F's in Glossary Flashcards
factor analysis
a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person’s total score
family therapy
therapy that treats the family as a system. views an individual’s unwanted behaviors as influenced by other family members.
feature detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement.
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking.
fetus
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth.
figure-ground
the organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings
fixation
according to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved
fixed-interval schedule
in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.
fixed-ratio schedule
in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
flashbulb memory
a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event.
flow
a completely involved, focused state of consciousness, with diminished awareness of self and time, resulting from optimal engagement of one’s skills.
fluid intelligence
our ability to reason speedily and abstractly, tends to decrease during late adulthood
fMRI (functional MRI)
a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. They show brain function.
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.
formal operational stage
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts (beginning about age 12)
fovea
the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster
framing
the way an issue is posed
free association
a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind
frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
frequency theory
in hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
frontal lobes
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
frustration-aggression principle
the principle that frustration create anger which can generate aggression
fundamental attribution error
the tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition
