ap psych study guide for monday exam

Case Study

An in-depth investigation of one individual, group, or event used to explore psychological phenomena in detail.

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder involving intense fear of situations where escape may be difficult, often leading to avoidance of public places.

Ecological Systems Theory

A theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner explaining how development is influenced by different environmental systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem).

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday situations for at least six months.

Ataque de Nervios

A culturally specific syndrome (often in Latin American cultures) involving intense emotional distress, including crying, screaming, and loss of control.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder that occurs after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, involving flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A disorder marked by unstable relationships, self-image, emotions, and impulsive behaviors.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I involves severe manic episodes with possible depression; Bipolar II involves less severe hypomania with major depressive episodes.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Potentially traumatic events in childhood (abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) that can impact long-term health and behavior.

Social Anxiety

Intense fear of social situations where one may be judged, leading to avoidance and distress.

Schizophrenia

A severe disorder involving distorted thinking, hallucinations, delusions, and impaired functioning.

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

Antidepressants that increase serotonin levels by preventing its reabsorption in the brain.

Antidepressants (General)

Medications that improve mood by affecting neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Psychodynamic Perspective

An approach developed by Sigmund Freud focusing on unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences.

Informed Consent

Giving participants full information about a study and obtaining their voluntary agreement to participate.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A disorder involving grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

Dissociative Amnesia

A disorder involving inability to recall important personal information, usually after trauma.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by disregard for others, lack of empathy, and violation of social norms.

Dependent Variable

The variable measured in an experiment; it changes in response to the independent variable.

Rational Emotive Therapy

A cognitive therapy by Albert Ellis that focuses on changing irrational beliefs.

Person-Centered Therapy

A therapy by Carl Rogers emphasizing unconditional positive regard, empathy, and self-growth.

Behavioral Therapies

Therapies that use learning principles (like conditioning) to change maladaptive behaviors.

Lithium

A mood stabilizer commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, especially mania.

Eustress

Positive stress that motivates and improves performance.

General Adaptation Syndrome

A stress response model by Hans Selye consisting of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages.

Delusion

A false belief held despite evidence to the contrary.

Health Psychology

The study of how psychological factors affect physical health and illness.

Distress

Negative stress that can harm health and well-being.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

An approach that explains behavior through biological, psychological, and social factors.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

A theory by Barbara Fredrickson that proposes that positive emotions (joy, interest, contentment) broaden an individual’s momentary mindset—expanding awareness and encouraging novel, creative thoughts and actions

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

A manual used by clinicians to diagnose mental disorders.

Compulsion

A repetitive behavior performed to reduce anxiety, often linked to obsessive thoughts.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to favor information that supports existing beliefs.

Confounding Variable

A factor other than the independent variable that may affect the dependent variable.

Biomedical Approach

An approach that explains disorders through biological factors like genetics and brain chemistry.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model suggesting disorders result from a predisposition combined with environmental stress.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder involving unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Dissociative Disorder

Disorders involving disruptions in memory, identity, or consciousness.

Clinical Depression

A mood disorder with persistent sadness, loss of interest, and impaired functioning.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that ensures research with humans is ethical and protects participants.

Gratitude

A feeling of appreciation that is linked to improved well-being and mental health.

Alarm Reaction

The first stage of stress response in General Adaptation Syndrome, where the body reacts to a stressor with fight-or-flight.