Talking Points-Minitest 2

Units 4, 5, 6: Sensation/Perception, Consciousness, Learning

How much do you really know? These are big questions the College
Board expects you to know.

What are some different examples of change blindness? Why cant we pay attention to
everything? How is selective attention helpful?

What are the different rules of how and when we detect sensory stimuli? (Think thresholds,
signal detection theory, sensory adaptation)

How do the different senses work? What routes do they take in the brain? (Vision, Hearing,
smell, vestibular, etc.)

What are some common hearing and vision disorders? What causes them?

How do we typically organize sensory information so that it makes sense? (Think Gestalt,
depth perception)

How can experience and culture affect what we perceive? (Think perceptual set)

What does consciousness mean? Why do we experience different altered states? How do the
different altered states affect behavior?

Why and how do we sleep (stages)? How and why do we dream? (theories) What can go
wrong during sleep and dreams? (Disorders)

How and why does hypnosis work? How can it be used?

What are the 3 primary categories of psychoactive drugs and how does each work? 2 specific
examples of each category? Why are some of the drugs more addictive than others?

What is the difference between drug dependence, addiction, tolerance and withdrawal?

How are the 3 different types of learning (Classical, Operant, and Observational) DIFFERENT?

How and why does classical conditioning work? What specific behaviors can be learned from
classical conditioning? When can classical conditioning be harmful?

How do generalization, discrimination, acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery and

higher-order learning work during classical conditioning?

How would practice, schedules of reinforcement and motivation affect the outcome of learning
while using operant conditioning?

How does our biology affect our learning predispositions?

How are latent learning, insight learning and social learning DIFFERENT?

Who are the MOST IMPORTANT researchers from the learning unit and what did each
contribute?