AP Psych Vocab Flashcards
Empiricism
Knowledge comes from experience via the senses
Structuralism
Using introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
Functionalism
School of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function – how they allow the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
Nature – nurture issue
Long-standing controversy over contributions that genes and experience make to development of psychological traits and behaviors
Natural selection
Among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
Neuroscience
Focus on how body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences
Evolutionary
How the natural selection of traits promotes the perpetuation of one’s genes
Behavior genetics
How much are genes and our environment influence our individual differences
Psychodynamic
How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts
Behavioral
How we learn observable responses
Cognitive
How we encode, process, store, and retrieve info
Social – cultural
How behavior and thinking very across situations and cultures
Basic research
Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
Applied research
Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
Clinical psychologists
Study, assess, and treat troubled people
Psychiatrist
Deal with psychological disorders and our physicians who sometimes provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy
Hindsight bias
20/20 hindsight vision, tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it
Overconfidence
Tendency for people to be more confident than correct
Confirmation bias
Whatever you are searching for you will find, confident in misinformation
Critical thinking
Thinking that doesn’t blindly accept arguments and conclusions, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
Case study
Study one individual in hopes of revealing something truthful about us all
Survey
Large sample size on peoples opinions, looks at many cases with less depth
Naturalistic observation
Observing things in natural habitat
Correlation
When two factors vary or change together
False consensus effect
Tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors
Population
Whole group you wanted to study
Random sample
Fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
Correlation coefficient
Statistical measure a relationship revealing how closely two things very together and how well either one predicts the other
Illusory correlation
People try to make connections that aren’t there
Placebo
Thinking you will be affected by something then you will
Random assignment
Randomly picking who goes in which group
Single-blind
Subjects don’t know if they are in the experimental or control group
Double blind
Both subject and experimenters don’t know who is in experimental or control group
Standard deviation
Measure of how much scores vary from the mean
Statistical significance
Statement of how likely it is that an obtained results occurred by chance
Neuron
Nerve cell; basic building block of nervous system
Dendrites
Bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct a impulses toward the cell body
Axon
Extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers through which messages pass to other neurons or two muscles or glands
Myelin sheath
Layer of fatty tissue segmental he encasing the fibers of many neurons, allowing greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next
Action potential
Neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon and is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of the channels and in the axon’s membrane
Cell body and soma
Contain nucleus, control center
Axon terminal
End of axon which has vesicles that contain neurotransmitters
Vesicles
Contain neurotransmitters
Synapse
Junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of receiving neuron
Refractory period
So that the cycle can’t start over right away, during period where sodium and potassium ions switch back
Plasticity
Adaptability of brain
Threshold
Level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse, happens if excitatory signals outvote the inhibitory signals
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messengers
Acetylcholine (ACh)
The neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in learning and memory, it triggers muscle contractions
Dopamine
The neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
Serotonin
The neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Norepinephrine
The neurotransmitter that controls alertness and arousal
GABA
Inhibitory neurotransmitter
Glutamate
Excitatory neurotransmitter
Endorphins
Natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure
Agonist
Drug molecule similar to neurotransmitter that mimics it’s effect or blocks a neurotransmitter’s reuptake
Antagonist
Inhibits a neurotransmitter’s release
Phrenology
Ill-fated theory that claimed bumps on the skull could reveal our mental abilities and our character traits
Biological psychologist
Study of psychology with biological roots in (chemicals)
Nervous system
Body’s speedy, electrochemical communication system
Central nervous system (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
Nerves
Neural cables containing many axons. The bundled axons connect the CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs
Sensory neuron
Send info from the body’s tissues and sensory organs in word to the brain and spinal cord which process info
Motor neurons
Carrie outgoing info from CNS to muscles and glands
Somatic nervous system
Controls movement of our skeletal muscles (voluntary)
Autonomic nervous system
Controls glands and muscles of our internal organs (involuntary)
Sympathetic nervous system
Arouses body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
Calms body, conserving it’s energy
Reflex
Simple, autonomic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus
Neural networks
Interconnected neural cells
Brainstem
Part of brain for automatic survival functions
Medulla oblangata
Part of brainstem that controls heartbeat and respiration
PONS
Part of brain stem that controls respiration
Reticular formation
Part of brainstem that involved with our arousal
Limbic system
Part of hind midbrain that is the emotional center. Doughnut shaped system at border of brainstem and cerebral hemispheres
Amygdala
Part of limbus system in brain, center for fear and aggression. Two almond- shaped neural clusters
Hippocampus
Part of the limbic system in brain, center for processing emotion and long-term memory
Hypothalamus
Part of hind midbrain below thalamus, reward center, motivational center, controls hunger, thirst, sex. Governs endocrine system via pituitary gland
Thalamus
Brain’s sensory switchboard, part of hind mid brain that sends sensory messages to the specific lobes to process the info
Cerebellum
Part of hind midbrain involved with balance, coordination, movement
Lesion
Tissue destruction of tiny clusters of normal or defective brain cells, leaving the surroundings unharmed
MRI
