Psychology & Sociology Terms & Definitions (TPR) Flashcards
Absolute Poverty
The inability to meet a bare minimum of basic necessities, most notably, clean water, food, safe housing and reliable access to healthcare
Absolute Poverty
The inability to meet a bare minimum of basic necessities, most notably, clean water, food, safe housing and reliable access to healthcare
Achieved Status
Those statuses that are considered to be due largely to an individuals efforts
Acquisition
[Classical Conditioning]
The process of learning the association between a conditioned stimulus and response
Acquisition
[Classical Conditioning]
The process of learning the association between a conditioned stimulus and response
Activation-Synthesis Theory
The theory that dreams are simply byproducts of brain activation during REM sleep; suggests that the contents of dreams is not purposeful or meaningful
Activation-Synthesis Theory
The theory that dreams are simply byproducts of brain activation during REM sleep; suggests that the contents of dreams is not purposeful or meaningful
Actor-Observer Bias
The tendency to blame our actions on the situation and blame the actions of others on their personalities
Actor-Observer Bias
The tendency to blame our actions on the situation and blame the actions of others on their personalities
Addiction
A compulsion to do an act repeatedly; can consist of a psychological dependence and/or a physical dependence as evidenced by drug addiction withdrawal
Addiction
A compulsion to do an act repeatedly; can consist of a psychological dependence and/or a physical dependence as evidenced by drug addiction withdrawal
Affect
A person’s visible emotion in the moment
Affirmative Action
Policies that take factors like race or sex into consideration to benefit underrepresented groups in admissions or job hiring decisions
Aggregate
People who exist in the same space but do not interact or share a common sense of identity
Aggregate
People who exist in the same space but do not interact or share a common sense of identity
Aggression
Behavior that is forceful, hostile or attacking
Ainsworth (Mary)
Strange Situation Experiments where mothers would leave their infants in an unfamiliar environment to see how they would react
Algorithm
Step-by-step detailing of steps that aids with problem solving
Alpha Waves
Low amplitude, high frequency brain waves present in a relaxed state; indicators that a person is ready to drift off to sleep
Altruism
A behavior that helps ensure the success or survival of the rest of a social group, possibly at the expense of the success or survival of the individual
Amalgamation
Occurs when majority and minority groups combine to form a new group
Amalgamation
Occurs when majority and minority groups combine to form a new group
Anal Stage
[Freud’s Psychosexual]
The second stage in which the child seeks sensual pleasure through control of elimination
Anterograde Amnesia
An inability to form new memories
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Characterized by a history of serious behavior problems beginning in adolescence including significant aggression against people or animals, property destruction, lying or theft and serious rule violation
Anxiety Disorder
An emotional state of unpleasant physical and mental arousal; a preparation to fight or flee; anxiety is intense, frequent, irrational and uncontrollable
Asch (Solomon)
Research on conformity and group pressure by placing subjects in a room with several confederates and observing the behavior of the subject when the confederates provided clearly wrong answers to questions
Asch (Solomon)
Research on conformity and group pressure by placing subjects in a room with several confederates and observing the behavior of the subject when the confederates provided clearly wrong answers to questions
Ascribed Status
Those statuses that are assigned to a person by society regardless of the persons own efforts
Assimilation
The process in which an individual forsakes aspects of his or her own cultural tradition to adopt those of a different culture; attempts to conform to the culture of the dominant group
Assimilation
The process in which an individual forsakes aspects of his or her own cultural tradition to adopt those of a different culture; attempts to conform to the culture of the dominant group
Associative Learning
Process of learning in which one event, object, or action is directly connected with another; categories = classical and operant conditioning
Associative Learning
Process of learning in which one event, object, or action is directly connected with another. Categories = classical and operant conditioning
Associative Learning
Process of learning in which one event, object, or action is directly connected with another. Categories = classical and operant conditioning
Attenuation Model of Selective Attention
The mind has an attenuator (like a volume knob) that can tune up inputs to be attended and tune down unattended inputs rather than totally eliminating them
Attenuation Model of Selective Attention
The mind has an attenuator (like a volume knob) that can tune up inputs to be attended and tune down unattended inputs rather than totally eliminating them
Attitude
A person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around him, and his behavioral reactions based on those underlying evaluations
Attitude
A person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around him, and his behavioral reactions based on those underlying evaluations
Attribution Theory
