Kaplan Cards Flashcards
1
Q
Acquisition
A
In classical conditioning, the process of taking advantage of reflexive responses to turn a neutral stimulus into a conditioned response
2
Q
Adaptation
A
In perception, a decrease in stimulus perception after a long duration of exposure; in learning, the process by which new information is processed; consists of assimilation and accommodation
3
Q
Adaptive Value
A
The extent to which a trait benefits a species by influencing the evolutionary fitness of the species
4
Q
Aggression
A
A behavior with the intention to cause harm or increase relative social dominance; can be physical or verbal
5
Q
Alertness
A
State of consciousness in which one is aware, able to think, and able to repsond to the environment; nearly synonymous with arousal
6
Q
Aligning Actions
A
An impression management strategy in which one makes questionable behavior acceptable through excuses
7
Q
Alter-Casting
A
An impression management strategy in which one imposes an identity onto another person
8
Q
Altrusim
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A form of helping behavior in which the intent is to benefit someone else as a cost to oneself
9
Q
Anomie
A
A state of normlessness; anomic conditions erode social solidarity by means of excessive individualism, social inequality, and isolation
10
Q
Anxiety Disorders
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Disorders that involve worry, unease, fear, and apprehension about future uncertainties based on real or imagined events that can impair physical and psychological health
11
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Appraisal Model
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A similar theory to the basic model, accepting that there are biologically predetermined expressions once an emotion is experiences; accepts that there is a cognitive antecedent to emotional expression
12
Q
Amygdala
A
A portion of the limbic system that is important for memory and emotion, especially fear
13
Q
Archetype
A
In Jungian psychanalysis, a thought or image that has an emotional element and is a part of the collective unconscious
14
Q
Arcuate Fasciculus
A
A bundle of axons that connects Wernicke’s area with Broca’s area. Damage causes conduction aphasia, characterized by the inability to repeat words with intact spontaneous speech production and comprehension
15
Q
Arousal
A
A psychological and physiological state of being awake and reactive to stimuli; nearly synonympus with alertness
16
Q
Assimilation
A
In psychology, the process by which new information is interpreted in terms of existing schemata; in sociology, the process by which the behavior and culture of a group or an individual begins to merge with that of another group
17
Q
Arousal Theory
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A theory of motivation that states that there is a particular level of arousal required in order to perform actions optimally; summarized by the Yerkes-Dodson law
18
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Attitude
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A tendency toward expression of positve or negative feelings or evaluations of a person, place, thing, or situation
19
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Attachment
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A very deep emotional bond to another person, particularly a parent or caregiver
20
Q
Associative Learning
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The process by which a connection is made between 2 stimuli or a stimulus and a response; examples include classical conditioning and operant conditioning
21
Q
Circadian Rhythm
A
The alignment of physiological processes with the 24-hour day, including sleep-wake cycles and some elements of the endocrine system
22
Q
Cerebrum
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A portion of the brain that contains the cerebral cortex, limbic system, and basal ganglia
23
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Cerebral Cortex
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The outermost layer of the cerbrum, responsible for complex perceptual, behavioral, and cognitive processes
24
Q
Cerebellum
A
A portion of the hindbrain that maintains posture and balance and coordinates body movements
25
Catatonia
Disorganized motor behavior characterized by various unusual physical movements or stillness
26
Canon-Bard Theory
A theory of emotion that states that a stimulus is first received and is then simultaneously processed physiologically and cognitively, allowing for the conscious emotion to be experiences
27
Bystander Effect
The observation that, when in a group, individuals are less likely to respond to a person in need
28
Broca's Area
A brain region located in the inferior frontal gyrus of the frontal lobe; largely responsible for the motor function of speech. Damage causes Broca's aphasia, a loss of the motor function of speech, resulting in intact understanding with an inability to correctly produce spoken langage
29
Brainstem
The most primitive portion of the brain, which includes the midbrain and hindbrain; controls the autonomic nervous system and communication between the spinal cord, cranial nerves, and brain
30
Beneficence
The ethical tenet that a physician has a responsibility to act in the patient's best interest
31
Basal Ganglia
A portion of the forebrain that coordinates muscle movement and routes information from the cortex to the brain and spinal cord
32
Back Stage
In the dramaturgical approach, the setting where players are free from their role requirements and not in front of the audience; back stage behaviors may not be deemed appropriate or acceptable and are thus kept invisible from the audience
