AP Psychology Ultimate Study Guide

Psychotherapy

treatment that attacks learning-related disorders, like fears. A trained psychologist uses psych techniques to overcome the disorder.

Biomedical Therapies

treatment involving medication

Insight therapies

therapy that involves verbal interactions intended to enhance clients’ self-knowledge & thus promote healthful changes in personality & behavior

prolonged exposure therapy

therapy that teaches you to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding since your trauma.

clinical psychologists

psychologist that emphasizes on treatment of full-fledged disorders

counselling psychologists

psychologists that specialize in the treatment of everyday adjustment problems.

psychiatrists

Physicians who specialize in diagnosis & treatment (usually through medication) of psychological disorders.

lobotomy

a surgical procedure that severs the connections between the frontal lobes of the brain and the rest of the brain; done in an attempt to treat various mental health conditions.

psychoanalytic therapy

therapy that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior

humanistic therapy

therapy that focuses on personal growth and self-actualization, emphasizing the individual's capacity for self-improvement and healing.

transference

unconscious process of strong emotions for loved ones transferring to therapist

hypnosis

procedure that produces a heightened state of suggestibility, thought to ease the grip that repression had on the unconscious and bring some of those issues to consciousness.

free association

patient says the first thing that comes to mind when a therapist says something in order to catch a glimpse into the unconsciousthoughts and feelings.

client-centered therapy

therapy emphasizing the idea that distress comes from a difference between self-concept in reality; get in touch with real self in order to bring relief

active listening

therapists parrot back to the client what they say in order to validate the client’s feelings and help them feel comfortable and heard.

SSRIs

drugs that reduce depression by blocking reuptake and increasing the level of serotonin in the synapses.

antipsychotic drugs

drugs used to gradually reduce psychotic symptoms by cutting the level of dopamine in the brain

behavioral therapy

therapy that focuses on the modification of behaviors in order to treat disorders.

systematic desensitization

a behavioral therapy technique used to help patients overcome phobias and anxiety by gradual exposure to the feared object or situation while employing relaxation techniques.

progressive relaxation

a technique used to help individuals reduce muscle tension and anxiety by systematically tensing and then relaxing parts of the body.

biofeedback

a technique that teaches individuals to control physiological processes by providing real-time data about their body, often used to help manage stress, anxiety, and chronic pain.

aversion therapy

an aversive stimulus is paired with another stimulus that elicits an undesired response in order to reduce a behavior

Maladaptive

Psychological disorder makes everyday life difficult for an individual. It typically interferes with the ability to lead a normal life. 

anxiety disorders

A combination of physical, cognitive, & psychological symptoms in which a person’s sympathetic nervous system has initiated a fight or flight response.

General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Anxiety & worry that is excessive & difficult to control & that occurs more days than not for a period of at least 6 months

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

A chronic mental health condition characterized by an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated in social or performance situations

Phobic Disorders

Occurs when a phobia becomes so disruptive that it interferes with normal functioning. 

phobia

an irrational fear of an object or situation

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder marked by intense fear or avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable, often leading to avoidance of public places or open spaces.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

a mental health condition that's caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event — either being part of it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Involved having obsessive stress or anxiety over a particular event or issue & performing ritualistic or compulsive behavior to ameliorate the stress.

Major Depressive Disorder

a mental health condition that causes a persistently low or depressed mood and a loss of interest in activities that once brought joy.

Bipolar Disorder

a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. These include emotional highs, also known as mania or hypomania, and lows, also known as depression.

Somatoform Disorders

individuals suffer from physical ailment with no real cause

conversion disorder

stress converts into a physical ailment

hypochondria

reliving you have a major medical issue when nothing is actually wrong

Eating Disorders

severe disturbances in eating behavior characterized by preoccupation with weight and unhealthy efforts to control weight.

anorexia nervosa

intense fear of gaining weight, disturbed body image, refusal to maintain normal weight, and use of dangerous measures to lose weight.

bulimia nervosa

habitually engaging in out-of-control overeating followed by unhealthy compensatory efforts, such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, abuse of laxatives, and excessive exercise.

binge eating disorder

distress-inducing eating binges that are not accompanied by purging, fasting, and excessive exercise

schizophrenia

Disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel, & behave clearly

delusions

Thoughts or experiences that are out of touch with reality that may cause disorganized speech; altered perception of reality

positive symptoms

presence of positive behaviors (ex. hallucinations, delusions)

negative symptoms

absence of healthy behaviors (ex. apathy, social withdrawal)

cognitive symptoms

symptoms that affect how you think and remember

dissociative identity disorder

presence of two or more distinct personality states

Psychogenic or Dissociative Fugue State

Forgets past & essentially creates a new history. NOT aware that they has had another past. Invented past is the only reality that they know.

