VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[halo]

Can someone please explain the reasons why salivation and digestion is decreased when the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight-flight-freeze response)?

Also, when talking about the spinal reflex (reflex arc), should I mention that the brain receives the message about the pain only after the response has been initiated? Or should I not mention it, and just explain how the reflex itself occurs without input from the brain?

Thanks!

Salivation and digestion is decreased so that your body can divert most of its energy to responding to the threat or stressor that caused the sympathetic response, rather than carrying out digestion. It's also practical because if you're have a FFF response, you don't want to feel hungry (be salivating) because that will distract you from focusing on the threat.

In terms of the reflex arc, you could mention it if you want (it's not wrong to say it), but it just depends on what the questions asking and how many marks are allocated. So if the question was "what is the reflex arc" and it was 2 marks, you really don't need to mention the info about how the brain receives the message after the response has been initiated. If the question was a bit more specific, asking you to explain the process of how someone might perceive and respond to touching a hot stove, and was 3-4 marks, then you'd go into detail about how the brain receives the message.

[boooom]

Can someone please explain the reasons why salivation and digestion is decreased when the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight-flight-freeze response)?

Also, when talking about the spinal reflex (reflex arc), should I mention that the brain receives the message about the pain only after the response has been initiated? Or should I not mention it, and just explain how the reflex itself occurs without input from the brain?

Thanks!

Adding to halo's response, digestion - which salivation falls under - isn't needed to deal with the immediate stressor, so it's consuming unnecessary energy that could be otherwise used to deal with the threat.

[juliae]

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if there are any answers to the sample exam available?
I know VCAA doesn't release any but I'm just wondering if there is any where else to find some.
Thank you!!

[halo]

Can you say glutamate has a role in the development of a phobia because it is involved in the classical conditioning that precipitates the phobia? Or is it simply chemicals such as GABA, adrenaline etc. that are involved in the precipitation of the phobia via the fear response? I'm not sure if this is true but I vaguely remember reading somewhere that glutamate only has a role in learning under normal circumstances, and not in states of arousal.

Also, I'm a bit confused between what a confounding and extraneous variable is. I sort of get it, but can someone please explain this to me with examples?
Thanks!

[boooom]

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if there are any answers to the sample exam available?
I know VCAA doesn't release any but I'm just wondering if there is any where else to find some.
Thank you!!

http://www.epsychvce.com/vcaa-sample-exam-solutions.html

[jrose006]

Also, I'm a bit confused between what a confounding and extraneous variable is. I sort of get it, but can someone please explain this to me with examples?

An extraneous variable is any variable other than the IV that may cause a change in the participant's response/results (DV) in an unwanted way, whereas a confounding variable is something other than the IV that has definitely caused a change in the DV, making it impossible to tell what actually caused the change in the DV (if it was the IV or some other variable).

An example of this could be something like individual participant differences in an experiment that is testing maths ability. More intelligent kids who are better at maths may score higher than those who are less intelligent (extraneous variable, which could also become a confounding variable) rather than them scoring higher because of the effect of the IV (which could be the type of test, or way the topic was taught). A confounding variable in this situation could be something like kids having sugar before doing the test (not instructed to do so by the experimenter), which may result in the kids doing much better due to being on a sugar high and being more alert, rather than because of the type of test (or whatever the IV was)- the results would be affected in an unwanted way due to this.

I hope I explained this alright and that it makes sense to you!!
Sorry I couldn't think of a better example 

[Bri MT]

Okay cool. Also just a few questions:
Do you think its better to write under subheadings or better not to do that?
How much do you write for the response approximately? Because I don't know how long it should be. The SAMPLE exam gives 1 and 1/2 pages so do u usually fill that up?
Also, how long do you think should be spent on it?

Thanks!!

Subheadings are good but you wouldn't lose marks for not using them.
More than 10 minutes. I spend quite a lot of time and paper on it but I add detail that doesn't need to be there etc. as I have spare time due to finishing MC very very quickly. (I think I wrote 5 pages on my trial, which was wayyyyyy excessive and I didn't get any extra marks for it)? I wouldn't recommend you to spend as much time as I do unless you can do so without adversely impacting the rest of your paper so I find it difficult to say what would be good for you.
Sorry, I know that's not paticularly helpful, but it really does come down to what you can afford to spend on it.

Can someone please explain the reasons why salivation and digestion is decreased when the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight-flight-freeze response)?

Also, when talking about the spinal reflex (reflex arc), should I mention that the brain receives the message about the pain only after the response has been initiated? Or should I not mention it, and just explain how the reflex itself occurs without input from the brain?

Thanks!

Expanding on what halo and boooom have said (as I didn't see their posts until after this was already typed):
Spending energy and resources  on digestion isn't worth it if your life is in danger. Would you a) send extra glucose and oxygen to muscles that can help you run etc or b) send these resources to the stomach so it keeps on breaking down food etc. ?

Use marks/context is a guide. 4-6 marks on a spinal reflex situation - definitely talk about the brain.
 2 marks on "contrast dropping a mug with boiling water to dropping a lukewarm mug" - very likely not needed

[EdwinaB19]

Can you say glutamate has a role in the development of a phobia because it is involved in the classical conditioning that precipitates the phobia? Or is it simply chemicals such as GABA, adrenaline etc. that are involved in the precipitation of the phobia via the fear response? I'm not sure if this is true but I vaguely remember reading somewhere that glutamate only has a role in learning under normal circumstances, and not in states of arousal.

