Capstone Flashcards
Psychodynamic
Development of sense of self, motivation for social/interpersonal relationships. Major theorists: Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney,
Erik Erikson, Anna Freud
Behavioral
Classical and operant conditioning, as well as the concept of reinforcement, focus on observable behavior. Major Theorists: Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, Edward L. Thorndike, and B. F. Skinner.
Humanistic
The ability of the individual to direct and control their own life, free will, and self-actualization. Major Theorists: Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Natalie Rogers
Cognitive
Perception, memory, intelligence, thought processes, problem-solving, language, learning, and the role of the brain and nervous system. Major Theorists: Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, Elizabeth Loftus, Howard Gardner, Fergus I. M. Craik, Raymond Cattell, and Eleanor Rosch
Sociocultural
Relationship between social behavior and the contexts of family, social groups, and culture. Major Theorists: Lev Vygotsky, John Darley, Bibb Latané, Albert Bandura, Leon Festinger, Henri Tajfel, Philip Zimbardo, and Stanley Milgram
Biopsychological
Influences of genetics, hormones, and the activity of the nervous system on human and animal behavior. Major Theorists: Paul Broca, Charles Darwin, Michael Gazzaniga, Roger Sperry, Carl Wernicke, S. Marc Breedlove, and Lisa Feldman Barrett
Evolutionary
The biological bases for universal mental characteristics that are shared by all humans. Major Theorists: David Buss, Richard Dawkins, Leda Cosmides, Robert Trivers, David C. Geary, Todd K. Shackelford, David F. Bjorklund, Anne Campbell, and Susan Oyama
Social Categorization
The assignment of a person to a category is based on characteristics the new person has in common with others from past experiences.
Stereotype
A set of characteristics believed to be shared by all members of a particular social category.
Implicit Personality Theory
Assumptions about how different types of people, personality traits, and actions are related.
Implicit Association Test (IAT)
Measures the degree of association between concepts.
Schemas
Mental patterns represent beliefs about certain types of people. Can become stereotypes and differ across cultures.
Attribution
The process of explaining one’s own behavior and the behavior of others.
Attribution Theory
Theory of how people make attributions, based on internal and external causes.
Situational Cause
External factors like delays, actions of others, or aspects of the situation that cause behavior.
Dispositional Cause
Internal factors like personality and character that cause behavior.
Fundamental Attribution Error
Tendency to overestimate the influence of internal factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining others’ behavior.
Actor-Observer Bias
Tendency to use situational attributions to explain our behavior and not personal attributions.
Prejudice
Negative attitude held by a person about the members of a particular social group.
Discrimination
Treating people differently because of prejudice toward the social group to which they belong.
Types of Prejudice
Ageism, sexism, racism, prejudice against people who are overweight or underweight, and prejudice against people with different sexual orientations.
In-Groups
Social groups with whom a person identifies; “us.”
Out-Groups
Social groups with whom a person does not identify; “them.”
Scapegoating
Scapegoating
Social Cognitive Theory
Use of cognitive processes in understanding the social world.
Realistic Conflict Theory
Theory states that prejudice and discrimination increase between groups in conflict over limited resources.
Social Identity Theory
Explains the formation of a person’s identity within a particular social group through social categorization, social identity, and social comparison.
Stereotype Vulnerability
The effect of people’s awareness of stereotypes associated with their social group on their behavior.
Self-fulfilling prophecy
The tendency of one’s expectations to affect one’s behavior in a way that makes the expectation more likely to occur.
Stereotype Threat
Anxiety is experienced by members of a stereotyped group in situations where their behavior might confirm a stereotype.
Equal Status Contact
Contact between groups where neither has power over the other.
Robber’s Cave Study
A classic study on intergroup conflict and cooperation.
“Jigsaw Classroom”
Educational technique where each individual is given part of the information needed to solve a problem, forcing cooperation.
Gender Roles
Culture’s expectations for male or female behavior in attitudes, actions, and personality traits.
Gender Typing
Process of acquiring gender-role characteristics.
Gender Identity
Individual’s sense of being masculine or feminine.
Transgender
When gender identity does not match external experience or chromosomes.
Gender Dysphoria
Distress is experienced when there is a mismatch between gender identity and physical characteristics.
Social Learning Theory
Gender identity is formed through reinforcement and imitation of gender models, influenced by family, friends, teachers, peers, and media.
Gender Schema Theory
The Theory of gender identity acquisition is where a child develops a mental framework for being male or female and organizes behavior around that framework, based on Piaget’s concept of schemas.
Sexism
Prejudice against males and/or females leads to unequal treatment.
Benevolent Sexism
Acceptance of positive stereotypes of males and females leads to unequal treatment.
Social Psychology
is the scientific study of how a person’s behavior, thoughts, and feelings are influenced by, and influence, social groups.
Social Influence
The process through which the real or implied presence of others can directly or indirectly influence an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Conformity
Changing one’s own behavior to match that of other people.
Normative Social Influence
The need to act in ways that we feel will let us be liked and accepted by others.
Informational Social Influence
Taking cues for how to behave from others in situations that are unclear or ambiguous.
Social Facilitation
The positive influence of others on performance, where the presence of others creates enough arousal to improve performance.
Social Impairment
The negative influence of others on performance, where the presence of others in difficult tasks creates too much arousal and impairs performance.
Social Loafing
The tendency for people to exert less effort when working in a group compared to when working alone, is often found in individualistic cultures.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique
Asking for a small commitment and, after gaining compliance, asking for a larger commitment.
Door-in-the-Face Technique
Asking for a large commitment and then, after being refused, asking for a smaller commitment.
Lowball Technique
Getting a commitment from a person and then raising the cost of that commitment, involving money, time, effort, or another sacrifice.
Obedience
Changing one’s behavior at the command of an authority figure.
Milgram’s Shocking Research
A study where participants administered what they thought were real shocks to a learner, showing that people consistently follow orders to administer apparently painful shocks, raising ethical questions about obedience to authority.
Attitude
A tendency to respond positively or negatively toward a person, object, idea, or situation.
Components of an Attitude
Affective (emotional), behavioral, and cognitive components.
Cognitive Dissonance
A sense of discomfort or distress when a person’s behavior does not align with their attitudes is lessened by changing behavior, attitude, or forming a new attitude to justify behavior.
Interpersonal Attraction
Liking or desire for a relationship with another person, is influenced by factors such as physical attractiveness, proximity, mere exposure effect, and similarity.
Reciprocity of Liking
Tendency for people to like others who like them in return.
Love
Strong affection for another person due to kinship, personal ties, sexual attraction, admiration, or common interests.
Sternberg’s Three Components of Love
Intimacy, Passion, Commitment; Romantic love consists of intimacy and passion, companionate love consists of intimacy and commitment, and consummate love consists of all three components.
Aggression
Behavior intended to hurt or destroy another person.
Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
Aggression is a reaction to frustration, which can arise from various sources like pain, loud noise, heat, or foul smells.
Prosocial Behavior
Socially desirable behavior that benefits others.
Altruism
Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ)
Brain region is larger in individuals who make altruistic choices.
Wilhelm Wundt
Established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879. Believed consciousness could be broken down into basic elements like thoughts, experiences, and emotions. Developed objective introspection.
Objective Introspection
The process of objectively examining and measuring one’s own thoughts and mental activities.
Edward Titchener
Wundt’s student who brought structuralism to America. Structuralism focused on the structure of the mind and believed experiences could be broken down into emotions and sensations.
Structuralism
focused on the structure of the mind and believed experiences could be broken down into emotions and sensations.
Margaret Washburn
Titchener’s student who became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology. Published “The Animal Mind” in 1908.
Functionalism
is a theoretical framework in psychology that stresses the adaptive value and purpose of mental processes and behaviors.
Francis Cecil Sumner
The first African American man to earn a Ph.D. in psychology.
