Deck 6: Essay

Question 1

What is behavioral myopia?

Answer 1

Behavioral myopia refers to a cognitive bias where individuals focus on short-term benefits or outcomes at the expense of long-term consequences. This term is often used in the context of decision-making, where people may prioritize immediate gratification or relief, ignoring the potential negative impacts that may arise in the future.

The concept of behavioral myopia can be applied to various aspects of life, including financial decisions, health-related behaviors, environmental considerations, and more. For example, in finance, an individual might choose to spend money on non-essential items instead of saving for retirement, exhibiting a myopic view of their financial future. In health, a person might opt for the pleasure of smoking or overeating, disregarding the long-term health risks associated with these behaviors.

Behavioral myopia is influenced by several psychological factors, such as:

1. Present Bias: The tendency to give stronger weight to payoffs that are closer to the present time compared to those that are further in the future.
2. Overoptimism: The belief that negative outcomes are less likely to happen to oneself compared to others, leading to underestimation of long-term risks.
3. Instant Gratification: The desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay, which can lead to impulsive decisions.
4. Limited Attention: The finite capacity for processing information, which can result in overlooking long-term consequences when faced with immediate concerns.

Understanding and recognizing behavioral myopia is important because it can help individuals and organizations make more balanced and forward-thinking decisions. Strategies to combat behavioral myopia include setting long-term goals, considering the future implications of current actions, seeking advice from others, and implementing systems that encourage delayed gratification.

Question 2

Give example of three different psychedelic drugs,and describe the neurotransmitters and receptors involved in creating the effects.

Answer 2

no answer

Question 3

Differentiate between agonists and antagonists.

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

Briefly describe the blood-brain barrier.

Question 5

List three drugs used for the treatment of depression and describe how they work (i.e. ,what neurotransmitter systems are involved).

Question 6

Give examples of three different types of amphetamines.What neurotransmitter systems do these drugs operate on?

Question 7

Give examples of drugs that are used to treat depression.What types of receptors do they operate on?

Question 8

What is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia? What evidence supports the dopamine hypothesis?

Question 9

Describe the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction.

Question 10

Describe the disinhibition theory of alcohol use.

Question 11

Why is the neurotransmitter acetylcholine important? What are the effects of curare on acetylcholine?

Question 12

What are the five major categories of psychoactive drugs? Give examples for each category.

Question 13

Define and differentiate between metabolic tolerance and cellular tolerance.

Question 14

What is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD),and what are its major symptoms?

Question 15

What are endorphins?

Question 16

What is drug sensitization and how does it occur?

Question 17

List the most efficient routes of drug administration.

Question 18

What is the difference between morphine and heroin?

Question 19

What is the difference between substance abuse and substance dependence?

Question 20

What are MAO inhibitors used for?

Question 21

Define homeostasis and give examples of homeostatic hormones.

Question 22

Describe the processes that are involved in starting and stopping the stress response.?

Question 23

What are the effects on the brain of chronically high cortisol levels?

Question 24

What is the organizational hypothesis?

Question 25

What negative effects on the nervous system have been associated with monosodium glutamate (MSG)?

Question 26

What evidence suggests that changes in cognitive behavior are a result of gonadal hormones?