MCAT P/S terms

Observer effect/ Hawthorne effect

Emotions in real life are experienced in a more dynamic and multifaceted way, participants in lab studies may alter behavior due to awareness of being observed.

Trace decay theory

Memories fade over time, particularly enhanced in older individuals due to age-related factors.

Schacter-Singer theory

Emotions result from the interaction between physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation, leading to emotional experiences.

James-Lange theory

Emotion is the physiological response to external events, processed sequentially for emotional response.

Validity

Related to the accuracy of a study, ensuring the results are reliable and true to the research.

Jean Piaget stages

Sensorimotor, Pre-operational, Concrete operational, and Formal operational stages of cognitive development.

Polycistronic

Describes messenger RNA with multiple coding regions.

EEGs

Measure electrical activity in the brain, indicating arousal levels.

Intelligence

Galton's theory, Binet's IQ concept, Spearman's g factor, and Thorndike's three areas of intelligence.

Memory

Sensory memory, short-term memory, long-term memory, and different types of memory like declarative and nondeclarative.

Attitude

Evaluation of a person, idea, or object, consisting of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components.

Attribution

Describes how individuals perceive the causes of experiences, distinguishing between internal and external attributions.

Hidden curriculum

Norms, values, and beliefs unintentionally taught in schools.

Self-serving bias

Tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal qualities and negative outcomes to external factors.

Fundamental attribution error

Overemphasizing internal factors in explaining others' behavior.

Kohlberg's theory of moral development

Preconventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional stages of moral reasoning.

PETs

Functional imaging technique using radiotracers to visualize metabolic processes in the brain.

Convergence

Binocular cue for depth perception based on the inward movement of eyes.

Conformity

Acquiescence to group behavioral standards.

Functionalism

Views society as a connected structure meeting societal needs through institutions.

Bystander effect

Decreased likelihood of receiving help with more onlookers present due to diffusion of responsibility.

Looking glass self

Perception of how others see us influences our self-concept.