AP Psychology A-F Flash Cards

Aaron Beck

Founder of cognitive therapy who focused on identifying and changing negative thought patterns

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational pyramid of human needs from physiological to self-actualization

Absolute Threshold

Minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time

Accommodation

Adapting schemas to incorporate new information

Achievement Tests

Tests measuring what a person has learned

Achievement Motivation

Desire to accomplish goals and meet standards of excellence

Acoustic Transduction

Conversion of sound waves into neural signals in the ear

Acoustic Encoding

Encoding information based on sound

Acquisition

Initial stage of learning when a response is first learned

Action Potential

Electrical impulse traveling down a neuron

Activation Synthesis Theory

Dreams result from the brain interpreting random neural activity

Active Listening

Fully focusing and responding to a speaker

Actor-Observer Bias

Attributing others’ behavior to personality but our own to situation

Addiction

Compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences

Adolescence

Transition stage from childhood to adulthood

Adrenal Glands

Glands that release stress hormones like adrenaline

Adrenaline

Hormone that triggers fight-or-flight response

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic early experiences affecting development

Affiliation Need

Desire for relationships and belonging

Agonists

Drugs that enhance neurotransmitter effects

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape is difficult

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm others

Albert Bandura

Psychologist known for observational learning and Bobo doll experiment

Albert Ellis

Founder of rational-emotive behavior therapy

Alfred Adler

Psychologist who emphasized social influences and inferiority complex

Algorithms

Step-by-step procedures for solving problems

All-or-None Response

Neuron fires completely or not at all

Alpha Brain Waves

Slow brain waves present during relaxed wakefulness

Altruism

Unselfish concern for others

Alzheimer’s Disease

Progressive brain disorder causing memory loss

Ambivalent Attachment

Inconsistent attachment style with anxiety

Ambidexterity

Ability to use both hands equally

Ames Room

Distorted room illusion affecting perception of size

Amygdala

Brain structure involved in emotion and fear

Androgyny

Combination of masculine and feminine traits

Anorexia (Nervosa)

Eating disorder involving severe food restriction

Antagonists

Drugs that block neurotransmitter effects

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new memories

Antianxiety Drugs

Medications that reduce anxiety

Antidepressants

Medications used to treat depression

Antipsychotic Drugs

Medications for disorders like schizophrenia

Anti-Social Behaviors

Actions that harm or lack regard for others

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Disorder involving lack of empathy and disregard for rules

Anxiety

Feeling of worry or nervousness

Anxiety Disorders

Mental disorders involving excessive fear or worry

Anxious Attachment

Attachment style marked by fear of abandonment

Aphasia: Broca’s and Wernicke’s

Language impairments affecting speech production or comprehension

Aptitude Tests

Tests predicting future performance

Asexuality

Lack of sexual attraction

Assimilation

Interpreting new info using existing schemas

Association Areas

Brain regions involved in higher mental functions

Associative Learning

Learning that two events are connected

Atkinson-Shiffrin 3-Stage Model

Memory model of sensory short-term and long-term storage

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Disorder with inattention hyperactivity and impulsivity

Attitudes

Feelings and beliefs about people or things

Attraction Factors

Elements that influence liking such as proximity and similarity

Attribution Theory

Explains how we interpret causes of behavior

Audition

Sense of hearing

Auditory Canal

Tube that carries sound waves to the eardrum

Authoritarian Parenting Style

Strict parenting with high demands low warmth

Authoritative Parenting Style

Parenting with rules but warmth and communication

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Developmental disorder affecting communication and behavior

Autokinetic Effect

Illusion of movement of a stationary point of light

Automatic Processing

Unconscious encoding of information

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary bodily functions

Availability Heuristic

Judging likelihood based on memory examples

Aversive Conditioning

Associating behavior with unpleasant stimulus

Avoidant Attachment

Attachment style avoiding closeness

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Disorder involving social inhibition and feelings of inadequacy

Axon

Neuron part that sends signals away from cell body

Babbling

Early stage of speech development

Baby Albert

Experiment showing fear conditioning

Bandura and Bobo Doll

Study demonstrating observational learning

Barbiturates

Depressant drugs causing relaxation

Basal Metabolic Rate

Minimum energy needed to maintain bodily functions

Basic Trust

Infant’s sense that the world is safe

Behavior Feedback Effect

Behavior influences emotions

Behavior Genetics

Study of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

Behavior Therapy

Treatment using learning principles

Behavioral Approach

Focus on observable behavior

Behaviorism

Theory that behavior is learned through conditioning

Belief Perseverance

Clinging to beliefs despite evidence

Big Five CANOE

Five personality traits openness conscientiousness extraversion agreeableness neuroticism

Binet

Developer of first intelligence test

Binocular Cues

Depth cues requiring both eyes

Biopsychosocial Approach

Integration of biological psychological and social factors

Biological Approach

Study of behavior through biological processes

Biological Psychology

Study of brain and nervous system

Biomedical Therapy

Medical treatment for mental disorders

Bipolar Disorder

Disorder with mood swings from mania to depression

Blindsight

Ability to respond to visual stimuli without awareness

Blind Spot

Area with no receptors where optic nerve leaves eye

Body Dysmorphia

Obsessive concern with physical flaws

Borderline Personality Disorder

Instability in mood relationships and self-image

Bottom-Up Processing

Analysis starting with sensory input

Brainstem

Controls basic life functions

Broaden and Build Theory

Positive emotions expand thinking and build resources

Bulimia Nervosa

Eating disorder involving bingeing and purging

Bystander Effect

Less likely to help when others are present