Purchase Solution

Neurotransmitters, Perceptual Schemas, and Reality

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Instruction: Please keep the response short not lengthy, about one paragraph for each.

#1
Some people believe that "all you are" is determined by the types and amount of neurotransmitters that ooze through your synaptic gaps. Do you think that all of your thoughts, hopes, dreams and aspirations are results of physiological processes; your love, hate, anger and memories are only at the synaptic level? Why or why not?

#2
A famous saying goes: We don't see the world as it is but as we are? Consider the kitten experiments and what you have read about the importance of perceptual schemas to make sense of the data we receive. Is it possible that we all live in illusion, since we don't see what we see? but only what we interpret? Is reality nothing more than a joint social illusion?

#3
Identify one example each of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment from your own life.

Positive reinforcement is getting something you like so that you'll do it again. For example, you study a lot for this test and get an A. You'll probably study a lot for the next test as well.

Negative reinforcement is having something you dislike taken away so that you'll do it again. For example, you work really hard and your boss tells you you can go home from work early.

Positive punishment is getting something you dislike so that you won't do it again. For example, you have to make the bed because you were the last one up this morning.

Negative punishment is having something you like taken away so that you won't do it again. For example, you cannot go out with your friends because you put off writing a paper until the day before it was due.

You must also comment on at least one other student's posting. Did the poster correctly identify the type of operant conditioning? Remember, be respectful in your answer.

#4
Imagine I can grant you your dream vacation, anywhere in the world. BUT (if it's too good to be true, it probably is).... You have to choose: You can go on the vacation, but when you come home, you have no memory of it. Or, you can NOT go on the vacation, but I can input memories into your head (imagine such a thing is possible) as if you had gone. Which would you choose? Why?

#5
Why do Americans generally have such a negative and fearful approach to aging? Is this a part of our larger fear of death and dying? How might the emotional needs of dying people be better served in your local community?

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

This solution responds to the five questions, including various topics such as neurotransmitters, perceptual schemas, reality, joint social illusion, emotional needs, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment, and others.

Solution Preview

RESPONSE:

Instruction: keep the response short not lengthy, about one paragraph each question.

1. Some people believe that "all you are" is determined by the types and amount of neurotransmitters that ooze through your synaptic gaps. Do you think that all of your thoughts, hopes, dreams and aspirations are results of physiological processes; your love, hate, anger and memories are only at the synaptic level? Why or why not?

No, because this is very deterministic and I am more a free will advocate. I believe is personal responsibility and accountability. This contrasts with the idea that we our thoughts are totally controlled by out brain functions. It implies that we are robots with no self-control. The world would be a rather scary place, if there was no culpability for our actions. My brain made me do it OR my neurotransmitters oozing through my synaptic gaps made me do it. This might be true for animals as most of their behaviors are programmed and instinctual, but human beings have the capacity to make rationalize and make decisions.

2. A famous saying goes: We don't see the world as it is but as we are? Consider the kitten experiments and what you have read about the importance of perceptual schemas to make sense of the data we receive. Is it possible that we all live in illusion?since we don't see what we see? but only what we interpret? Is reality nothing more than a joint social illusion?

No. I believe in absolute truths; though our knowledge is finite and there are ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Basic Immunology Quiz

Intro to immuno quiz. Covers the basics of immunology and recognition of foreign substances by the body.

Hemophilia: Fact or Fiction

Do you know the truth about hemophilia? Test your knowledge here.

Nerves and the Nervous System

This quiz will assess your knowledge of the nervous system and how nerves send signals around the body.

Breastfeeding Basics

How much do you know about breastfeeding? Find out with this quiz!

Light and Sight Vocabulary

This quiz introduces basic definitions of vocabulary related to light and how human eyes. This information is important for an understanding of sight.