psych unit XI and VIII

intelligence

the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations

factor analysis

a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person's total score.

Charles Spearman

believed we have one general intelligence (g) that is at the heart of all out intelligent behavior

general intelligence (g)

according to Spearman and others, underlies all mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test

L.L. Thurstone

identified seven clusters of primary abilities (word fluency, verbal comprehension, spatial ability, perceptual speed, numerical ability, inductive reasoning, and memory)

Howard Gardiner

identified eight relatively independent intelligences (Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist)

savant syndrome

a condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill, such as in computation or drawing

Robert Sternberg

agrees with Gardner, came up with Triarchic Theory (3 intelligences)

-analytical (problem-solving)

-creative intelligence

-practical intelligence

emotional intelligence

the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions

creativity

the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas

intelligence test

a method for assessing an individual's mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores

Alfred Binet

commissioned by the French government to design fair and unbiased intelligence tests to administer to the French schoolchildren

mental age

a measure of intelligence test designed by Binet; the level of performance typically associated with children of a certain chronological age

Lewis Terman

standford professor, modified Binet's tests for use as a numerical measure of inherited intelligence, adapting some of Binet's original items, adding others, and establishing new age norms, Terman extended the upper end of tests range from teenagers to "superior adults"

Flynn effect

people from 100 years ago would fail IQ tests today, whereas people today would get the highest scores on IQ tests from 100 years ago

Stanford-Binet

the widely used American revision (by Terman at Stanford University) of Binet's original intelligence test.

intelligence quotient (IQ)

IQ = mental age/chronological age x 100

-doesn't work for adults past puberty

aptitude test

a test designed to predict a person's future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn

-ACT/SAT

achievement test

a test designed to assess what a person has learned

-EOC

Wechler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

the WAIS and its companion versions for children are the most widely used intelligence tests; they contain verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests

standardization

to make score meaningful, they are compared to a pretested sample population

normal curve

scores form a bell-shaped pattern call the "bell curve", most scores fall near the average, fewer and fewer near extremes

reliability

the test gives consistent scores no matter who takes it or when they take the test

validity

the test measures or predicts what it is supposed to

content validity

the extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest (it has what was promised on the test)

criterion

what it supposed to be on the test

predictive validity

The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior

cohort

a group of people from a given time period sharing the same characteristics

crystalized intelligence

our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to increase with age

fluid intelligence

our ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to decrease during late adulthood

intellectual disability

a condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of 70 or below and difficulty in adapting to the demands of life; varies from mild to profound

down syndrome

a condition of mild to severe intellectual disability and associated physical disorders caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21)

heredity

the proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes

-genetic influence explains about 50% of the observed variation among people

steryotype threat

a self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype

motivation

(david mecclelland) a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

instinct

a complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

drive-reduction theory

we have a physiological need like hunger or thirst and actions satisfy the behavior are aroused

homeostasis

a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level

incentive

positive or negative environmental stimuli that lure or repel us

hierarchy of needs

Maslow's pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active

Abraham Maslow

theorized that human needs are hierarchical, some have priority over others

Yerks-Dodson Law

we seek a certain level of arousal, if performing an easy task, you need stress added to do your best. Difficult tasks need to be done with no stress

-moderate arousal leads to optimal performance

glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger.

set point

the point (weight) at which your "weight thermostat" may be set (fixed)

basal metabolic rate

the body's resting rate of energy expenditure for maintaining basic body functions

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which an irrational fear of weight gain leads people to starve themselves

bulimia nervosa

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

Alfred Kinsey

studied american sexology, known for proposing rational emotivitie behavior therapy to get people with dissatisfaction with sex to realize their life was not a failure

sexual response cycle

excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution

refractory period

a resting period after orgasm, during which a man cannot achieve another orgasm

-men: lasts minutes to days

-women: a lot shorter

sexual disorder

a lack of desire for sex

estrogen

sex hormone that contributes to female sex characteristics and is secreted in greater amounts by females than by males

testosterone

both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty

sexual orientation

what sex a person is attracted to

lateral hypothalamus

stimulates hunger, when removed, can't stimulate hunger

ventronedial hypothalamus

inhibits hunger, when removed, can't send full signals

affiliation need

the need to build relationships and to feel part of a group, the need to belong

ostricism

deliberate social exclusion from a society or group

social networking

the creation and maintenance of personal and business relationships especially online

narcissism

a personality trait in which people feel self-important, self-focused, and self-promoting

flow

a state of energized focus

achievement motivation

a desire for significant accomplishment: for mastery of things, people, or ideas; for attaining a high standard

GRIT

passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals

task leadership

when the leader focuses on tasks that need to be performed in order to meet certain goals or performance

social leadership

produce high performance teams that work well together

emotion

a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience

James-Lange Theory

the theory that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli

-we feel sorry because we cry

Cannon-Bard Theory

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

Two-Factor Theory (Schachter-Singer)

the theory that to experience emotion one must (1) be physically aroused and (2) cognitively label the arousal

polygraph

measures emotion-linked automatic arousal, as reflected in changed breathing, heart rate, and perspiration

facial feedback effect

the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

behavior feedback effect

the tendency of behavior to influence our own and others' thoughts, feelings, and actions

catharsis

a release of emotional tension

-punching the wall out of anger

feel-good, do-good phenomenon

people's tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood

subjective well being

individuals' personal perceptions of their life satisfaction

adaption-level phenomenon

the tendency people have to quickly adapt to a new situation, until that situation becomes the norm

relative deprivation

The idea that people are deprived (materially or in other ways) compared with others in society

behavioral medicine

an interdisciplinary field that integrates behavioral and medical knowledge and applies that knowledge to health and disease

health psychology

a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioral medicine

stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

the process your body goes through when you are exposed to any kind of stress, positive or negative

alarm, resistance, exhaustion

coronary heart disease

the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries

Type A

competitive, reactive, hard-driving, impatient, time-conscious, super-motivated, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

Type B

more relaxed and easygoing people

psychophysiological illness

Physical illness caused by psychological overlays (tension and migraine headaches, from stress)

lymphocytes

The two types of white blood cells that are part of the body's immune system:

B lymphocytes

fight bacterial infections

T lymphocytes

attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances.

coping

dealing with problems and troubles in an effective way

problem-focused coping

all active efforts to manage stressful situations and alter a troubled person-environment relationship to modify or eliminate the sources of stress via individual behavior

emotion-focused coping

regulating your feelings and emotional responses to the problem instead of addressing the problem

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that increases heart and lung function fitness; also helps alleviate stress, depression, and anxiety

biofeedback

a process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological activity for the purpose of improving health and performance

complementary and alternative medicine

medicines and health practices that are not usually used (massage, acupuncture, tai chi, drinking green tea)