Head is put in a strong magnetic field, which aligns spinning atoms, a brief pulse of radio waves disorients the atoms momentarily, when atoms return to their normal spin they released detectable signals which become computer – generated images of their concentrations
EEG
Traces electrical activity in the brain’s billions of neurons sweeps and regular waves across its surface
CT scan
Examines brain by taking x-ray photographs that can reveal brain damage
PET scan
Depicts brain activity by showing each brain areas consumption of its chemical fuel (sugar glucose)
Motor cortex
Part of frontal lobe in brain that controls fine motor skills
Broca’s area
Part of left frontal lobe in brain that controls speech
Pre-frontal cortex
Part of frontal lobe in brain that controls decision making
Auditory cortex
Part of temporal lobe in brain that controls hearing
Wernicke’s area
Part of left temporal lobe in brain that is the center for understanding spoken language
Sensory cortex
Part of parietal lobe in brain that is in charge of sense of touch
Visual cortex
Part of the occipital lobe in brain that controls eyesight
Angular gyrus
Part of occipital lobe and brain that changes visual info into auditory info
Association areas
Areas in brain where we don’t have lobes, makes connections of memory, emotion and rationality
Cerebral cortex
Intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres, body’s ultimate control and information processing center
Glial cells
Glue cells in nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons
Frontal lobe
Part of cerebral cortex in brain behind your forehead, involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
Parietal lobe
Part of cerebral cortex in brain at top and to the rear, include sensory cortex
Occipital lobe
Part of cerebral cortex in brain at the back of head, visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field
Temporal lobe
Part of cerebral cortex in brain just above ears, includes auditory areas which receive auditory info primarily from opposite ear
Corpus callosum
Large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and caring messages between them
Split brain
Two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting connecting fibers (mainly of corpus callosum)
Endocrine system
Bodies slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream
Hormones
Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
Adrenal glands
Pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys they secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress
Pituitary gland
Most influential gland, under influence of hypothalamus, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
Chromosomes
Threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
DNA
Complex molecule containing the genetic info that makes up the chromosomes, double helix strand held together by bonds between nucleotides
Genes
Biochemical units of heredity you that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
Genome
Complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in its chromosomes
Mutations
Random error and gene replication that leads to the change in the sequence of nucleotides, source of all genetic diversity
Evolutionary psychologists
People who study the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
Behavior geneticists
Assess our differences from one another -> how much is related to jeans and how much environment
Identical twins
Develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into; they are genetically identical
Fraternal twins
Develop from separate eggs and are genetically no more similar than ordinary brothers and sisters
Temperament
Persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
Heritability
The extent to which variation among individuals can be attributed to their differing genes
Molecular genetics
Subfield of Biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
Culture
Behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and is passed down to generations
Norms
Rules for accepted and expected behavior
Memes
Self replicating cultural mutations (ideas, fashions, innovations) passed from person to person
X chromosome
Sex chromosome given by Mom and possibly Dad
Y chromosome
Sex chromosome only given by Dad
Testosterone
Starts the development of male sex organs at the 7th week
Role
Set of expectations about a social position, defining how we should behave
Gender role
Set of expected behaviors for males and females
Gender
Biological and social category of male or female
Gender identity
Sense of being male or female
Gender-typed
The developing/learning of a traditional masculine or feminine role
Social learning theory
We learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished for behavior
Gender schema theory
Gender becomes a lens through which you view your experiences
Developmental psychologists
Study physical, mental, and social changes throughout the human life cycle
Zygote
Fertilized eggs; two week period of rapid cell division
Embryo
Developing human from two weeks to eight weeks
Fetus
Developing human organism from nine weeks after conception to birth
Teratogens
Agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development causing harm
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. Symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions
Rooting reflex
Babies tendency to when touched on the cheek, they open their mouth and search for the nipple
Sucking reflex
Anything put in a baby’s mouth, they will suck on it
Moro reflex
If baby feels like they’re falling their arms reach out to grab something
Habituation
Decrease in responding with repeated stimulation; newborns become bored looking at repeatedly presented visual stimulus
Maturation
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively on uninfluenced by experience
Infantile amnesia
Hippocampus doesn’t fully develop until four, and they can’t recollect episodic memories
Implicit bias
We are innately afraid of things that are different from us because of the way we organize our world (schemas)
Schema
Concept or framework that organizes and interprets info, mental molds that we pour our experience into
Assimilation
Interpreting ones new experience in terms of one’s existing schemas
Accommodation
Adapting one’s current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new info
Cognition
All mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating
Sensorimotor stage
0-2, where infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Object permanence
The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived (until 8 months)
Preoperational stage
2-6 or 7, during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
Conservation
Principle that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape/forms of objects
Egocentric
And ability to perceive things from another’s point of view
Theory of mind
Realize Asian that people have their own minds including feelings, perceptions, and thoughts and the behavior these could predict
Autism
Disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficient communication, social interaction, and understanding of others’ states of mind
