3. In the film a Clockwork Orange by Stanley
Kubrick (based on the novel by Anthony
Burgees) Ivan Pavlov's classical conditioning
method is a defining theme. In a dystopian future
main character Alex is a delinquent teen with
violent and sexual aggressive tendencies, among
other criminal behaviors. Upon a framed arrest
Alex is considered a candidate for a classical
conditioning process. He is forced to view films of
rape, war, theft, violence, death etc. by keeping
his eyes pried open. The goal of this method is to
condition the candidate into becoming ill at the
sight or thought of things he once would find
pleasing. The videos silent combined with
classical music (Ludwig Van Beethoven) also
conditioned Alex to become ill at the sound of his
music he so cherished. Although the urges were
not repressed the sickness (nausea) would
prevent him from committing acts relative to
those shown in the films. However, the
conditioning also stripped his ability to remain
well when faced with natural instincts such as
self-defence or sexual desire.
Psychology 2nd Canadian Edition Page 10 C.1
4. In this episode of The Big Bang Theory, Main Characters Sheldon and
Penny demonstrate B.F. Skinners theory of Operant conditioning.
Unlike Classical conditioning, operant focuses on reinforcement to
promote a desired behaviour. Sheldon rewards Penny with a
chocolate when she responds with Sheldon's Desired Behavior. B.F.
Skinner tested this theory on rats that was focusing on how
voluntary behaviour is learned (Ciccarelli, 2012). After watching the
video you may understand the incidences that Sheldon finds
uninteresting. For example, Penny begins talking about something
Sheldon prefers not to hear about, when she stops talking she is
rewarded with a chocolate. Sheldon’s goal is to eventually have
Penny to voluntarily act in this desired behaviour without
reinforcement.
Psychology Second Canadian Edition Page 11 C.1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy_mIEnnlF4
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SePL2w5f6dE
This video explains how music is a “natural drug of happiness”. It describes how when we
hear music we feel good because it triggers the Chemical Dopamine, which is the chemical
in your brain responsible for emotions. “Dopamine is Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in
control of movement and sensations of pleasure”. Personally I have also used music to
make me feel better. When I am sad especially certain songs can have the ability to bring
me up from a low point.
Psychology Second Canadian Edition Page 53 Chapter 2
7. Meet me in the middle of the morning
When the crows fly highest in the sky Serotonin by Mystery Jets uses a
Couldn't you hear me calling? I was up
looking for you all night
play on words describing the
Oh, but I never found you No matter how feeling the singer may have
hard I tried to Oh, no, I never found you about a girl named “Sarah Tonin”.
Sarah, if only you knew Where the song is also describing
Serotonin, you're burning a hole into my
heart Felt like I was floating But now the brain chemical: Serotonin.
you're coming down with you so Down Serotonin is the chemical in your
with you so hard brain that may control the way
Meet me at the bottom of the ocean Feel
its fingers tickling our skin You mix your
we feel. When you are in love,
magic potion The old familiar feeling the chemical that allows that
starts to kick in person is continuously in your
But now it's fading and I can't hear what thoughts, making you feel happy.
you're saying It feels like it's slipping
through my fingers It's fading and I can't (http://www.youramazingbrain.o
hear what you're saying It feels like you're rg/lovesex/sciencelove.htm)
slipping, but
It's just the serotonin It's burning a hole
into my heart Felt like I was frozen Yeah,
but now I'm coming up so hard
Serotonin Girl, you're really tearing me
apart It felt like I was frozen Yeah, but
now I'm coming up so hard
Sara, serotonin, Sara, serotonin Now I'm
coming up so hard Sarah, serotonin,
Sarah, serotonin And now I'm coming up
so hard
8. Fight Club is a film and novel that explores
several areas of psychology. Insomnia is a
huge part of the film as it is the main cause of
several other events that happen in the story
line. The main Character experiences
insomnia and is denied help. The disorder
creates further obstacles including depression,
anger, and multiple personality disorders. In
Psychology Core Concepts we discuss
Insomnia as being one of the main sleep
disorders. The textbook Psychology Second
Canadian Edition describes Insomnia as a
disorder is when one has challenges getting to,
staying, or getting enough sleep. Insomnia
may be caused by anxiety. In fight club the
main characters finds a way to relieve stress in
the day resulting in him sleeping at night
time.
Psychology 2nd Canadian Edition Chapter 4 Page
9. The YouTube Video: Hypnosis: Lucid
Dreaming is an example of the process
of hypnosis. The voice encourages you
to relax and listen to the voice as you
follow a series of steps working up
towards become in a hypnotic state.
Hypnosis is a state of consciousness
where one is susceptible to suggestion.
(Ciccarelli, 2012). This video in specific
walks you through a Lucid Dream that
they may control. I attempted several of
the hypnosis videos provided by the
same YouTube user (Ultra Hypnosis).
Unfortunately it did not work for me,
however I better understand what one
may experience while hypnotised.
Hypnosis doesn’t work for everybody it is
an altered state of conciseness that may
only work on those who wish to be
hypnotized (Ciccarelli, 2012).
Psychology 2nd Canadian Edition Chap.4 Pg. 152
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6VTM_ZiYA
10. Gestalt Institute is a blog that gives examples of Gestalt
theory principles through perception of optical illusions
and images that trick the eye. “Gestalt perception: The eye
tends to ‘fill in’ the blanks here and see both of these
figures as circles rather than as a series of dots or a broken
line. (Ciccarelli, 2012). This blog has good examples of
Gestalt principles in Art and how the perception can trick
the eye to see different things. One example has the
scenery of a village with a man playing guitar on a roof.
The further back the houses in the image go the more the
houses become to look like an audience at a concert. You r
eye at first might not see this.
Psychology 2nd Canadian Edition C.1 Page 9
12. The big bang theory pictures : http://s2.hubimg.com/u/5251353_f520.jpg
Hypnosis pictures: http://www.legacy.augiemania.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/
hypnosis.gif
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6VTM_ZiYA
http://www.learntohypnotize.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/self-hypnosis.jpg
Kubrick, S. ( (1971). A Clockwork Orange [Film]. (“film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962
novella A Clockwork Orange.” Wikipedia)
Fincher, D (1999). Fight Club [Film].
(“Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck
Palahniuk.” Wikipedia)
Source: Psychology Second Canadian Edition by Saundra K Ciccarelli
Dopamine Video and picture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SePL2w5f6dE