All possible psych terms

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

accommodation

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

accommodation

the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina

acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

achievement of identity

active exploration where adolescents make a commitment to highly developed sense of beliefs and values

achievement tests

tests designed to assess what a person has learned.

acquisition

In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.

acrophobia

fear of heights

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

activation synthesis theory

a theory of dreaming; this theory proposes that the brain tries to make sense of random brain activity that occurs during sleep by synthesizing the activity with stored memories

active listening

Empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies. A feature of Rogers' client-centered therapy.

actor-observer bias

the tendency to blame our actions on the situation and blame the actions of others on their personalities

acute schizophrenia

an active phase; a period of time when a person experiences worsening symptoms (usually diagnosed earlier)

addiction

A physiological or psychological dependence on a drug

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

adrenaline

A hormone released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Stressful or traumatic experiences, including abuse, neglect, and a range of household dysfunction, such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with substance abuse, mental disorders, parental discord, or crime in the home.

afterimages

images that occur when a visual sensation persists for a brief time even after the original stimulus is removed

agonist

A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

agoraphobia

fear or avoidance of situations, such as crowds or wide open places, where one has felt loss of control and panic

agreeableness

A personality dimension that describes someone who is good natured, cooperative, and trusting.

alarm

the first phase of the stress response, in which the person faces a challenge and starts paying attention to it.

alcohol

Depressant

algorithm

a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem

all or nothing principle

a nerve or muscle cell either responds to a stimulus completely or not at all, regardless of the stimulus's strength, once a threshold is reached

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Alzheimer's disease

a progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and, finally, physical functioning

amplitude

Height of a wave (great amplitude = loud sounds; small amplitude = soft sounds)

amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

anger

a strong feeling of displeasure

anorexia

an eating disorder that causes people to weigh less than is considered healthy for their age and height, usually by excessive weight loss

antagonist

Stops/blocks neural firing

anterograde amnesia

an inability to form new memories

antianxiety drugs

A category of drugs that includes the barbiturates and benzodiazepines, drugs that diminish feelings of anxiety.

antidepressants

drugs that combat depression by affecting the levels or activity of neurotransmitters in the brain (reuptake inhibitor)

antipsychotic drugs

medications that are used to treat schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders

antisocial behavior

actions that are deliberately hurtful or destructive to another person

antisocial personality disorder

A personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist.

anxiety disorder

psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety

anxious attachment

attachments marked by anxiety or ambivalence. an insecure attachment style

aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).

apparent motion

the perception of movement when a series of stationary images or stimuli are presented in rapid succession, creating the illusion of continuous motion

applied behavior therapy

to help people with autism or developmental disorders change their behavior; breaks down complex skills into smaller steps, give multiple opportunities for practice positive behaviors are rewarded

approach-approach

a choice must be made between two attractive goals

approach-avoidance

a choice must be made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects

aptitude test

a test designed to predict a person's future performance

arachnophobia

fear of spiders

arousal theory

A theory of motivation suggesting that people are motivated to maintain an optimal level of alertness and physical and mental activation.

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).

asylums

institutions to house and care for people who are afflicted with mental illness

Ataque de nervios

a form of panic disorder found in Latinos from the Caribbean

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation

attention

focusing awareness on a narrowed range of stimuli or events

attribution theory

the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

atypical

so different that it violates a norm

authoritarian parenting

style of parenting in which parent is rigid and overly strict, showing little warmth to the child

authoritative parenting

parenting style characterized by emotional warmth, high standards for behavior, explanation and consistent enforcement of rules, and inclusion of children in decision making

autobiographical memory

a special form of episodic memory, consisting of a person's recollections of his or her life experiences

automatic processing

unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings

autonomic nervous system

A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Controls involuntary activity of visceral muscles and internal organs and glands.

autonomy vs shame and doubt

Erikson's stage in which a toddler learns to exercise will and to do things independently; failure to do so causes shame and doubt

availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; first thing that comes to mind

aversive conditioning

a type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

avoidance-avoidance

Conflict that results from having to choose between two distasteful alternatives

avoidant attachment

attachments marked by discomfort over, or resistance to, being close to others

avoidant personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by inhibition in social situations; feelings of inadequacy; oversensitivity to criticism

axon

A threadlike extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.

babbling

stage of language development at about 4 months when an infant spontaneously utters nonsense sounds

behavioral perspective

An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the role of learning in explaining observable behavior.

belief perseverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited

bimodal distribution

a type of probability distribution that exhibits two distinct peaks or modes, indicating the presence of two separate groups or processes within the same dataset

binocular cues

depth cues, such as retinal disparity and convergence, that depend on the use of two eyes

biofeedback

the use of an external monitoring device to obtain information about a bodily function and possibly gain control over that function

biological perspective

the psychological perspective that emphasizes the influence of biology on behavior

biological preparedness

In learning theory, the idea that an organism is innately predisposed to form associations between certain stimuli and responses.

biomedical therapy

prescribed medications or medical procedures that act directly on the patient's nervous system

biopsychosocial model

a model of health that integrates the effects of biological, behavioral, and social factors on health and illness

bipolar 1 disorder

a type of bipolar disorder marked by full manic and major depressive episodes

bipolar disorder

A mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania.

Bipolar II Disorder

a type of bipolar disorder marked by mildly manic (hypomanic) episodes and major depressive episodes

blind spot

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot because no receptor cells are located there

blindsight

a psychological defense mechanism, caused by a self-protective need to deny visual information that might cause fear, anxiety, or shame

borderline personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by lack of stability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotion; impulsivity; angry outbursts; intense fear of abandonment; recurring suicidal gestures

bottom-up processing

analysis that emphasizes the characteristics of the stimuli rather than our concepts or expectations (i.e. lines, angles, colors; the details)

brain plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

brain stem

Connection to spinal cord. Filters information flow between peripheral nervous system and the rest of the brain.

broaden-and-build theory

positive emotions prompt people to consider novel solutions to their problems

Broca's area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

bulimia

an eating disorder characterized by episodes of overeating, usually of high-calorie foods, followed by vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise

bystander effect

the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present

Caffeine

a stimulant drug found in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and many over-the-counter medications

Cannon-Bard Theory

the theory that an emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers (1) physiological responses and (2) the subjective experience of emotion

case study

a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

catatonia

state of immobility and unresponsiveness lasting for long periods of time

catatonic stupor

an immobile, expressionless, coma-like state associated with schizophrenia

categories

objects, events, ideas organized based on shared characteristics

cell body (soma)

the part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive

central executive

a memory component that coordinates the activities of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad.

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord