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I did not know what the amygdala did and how it functions in human behavior

After taking this course, I understand that the amygdala is located in the limbic system and controls one's sense of fear and emotion, which heavily impacts one's behavior and how they act in different situations.

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I originally thought Broca's area was something located in a whale... because that's what it sounds like.

However, through this class, it has become clear that this area helps control language expression and directs muscle movement in speech production

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While I knew that cocaine was a drug that negatively affects one's bodily function, I understand now that cocaine is an addictive stimulant that temporarily increases alertness and simulates one's attention quickly.

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I always knew that dopamine was the reward center, but I underestimated the impact it truly has on one's behavior. Because it is a neurotransmitter that regulates motor behavior, motivation, and pleasure, without it, many often fall into depression and with old age, develop Parkinson's disease.

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Before this class, I thought bottom-up processing was a way of thinking where one incorporates old ideas with new ideas.

However, after taking this course, I learned that while it is an integration system of sensory information, bottom-up processing starts without previous knowledge and is when sensory receptors send information up to the brain.

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I'm sure my mother can claim that I do this a lot, especially when losing something when intentionally looking for something else.

While I did not know this was the term for this behavior, I have learned that it is the inability to see objects, perhaps in clear sight, when one's attention is directed elsewhere.

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I always thought reinforcement was a good thing and a technique used to promote a behavior.

However, I have learned that while both positive and negative reinforcement increase behaviors, negative reinforcement increases a behavior by stopping a negative stimulus, and it is not considered punishment. For example, if a negative reinforcer is a shock, when removed, strengthens the behavior.

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I always knew the brain was responsible for behavior, specifically memory, but never knew the specific functions of each specific part of the brain.

I have now learned that the whole brain is not responsible for memory but rather, there are different functions of each part of the brain. In particular, the frontal lobe is in charge of movement, speech, and higher cognitive functions.

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Observing children, I always knew that children tend to copy the behavior of others but I never knew why.

Through this class, I have learned that mirror neurons are in charge of this type of behavior. They are frontal lobe neurons that become active when observing others perform tasks, enabling one to mimic that same task.

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Since a young age, I was characterized by the phrase "having a bad sense of direction" but I never knew what that meant.

After this class, I learned that each person has a cognitive map which is a mental representation of the layout of the environment around them, allowing them to more quickly locate places or items.

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After hearing about this concept in statistic class, I knew that confirmation bias was something that would negatively influence one's results.

This was clarified in psychology class though, when we learned that confirmation bias is the behavioral tendency to search up information that supports our preconceptions and ignore contradictory evidence.

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I never knew what echoic memory was or how it influences the way we behavior.

After taking this class, I am now aware that echoic memory is the reason why one remembers something even after a short auditory stimulus. Auditory memory is a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli, and explains why I can (even if I don't exactly pay attention in class) recall the most recent words the teacher says within a couple of seconds.

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I did not understand how recalling improved memory, since I thought memory was just in-taking and processing information.

Through this psychology class, I learned that recall is actually a memory tactic and is a way to measure memory through retrieving information learned previously.

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I thought a scaffold was something used for building and while this is still true, scaffolding can also apply to how a person learns. I learned that scaffolding is a method where teachers demonstrate or explain something, and the student mimics or follows after their example.

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Previously, I thought Alzheimer's was just an inevitable, unpreventable disease for elderly people.

However, after this class, I have learned that while this still holds true, Alzheimer's more specifically is a progressive brain disorder which results in memory, reasoning, and physical function loss and is most common in the elderly.

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I had no idea what the hierarchy of needs was nor the role this theory plays in one's behavior

After this class, I have learned that the hierarchy of needs was Maslow's theory of basic human needs, and there are needs which must be met first before moving on to higher-level needs. For example, one's physiological needs (food, water, etc.) must be met before one strives for the need of love or belonging.

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Stress is quite prevalent, especially around a school setting. However, I did not know the true impact that stress had on my behavior until taking this psychology class.

I learned that stress is how we respond to certain events and involves psychological perception as well as physiological response. This is often regulated through homeostasis or hormones, and the signals released during time of stress heavily impacts one's behaviors in different situations.

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With the root "phobia", I knew that agoraphobia was a fear. However, I did not understand the specifics of it or how it impacted behavior in situations.

I now know that agoraphobia is the fear of chaotic situations with high social interaction and makes one feel panic when placed in such situations. Having this phobia might make one overly shy or introverted during social events.

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I thought a fugue was only a music term!

Through this psychology class, I have learned that being in a fugue state is when someone is disconnected from reality, where the person's brain wanders away from the present. This memory abnormality could make someone with this condition's behavior seem "weird" or "unusual".

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I previously never understood what group polarization meant, especially when used to discuss politics or other controversial topics.

However, through this psychology class, I learned that group polarization is when a group's previous beliefs are enhanced through discussions and validation from the group, affirming their beliefs. This could impact one's behavior in a social setting and cause one to feel more strongly about their beliefs.

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I previously did not understand what the mere exposure effect was or how it plays a role in our lives.

After taking this psychology class, I now understand that the mere exposure effect occurs when a person's liking of another person or thing is a result of repeated exposure to the stimulus. This could play a role especially in a romantic relationship, and understanding this might change one's behavior and help partners spend more time together.