Unit 8 | AP Psychology Exam Definitions

Insanity defense

Claiming mental disturbance during a criminal act to avoid accountability.

The Rosenhan Study

Experiment showing dangers of psychiatric diagnoses through healthy individuals faking hallucinations.

ADHD

Psychological disorder with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Medical model

Concept treating psychological disorders as having physical causes.

Generalized anxiety disorder

Continual tension, apprehension, and autonomic arousal.

Panic disorder

Episodes of intense dread with terror and physical symptoms.

Phobia

Irrational fear and avoidance of specific objects or situations.

OCD

Disorder with unwanted repetitive thoughts and actions.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Anxiety disorder with haunting memories after trauma.

Dissociative identity disorder

Rare disorder with distinct alternating personalities.

Major depressive disorder

Mood disorder with depressed moods and worthlessness.

Mania

Mood disorder with hyperactivity and optimism.

Bipolar disorder

Mood swings between depression and mania.

Antisocial personality disorder

Lack of conscience for wrongdoing.

Reciprocal determinism

Interaction of environment, personal characteristics, and behavior.

Self-fulfilling prophecies

Behavior aligning with how one is perceived by others.

Systematic Desensitization

Behavior therapy for overcoming phobias and anxiety.

Client-centered therapy

Talk therapy focusing on self-realization.

Family therapy

Psychotherapy working with families and couples.

Aversive Conditioning

Associating unpleasant states with unwanted behaviors.

Token economy

Operant conditioning using tokens for desired behaviors.

Antidepressants

Medications for treating depression and anxiety disorders.

Antipsychotics

Medications for psychotic disorders like schizophrenia.

Cortisol

Stress hormone releasing sugars into the blood.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Biomedical therapy for severe depression.

Contributions of Aaron Beck

Created cognitive therapy for depression and anxiety.

Contributions of Albert Ellis

Developed rational emotive behavior therapy.

Contributions of Sigmund Freud

Father of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy.

Contributions of Mary Cover Jones

Associated fear with pleasure in behavior therapy.

Contributions of Carl Rogers

Developed client-centered therapy.

Contributions of B

Researched operant conditioning.

Contributions of Joseph Wolpe

Developed exposure therapy from behavior therapy.