Glutamate has a role in long-term potentiation which is a biological contributing factor for the development of phobias. GABA doesn't play a role in arousal because it's a inhibitory neurotransmitter.

It'd be more relevant in terms of psychological contributing factors to discuss the role that adrenaline has in the precipitation of phobias by classical classical conditioning. Adrenaline enhances the formation of the emotional component of the traumatic memory in the amygdala.

That is as far as I've understood throughout the course.

[boooom]

I have 2 questions;

- How is 'reconstruction' used to retrieve information from memory and demonstrate its existence within memory?
- Is 'impaired ability to perform monotonous tasks' a valid behavioural impairment for partial sleep deprivation?

[Butterflygirl]

Guys, I still don't the distinction between stress, anxiety and phobia
and also the distinction between mentally healthy, mental health problems and mental disorder.

Can someone help please??

[Novashock]

Is it possible for secondary appraisal to occur at the same time as primary appraisal?

[boooom]

Guys, I still don't the distinction between stress, anxiety and phobia
and also the distinction between mentally healthy, mental health problems and mental disorder.

Can someone help please??

Essentially stress and anxiety is part of everyday life, whereas a phobia isn't. Also, anxiety is a feeling that something is going to wrong, and stress is a feeling that you can't cope.

Mental healthy, problem and disorder are all different degrees of mental health. Mental health problems causes some distress, generally short term, whereas a mental disorder provides prolonged distress that impairs normal everyday functioning.

Is it possible for secondary appraisal to occur at the same time as primary appraisal?

No, you have to perceive something as stressful (so primary appraisal) before you can secondly appraise it.

[halo]

Guys, I still don't the distinction between stress, anxiety and phobia
and also the distinction between mentally healthy, mental health problems and mental disorder.

Stress vs anxiety vs phobia
Stress is physiological and psychological arousal resulting from a stressor perceived to be challenging or exceeding an individual's ability to cope.
Anxiety also involves similar physiological arousal (increased heart rate, dilation of pupils, suppression of digestion). However, unlike when you feel stressed, when you experience anxiety the threat or stressor is not usually immediately present. Instead, you feel worried or uneasy that something bad/unpleasant might happen. Most people experience stress and anxiety to some degree, and on their own they are not mental disorders (although they can contribute to them).
A phobia, on the other hand, is a mental disorder. It's a type of anxiety disorder (mental disorder involving feelings of extreme anxiety which prevent sufferer from functioning normally) that is characterised by excessive, unreasonable, intense and persistent fear of a particular object or situation, which is usually out of proportion to the danger posed by the object or situation. Stress and anxiety are usually considered rational - phobias are almost always irrational.

Mentally healthy vs mental health problems vs mental disorder
Someone who is mentally healthy realises their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to their community. They tend to have a high level of functioning, social and emotional wellbeing and resilience to stressors.
Mental health problems have a negative effect on the way a person thinks, feels or behaves, but it is to a lesser extent and shorter duration than a mental disorder. Compared to someone who is mentally healthy, they are more likely to have sleep problems, have difficulty coping, find it hard to concentrate or experience temporary impairment.
Someone with a mental disorder usually has an impaired ability to function effectively in everyday life because of certain thoughts/feelings/behaviours.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anything clarified!

[jrose006]

Is dopamine excitatory or inhibitory?
I keep hearing such mixed answers about it, some saying it is excitatory and others saying it's inhibitory!
How would a lack of either its excitatory/inhibitory effects result in Parkinson's disease?
Please help!! Thanks

[Butterflygirl]

Stress vs anxiety vs phobia
Stress is physiological and psychological arousal resulting from a stressor perceived to be challenging or exceeding an individual's ability to cope.
Anxiety also involves similar physiological arousal (increased heart rate, dilation of pupils, suppression of digestion). However, unlike when you feel stressed, when you experience anxiety the threat or stressor is not usually immediately present. Instead, you feel worried or uneasy that something bad/unpleasant might happen. Most people experience stress and anxiety to some degree, and on their own they are not mental disorders (although they can contribute to them).
A phobia, on the other hand, is a mental disorder. It's a type of anxiety disorder (mental disorder involving feelings of extreme anxiety which prevent sufferer from functioning normally) that is characterised by excessive, unreasonable, intense and persistent fear of a particular object or situation, which is usually out of proportion to the danger posed by the object or situation. Stress and anxiety are usually considered rational - phobias are almost always irrational.

Mentally healthy vs mental health problems vs mental disorder
Someone who is mentally healthy realises their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to their community. They tend to have a high level of functioning, social and emotional wellbeing and resilience to stressors.
Mental health problems have a negative effect on the way a person thinks, feels or behaves, but it is to a lesser extent and shorter duration than a mental disorder. Compared to someone who is mentally healthy, they are more likely to have sleep problems, have difficulty coping, find it hard to concentrate or experience temporary impairment.
Someone with a mental disorder usually has an impaired ability to function effectively in everyday life because of certain thoughts/feelings/behaviours.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anything clarified!

thankyou so much!!