Inez Beverly Prosser
The first African American female to earn a Ph.D. in psychology.
Kenneth and Mamie Clark
Researchers who studied the effects of school segregation on African American children.
George (Jorge) Sanchez
Studied cultural bias in intelligence tests. (Hispanic/lationo)
Carlos Albizu Miranda
One of the first Hispanics to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. (Hispanic/lationo)
Gestalt
An organized whole; started with Wertheimer, who studied sensation and perception; Gestalt ideas are now part of the study of cognitive psychology.
Cognitive Psychology
A field focusing not only on perception but also on learning, memory, thought processes, and problem-solving.
Psychoanalysis
A theory and therapy based on the work of Sigmund Freud; a modern psychotherapy based on psychoanalysis.
Freud’s Theory
Patients suffered from nervous disorders with no apparent physical cause; proposed concept of unconscious mind into which we push—or repress—our threatening urges and desires; believed repressed urges created nervous disorders and stressed the importance of early childhood experiences.
Behaviorism
Focuses on observable behavior only, which must be directly seen and measured; proposed by John B. Watson and based on Pavlov’s work, who demonstrated that a reflex could be conditioned or learned.
Case of “Little Albert”
Baby taught to fear a white rat, demonstrating Watson’s belief that phobias were learned.
Mary Cover Jones
An early pioneer in behavior therapy.
Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Psychologists strive to benefit those with whom they work and take care to do no harm. They safeguard the welfare and rights of those they work with and guard against factors that might lead to misuse of their influence. They are aware of the possible effect of their own physical and mental health on their ability to help others.
Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility
Psychologists establish relationships of trust, uphold professional standards, clarify their roles, accept responsibility for their behavior, and manage conflicts of interest. They consult, refer, or cooperate with other professionals and institutions as needed.
Principle C: Integrity
Psychologists promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness. They do not engage in theft, cheating, fraud, or intentional misrepresentation of fact. They keep promises and avoid unwise commitments. Deception may be justifiable in certain situations but requires serious consideration and responsibility to correct any resulting harm.
Principle D: Justice
Psychologists recognize fairness and justice for all persons, ensuring access to and benefit from psychology’s contributions. They take precautions to ensure that biases, boundaries of competence, and limitations of expertise do not lead to unjust practices.
Principle E: Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity
Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and their rights to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination. They are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, considering factors like age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status in their work. They strive to eliminate biases and do not participate in activities based on prejudices.
Ethical Treatment of Research Participants
Scientists must ensure ethical treatment for research participants.
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
Groups of psychologists or other professionals who review proposed research studies and judge them based on safety and consideration for participants.
Common Ethical Guidelines
- Rights and well-being of participants must be weighed against the study’s value to science.
- Participants must be allowed to make an informed decision about participation.
- Deception must be justified.
- Participants may withdraw from the study at any time.
- Participants must be protected from risks or explicitly told of risks.
- Investigators must debrief participants.
- Data must remain confidential.
- If a study results in undesirable consequences, the researcher is responsible for detecting and removing/correcting them.
Chromosomes in Humans
Humans have 46 chromosomes in each cell of the body, arranged in 23 pairs.
Origin of Chromosomes
23 chromosomes come from the female egg, and 23 chromosomes come from the male sperm.
Autosomes
Of the 23 pairs, 22 pairs determine human characteristics and are called autosomes.
Sex Chromosomes
The two chromosomes that make up the 23rd pair are referred to as sex chromosomes. XX chromosomes determine a female, while XY chromosomes determine a male.
Sensorimotor Stage
Birth to 2 years old. Children explore the world using senses and movement. They develop object permanence and understand that mental images represent objects, people, and events. (Piaget’s Theory First stage)
Preoperational Stage
2-7 years old. Children can mentally represent objects and events with words or pictures and engage in pretend play. They can’t conserve, logically reason, or consider multiple characteristics of an object simultaneously. Egocentrism, centration, conservation and irreversibility. (Piaget’s Theory 2nd Stage)
Concrete Operations Stage
7-12 years old. Children can conserve, reverse their thinking, classify objects based on multiple characteristics, think logically, understand analogies, but only about concrete events.Concrete concepts: the kind of concepts understood by children of this age; are about objects, written rules, and real things. Limitations include abstract thought:Abstract concepts: those that do not have some physical, concrete, touchable reality. (Piaget’s Theory 3rd stage.)
