Some Psych/soc questions

[basophilic]

Please answer some or all. Thanks

1. Drive vs. incentive theories: Drive theory is more about fulfilling a need with a primary reinforcer whereas Incentive theory is more about fulfilling a need with a secondary reinforcer, correct? Does this mean that while drive theory is about reducing homeostatic disturbances, incentive theory is NOT about homeostatic disturbances?

2. Bem's self-perception theory vs. Mead's social behaviorism vs. Cooley's looking-glass self
Bem's theory is about you looking at your own behavior and judging yourself/your attitudes; Mead's theory is about the I (like the "hidden observer" or the back-stage self) looking upon how the society (the generalized other) judges/forms attitudes about the Me...and then the I reacts to those; and Cooley is similar to Mead but you look at how the specific primary and secondary groups judge/form attitudes about you and developing a self-concept out of it. Correct?

3. What other psychotic disorders are there other than schizophrenia? Does positive symptoms relate only to schizophrenia (since bipolar manic episodes also have several similar symptoms)?

4. Does behaviorism not take into account anything other than empirically observable behavior? (I read somewhere that Skinner still concedes that there is some genetic/biological factors at play)

5. Which brain regions regulate temperament? I thought it would be the limbic system since both are tied to emotion, but EK disagrees.

6. In a memory test, you see a clear primacy or recency effect; couldn’t you account for primacy with proactive interference and recency with retroactive interference?

7. Political vs. organizational changes
Passing a law is a political change, but NOT an organizational change. Organizational changes have to be within a specific group. A law affecting an organization is also NOT an organizational change. But the response of organization in abiding the law would be an organizational change. Correct?

8. Mead vs. Goffman
What’s the diference between Mead’s “I” and Goffman’s back-stage self? What’s the difference between Mead’s “Me” and Goffman’s front-stage self?

9. Operant conditioning
Say a boss does a fixed ratio schedule (to reinforce # of telephone calls) in an advertising business for one week; this is followed by a variable ratio for the next week. What would the # telephone calls vs. time look like? I was thinking it would increase at accelerated pace during week 1; then in week 2, it would still keep increasing at a decelerating pace till stabilizing a bit. What do you think?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Georgina55]

Hmmm

 

[mcatjelly]

I'll do my best to answer these...

1.You're absolutely correct that drive theory involves the reversal of homeostatic disturbances; that homeostasis isn't ALWAYS related to human physiology/basic needs (primary reinforcers, as you said), but the vast majority of the time is understood to be that way.
Where you're slightly off-base is referring to incentive theory as fulfilling a need, because then it would be the same thing as drive theory. Rather, incentive theory refers to behaviors inspired by a conscious motivation, and generally that motivation is for profit/reward. But again: there is no need to be fulfilled, just something to be gained.

2. I would say that the main difference between Cooley and Mead is that there is only one component of the looking-glass self, whereas Mead has the "I" and the "me" as two distinct entities within the self. Cooley also places a stronger emphasis on significant others/parents as contributing to reflection of self.

3. Other than schizophrenia, the main two disorders on the psychotic disorder spectrum are schizoaffective disorder (combo of psychotic and mood) and delusional disorder.
Correct, positive vs. negative are terms only used to describe symptoms of a psychotic disorder. But remember that bipolar disorder can have psychotic features (and those with schizoaffective disorder can be of the bipolar type), and that's where overlap can occur.

4. For the purpose of the MCAT and basic psychology knowledge: in behaviorism, behavior is king. If Skinner believes genetics are a thing, cool--but in the field of behaviorism and in behavioral therapies, the primary focus is on behavior.

5. What did EK say? My first guess would have been the amygdala as the main place of temperament.

6. Yep.

7. Can't answer this, sorry!

8. I couldn't explain this one either, but this link provides a very good explanation.

9. I agree!

 

[Doctor Dream]

1. You're right with your definition, but there's also an important difference that stems from the primary vs. secondary reinforcer idea. Drive theory is based around intrinsic motivation, while incentive is more extrinsic. The thirst I feel (intrinsic) causes me to go and get a drink. Incentive is like someone offers me money to take the MCAT (extrinsic), so now I'm studying for the MCAT.