D Flashcards
In psychoanalytic theory the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.
defense mechanism
the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
deinduvidualation
that eerie sense that “1’ve experienced this before.” Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.
deja vu
the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.
delta waves
false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders.
delusions
the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
dendrite
the experimental factor-in psychology, the behavior or mental process-that is being measured; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.
dependent variable
drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.
depressants
the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance.
depth perception
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.
developmental psychology
the minimum difference that a person can detect between two stimuli. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference.
difference threshold
in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.
discrimination
defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person, as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet.
displacement
a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others.
dissociation
disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
dissociative diorders
a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities
dissociative identity disorder
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
DNA
an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.
double-blind procedure
a condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one’s genetic makeup.
down syndrome
a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind. Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the dreamer’s delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it.
dream
the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need.
drive-reduction theory
the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition), a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders.
DSM-IV
the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact.
dualism
