100 Psychology terms

Serial Position Effect

Remembering the first and last items in a list.

Closure

Gestalt psychology principle where incomplete stimuli are perceived as a whole.

Proximity

Elements placed close together are perceived as a single unit.

Figure-Ground

Distinguishing the focal point (figure) from the background (ground).

Reciprocity Norm

Expectation to return a favor when helped by someone.

Group Polarization

Group members' beliefs becoming more extreme after discussion.

Confirmation Bias

Seeking information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Belief Perseverance

Holding onto beliefs despite evidence discrediting them.

Self-Serving Bias

Overstating role in positive outcomes and understating in negative ones.

Stereotype Threat

Anxiety about confirming negative stereotypes affecting performance.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

Agreeing to a small request makes accepting a larger one more likely.

Door-in-the-Face

Rejecting a large request makes accepting a smaller one more probable.

Hostile Aggression

Intent to cause physical harm.

Instrumental Aggression

Aggression used to achieve other goals.

Afferent (Sensory) Neurons

Transmit information to the brain.

Efferent (Motor) Neurons

Control movements, exiting the brain.

Long-Term Potentiation

Strengthening synaptic connections with frequent activation.

Arousal

State of alertness or being awake.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Increases heart rate in response to stress.

Reticular Formation

Controls arousal and focus in the brain stem.

Arousal Theory

Motivation to adjust behavior to raise or lower arousal levels.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Optimal performance at a moderate level of arousal.

Common Sense Theory

Stimulus leads to emotion and arousal.

James-Lange Theory

Stimulus triggers physiological arousal leading to emotion.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Stimulus elicits emotion and arousal simultaneously.

Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory

Arousal leads to cognitive appraisal and emotion.

Zajonc & LeDoux

Cognition doesn't always precede emotional responses.

Lazarus Cognitive Appraisal Theory

Stimulus evaluation leads to simultaneous emotion and arousal.

Cerebellum

Controls motor function and balance.

Broca's Area

Responsible for speech production.

Wernicke's Area

Interprets spoken language.

Angular Gyrus

Converts visual stimuli into auditory information.

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to notice stimuli due to focused attention elsewhere.

Cocktail Party Effect

Ability to focus on one stimulus while ignoring others.

Cognitive Maps (Tolman)

Mental representation of environmental layout.

Approach-Approach Conflict

Choosing between two desirable outcomes.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between two undesirable outcomes.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Decision involving both attractive and unattractive features.

Multiple Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between options with mixed features.

Habituation

Diminished response to a repeated stimulus.

Algorithm

Step-by-step procedure ensuring problem-solving.

Framing

Presenting a situation to influence perception.

Source Amnesia/Misattribution

Incorrectly identifying the source of a memory.

Chunking

Organizing information into meaningful units for memory.

Functional Fixedness

Bias limiting object use to intended purpose.

Mental Set

Applying past solutions to current problems.

Reciprocal Determinism

Belief in mutual influence of thoughts, behavior, and environment.

External Locus of Control

Perception of fate controlled by external forces.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief in personal control over fate.

Learned Helplessness

Pessimistic outlook from inability to change outcomes.

Positive Psychology

Challenging beliefs to encourage self-improvement.

Humanistic Psychology

Focus on self-fulfillment and happiness.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Hierarchical progression of human needs. Striving for self actualization.

Self-Concept

Perception of oneself as ideal versus real self.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Acceptance of others regardless of behavior.

Self-Esteem

Feelings of self-worth based on congruence.

Narcissism

Inflated self-view leading to attention-seeking behavior.

Mean

Average value in a dataset.

Median

Middle value in a dataset.

Mode

Most frequently occurring value in a dataset.

Range

Difference between the highest and lowest values.

Standard Deviation:

Integrity vs despair

The stage in Erikson's theory where individuals in late adulthood reflect on their lives and ask if they are happy with who they have become.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum amount of stimulation needed to trigger a sensation, like touch, taste, smell, vision, or hearing, detectable 50% of the time.

Difference Threshold (Just Noticeable Difference)

The minimum, (lowest) amount of change that an individual can detect, is detectable 50% of the time.

Adrenal Glands

Endocrine system glands secreting hormones like norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline) for the fight-or-flight response.

Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (G.A.S)

Three stages - Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion - in response to stress affecting the body's resources and health.

Prospective Memory

Remembering to perform a task at the intended time, like taking a daily pill.

Social Loafing

When individuals exert less effort in a group setting compared to working alone, as seen in group projects.

Cocktail Party Effect

Ability to focus on a single voice amidst multiple conversations in a noisy environment.

Neuron Firing Process

Involves dendrites receiving neurotransmitters, firing based on threshold, myelination for faster transmission, action potential when firing, and resting potential when not firing.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers like acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine/norepinephrine, GABA, endorphins, and glutamate influencing various functions in the brain and body.