Psych 1

Psychology

The SCIENTIFIC  study of behavior and mental processes, and how they are affected by an organism’s physical state, mental state, and external environment

Empirical Methods

methods derived from careful observation, experimentation, or measurement

Introspection

asking research participants to describe exactly what they experience as they work on mental tasks

Psychological perspective

Different frames of reference or approaches used to understand and explain human behavior and mental processes

Psychic Determinism

causes of behavior found in the mind are innate - biologically based

THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND

mental processes, motives, desires, & memories not available to awareness

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a mental state of highly focused concentration, diminished peripheral awareness, and heightened suggestibility.

Free Association

patient relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial, random, or embarrassing, without any censorship to uncover repressed, unconscious thoughts and conflicts

Insight

moment of awareness of the problem; “a-ha” phenomenon

Catharsis

an emotional release associated with traumatic memories or repressed impulses

Eugenics

from the Greek roots for "good" and "generation" or "origin" and was first used to refer to the "science" of heredity and good breeding in about 1883, reaching popularity in US 1920’s

Shaping

an operant conditioning procedure where you reinforce small, step-by-step of a target behavior until the final, complete behavior is achieve

Modeling

demonstrating the desired behavior to help the individual learn the positive behavior themselves

Token Economies

tokens are earned for desired behaviors and exchanged for rewards

Aversive Conditioning

used to discourage undesirable behaviors by introducing an unpleasant consequence immediately following the action

Exposure Therapy:

psychologists create a safe environment in which to “expose” individuals to the things they fear and avoid helping to reduce fear and decrease avoidance.

Systematic Desensitization:

client creates a hierarchy of anxieties from lowest anxiety producing stimulus to highest and introduced to each step while practicing deep relaxation and breathing techniques. 

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY:

the scientific study of the mind as an information processor - the way we take in information from the outside world, how we make sense of that information.

COGNITIVE THERAPIES

teach people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting, based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events and our emotional reactions

Cognitive Triad

negative thoughts about self, the world & the future

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Albert Ellis believed that an activating event does not cause the emotional and behavioral consequences - the client’s irrational way of thinking does. 

FREE WILL VS DETERMINISM

Behavior is caused by a person’s independent decisions, not external determinants 

VS

everything has a cause, or determinant, in the observable world.

SELF-ACTUALIZING TENDENCY

The desire/drive to fulfill one’s own potential and achieve the highest level of “human-beingness”we can.

Person or “client” centered therapy:

therapist uses a non-directive method to help the client achieve personal growth and self-awareness

Unconditional positive regard

client is worthwhile and basically good no matter what - the therapist shows a non-judgmental attitude

Empathy

to understand and vicariously share the emotional experiences, thoughts, and perspectives of another person 

Active listening

reflecting a person’s words in a different manner to help client understand their thoughts and feelings. -Paraphrase, clarify & reflect

Lesioning

The deliberate or natural destruction or damage of brain tissue

Lobotomy

procedure that severed nerve pathways connecting the prefrontal cortex to deeper emotional centers of the brain

ECT

A brief electric current is passed through the brain under general anesthesia to trigger a controlled seizure - is primarily used for treatment resistant depression today.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

an electromagnetic pulse is delivered to the brain for neural growth and communication

Psychopharmacology

the scientific study of the effects drugs have on mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior

CULTURE

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.

NORMS

 A society’s understood rules for accepted and expected behavior