Concrete operational stage
6 or 7-11, during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
Formal operational stage
12+, during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
Stranger anxiety
Fear of strangers that infants display beginning by about 8 months
Attachment
Emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to caregiver and showing distress on separation
Critical period
Optimal period shortly after birth when organism’s exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development
Imprinting
Process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life
Basic trust
Sense that world is predictable and trustworthy
Self-concept
Sense of their own identity and personal worth
Authoritarian
Parenting style that imposes rules and expects a obedience
Permissive
Parenting style that submits to children’s desires and makes few demands and little punishments
Authoritative
Parenting style that’s demanding and responsive, sets rules, enforces them, explains the reasons and encourages open discussion
Adolescence
Transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
Puberty
Period of sexual maturation, where a person becomes capable of reproducing
Primary sex characteristics
The body (tested, ovaries, external genitalia) that makes sexual reproduction possible
Secondary sex characteristics
Non-reproductive sexual characteristics (female breasts/male voice quality)
Menarche
First menstrual period
Preconventional morality
Before 9, have a morality of self interest. They obey to avoid punishment or gain rewards
Conventional morality
Early adolescence, level that cares for others and uphold the laws/social rules because they are simply laws. May approve actions that will give them social approval
Postconventional morality
Some who develop abstract reasoning of formal operational thought reach this level. This level affirms people’s agreed-upon rights or follows their personal basic ethical principles
Dementia
Loss of brain cells that initially displays a loss of newest memories
Test of recall
When we need to come up with something without any help at all
Test of recognition
You are given clues, hints, and options
Identity
One’s sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
Intimacy
In Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; the primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood
Menopause
Type of natural ending of menstruation and ability to reproduce declines
Alzheimer’s disease
Progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and finally physical functioning
Cross-sectional studies
Study in which people of different ages are compared with another
Longitudinal studies
Research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period
Crystallized intelligence
One’s accumulated knowledge and verbal skills as reflected in vocab in an analogy tests
Fluid intelligence
One’s ability to reason speedily and abstractly as in solving logic problems
Social clock
Culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood and retirement
Sensation
Process by which are sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Perception
Process of organizing and interpreting sensory info enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Bottom-up processing
Analysis that begins with the sensor scepters and works up to the brains integration of sensory info
Top-down processing
Info processing guided by higher level mental processes as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Psychophysics
Study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
Absolute threshold
Minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time
Signal detection theory
Theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation. Assumes there is no single absolute threshold him and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and level of fatigue
Subliminal
Below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Difference threshold
Minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
Weber’s law
Principle that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage, rather than buy a constant amount
Sensory adaptation
Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies into neural impulses
Wavelength
Distance from peak of one light or soundwave to the peak of the next
Hue
Color we experience
Intensity
I’m out of energy and a light or soundwave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, determined by the wave’s amplitude
Pupil
Adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Iris
Ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around pupil and controls size of pupil opening
Lens
Transparent structure that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
Accommodation
Eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
Retina
Light-sensitive inner surface of an eye, containing receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual info
Acuity
Sharpness of vision
Nearsightedness
Condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects because distant objects focus in front of the retina
Farsightedness
Condition in which faraway objects are seeing more clearly than near objects because the image of near objects is focused behind retina
Rods
Retinal receptors that detect black/white/gray; necessary for preferable and twilight vision when cones don’t respond
Cones
Receptor cells that are concentrated near center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions they detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations
Optic nerve
Nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Blind spot
Point at which optic nerve leaves eye creating a blind area because no receptor cells are located there
Fovea
Central focal point in retina around which the eye’s cones cluster
Feature detectors
Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, movement
Parallel processing
Processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brains natural mode of info processing for many functions, including vision
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory
Theory that the retina contains three different color receptors – one most sensitive to read, Wintergreen, want to blue – which one stimulated in combination can produce the perception of any color
Opponent – process theory
Theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green/yellow-blue/white-black) enable color vision
Color constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
Audition
Sense of hearing
Frequency
Number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Pitch
Tone’s highness or lowness; depends on frequency
Middle ear
Chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrups) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea’s oval window to a snail shaped tube
Inner ear
Innermost part of the ear, containing cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
Cochlea
A coil, bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear through which soundwaves trigger nerve impulses
Place theory
In hearing, theory that links pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated
Frequency theory
In hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, enabling us to sense its pitch
Conduction hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts soundwaves to the cochlea (eardrum or tiny bones in middle ear damage)
Sensorineural hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to cochlea’s receptor cells or two auditory nerves
Gate – control theory
Theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The gate is open by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity and large fibers or by info coming from brain
Sensory interaction
Principle that one sense may influence another as when the smell of food and influences its taste
Kinesthesis
System for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Vestibular sense
Sense of body movement and position, including sense of balance
Selective attention
At any moment we focus our awareness and only a limited aspect of all the experience
Visual capture
Tendency for vision to dominate the other senses
Gestalt
And organized whole, Gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of info into meaningful wholes
Figure – ground
Organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings (ground)
Grouping
Perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
Proximity
Group nearby figures together
Similarity
Figures similar to each other we grouped together
Continuity
We perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones
Connectedness
When they are uniform and linked, we perceive spots, lines, or areas as a single unit
Closure
We fill in gaps to create a complete whole object
Depth perception
Ability to see objects in 3D although images that strike retina are in 2D; allow us to judge distance
Visual cliff
Lab device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
Binocular cues
Depth cues that depend on the use of two eyes
Retinal disparity
By comparing images from the two eyeballs, the brain computes distance. The greater the disparity between the two images, the closer the object
Convergence
Extent to which eyes converge inward when looking at an object
Relative size
If we assume that two objects are similar in size, we perceive the one that casts the smaller retinal image as further away
Interposition
If one object partially blocks our view of another we perceive it as closer
Relative clarity
Because light from distant objects passes through more atmosphere, we perceive hazy objects as farther away than sharp, clear objects
Texture gradient
A gradual change from a coarse, distinct texture to a fine, indistinct texture signals increasing distance
Relative height
We perceive objects higher in our field of vision as farther away, Since we perceive the lower part of a figure – ground illustration as closer, we perceive it as a figure
Relative motion
As we move objects that are actually stable appear to move, objects closer than fixation point appear to move backward, while objects beyond point appear to move with you, the farther away the object, the slower its apparent speed
Linear perspective
Parallel lines appear to converge with distance
Light and shadow
Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes
Phi phenomenon
And illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in succession, you perceive a single light moving back and forth between them
Perceptual constancy
Perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent lightness, color, shape, and size) even as illumination and retinal images change
Perceptual adaptation
In vision, ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
Perceptual set
Mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another
Human factors psychology
Branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be adapted to human behaviors
Extrasensory perception (ESP)
Controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory and input (telepathy, precognition)
Parapsychology
Study of paranormal phenomena including ESP and psychokinesis
Consciousness
Our awareness of ourselves and our environment
Biological rhythms
Periodic physiological fluctuations
Annual cycles
Geese migrate, grizzly bears hibernate, and humans may experience seasonal variations in appetite, sleep length, moods, and during winter’s dark months SAD
28 day cycles
Average female menstrual cycle
24 hour cycles
Humans experience day cycles of varying and falling alertness, body temperature and growth hormone secretion
90 minute cycles
We cycle through various stages of sleep
Circadian rhythm
Biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle
REM sleep
Rapid eye movement sleep
Alpha waves
Relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state
Sleep
Periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness, slow breathing/irregular brain waves
Hallucinations
False sensory experiences, sensory experiences that occur without a sensory stimulus
Delta waves
Large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
Insomnia
Recurring problems and falling or staying asleep
Narcolepsy
Sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. Sufferer may lapse right into REM sleep, often at inopportune times
Sleep apnea
Sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and consequent momentary reawakenings
Night terrors
Sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; occur in stage 4 sleep within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered
Dreams
Sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind. Notable for hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, incongruities, and for dreamer’s delusional acceptance of content and later difficulties remembering it
Manifest content
According to Freud, the remembered storyline of the dream
Latent content
The underlying meaning of a dream, Freud believed that a dreams latent content functions as a safety valve for unacceptable behavior
REM rebound
Tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation
Hypnosis
A social interaction in which one person (hypnotist) suggest to another (subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur
Posthypnotic amnesia
Supposed inability to recall what one experienced during hypnosis; induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion
Posthypnotic suggestions
Suggestion made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors
Dissociation
Split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others
Hidden observer
Hilgard’s term describing a hypnotized subject’s awareness of experiences, such as pain, that go unreported during hypnosis
Psychoactive drugs
Chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood
Tolerance
Diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring user to take larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effect
Withdrawal
Discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing use of an addictive drug
Physical dependence
Physiological need for drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when drug is discontinued
Psychological dependence