A person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around them and their behavioral reactions based on those underlying evaluations
Attribution Theory
A person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around them and their behavioral reactions based on those underlying evaluations
Authoritarian Parenting
Parenting style in which parents impose strict rules that are expected to be followed unconditionally in an attempt to control children; this style is demanding and often relies on punishment
Authoritarian Parenting
Parenting style in which parents impose strict rules that are expected to be followed unconditionally in an attempt to control children; this style is demanding and often relies on punishment
Availability Heuristic
Mental shortcut of making judgments on the frequency of something occurring based on how readily it is available in our memories
Availability Heuristic
Mental shortcut of making judgments on the frequency of something occurring based on how readily it is available in our memories
Avoidance Learning
The process by which one learns to perform a behavior in order to ensure that a negative or aversive stimulus will not be present
Avoidance Learning
The process by which one learns to perform a behavior in order to ensure that a negative or aversive stimulus will not be present
Avoidant Personality Disorder
A psychological disorder characterized by feelings of inadequacy, inferiority and undesirability, and a preoccupation with fears of criticism
Avoidant Personality Disorder
A psychological disorder characterized by feelings of inadequacy, inferiority and undesirability, and a preoccupation with fears of criticism
Babinski Reflex
In response to the sole of the foot being stroked, a baby’s big toe moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot and the other toes fan out
Babinski Reflex
In response to the sole of the foot being stroked, a baby’s big toe moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot and the other toes fan out
Back Stage Self
In the dramaturgical perspective, where we can ‘let down our guard’ and be ourselves, as opposed to the ‘front stage’ where we are playing a role for others
Back Stage Self
In the dramaturgical perspective, where we can ‘let down our guard’ and be ourselves, as opposed to the ‘front stage’ where we are playing a role for others
Bandura (Albert)
Bobo doll studies that demonstrated observational learning; also pioneered the idea of the importance of self-efficacy in promoting learning
Behavioral Therapy
A type of therapy uses conditioning to shape a client’s behaviors in the desired direction
Behaviorism
[Personality]
Personality is a result of learned behavior patterns based on a person’s environment; it is deterministic proposing that people begin as blank slates and that environmental reinforcement and punishment completely determine an individual’s subsequent behavior and personailities
Behaviorism
[Personality]
Personality is a result of learned behavior patterns based on a person’s environment; it is deterministic proposing that people begin as blank slates and that environmental reinforcement and punishment completely determine an individual’s subsequent behavior and personailities
Beliefs
The convictions or principles that people within a culture hold
Belief Bias
A tendency to draw conclusions based on what one already believes rather sound logic
Belief Perservance
The maintenance of beliefs even in the face of evidence to the contrary
Belief Perservance
The maintenance of beliefs even in the face of evidence to the contrary
Bilateral Descent
A system of lineage in which the relatives on the mother’s side and father’s side are considered equally important
Biofeedback
Means of recording and feeding back information about subtle autonomic responses to an individual in an attempt to train the individual to control previously involuntary responses
Bipolar Disorder
A psychological disorder characterized by cyclic mood episodes at both extremes or poles, depression and mania
Bipolar I: a person has experienced at least one manic or mixed episode
Bipolar II: the manic phases are less extreme
Bipolar Disorder
A psychological disorder characterized by cyclic mood episodes at both extremes or poles, depression and mania
Bipolar I: a person has experienced at least one manic or mixed episode
Bipolar II: the manic phases are less extreme
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
A preoccupation with a slight physical anomaly or imagined defect in appearance, often involving the face, hair, breasts or genitalia
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
A preoccupation with a slight physical anomaly or imagined defect in appearance, often involving the face, hair, breasts or genitalia
Borderline Personality Disorder
Enduring or recurrent instability in impulse control, mood and image of self and others; Impulsive and reckless behavior, together with extreme mood swings, reactivity and anger can lead to unstable relationships and damage to the person and individuals around them
Bottom-Up Processing
A type of sensory processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the complex integration of information occurring in the brain; the brain uses this in combination of this and top-down processing
Bottom-Up Processing
A type of sensory processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the complex integration of information occurring in the brain; the brain uses this in combination of this and top-down processing
Bystander Effect
The fact that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other people around