33
Avoidance
A form of negative reinforcement in which one eschews the unpleasantness of something that has yet to happen
34
Availability Heuristic
A shortcut in decision making that relies on the information that is most readily available, rather than the total body of information on a subject
35
Autonomy
The ethical tenet that the physician has the responsibility to respect patients' choices about their own healthcare
36
Attribution Theory
A theory that focuses on the tendency for individuals to infer the causes of other people's behavior
37
Attribute Substitution
A phenomenon observed when individuals must make judgements that are complex but instead substitute a simpler solution or perception
38
Accommodation
Process by which existing schemata are modified to encompass new information
39
Absolute Threshold
The minimum of stimulus energy needed to activate a sensory system
40
Circular Reaction
A repetitive action that achieves a desired response; seen during Piaget's sensorimotor stage
41
Diencephalon
A portion of the embryonic forebrain that becomes the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, and pineal gland
42
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
The guide by which most psychological disorders are characterized, described, and diagnosed; currently in its 5th edition
43
Deviance
The violation of norms, rules, or expectations within a society
44
Depressive Episode
A period of at least 2 weeks in which there is a prominent and persistent depressed mood or lack of interest and at least 4 other depressive symptoms
45
Demographics
The statistical arm of sociology, which attempts to charcaterize and explain populations by quantitative analysis
46
Delusions
Fixed, false beliefs that are discordant with reality and not shared by ones' culture, but are maintained in spite of strong evidence to the contrary
47
Demographic Transition
The transition from high birth and mortality rates to lower birth and mortality rates, seen as a country develops from a preindustrial to an industrialized economic system
48
Deindividuation
The idea that people will lose a sense of self-awareness and can act dramatically differently based on the influence of a group
49
Defense Mechanism
A technique used by the ego that denies, falsifies, or distorts reality in order to resolve anxiety caused by undesirable urges of the id and superego
50
Cultural Relativism
The recognition that social groups and cultures must be studied on their own terms to be understood
51
Deductive Reasoning
A form of cognition that starts with general information and narrows down that information to create a conlusion
52
Crystallized Intelligence
Cognitive capacity to understand relationships or solve problems using information acquired furing schooling and other experiences
53
Critical Period
A time during development during which exposure to language is essential for eventual development of effective use of language; between 2 years of age and puberty
54
Correspondent Inference Theory
A theory that states that people pay closer attention to intentional behavior than accidental behavior when making attributions, especially if the behavior is unexpected
55
Context Effect
A retrieval cue by which memory is aided when a person is the location where encoding took place
56
Conservation
Concept seen in quantitative analysis performed by a child; develops when a child is able to identify the difference between quantity by number and actual amount, especially when faced with identical quantities separated into varying pieces
57
Consciousness
Awareness of oneself; can be used to describe varying levels of awareness that occur with wakefulness, sleep, dreaming, and drug-induced states
58
Conformity
The changing of beliefs or behaviors in order to fit into a group or society
59
Conflict Theory
A theoretical framework that emphasizes the role of power differentials in producing social order
60
Confirmation Bias
A cognitive bias in which one focuses on information that supports a given solution, belief, or hypothesis and ignores evidence against it
61
Fixation
In Freudian psychoanalysis, the result of overindulgence or frustration during a psychosexual stage; causes a neurotic pattern of personality based on that stage
62
Ethnocentrism
The practice of making judgements about other cultures based on the values and beliefs of one's own culture
63
Escape
A form of negative reinforcement in which one reduces the unpleasantness of something that already exists
64
Errors of Growth
Misuse of grammar characterized by universal application of a rule, regardless of exceptions; seen in children during language development
65
Encoding
The process of receiving info and preparing it for storage; can be automatic or effortful
66
Elaborative Rehearsal
The association of info in short-term memory to info alreadys tored in long-term memory; aids in long-term storage
67
Elaboration Liklihood Model
A theory in which attitudes are formed and changed through different routes of informational processing based on the degree of deep thought given to persuasive info
68
Egocentrism
Self-centered view of the world in which one is not necessarily able to understand the experience of another person; seen in Piaget's preoperational stage
69
Ego
In Freudian psychoanalysis, the part of the unconscious mind that mediates the urges of the id and superego; operates under the reality principle
70
Drive Reduction Theory
A theory that explains motivation as being based on the goal of eliminating uncomfortable internal states
71
Dramatutgical Approach
