Memory Failures and Psychological Concepts

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary and concepts related to memory failures, psychological theories, and human development.

Misattribution

Memory distortion from assigning a memory to the wrong source.

Suggestibility

Development of biased memories due to misleading information.

Memory Bias

Current knowledge or emotional state skews recall of past events.

Neurogenesis

Creation of neurons, primarily occurring in utero.

Myelination

Formation of myelin sheaths to enhance communication speed between neurons.

Synaptogenesis

Overproduction of synapses, particularly in early brain development.

Synaptic Pruning

Trimming away unused synapses to strengthen frequently used connections.

Perceptual Narrowing

Loss of ability to perceive distinctions in non-native stimuli as a result of pruning.

Secure Attachment

Attachment style characterized by a child's comfort in exploring due to responsive caregiving.

Insecure Avoidant Attachment

Attachment style where the child avoids the caregiver and exhibits minimal distress upon separation.

Insecure Ambivalent Attachment

Attachment style characterized by high distress upon separation and ambivalence during reunion.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Effective treatment for anxiety disorders that targets the cycle between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle that optimal performance occurs at moderate levels of arousal/stress.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model explaining that disorders arise from the interaction of vulnerability and stress.

Placebo Effect

Symptom improvement resulting from belief in treatment, even if the treatment is inactive.

Nocebo Effect

Deterioration of symptoms due to negative expectations regarding treatment.

HPA Axis

Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis; regulates stress response through cortisol release.

Coping Strategies

Methods used to manage stress, including avoidance or adaptive responses.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The body's three-stage response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Appraisal

The process of evaluating the significance of a stressor and the resources available to cope.

Joint Attention

A social cue where individuals share focus on an object, aiding language development.

Statistical Learning

The process by which infants learn language patterns through exposure.