PSYCH 130 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7.3: Prefrontal Cortex, Practical Reason, Attention

• School: UCLA
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 130
• Professor: elizabethdarvick

Document Summary

Involves thinking out a sequence of acts ahead of time and allocating attention accordingly to reach a goal. When presented alternating stimulus in a predictable left right sequence, babies can shift their focus to next stimulus before the stimulus appears. Requires coordination of attention with other cognitive processes. Practice planning can help children understand its components and use it. Inattention, impulsivity, and excessive motor activity resulting in academic and social problems. Cannot stay focused on a task that requires mental effort for more than a few minutes. Or possible cluster of exec processing problems that interfere with the ability to guide one"s own actions. Abnormal brain functioning such as reduced electrical and blood flow activity and structural abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex and in other areas involved in attention, inhibition, and other aspects of motor control. Stimulant medication can increase activity in frontal lobes. Memory strategies can increase likelihood of retaining info in working memory and transferring to long term.