Psychological need to use drugs, such as to relieve negative emotions
Depressants
“Downers” calm neural activity and slow body functions
Stimulants
“Uppers” temporarily excite neural activity and arouse body functions
Hallucinogens
Distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input
Barbiturates
Drugs that depress the activity of the CNS, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment
Opiates
Opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depressed neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety
Amphetamines
Drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded up body functions and associated energy and mood changes
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen produces of euphoria and social intimacy, but with short term health risks and long-term harm to serotonin producing neurons and to mood and cognition
LSD
Powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide)
THC
Major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations
Near-death experience
An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with that with; often similar to drug induced hallucinations
Dualists
Presume that mind and body are two distinct entities the interact
Monists
Presume that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing
Learning
A relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience
Associative learning
Learning that certain events occur together. Events maybe two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or response and its consequences (as an operant conditioning)
Classical conditioning
Type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli. A neutral stimulus that signals an UCS begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the unconditioned stimulus
Behaviorism
The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes
Unconditioned response (UCR)
In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the UCS
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally – naturally and automatically – triggers a response
Conditioned response (CR)
Classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral CS
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an UCS, comes to trigger a CR
Acquisition
Initial stage in classical conditioning; phase associating a neutral stimulus with an UCS so that neutral stimulus comes to elicit a CR. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
Extinction
Diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an UCS doesn’t follow a CS; occurs in operant conditioning one response is no longer reinforced
Spontaneous recovery
Reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR
Generalization
Tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
Discrimination
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that don’t signal an UCS
Operant conditioning
Type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher
Respondent behavior
Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; Skinner’s term for behavior learned through classical conditioning
Operant behavior
Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences
Law of effect
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and the behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely
Operant chamber
(Skinner box) a chamber containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, with attached devices to record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking. Used in operant conditioning research
Shaping
In operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of a desired goal
Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
Primary reinforcers
An innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need
Conditioned reinforcers
A stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; “secondary reinforcer”
Continuous reinforcement
Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement
Reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement
Fixed – ratio schedules
In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
Variable – ratio schedules
In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
Fixed – interval schedules
In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
Variable – interval schedules
In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Punishment
Event that decreases the behavior that it follows
Cognitive map
Mental representation of the layout of one’s environment
Latent learning
Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
Overjustification effect
Effect of promising a reward for doing what one already likes to do. Person may now see the reward, rather than intrinsic interest, as the motivation for performing the task
Intrinsic motivation
Desire to perform a behavior due to one’s own interest or motivation
Extrinsic motivation
A desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment
Observational learning
Learning by observing others
Modeling
Process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
Mirror neurons
Frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain’s mirroring of another’s actions may enable imitation, language learning, and empathy
Prosocial
Positive, constructive, helpful behavior. The opposite of antisocial behavior
Memory
Persistence of learning overtime through the storage and retrieval of information
Flashbulb memories
A clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event
Encoding
Processing of information into the memory system
Storage
Retention of encoded information over time
Retrieval
Process of getting info out of memory storage
Sensory memory
Immediate, initial recording of sensory info in the memory system
Short-term memory
Activated memory that holds a few items briefly before the info is stored or forgotten
Long-term memory
Relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system
Automatic processing
Unconscious encoding of incidental info, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned info, such as word meanings
Effortful processing
Encoding that requires attention and conscious effort
Rehearsal
Conscious repetition of info, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage
Spacing effect
Tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through mass study or practice
Serial position effect
Our tendency to recall best the last and first items of a list
Visual encoding
Encoding of picture images
Acoustic encoding
Encoding of sound, especially the sound of words
Semantic encoding
Encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words
Imagery
Mental pictures; a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding
Mnemonics
Memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices
Chunking
Organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically
Iconic memory
Momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second
Echoic memory
Momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere sounds and words can still be recalled within three or four seconds
Long term potentiation (LTP)
An increase in the synapses firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believe to be a neural basis for learning and memory
Amnesia
Loss of memory
Implicit memory
Retention independent of conscious recollection
Explicit memory
Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and declare her
Hippocampus
Neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage
Recall
Measure of memory in which the person must retrieve info learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test
Recognition
Measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test
Relearning
Memory measure that assesses the amount of time save and learning material for a second time
Priming
Activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
Déjà vu
Eerie sense that I’ve experienced this before. Cues from current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience
Mood-congruent memory
Tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one’s current good or bad mood
Proactive interference
Disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new info
Retroactive interference
Disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old info
Repression
In psychoanalytic theory, basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
Misinformation effect
Incorporating misleading info into one’s memory of an event
Source amnesia
Attributing to the wrong source an event that we have experienced, heard, read, or imagined
Cognition
The mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
Concept
Mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people
Prototype
Mental image or best example of a category, matching new items to the prototype provides a quick and easy method for including items in a category
Algorithm
Methodical, logical rule, or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem
Heuristic
Simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier but also more error-prone than algorithms
Insight
Sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem; it contrasts with strategy-based solutions
Confirmation bias
Tendency to search for info that confirms one’s perceptions
Fixation
Inability to see a problem from a new perspective; an impediment to problem-solving
Mental set
Tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, especially a way that has been successful in the past but may or may not be helpful in solving a new problem
Functional fixedness
Tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual function; impediment to problem-solving
Representativeness heuristic
Judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead one to ignore other relevant info
Availability heuristic
Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind, we pursue such events are common
Overconfidence
Tendency to be more confident than correct – to overestimate the accuracy of one’s beliefs and judgments
Framing
The way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments
Belief bias
Tendency for one’s preexisting beliefs to distort logical reasoning, sometimes by making invalid conclusions seem valid or vice versa
Believe perseverance
Clinging to one’s initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Science of designing and programming computer systems to do intelligent things and to stimulate human thought processes, such as intuitive reasoning, learning, and understanding language
Computer neural networks
Computer circuits that mimic the brain’s interconnected neural cells, performing tasks such as learning to recognize visual patterns and smells
Language
Our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combined them to communicate meaning
Phoneme
In a spoken language, the smallest distinctive sound unit (syllables)
Morpheme
In a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning; may be a word or part of the word (suffix, prefix)
Grammar
In a language, system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others
Semantics
Set of rules by which we derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences in a given language; also the study of meaning
Syntax
Rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language
Babbling stage
Beginning at 3-4 months, the stage of speech development in which the infant spontaneously utters various sounds at first unrelated to the household language
One-word stage
The stage in speech development, from about age 1-2, during which a child speaks mostly in single words
Two-word stage
Beginning about age 2, the stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly two word statements
Telegraphic speech
Early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram, using mostly nouns and verbs and omitting auxiliary words
Linguistic determinism
Whorf’s hypothesis that language determines the way we think
Intelligence tests
A method for assessing and individuals mental aptitude and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores
Mental age
Measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet; the chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance
Stanford-Binet
Widely used American revision (by Terman at Stanford University) of Binet’s original intelligence test
Intelligence quotient (IQ)
Defined originally as the ratio of mental age to chronological age multiplied by 100. On contemporary intelligent test, the average performance for a given age is assigned a score of 100
Intelligence
Mental quality consisting of ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations
Factor analysis
Statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie one’s total score
General intelligence
(g) A general intelligence factor that Spearman and others believe underlies specific mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test
Savant syndrome
Condition in which a person otherwise limited mental ability has an exceptional specific skill
Emotional intelligence
Ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions
Creativity
Ability to produce novel and valuable ideas
Aptitude test
Test designed to predict the person’s future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn
Achievement test
Test designed to assess what a person has learned
Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS)
The most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests
Standardization
Defining meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested “standardization group”
Normal curve
Symmetrical bell shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near average and fewer and fewer scores lie near extremes
Reliability
Extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores on 2 halves of the test, on alternate forms the test, or on retesting
Validity
Extent to which a test measures or predicts what it’s supposed to
Content validity
Extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest
Criterion
Behavior that a test is designed to predict; thus, the measure used in defining whether the test has predictive validity
Predictive validity
Success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it’s assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior
Mental retardation
Condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an IQ below 70 and difficulty adapting to the demand of life; varies from mild to profound
Down syndrome
Condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one’s genetic makeup
Stereotype threat
A self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype
Personality
And individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
Free association
In psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s theory of personality that attributes our thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions
Unconscious
According to Freud, the reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware
Id
Contains a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. It operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
Ego
The largely conscious executive part of personality that according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain
Superego
The part of personality that according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment and for future aspirations, begins to develop around age 4 or 5
Psychosexual stages
The childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to Freud, the id’s pleasure seeking energies focused on distinct a erogenous zones
Oedipus complex
According to Freud, a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Identification
Process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into developing superegos
Fixation
According to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, where conflicts were unresolved
Defense mechanisms
In psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
Repression
In psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness
Regression
Defense mechanism in which an individual faced with anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated
Reaction formation
Psychoanalytic defense mechanism by which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites
Projection
Psychoanalytic defense mechanism by which people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others
Rationalization
Defense mechanism that offers self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions
Displacement
Psychoanalytic defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person
Projective tests
Personality test, such as the Rorschach or TAT, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics
Thematic apperception test (TAT)
Projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories that they make up about ambiguous scenes
Rorschach inkblot test
Most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
Collective unconscious
Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
Self-actualization
According to Maslow, the ultimate psychological need that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential
Unconditional positive regard
According to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person
Self-concept
All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “who am I?”
Traits
Characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports
Personality inventory
A questionnaire (often with true – false or agree – disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits
Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI)
The most widely researched and clinically used of all personality test. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders, this test is now used for many other screening purposes
Empirically derived test
Test (such as the MMPI) developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups
Social – cognitive perspective
Views behavior as influenced by the interaction between persons (and they’re thinking) and their social context
Reciprocal determinism
Interacting influences between personality and environmental factors
Personal control
Our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless
External locus of control
Perception that chance or outside forces beyond one’s personal control determine one’s fate
Internal locus of control
Perception that one controls one’s own fate
Learned helplessness
Hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events
Positive psychology
Scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive
Spotlight effect
Overestimating others noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders
Self-esteem
One’s feelings of high or low self-worth
Self-serving bias
A readiness to perceive oneself favorably
Individualism
Giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals, and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications
Collectivism
Giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
Terror – management theory
Propose that faith in one’s worldview and the pursuit of self-esteem provide protection against a deeply rooted fear of death
Psychological disorders
A “harmful dysfunction” in which behavior is judged to be atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable
Medical model
Concept that diseases have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases, cured. When applied to psychological disorders, the medical model assumes that these “mental “illnesses can be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cured through therapy, may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital
Bio – psycho – social perspective
Contemporary perspective which assumes that biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors combined and interact to produce psychological disorders
DSM – IV
The American psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th edition), a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders
Neurotic disorders
Psychological disorder that is usually distressing but that allows one to think rationally and function socially
Psychotic disorders
Psychological disorder in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing irrational ideas and distorted perceptions
Anxiety disorders
Psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder
Anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in the state of autonomic nervous system arousal
Panic disorder
Anxiety disorder marked by a minutes-long episode of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations
Phobia
An anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation
Obsessive – compulsive disorder
Anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and or actions (compulsions)
Mood disorder
Psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes
Major depressive disorder
Mood disorder where, for no apparent reason, experiences two or more weeks of depressed moods, feeling of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities
Manic episode
Mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state
Bipolar disorder
Mood disorder where the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the over excited state of mania
Dissociative disorders
Disorders where conscious awareness becomes separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
Dissociative identity disorder
Rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities
Personality disorder
