Psychology
The study of the mind, brain, and behaviour - and how they connect.

Operant Conditioning is a type of learning where responses to a situation depend on the consequences that follow the behaviour (good or bad). Unlike classical conditioning, operant conditioning involves voluntary actions, such as a rat pressing a button, and the rat is either rewarded for behaviour that is wanted with treats, or is reprimanded and shocked because the behaviour is unwanted.

Classical Conditioning is how an individual learns to transfer a natural response from one stimuli to another. Classical conditioning involves involuntary actions, such as dogs salivating, and introduces stimuli to make the response voluntary.

Observant Learning is the act of learning to pick up on traits/behaviour based on the experiences of other people around them.

This study focuses on the mental processes of the brain, to explain behaviours, desires, and neurotic processes.

This study focuses on human behaviour and how we learn.

This study focuses on connections between the conscious and unconscious mind, and the processing of life experiences.

This study focuses on the individual and how they can learn to reach self-actualization (Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, shown above)

Teenagers have an under-developed cerebral cortex, which is a critical part of decision making. It is closely related to the limbic system shown above, which produces dopamine. Teenagers' limbic systems are matured and they produce much more dopamine due to the attraction of risk and lack of critical thinking shown in teenagers. This is why teenagers are attracted to dangerous activities such as nicotine.

Deception, or lying, is a complex behaviour displayed in the human brain. The region of the brain that is most active during lying is the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is shown above. It is not to be confused with the frontal lobe, as the PFC is part of other parts which make up the frontal lobe. The PFC is studied commonly by forensic psychologists, especially during interrogations to determine the validity of what the suspect is saying.

Memory and memory loss in humans all correlates to the condition of the hippocampus. Highlighted above, the hippocampus is small and is shaped like a sea horse. It is the most important part of the brain for memory. If damaged, it can cause amnesia. If deteriorating, it can cause dementia, and in a very bad scenario, it can cause Alzheimer's.

Human personality traits stem from the frontal lobe. Made up of many parts such as the prefrontal cortex and the frontal eye fields, the frontal lobe is key for the brain's higher function for things like awareness and consciousness. If damaged, the personality of the person can change severely, often times becoming more aggressive. The Phineas Gage incident where he was impaled through the frontal lobe is an example of aggression following a change in the frontal lobe's composition.

The pineal gland produces melatonin in the brain when it is time to sleep in a Circadian Rhythm, which means the brain recognizes that it is dark outside. By producing melatonin, the body gets tired and prepares for slumber. Melatonin is produced less in aging adults, and a lack of melatonin in anyone of any age can lead to sleep disorders. As well, earlier melatonin production due to shorter days in the winter is the leading cause for seasonal depression, due to one's lack of energy.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is a mental health condition where one may not understand how to socialize, and have destructive behaviour towards others. They are often manipulative and reckless. They can turn into sociopaths or psychopaths.

Stress can be defined as a situation or experience that threatens one and causes them to act accordingly. As shown in the curve above (Yerkes-Dodson law), there is a healthy threshold for stress to achieve a beneficial output, but too much can be harmful and should thus be monitored. There are two types of stress, known as acute stress and chronic stress.

Ethics are defined as the moral principles that rule one's behaviour in a psychological study, be it the one being tested or the conductor of said experiment. These ethics are important because the mental health of both parties can severely impact the outcome of the test. The 6 ethical standards shown above have been theorized in order to protect the best interests of those being tested.