that needs to be solved, nor is it desirable to find a solution. (death of a loved one is not a problem that needs to be solved, needs to be grieved) 24. What about an emotional focused approach? Move towards one’s emotions during a stressful encounte,. 25. How is emotional processing coping different from emotional expression coping and emotional avoidance? Emotional processing is the attempt to understand one’s emotions. Emotional Expressions are the display of what one is feeling. 26. What were the findings of the Stanton et al., 2000 study in the book examining breast cancer survivors? Women adjusting to breast cancer were followed for 3 months. They utilized emotional focused coping which was associated with lower psychological distress and fewer medical appointments. They also engaged in problem focused coping as they went to the doctor and were treated for breast cancer. 27. Did Stanton’s other study of under graduates with physically /psychologically ill parents support the idea that people benefit from counseling/support sessions that match their coping style? Yes, those who were assigned sessions that matched their styles exhibited better adjustment. 28. Be aware of the outcome findings for the study of widows and widowers. Widows and widowers participated in counseling sessions following the death of their spouses. The study included: Men coped via problem focused. They were more likely to benefit from emotional focused strategies Women coped via emotionally focused. They were more likely to benefit from problem focused strategies. 29. What were the findings of the study comparing the neurological processing of Asian and European American study participants? In one study looking at neurological attempts at suppressing emotions, Asian study participants were able to decrease their emotional reaction to negative pictures, while European Americans were not. 30. What is socioemotional selectivity theory? Socioemotional Selectivity Theory is: As we get older, our sense of how much

time we have left alters. Focuses on the positive more than the negative. This theory suggests that we are more selective of our environment and companions as to maximize the positive and minimize the negative. "Older people enjoy relatively stable and positive emotional experience in daily life, focus on positive more than negative information, and prioritize meaningful activities over activities related to individual achievement and exploration" a. Is it supported in Chinese samples? yes 31. What were the findings of the Pennebaker studies of writing and health outcomes? Writing helps benefit one’s health outcomes.Quality of life also improves. 32. What were the findings of the study looking at senior engineers who had been laid off? Senior engineers that had been laid off and expressed their emotions about being laid off were more likely to find a job. (27% right away, 53% right after). Within 3 months, 27% of Group A found jobs, Group B and C less than 5%. Several months later, Group A: 53% had jobs vs Group B and C 18% had jobs. 33. What is alexithymia? Difficulty identifying and making sense of emotions 34. With which populations does expressive writing seem to be receive the most benefit? Those who prefer to use an emotional approach style of coping in dealing with problems in their lives. Afghani refugees, college freshman, and laid off senior engineers, cancer patients, and those experiencing prejudice, and those who don’t do expressive writing much. 35. Answer the questions about Pennebaker and his analysis of pronouns. Pennebakers TED Talk: a. Pennebakers research revealed that people who kept a major traumatic event secret, were more likely to get sick b. Pronouns were the most important in Pennebaker’s research c. People who had 3rd person pronoun usage were more socially engaged and highly confident d. We tend to use 1st person singular pronouns when we are of lower status, and depressed e. When comparing suicidal and non-suicidal poets, Pennebaker found that suicidal poets used 1st person pronouns more often. f. Who is more likely to use “I,”: someone who is telling the truth g. Two people start dating, how would Pennebaker predict if they stay together? Trial matching h. Is the couple or Pennebaker better at predicting if the couple will stay together? Pennebaker 36. What is self efficacy? Self Efficacy is one’s belief that one has the skills to deal effectively with a given situation, or to accomplish one’s goal. 37. Does self efficacy appear to be a genetic gift?

Optimists see setback as specific with little impact whereas victories are seen as universal: vice versa for pessimists Personal: Am I personally responsible for this, or is the blame/credit someone else's (or shared)? Optimists setbacks are external, but they take internal responsibility for their victories; opposite is true for pessimists. Research suggests permanence and pervasive are more important than personal. b. What types of attributions do typical optimistic thinkers make when something bad happens to them? Typical pessimistic thinkers? Optimistic style: + event: permanent, pervasive, and personal - event: temporary, specific domain only, and outside agent responsible • Pessimistic style + event: temporary, specific domain only, and outside agent responsible - event: permanent, pervasive, and personal note negatives associated with naïve optimism 45. What are some negatives associated with optimism? Being overly optimistic can blind you to the costs and consequences of a situation. You can overestimate the benefits, and underestimate the costs(risks). You can make poor decisions because you fail to make an accurate assessment of the number and magnitude of the risks. 46. How is the optimism Scheier and Carver study different from that of Seligman? Seligman describes optimism as a disposition rather than an explanatory style. 47. Does the research so far suggest that optimism is a similar construct among African Americans and European Americans? Yes, African Americans and European Americans have similar levels of optimism. 48. What did Lee and Seligman (1997) find when looking at optimism among Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans and mainland Chinese? Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans had similar optimism levels, but mainland Chinese had lower optimism levels. 49. What did Chang find with regard to pessimism and problem-solving among Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans? Asian Americans were higher in pessimism than their Caucasian American counterparts. For Caucasian Americans, higher pessimism was associated with less problem solving. For Asian Americans, higher pessimism was associated with greater problem solving. 50. What is Ikigai? Japanese word meaning “having something to live for” It is considered a similar construct to optimism. High ikigai is associated with lower mortality rates (cardiovascular disease and stroke) 51. What is defensive pessimism? Who usually employs it? How do researchers believe it functions? Defensive pessimism is a strategy used by anxious people to help them manage their