Impression management theory that represents the world as a stage and individuals as actors performing to an audience
72
Divided Attention
The ability to attend to multiple stimuli simultaneously and to perform multiple tasks at the same time
73
Dissociative Disorders
Disorders that involve a perceived separation from identity or the environment
74
Displacement
A defense mechanism by which undesired urges are transferred from one target to another, more acceptable one
75
Dishabituation
A sudden increase in response to a stimulus, usually due to a change in the stimulus or the addition of another stimulus; sometimes called resensitization
76
Discrimination
In classical conditioning, the process by which 2 similar but distinct conditioned stimuli produce different responses; in sociology, when individuals of a particular group are treated differently from others based on their group
77
Disconfirmation Principle
Idea that states that if evidence obtained during testing does not confirm a hypothesis, then the hypothesis is discarded or revised
78
Compliance
A change of behavior of an individual at the request of another
79
Collective Unconscious
In Jungian psychoanalysis, the part of the unconscious mind that is shared among all humans and is a result of our common ancestry
80
Cognitive Dissonance
The simultaneous presence of 2 opposing thoughts or opinions
81
Heuristic
A rule of thumb or shortcut that is used to make decisions
82
Halo Effect
A cognitive bias in which judgements of an individual's character can be affected by the overall impression of the individual
83
Hallucinations
Perceptions that are not due to external stimuli but have a compelling sense of reality; drugs that cause hallucinations, such as LSD or psilocybin-containing mushrooms, are termed hallucinogenics
84
Habituation
A decrease in response caused by repeated exposure to a stimulus
85
Gestalt Principles
Ways for the brain to infer missing parts of an image when the image is incomplete
86
Group Polarization
The tendency to ward decisions that are more extreme than the individual thoughts of the group members
87
Groupthink
The tendency for groups to make decision based on ideas and solutions that arise within the group without considering outside ideas and ethics; based on pressure to conform and remain loyal to the group
88
Generalization
In classical conditioning, the process by which 2 distinct but similar stimuli come to produce the same response
89
Gemeinschaft anf Gesellschaft
Theory that distinguishes between 2 major types of groups: communities (Gemeinschaft), which share beliefs, ancestry, or geography; and society (Gesellschaft), which work together toward a common goal
90
Game Theory
A model that explains social interaction and decision making as a game, including strategies, incentives, and punishments
91
Fundamental Attribution Error
The general bias toward making dispositional attributions rather than situational atrributions when analyzing another person's behavior
92
Functionalism
A theoretical framework that explains how parts of society fit together to create a cohesive whole
93
Functional Fixedness
The inability to identify uses for an object beyind its usual purpose
94
Frontal Lobe
A portion of the cerebral cortex that controls motor processing, executive function, and the integration of cognitive and behavioral processes
95
Front Stage
In the dramaturgical approach, the setting where players are in front of an audience and perform roles that are in keeping with the image they hope to project about themselves
96
Forebrain
A portion of the brain that is associated with complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes such as emotiona and memory
97
Foraging
The act of searching for and exploiting food resources
98
Fluid Intelligence
Ability to quickly identify relationships and connection, and then use those relationships and connections to make correct deductions
99
Extinction
In classical conditioning, the decrease in response resulting from repeated presentation of the conditioned stimulus without the presence of the unconditioned stimulus
100
Classical Conditioning
A form of associative learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus such that the neutral stimulus alone produces the same response as the unconditioned stimulus; the neutral stimulus thus becomes a conditioned stimulus. Contrast with operant conditioning
101
Parallel Processing
The ability to simultaneously analyze and combine info regarding multiple aspects of a stimulus, such as color, shape, and motion
102
Operant Conditioning
A form of associative learning in which the frequency of a behavior is modified using reinforcement or punishment. Contrast with classical conditioning
103
Opponent - Process Theory
A theory that states that the body will adapt to counteract repeated exposure to stimuli, such as seeing afterimages or ramping up the sympathetic nervous system in response to a depressant
104
Occipital Lobe
A portion of the cerebral cortex that controls visual processing
105
Observational Learning
A form of learning in which behavior is modified as a result of watching others
106
Object Permanence
Knowledge that an object does not cease to exist even when the object cannot be seen; a milestone in cognitive development
107
Obedience
The changing of behavior of an individual based on a command from someone seen as an authority figure
108
Non - Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep
Stages 1 through 4 of sleep; contains ever-slowing brain waves as one gets deeper into sleep
109
Norms
Societal rules that define the boundaries of acceptable behavior
110
Neuropsychology