Formal Operations Stage
12 years old to adulthood. People can use abstract reasoning about hypothetical events, think about logical possibilities, use abstract analogies, and systematically examine and test hypotheses. Not everyone reaches this stage. (Piaget’s Theory final stage)
Sociocultural Theory
Emphasizes the role of others and the importance of social and cultural interaction in cognitive development. Developed by Vygotsky.
Scaffolding
Process in which a more skilled learner provides assistance to a less skilled learner, gradually reducing the amount of help as the less skilled learner becomes more capable.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Vygotsky’s concept referring to the difference between what a child can do alone and what the child can achieve with the help of a teacher or more skilled peer.
Secure Attachment Style
Avoidant Attachment Style
Avoidant Attachment Style
Insecurely attached; unengaged with mother; explores without touching base.
Ambivalent Attachment Style
Insecurely attached; upset when mother leaves and then angry with mother upon her return.
Disorganized-Disoriented Attachment Style
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage 1: Infant (Birth to 1 year)
Developmental Crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust. Infants learn trust based on how their needs are met.Successful Dealing with Crisis: If needs are met, they develop trust in people.Unsuccessful Dealing with Crisis: If needs are not met, they develop mistrust and do not expect their needs to be met in the future.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage 2: Toddler (1 to 3 years)
Developmental Crisis: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. Toddlers learn they can control their actions. Successful Dealing with Crisis: They develop independence.Unsuccessful Dealing with Crisis: Blocked attempts at independence lead to self-doubt and shame.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage 3: Preschool Age (3 to 5 years)
Developmental Crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt. Preschoolers learn to take responsibility and develop self-control.Successful Dealing with Crisis: They feel capable and develop initiative. Unsuccessful Dealing with Crisis: They feel irresponsible, anxious, and develop guilt.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage 4: Elementary School Age (5 to 12 years)
Developmental Crisis: Industry vs. Inferiority. Children learn new skills and compare themselves to others.Successful Dealing with Crisis: Feeling competent leads to a sense of industry and improved self-esteem.Unsuccessful Dealing with Crisis: Feeling inferior when comparing oneself to others.
Adolescence
Period from about age 13 to early 20s; not just chronological age but how a person manages life issues.
Puberty
Physical changes in the body as sexual development peaks.
Kohlberg’s Levels of Morality: Preconventional
Morality based on consequences; rewarded actions are right, punished actions are wrong.
Kohlberg’s Levels of Morality: Conventional
Morality based on society’s rules; actions are right if they conform, wrong if they don’t.
Kohlberg’s Levels of Morality: Postconventional
Morality based on personal judgment, even if it disagrees with society’s rules.
Adulthood
Begins in early 20s and ends with old age and death; divided into young, middle, and late adulthood.
Emerging Adulthood
Period from late adolescence through 20s; characterized by lack of independence, mainly found in developed countries.
Cellular Clock Theory
Cells can only reproduce a certain number of times to repair damage.
Telomeres
Structures on ends of chromosomes that shorten each time a cell reproduces.
Wear-and-Tear Theory
Repeated use and abuse of body’s tissues cause inability to repair all damage.
Free Radical Theory
Oxygen molecules with unstable electron damage cell structures.
Activity Theory
Older people are happier if they remain active, such as through volunteering or hobbies.
Kübler-Ross’ Five Stages of Reaction to Death
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.
Neuron
Basic nervous system cell; receives and sends messages.
Dendrites
are Branch-like structures that receive messages from other neurons.
Soma
Cell body of the neuron maintains cell life.