Psychological disorder characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning
Antisocial personality disorder
Personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist
Schizophrenia
Group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions
Delusions
False beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders
Psychotherapy
Emotionally charged, confiding interaction between a trained therapist and someone who suffers from psychological difficulties
Eclectic approach
Approach to psychotherapy that, depending on the client’s problems, uses techniques from various forms of therapy
Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud’s therapeutic technique. Freud believed that patients’ free associations, resistances, dreams, and transferences – and therapist’s interpretations of them – released previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self insight
Resistance
In psychoanalysis, the blocking from consciousness of anxiety-laden material
Interpretations
In psychoanalysis, the analyst’s noting supposed dream meanings, resistances, and other significant behaviors in order to promote insight
Transference
In psychoanalysis, the patient’s transfer to the analyst of emotions linked with other relationships
Client-centered therapy
Humanistic therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, in which the therapist uses techniques such as active listening within a genuine, accepting, empathic environment to facilitate clients’ growth
Active listening
Empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies. A feature of Rogers’ client-centered therapy
Behavior therapy
Therapy that applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted behaviors
Counterconditioning
Behavior therapy procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors; based on classical conditioning
Exposure therapies
Behavioral techniques, such as systematic desensitization, that treat anxieties by exposing people to things they fear and avoid
Systematic desensitization
Type of counterconditioning that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety – triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias
Aversive conditioning
Type of counterconditioning that associates and unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)
Token economy
Operant conditioning procedure that rewards desired behavior. A patient exchanges the token of some sort, for exhibiting the desired behavior, for various privileges or treats
Cognitive therapy
Therapy that teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting; based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events and our emotional reactions
Cognitive – behavior therapy
Popular integrated therapy that combines cognitive therapy (changing self-defeating thinking) with behavior therapy (changing behavior)
Family therapy
Therapy that treats the family as a system. Views and individual’s unwanted behaviors as influenced by or directed at other family members; times to guide family members toward positive relationships and improved communication
Meta-analysis
Procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies
Regression toward the mean
Tendency for extremes of unusual scores to fall back toward their average
Psychopharmacology
Study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior
Lithium
Chemical that provides an effective drug therapy for the mood swings of bipolar disorders
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Biomedical therapy for severely depressed patients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient
Psychosurgery
Surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior
Lobotomy
Now – rare psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients. The procedure cut the nerves that connect the frontal lobe to the emotion – controlling centers of the inner brain
Social psychologists
Study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
Attribution theory
Theory that we tend to give a causal exclamation for someone’s behavior, often by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition
Fundamental attribution error
Tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition
Attitude
A belief and feeling that predisposes one to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
Foot – in – the – door phenomenon
Tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
Cognitive dissonance theory
Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent
Conformity
Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
Normative social influence
Influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
Informational social influence
Influence resulting from one’s willingness to except others’ opinions about reality
Social facilitation
Improve performance of tasks in the presence of others; occurs with simple or well-learned tasks but not with tasks that are difficult or not yet mastered
Social loafing
Tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
Deindividuation
Loss of self-awareness and self restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
Group polarization
Enhancement of a group’s prevailing attitude through discussion within the group
Groupthink
Mode of thinking that occurs when desire for harmony and decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
Prejudice
An unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members. It generally involves stereotype beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action
Stereotype
A generalized belief about a group of people
Ingroup
“Us “– people with whom one shares a common identity
Outgroup
“Them”– those perceived as different or apart from one’s ingroup
Ingroup bias
Tendency to favor one’s own group
Scapegoat theory
Theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame
Just – world phenomenon
Tendency of people to believe the world is just and that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get
Aggression
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy
Frustration – aggression principle
Principle that frustration – the blocking of an attempt to achieve sone goal- creates anger, which can generate aggression
Conflict
Perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
Social trap
Situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior
Mere exposure effect
Phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking them
Passionate love
Aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship
Companionate love
Deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
Equity
Condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it
Self-disclosure
Revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others
Altruism
Unselfish regard for the welfare of others
Bystander effect
A tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
Social exchange theory
Theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
Superordinate goals
Shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation
GRIT
Graduated and reciprocated initiatives and tension – reduction – a strategy designed to decrease international tensions