The study of functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain
111
Nonmaleficence
The ethical tenet that a physician has a responsibility to avoid interventions in which the potential for harm outweighs the potential for benefit
112
Neuroplasticity
Change in neural connections casued by learning or a response to injury
113
Narcolepsy
A sleep disorder characterized by a lack of voluntary control over the onset of sleep; also involves cataplext and hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations
114
Network
A term used to describe the observable pattern of social relationships among individual units of analysis
115
Misinformation Effect
A phenomenon in which memories are altered by misleading information provided at the point of encoding or recall
116
Interference
A retrieval error caused by the learning of info; can be proactive (old info casuses difficulty learning new info) or retroactive (new info interferes with older learning)
117
James - Lange Theory
A theory of emotions that states that a stimulus results in physiological arousal, which then leads to a secondary response in which the emotion is consciously experienced
118
Just - Noticeable Difference (jnd)
The minimum difference in magnitude between 2 stimuli before one can perceive this difference; also called a difference threshold
119
Just - World Hypothesis
The cognitive bias that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people
120
Justice
In medical ethics, the tenet that the physician has a responsibility to treat similar patients with similar care and to distribute healthcare resources fairly
121
Learning (Behaviorist) Theory
A theory that attitudes are developed through forms of learning (direct contact, direct interaction, direct instruction, and conditioning)
122
Locus of Control
The characterization of the source of influences on the events in one's life; can be internal or external
123
Limbic System
A portion of the cerebrum that is associated with emotion and memory; includes the amygdala and hippocampus
124
Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis
A hypothesis suggesting that one's perception of reality is largely determined by the content, form, and structure of language; also known as the Whorfian hypothesis
125
Managing Appearances
An impression management strategy in which one uses props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations with others to create a positive image
126
Long - Term Potentiation
The strengthening of neural connections due to rehearsal or relearning; thought to be the neurophysiological basis of long-term memory
127
Maintenance Rehearsal
Repetition of a piece of info to either keep it within working memory or store it
128
Explicit Memory
Memory that requires conscious recall, divided into facts (semantic) and experiences (episodic); also known as declarative memory
129
Master Status
A status with which a person is most identified
130
Manic Episode
A period of at least one week with prominent and persistent elevated or expansive mood and at least 2 other manic symptoms
131
Melatonin
A serotonin derivative secreted by the pineal gland that is associated with sleepiness
132
Medulla Oblongata
A portion of the brainstem that regulates vital functions, including breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
133
Material Culture
The physical items one associates with a given cultural group
134
Mental Set
A tendency to repeat solutions that have yielded positive results at some time in the past
135
Midbrain
A portion of the brainstem that manages sensorimotor reflexes to visual and auditory stimuli and gives rise to some cranial nerves
136
Punishment
In operant conditioning, the use of an aversive stimulus designed to decrease the frequency of an undesired behavior
137
Proprioception
The ability to tell where one's body is in space
138
Projection Area
A portion of the cerebral cortex that analyzes sensory input
139
Projection
A defense mechanism by which individuals attribute their undesired feelings to others
140
Priming
A retrieval cue by which recall is aided by a word or phrase that is semantically related to the desired memory
141
Role
A set of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that define expectations of behaviors associated with a given status
142
Ritual
A formalized ceremony that usually involves specific material objects, symbolism, and additional mandates on acceptable behavior
143
Retrieval
The process of demonstrating that info has been retained in memory; includes recall, recognition, and relearning
144
Response Bias
The tendency of subjects to systematically respond to a stimulus in a particular way due to nonsensory factors
145
Repression
A defense mechanism by which the ego forces undesired thoughts and urges into the unconscious mind
146
Representativeness heuristic
A shortcut in decision making that relies on categorizing items on the basis of whether they fit in the prototypical, stereotypical, or representative image of the category
147
Reinforcement
In operant conditioning, the use of a stimulus designed to increase the frequency of a desired behavior
148
Regression
A defense mechanism by which an individual deals with stress by reverting to an earlier developmental state
149
Recognition - Primed Decision Model
A decision-making model in which experience and recognition of similar situations one has already experienced play a large role in decision making and actions; also one of the explaination for the experience of intuition
150
Reciprocal Determinism
In the social cognitive perspective, the notion that toughts, feelings, behaviors, and environment interact to determine behavior in a given situation
151
Recency Effect
The phenomenon in which the most recent info we have about an individual is most important in forming our impressions
152
Reaction Formation
A defense mechanism by which individuals suppress urges by unconsciously converting them into their exact opposites
153
Inclusive Fitness
A measure of reproductive success; depends on the number of offspring an individual has, how well they support their offspring, and how well their offspring can support others
154
Incidence
The number of new cases of a disease per population at risk in a given period of time; usually, new cases per 1000 at-risk people per year
155
Impression Management
Behaviors that are intended to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object, or event
156
Implicit Personality Theory
A theory that states that people tend to associate traits and behavior in others, and that people have the tendency to attribute their own beliefs, opinions, and ideas onto others
157
Implicit Memory
Memory that does not require conscious recall; consists of skills and conditioned behaviors
158
Identity
A part of an individual's self-concept based on the groups to which that person belongs and his or her relationships to others
159
Id
In Freudian-psychoanalysis, the part of the unconscious resulting from basic, instinctual urges for sexuality and survival; operates under the pleasure principle and seeks instant gratification
160
Hypothalamus
A portion of the forebrain that controls homeostatic and endocrine functions by controlling the release of pituitary hormones
161
Schizophrenia
A psychotic disorder characterized by gross distortions of reality and disturbances in the content and form of thought, perception, and behavior
162
Schema
An organized pattern of thought and behavior; one of the central concepts of Piaget's stages of cognitive development
163
Schachter - Singer Theory
A theory of emotion that states that both physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal must occur before an emotion is consciously experienced
164
Prevalence
The number of cases of a disease per population in a given period of time; usually, cases per 1000 people per year
165
Primacy Effect
The phenomenon of first impressions of a person being more important than subsequent impressions
166
Poverty
A socioeconomic condition of low resource availability; in the United States, the poverty line is determined by the government's calculation of the minimum income requirements for families to acquire the minimum necessities of life
167
Prejudice
An irrationally based positive or negative attitude toward a person, group, or thing, formed prior to actual experience
168
Pons
A portion of the brainstem that relays info between the cortex and medulla, regulates sleep, and carries some motor and sensory info from the head and neck
169
Hippocampus
A portion of the limbic system that is important for memory and learning
170
Hypnosis
An altered state of consciousness in which a person appears to be awake but is, in fact, in a highly suggestible state in which another person or event may trigger actions by the person
171
Hindbrain
A portion of the brain that controls balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, and general arousal processes
172
Rationalization
A defense mechanism by which individuals explain undesirable behaviors in a way that is self-justifying and socially acceptable
173
Personality Disorders
Disorders that involve patterns of behavior that are inflexible and maladaptive, causing distress or impaired function in at least 2 of the following: cognition, emotion, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control
174
Pineal Gland
A brain structure located near the thalamus that secretes melatonin
175
Parietal Lobe
A portion of the cerebral cortex that controls somatosensory and spatial processing
176
Ingratiation
An impression management strategy that uses flattery to increase social acceptance
177
Inductive Reasoning
A form of cognition that utilizes generalizations to develop a theory
178
Instinctive Drift
The tendency of animals to resist learning when a conditioned behavior conflicts with the animal's instinctive behaviors
179
Intelligence Quotient
Numerical measurement of intelligence, usually accomplished by some form of standardized testing
180
Intuition
Perceptions about a situation that may or may not be supported by available evidence but are nonetheless perceived as info that may be used to make a decision
181
Social Construction Model of Emotion
A theory of emotional expression that assumes there are no biologically wired emotions; rather, they are based on experiences and situational context alone
182
Storage
The retention of encoded info; divided into sensory, short-term, and long-term memory
183
Stimulus
Any energy pattern that is sensed in some way by the body; includes visual, auditory, and physical sensations, among others
184
Stigma
The extreme disapproval or dislike of a person or group based on perceived differences in social characteristics from the rest of society
185
Stereotypes
Attitudes and impressions that are made based on limited and superficial info about a person or a group of individuals
186
Spacing Effect
The phenomenon of retaining larger amounts of information when the amount of time between sessions of relearning is increased
187
Source Amnesia
A memory error by which a person remembers the details of an event but confuses the context by which the details were gained; often causes a person to remember events that happened to someone else as having happened to him or herself
188
Somnambulism
Sleep disorder in which one carries out actions in his or her sleep; also called sleepwalking
