PSYC 2777 1st Edition Exam #2 Study GuideAbsolute threshold and difference threshold• Absolute- minimum amount of energy needed to detect stimulus• Difference- minimum stimulation needed to detect differences between 2 stimulisensory adaptation- less nervous response with constant exposureHow well do people do when they are asked to identify pictures of faces of members of other ethnic groups compared to faces from their own group?• When asked for people to identify pictures of faces of their own ethnical group, they are more likely to recognize • As for a different culture, they have a harder time identifying the faceIntelligence and intelligent behavior• Intelligence can be different in each culture• EX: ability to pick stocks would be considered intelligent in a city whereas the ability to grow crops would be considered more intelligent in land areas. Twin and adoption studies and their relationship between genes and intelligence• Proven that twins intelligence is different depending on the environment that each grew up inIs there a relationship between IQ and grades in school• There is not that big of a relationship for grades in school and IQ• This is due to the fact that IQ testing is different than schooling What was the result of the study of Brazilian and Columbian street children who earn their money as street vendors?Relationship between IQ test performance and socioeconomic status• Usually higher IQ scores means higher in the socioeconomic statusFeeling rules-culture rules about how to feel in certain situationsDisplay rules- culture rules when to control and express emotionsGender differences in emotion expression• Men are supposed to not show sadness or fear as much• Women are supposed to not show angerIn general, how much do basic human emotional expressions (e.g., the faces that people make when they are happy, sad, angry, etc) vary across cultures?• Not very muchAre people from some cultures more or less likely to show emotions in front of strangers?• They’re less likely to show emotions in front of strangersPerception of Depth More formal education =  More capable of interpreting depth cues 9 More confused by this illusion:9 Less educated simply see as 2DVisual Illusions Müller‐LyerVisual Illusions 9PonzoVisual Illusions9Horizontal‐verticalVisual Illusions9Non‐western & rural P’s less fooled by these illusions Western P’s/from industrial urban env. experience illusions more “Carpentered world” hypothesis  Diffs result from experience w/ rectangular rooms  Perception of Color9Physiology of vision is similar throughout species 3 types of cone cells respond to diff colors of light 9Diffs in color words in diff languages 9REDalways gets its own word 9GREEN& BLUEmight be the same wordPerception of Color9Sex diffs in color prefs  Women: RED/PINK  Men: GREEN/BLUE)  Could be learned  Possibly bothPerception of Color9Universal values assigned to some colors 9RED: Active & exciting (Used in violent & revolutionary flags/symbols)9BLACK & GRAYconsidered bad WHITE,BLUE, & GREENgood9WHITE also seen as passivePerception of Color Relation to racial perception Children from diff racial groups in U.S. & Europe show early pref for light‐to darkskinned people (Best et al., 1975) Judge light‐skin more positively Same bias in native African children(Williams & Best, 1990)“Whitening” in BrazilPerception of Color Speculation: May stem from evolutionary preference for daylight (safety & certainty) over darkness (danger & uncertainty) 9Many cultural diffs in taste prefs 9Cultures closer to equator prefer spicier foods Controls bacteria9Avoidance of decayed/fermented Smell 9Very little research 9Some odor prefsthat vary by culture • Some cultures prefer it to perfumes/deodorants9Pain 9 Cultural views of childbirth relate to perceived labor pain 9 Not “defiling” or less help given Live in harsh conditions/less access to healthcare=More pain tolerance� Intellectual ability“programmed” into genes � “Biological determinism”�Alternative views� Environment � Intelligence� “Environmental determinism”� Genes + Environment � Intelligence\� “Interactionist perspective”� Probably the most accurate view�Genes are important� Correlation of IQ scores of MZ twins = +0.90 (very strong)� Reared together/apart� Unrelated, reared together: +0.20 (weak)� Japanese study: IQ 58% heritable �Env. important too�Equivalency� Questions/words on IQ tests may have diff meanings or be understood differently in different cultures.�Different vocabulary T inferior IQ �Research (Williams & Mitchell 1991):� Culturally oriented vocabulary test designed for African-American community.� “African American Vernacular English” (formerly known as “Ebonics”)� Black children scored 87% � White children scored 51%�Many IQ tests measure (in part) “general knowledge”�Familiarity w/ prominent figures/events� Varies by culture�Other knowledge may beuniversal�External/Env. factors can affect test performance�Stereotype threat (Steele, 1995)� Black students reminded of negativestereotype (vs. control group) beforetest� Anxiety about confirming negative stereotype � poor performance� Also found in women vs. men & white men vs. Asian men�Training for a test = score�West African traders vs. tailors � Traders travel & negotiate� Better at prob. solving� Kids who sell fruit on streets in Brazil & Colombia� Good at mental math � Bad on paper�Planning ability� May be affected by env. stability� Less stability/unpredictable env. = less experience w/ planning�+ correlation between family SES (wealth) & IQ� SES� IQ � IQ� SES�18% of U.S. children below official poverty level�Low SES moms breast-feed less � Linked to brain development &cog. performance� Black moms 1/3 as likely as white to breast-feed�Middle class parents� Often provide mentally stimulatingenvironment at home�Poor families� Fewer resources & opportunities� Tradeoff between pursuit of food/safety/shelter & education�Attention to school performance � child’s aspirationsIQ & birth order� Later born�=Lower IQ� More immature people around = lower quality intellectual env.� Corrilation w/ decreasing