Human Behaviour

Innate Behaviour

• “Nature”• reflex actions (stare at clock)• this behaviour is passed along genetically• it is believed that these innate reflexes

diminish over time depending on the species• also diminish depending on the necessity of

the reflex• still maintain ‘fight or flight’ response

Learned Behaviour

• learning is a change in behaviour that is a result of experience

• we have certain capabilities at birth, while ‘learning’ takes place over a lifetime

Human Contact and Learning

• it has been shown that isolated animals do not ‘learn’ certain basic survival needs

• eg. birds and songs, cats and vision, isolated animals do not learn to parent

• the same has been shown for humans• isolated children (locked in closets/attics) have

extreme problems in learning

• ‘Anna’• young girl locked in an attic• when discovered she showed no emotions,

made no sounds• was unable to master simple tasks such as using

a knife and fork• theory of “critical periods” comes in to play• this theory suggests that there are key times in

a person’s life for learning certain skills

Perception

• perception is influenced by past experiences or by your surroundings

• Where do we get ‘perception’ from?• eyes - colour, depth, shapes, light• ears - tone, volume, frequency• feel - texture, temperature• taste - bitter, sweet, sour, salt• smell - ??? – strong association with

taste

Kinds of Learning

• Classical Conditioning• a reaction to a situation because that situation

or one like it in the past is associated with something pleasant or unpleasant

• eg. Pavlov’s dog, the Pavlovian response• may help to explain our attitudes and

emotions towards certain things, experiences, smells etc.

• Operant Conditioning• B.F. Skinner• studies in rats in particular• rat presses a bar and eventually discovers how

to obtain food• rewards work better than punishments• punishment tends to kill all behaviour and give

attention, therefore could stop from trying anything OR enforce negative behaviour

• Observational Learning• studies in imitation and mental imagery

• Insight Learning• not sudden• problems that you have been working on for a

long time and finally becomes solved

• **** Do Memory Exercises sheet

Memory

• it is important, obviously, but a selective memory is key

• if we remembered nothing, you would have already forgotten this sentence

• if we remembered all, you would go ‘nut’s’

• Sensory Memory• received through the five senses• has three levels• Level 1 - great accuracy, short lived,

only lasts a fraction of a second

• Level 2 - Short term memory, can hold for 15 seconds IF it caught

your attention• can store approximately 7 separate

unorganized thoughts.

• Level 3 - Long term memory

• vast storage capabilities• lifetime storage perhaps• difficult at times to retrieve• stress hampers retrieval, but retrieval can be

worked on

• Improve Recall• give material meaning (eg. MAIN)• organize info.• spread practice over time/several sessions• learn actively (tactile)• transfer learning from other areas• work to understand overall idea of a section

Mind Control - Video• 1. The greatest battle of the 21st century will be a battle of the ____.• 2. Where did mind control weaponry originate?• 3. How did the Soviets work on POW’s minds in Korea?

___________,_________,________• 4. What was the drug that was discovered in the 50’s that proved to be a

very powerful mind altering drug?• 5. What happened to Frank Olson?• Why do you think this event occurred?

6. What procedure interested the Canadian Intelligence Service (CSIS)• 7. What happened to Linda McDonald?• 8. What happened to Patty Hearst?• 9. 1978 Religious leader Jim Jones created ‘Jonestown’ in what South

American country?• 10. What eventually happened to the people of Jonestown?

Emotions

• affected by heredity, learning, maturity• tendencies are likely innate• however, we are taught to behave within a

certain range – one way or another• different emotions at different ages• eg. romantic love develops through adolescence• as we age, we can ‘unlearn’ undesirable

behaviour

• there are only a few primary emotions• interest• distress• enjoyment• shame• surprise• contempt• fear• disgust• anger

• all of the primary emotions have internal feeling and external expression

• internal state can be measured by checking breathing, HR, perspiration, hormone levels

• probably cannot stop feeling but can learn to control behaviour associated with it

• Slang assignment• Gender roles and media assignment• Castaway assignment

Expression

• partly learned, partly innate• behaviour associated with it is likely learned• no difference in arousal levels of emotions

between male and female• there IS a difference in how we express

ourselves however, because of social acceptability

• eg. OK for males to act out temper and OK for females to cry

Love

• pre-1900’s, orphanages had very high death rates, despite physical needs being taken care of, ie. fed, clothed, sheltered

• orphanages adopted rules of picking up and playing with children daily and the death rates dropped

• parental care and affection OR lack of it can affect a child’s physical, psychological and social development

• those with warm, loving care have a better chance of becoming emotionally stable adults

Romantic Love

• people in Western societies are attracted to others who grew up in the same neighborhood, live nearby, or work in the same place or line of work

• married and dating people tend to be similar in age, race, religion, social class, education, attitudes and intelligence

• physical appearance is important at first but it replaced over time

• physical attractiveness is more likely important for men – why?

• people also tend to be more attracted to others who are generally attracted to them

Love change?

• Passionate Love• -very intense, highly sexual• -generally early

• Companionate Love• -’warm’, trusting, tolerant• -Intimacy – warm, close, sharing• -Commitment – perseverance through difficulties

Graph

Types of ‘Love People’

• Romantic – emphasize beauty in search of the perfect mate

• Game Players – no long term involvement • Companionate – long term relationship requires long

involvement• Altruistic – gentle/caring without expecting much in

return• Possessive – extremely jealous, very involved emotionally• Pragmatic – emphasizes practicality and rationality based

on mutual satisfaction

Stress

• What do you believe?– avoidance is the best way to manage it?– suppressing emotions is best?– crying is a poor way to deal with it?– it is immature to laugh at one’s problems– it is bad to lean on others in times of stress– stress is bad

• ****Stress in itself is not bad

• stress can be, and often is good• if too relaxed, you may not do as well because

tension tends to motivate us• both pleasant and unpleasant events can

cause stress

• Stress- definition– a physical, chemical or emotional factor that

causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation

Dealing with Stress

• keep healthy – exercise, good diet• think about other activities• see problems in a different light (humour)• take positive action – get support from loved ones,

friends, professionals• accept there is nothing that can be done to change

the situation• expressing anxiety, frustration and tension are all

healthy ways to deal with stress IF done reasonably

When is stress a problem?

• depends on the person – some can handle more than others

• there are ways to increase your ability to handle stress

• a physically healthy body can handle stress better

• From your list of 9 primary emotions

• outline the indicators of each• identify/list examples of what makes you feel

that way• explain how you do or would deal with each of

the examples

Motivation Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• both physical and learned• needs affect motivation

Freud

• theory that the mind has 3 aspects• EGO – conscious mind, aware of the decisions

made• ID – seeks pleasure, ‘wants more dessert’,

important in infancy• SUPEREGO – acts as a ‘conscience’, what we

should and should not do