189
Somatosensation
The sens of "touch" which contains multiple modalities: pressure, vibration, pain, and temperature
190
Social Perception
Understanding the thoughts and motives of other people present in the social world; aslo referred to as social cognition
191
Social Movements
Philosophies that drive large numbers of people to organize to promote or resist social change
192
Social Mobiility
The movement of individuals in the social hieararchy through changes in income, education, or occupation
193
Social Facilitation
The tendency to perform at a different level based on the fact that others are around
194
Social Constructionism
A theoretical approach that uncovers the ways in which individuals and groups participate in the formation of their perceived social reality
195
Social Capital
The investment people make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards
196
Social Action
Actions and behaviors that individuals are conscious of and performing because others are around
197
Slow-Wave Sleep
Consists of NREM sleep stages 3 and 4; also called delta-wave sleep
198
Sleep Apnea
Sleep disorder in which a person may cease to breathe while sleeping; may be due to obstruction or a central (neurological) cause
199
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep
Sleep stage in which the eyes move rapidly back and forth and physiological arousal levels are more similar to wakefulness than sleep; dreaming occurs during this stage
200
Signal Detection Theory
A theory of perception in which internal (psycholgical) and external (environemental) context both play a role in our perception of stimuli
201
Zone of Proximal Development
Those skills which a child has not yet mastered but can accomplish with the help of a more knowledgeable other
202
Subcultures
Groups of people within a culture that distinguish themselves from the primary culture to which they belong
203
Sublimation
A defense mechanism by which unacceptable urges are transformed into socially acceptable behaviors
204
Subliminal Perception
Perception of a stimulus below a threshold
205
Superego
In Freudian psychoanalysis, the part of the unconscious mind focused on idealism, perfectionism, and societal norms
206
Symbolic Culture
The nonmaterial culture that represents a group of people; expressed through ideas and concepts
207
Symbolic Ethnicity
An ethnic identity that is only relevant on special occasions or in specific circumstances and that does not impact everyday life
208
Symbolic Interactionism
A theoretical framework that studies the ways individuals interact through a shared understanding of words, gestures, and other symbols
209
Syntax
The way in which words are organized to create meaning
210
Temporal Lobe
A portion of the cerebral cortex that controls auditory processing, memory processing, emotional control, and language
211
Thalamus
A portion of the forebrain that serves as a relay and sorting station for sensory info, and then transmits the info to the cerebral cortex
212
Theory of Mind
The ability to sense how another's mind works
213
Tolerance
Decreased response to a drug after physiological adaptation
214
Selective Attention
The ability to focus on a single stimulus even while other stimuli are occurring simultaneously
215
Self-Disclosure
An aspect of interpersonal attraction or impression management in which one shares his or her fears, thoughts, and goals with another person in the jopes of being met with empathy and nonjudgement
216
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
The phenomenon of a stereotype creating an expectation of a particular group, which creates conditions that lead to confirmation of this stereotype
217
Self-Handicapping
An impression management strategy where one creates obstacles to avoid self-blame when he or she does not meet expectations
218
Self-Serving Bias
The idea that individuals will view their own success as being based on internal factors, while viewing failures as being based on external factors
219
Semantic Network
Organization of info in the brain by linking concepts with similar characteristics and meaning
220
Sensation
Transduction of physical stimuli into neurological signals
221
Sensitive Period
A time during which environmental input has a maximal impact on the development of a particular ability
222
Sensory Memory
Visual (iconic) and auditory (echoic) stimuli briefly stored in memory; fades very quickly unless attention is paid to the info
223
Serial Position Effect
The tendency to better remember items presented at the beginning or end of a list; related to the primary and recency effects
224
Shaping
In operant conditioning, the process of conditioning a complex behavior by rewarding succesisve approximation of the behavior
225
Transduction
Conversion of physical, electromagnetic, auditory, and other stimuli to electrical signals in the nervous system
226
Two-point Threshold
The minimum distance necessary between 2 points of stimulation on the skin such that the points will be felt as 2 distinct stimuli
227
Universal Emotions
Emotions that are recognized by all cultures; includes happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, contempt, and surprise
228
Weber's Law
A theory of perception that states that there is a constant ratio between the change in stimulus intensity needed to produce a just-noticeable difference and the intensity of the original stimulus
229
Wenicke's Area
A brain region located in the superior temporal gyrus of the temporal lobe; largely responsible for language comprehension. Damage causes Wenicke's aphasia, a loss of language comprehension, resulting in fluid production of language without meaning