Psychogenic Amnesia

Forgets past but realizes they have forgotten it. NO FORM of biological insult or injury to the brain; Amnesia must stem from a psychological cause.

cluster A personality disorders

personality disorder cluster characterized by odd or eccentric behavior

paranoid personality disorder

personality disorder involving irrational mistrust of others

schizoid personality disorder

personality disorder involving a lack of interest in social relationships

schizotypal personality disorder

personality disorder involving odd behavior or thinking, but still has grasp of reality

cluster B personality disorders

personality disorder cluster that involves unpredictable, dramatic, or intensely emotional responses to things

antisocial personality disorder

personality disorder involving pervasive disregard for the law & rights of others; total lack of remorse

Borderline personality disorder

personality disorder involving instability in relationships, self image, identity & behavior; features black and white thinking

Histrionic personality disorder

Pervasive attention-seeking behavior; shallow or exaggerated emotions

Narcissistic personality disorder

personality disorder involving pervasive pattern of grandiosity; need for admiration & lack of empathy

cluster C personality disorders

personality disorder cluster involving anxious and fearful behaviors

Avoidant personality disorder

personality disorder involving social inhibition and feelings of inadequacy

Dependent personality disorder

personality disorder involving pervasive psychological dependence on others

Obsessive compulsive personality disorder

personality disorder involving rigid conformity to rules & moral codes; excessive orderliness; perfectionism.

Positive Psychology

Branch of psychology that focuses on the study of positive emotions, strengths, and factors that contribute to human flourishing and well-being.

Feel-good, Do-good Phenomenon

When we feel happy we are more willing to help others, and vice versa.

Helper’s High

Good feeling when you do good things for others

Relative Deprivation

is the perception that we are relatively worse off than those we compare ourselves with  

Adaption-Level Phenomenon

Once people adapt to a new level of happiness, they become less happy since its what they’re used to

Subjective well-being

the self-perceived feeling of happiness or satisfaction with life

Broaden-and-Build Theory

positive emotions expand an individual’s awareness and encourage novel, varied, and exploratory thoughts and actions. Increases willingness to do new things

Character strength/virtues

Positive traits reflected in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They are the building blocks of a fulfilling life and are essential to the practice of Positive Psychology.

Stress

Any circumstance that threatens or is perceived to threaten one’s well being & that thereby tax one’s coping abilities.

Psychoneuroimmunology

study of how feelings and brain affect the immune system

primary appraisal

initial evaluation of whether an event is (1)irrelevant to you, (2)relevant, but not threatening, or (3)stressful

second appraisal

Evaluation of your coping resources & options for dealing with stress

conflict

2 or more Incompatible Motivations or Behavioral Impulses Compete for Expression

approach-approach conflict

Choice between 2 Attractive Goals

avoidance-avoidance conflict

Choice between 2 Unattractive Goals

approach-avoidance conflict

Choice between whether to pursue a single goal that has both Attractive and Unattractive Aspects

fight or flight response

physiological reaction to a threat

general adaptation syndrome

Model of the body’s stress response Consisting of 3 stages

alarm

initial response to a stressor

resistance

body mobilizes to withstand stress in order to return to homeostasis

exhaustion

ongoing, extreme stressors deplete the body’s resources so we function at less than normal

Type A personality

individuals have an intense desire to achieve, are extremely competitive, have a sense of urgency, are impatient, and can be hostile

Type B personality

individuals are more relaxed and easy going

burnout

physical and emotional exhaustion

coping

Active efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate demands created by stress

emotion-focused coping

coping that involves managing emotions that arise from stressful situations rather than changing the situation itself.

appraisal-focused coping

coping that involves changing the way one thinks about a stressful situation, often by reframing or reassessing the situation.

problem-focused coping

coping that involves taking direct action to address the source of stress, aiming to eliminate or reduce the stressor.

personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

Psychology

the study of the mind and behavior, including the biological, cognitive, and social aspects of behavior. There are 7 different approaches.

Psychodynamic approach


unconscious motives, past experiences

Behavioral approach


observable environment influences behavior; reinforcement/punishment, learning/conditioning

Humanistic approach


positive growth, choice, unconditional positive regard

Cognitive approach


mental processes used in thinking, knowing, remembering, communicating

Biological approach


focus on body; genes, brain, nervous system, hormones

Evolutionary approach


natural selection, adaptation, survival, reproduction

Sociocultural approach


social interaction, culture's influence on behavior/mental processes

Bio-Psycho-Social


eclectic view, sees all perspectives as interacting/interrelated

Wilhelm Wundt 


“Father of Psychology“, consciousness, structuralism, introspection