Behavioral Sciences Flashcards
Acquisition
In classical conditioning, the process of taking advantage of reflexive responses to turn a neutral stimulus into a conditioned stimulus.
ex. if you are training a dog to salivate to a sound, the acquisition will be more likely is the sound is noticeable and unexpected - bell sound > quiet tone/neutral sound that they hear regularly
Adaptation
- In perception: a decrease in stimulus perception after a long duration of exposure
ex. someone who lives near a train can perceptually adapt such that they can ignore the train whistle in order to sleep at night - In learning: the process by which new information is processed; consists of assimilation (absorption of knowledge) and accommodation (modifying existing mindsets after absorbing new information)
Adaptive Value
The extent to which a trait benefits a species by influencing the evolutionary fitness of the species.
ex. “concessions model” in which the dominant group member concedes some amount of reproduction rights to lower-ranking individuals in order to maintain a certain degree of advantage for the subordinates to stay within the colony
Alertness
State of consciousness in which one is aware, able to think, and able to respond to the environment; nearly synonymous with arousal
Aggresion
A behavior with the intention to cause harm or increase relative social dominance; can be physical or verbal.
Aligning Actions
An impression management strategy in which one makes questionable behavior acceptable through excuses. It is a method of self - representation in which an individual makes their actions and behaviors appear positive, rational, and understandable.
ex. explaining a work failure as a result of sickness instead of slacking off
Altruism
A form of helping behavior in which the intent is to benefit someone else at a cost to oneself.
Alter-Casting
An impression management strategy in which one imposes an identity onto another person.
ex. “you wouldn’t let your child smoke”
Anomie
A state of normlessness; these conditions erode social solidarity by means of excessive individualism, social inequality, and isolation
Amygdala
A portion of the limbic system that is important for memory and emotion, especially fear.
Appraisal Model
A similar theory to the basic model, accepting that there are biologically predetermined expressions once an emotion is experienced; accepts that there is a cognitive antecedent to emotional expression.
Anxiety Disorders
Disorders that involve worry, unease, fear, and apprehension about future uncertainties based on real or imagined events that can impair physical and psychological health.
Archetype
In Jungian psychoanalysis, a thought or image that has an emotional element and is a part of the collective unconscious.
Arcuate Fasciculus
A bundle of axons that connects Wernicke’s Area (language comprehension) with Broca’s Area (motor function of speech). Damage here causes conduction aphasia, characterized by the inability to repeat words with intact spontaneous speech production and comprehension.
Arousal
A psychological and physiological state of being awake and reactive to stimuli nearly synonymous with alertness.