psychology final

Psychological

Disorder

Unhealthy thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that disrupt daily life.

DSM-5

	The main manual used to
	diagnose psychological disorders in the U.S.

Panic Attack

Sudden intense fear with racing heart and sweating (not repetitive handwashing).

Anxiety Disorders

Ongoing fear or worry (e.g., panic attacks, phobias).

Agoraphobia

Fear of leaving home or being in crowds.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Repeated thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety.

Persistent

Depressive

Disorder

Mild but long-lasting depression (2+ years).

Histrionic

Personality

Disorder

Overly dramatic and attention-seeking behavior.

PTSD

Stress disorder following trauma; includes flashbacks and avoidance.

ADHD

Trouble focusing, sitting still, and controlling impulses.

Autism Spectrum

Disorder

Problems with social skills and communication.

Narcissistic

Personality

Disorder

Inflated self-image and need for admiration.

Borderline

Personality

Disorder

Unstable moods and intense relationships.

Manic Episode

Extreme excitement, little sleep, and risky behavior in bipolar disorder.

dissociative disorder

	Memory loss, identity
	confusion, or separation

from reality.

Persistent

Depressive

Disorder

Mild but long-lasting depression (2+ years).

Histrionic

Personality

Disorder

Overly dramatic and attention-seeking behavior.

Altered State

Changes in awareness (e.g., drugs, hypnosis).

Circadian Rhythms

Body's 24-hour cycle controlling sleep and alertness.

Automatic

Processes

Easy tasks that require little attention.

Controlled

Processes

Demanding tasks that need focus.

REM Sleep

Stage of sleep where most dreaming happens; body is paralyzed but brain is active.

Sleep Apnea

Breathing stops repeatedly during sleep, often waking the person up; blockage of airways.

Narcolepsy

Sudden uncontrollable sleep attacks during the day; sudden attacks of sleep; cataplexy causes muscle weakness.

REM Sleep

Behavior Disorder

Acting out dreams physically.

Stage 1 Sleep

Light sleep; slowed heartbeat and breathing.

Latent Dream

Content

Hidden meaning behind a dream.

Endorphins

Natural painkillers released during exercise or labor.

Central Nervous System

Includes the brain and spinal cord; controls thinking and movement.

Occipital Lobe

Processes vision.

Left Hemisphere

Controls language and right-side movement.

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch and body sensations.

Medulla

Controls breathing and heartbeat.

Cerebellum

Controls balance and coordination.

pons

Helps regulate sleep and arousal.

Broca's Area

Helps produce speech.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, and temperature;

damage can cause overeating.

Hippocampus

Helps form new memories.

Theory

A broad explanation for why or how things happen.

Case Study

Deep study of one person or a small group; good for rare cases.

Survey

Collects information from many people quickly.

Regression

Returning to childish behavior when stressed.

Denial

Refusing to accept reality.

Genital Stage

Mature sexual feelings and relationships.

Oral Stage Fixation

Comfort through mouth-related actions (biting nails, chewing pens).

Freud's Personality Theory

Id (desires), superego (morals), ego (balance between both).

Freudian Slip

Accidental words that reveal hidden thoughts.

Id

Part of personality driven by basic urges and desires.

Conflict between the id and superego

Can cause anxiety.

Wilhelm Wundt

Founded the first psychology lab (1879, Germany).

Philosophy

Early studies of the mind before psychology became a science.

Gestalt Psychology

The whole experience is more meaningful than individual parts.

Humanistic Theory (Carl Rogers & Abraham Maslow)

People are naturally good and capable of growth.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Physiological → safety → love/belonging → esteem → self-actualization.

Reinforcement

Increases behavior.

Punishment

Decreases behavior.

Positive

Reinforcement

Adding something pleasant to increase behavior (praise, rewards).

Unconditioned

Stimulus

Something that naturally causes a response (food

→ salivation/drool).

Conditioned Stimulus

A learned signal that triggers a response (e.g., bell causes dog to salivate).

Behavioral Theory

Personality develops
from rewards/
punishments.

Behaviorism (John

Watson)

Psychology should study observable behavior, not thoughts or feelings.

Melatonin

Sleep hormone released by the pineal gland.

Dopamine

Movement and reward;

low levels cause

Parkinson's.

Sympathetic

Nervous System

Activates fight-or-flight response.

Forebrain

Controls emotions and motivation.

Corpus Callosum

Connects the two hemispheres.

Trait Theories

Describe personality using stable traits.

Adler's Theory

Birth order influences personality.

Freud's Personality Theory

Id (desires), superego (morals), ego (balance

Correlation vs.Causation

Related variables don't prove one causes the other; shows a relationship but not cause-and-effect.

Correlation

Shows a relationship between two variables.

Positive Correlation

Both variables increase or decrease together.

Negative

Correlation

One variable increases while the other decreases.

Negative

Reinforcement

Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior (seatbelt beeping stops).

Phrenology

Outdated idea linking skull bumps to personality traits.

Classical

Conditioning

Learning by association (Pavlov's dogs).

Learning

A lasting change in behavior or

understanding due to experience.

Independent

Variable

The factor the researcher changes to test its effect; what the researcher changes (the cause).

Experimental

Research

The only method showing cause and effect.

Dependent

Variable

The outcome measured to see if it changes from the independent variable; what's measured (the effect).

Control Group

Receives no treatment; used for comparison.

Double-Blind Study

Neither researchers nor participants know group assignments, reducing bias.

Random Sampling

Everyone in a population has an equal chance to be chosen.

Self-Actualization

Reaching your full potential and finding meaning or purpose.

Physiological

Needs

Basic life needs like food, water, shelter.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bingeing followed by purging.

Bisexuality

Attraction to both men and women.

Anorexia Nervosa

Refusal to eat and distorted body image.

Conditioned

Response

The learned reaction (salivating to the bell).

Operant
	Conditioning

	Learning through
	rewards and
	punishments.

Internal Locus of

Control

Believing your actions shape your success.

Intrinsic Motivation

Doing something for personal satisfaction.

Extrinsic Motivation

Doing something for rewards or to avoid

punishment.

Humanistic Theory

Emphasizes personal growth and the good within each person.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

People move from basic needs to self-

actualization.

psychoanalytic theory

frauds idea that behavior is influenced by unconscious motives

biological theory

disorders may come from genes, brain chemistry, or brain structure