anxiety so they can work productively. Lower expectations to help prepare for the worst. Mentally play through bad things that might happen. If a person with this style just tries to be an optimist, then anxiety increases and performance is compromised. 52. Do cognitive therapy techniques seem to work more to increase positive thinking or decrease negative thinking? Decrease negative thinking 53. With regard to hope, what is agency thinking? Pathway thinking? How do these influence hope and our behavior towards goal attainment? Agency Thinking: Our ability and motivation to reach a desired outcome and belief that we can get things done. Pathway Thinking: Finding the strategies to realize a goal 54. What is post traumatic growth? Does it happen for everyone who has experienced PTSD? Post traumatic growth is a positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a major life crisis or a traumatic event. It doesn’t happen to everyone with PTSD. 55. Assignments, videos, and articles assigned during this period are also likely to be on the quiz/exam. 56. According to classic attachment theory, how is an infant attachment style acquired? Primarily through learning. The infant learns what to expect from others via his or her relationship with his or her caretaker 57. Based on the article “How to Build a Secure Attachment With Your Infant,” what are some tips for aiding in this process? What myths about attachment? One myth is just the mother has to be attached Secure attachment does not require a perfect parent 58. What did Jin, Jacobvitz, Hazen & Jung (2012) find with regard to Korean infants? What did Miyake et al., find with regard to Japanese infants? Korean and Japanese infants who have been studied show fewer infants who are insecurely attached as compared to US infants 59. What is positive resonance? What are the components? 3 intertwined events: Shared positive emotion, Synchrony between people’s behaviors and biochemistry, and decision to invest in the other person(usually reciprocal; sometimes called “mutual care”) 60. What data do we have that supports brain synchronicity among speakers and listeners? Uri Hanson did a study where study participants were placed in fMRI machines and were examined while they were speaking and listening. Synchrony was found during communication and that listeners could actually anticipate what the speaker might say. 61. What were the findings of the Chicago commuter study?

emotion. Neural coupling has the potential of increasing understanding and contributing to mutual caring. Move from “me” to “we”. Can occur between two people already in a relationship, or between strangers 71. How might Oxytocin be related to negative outcomes? Overuse of oxytocin in rats: Less social behavior It has also been associated with increased “in-group behavior” (trust in-group members, distrust “out-group members) Kemp and Guastella (2011): Found that Oxytocin increases approach emotions associated with social information, including anger, envy and gloating 72. What is vagal tone again? How can we increase it? Vagal tone is the activity of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is involved in facial expressions, hearing, and heart rate. Higher vagal tone is associated with better overall health, decreased inflammation, more positive emotions, and increased compassion. We can increase our vagal tone with Loving Kindness Meditation 73. What is the mere presence effect? Having somebody that you care about next to you during a stressful or threatening experience decreases your physical arousal. Having somebody that you care about next to you during a pleasurable activity enhances that pleasure for you. 74. What are some suggested behaviors to engage in while attempting to make friends? You underestimate how much people like you, engage in deep convos, meet people emotionally at their level 75. What impact do close friendships have on our well being? Subjective well being, positive emotions In emerging adulthood years they buffer poor quality familial relationships Later in life: associated with better cognitive functioning 76. What is the impact of loneliness on our health? Loneliness has a similar effect on health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and more than being obese. Increased inflammation, increased blood pressure, and cortisol levels Loneliness predicted depression a year later Expect broaden and build theory The big 5 OCEAN and find examples Attachment styles Look for the refugees in camp and their experiences Agency the ability and effort and modes to accomplish what we want in life Pathway thinking is being reassured in the fact that we have different outlets in life to help us