ap psych

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on personal growth and self-actualization (Maslow, Rogers).

Cognitive Perspective

Studies mental processes like thinking, memory, and problem-solving.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Emphasizes unconscious drives and early childhood experiences (Freud).

Sociocultural Perspective

Explores how society and culture influence behavior.

Evolutionary Perspective

Examines how natural selection has shaped behavior.

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on learned behaviors through conditioning (Skinner, Pavlov).

Random Assignment

Randomly assigning participants to groups to eliminate bias.

Mean

Arithmetic average of a set of numbers.

Median

Middle value when data is arranged in order.

Mode

Most frequently occurring value in a dataset.

Range

Difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset.

Double-Blind Study

An experimental design where neither participants nor researchers know who is in the treatment or control group; ideal for testing new medications.

Case Study

In-depth analysis of an individual, group, or situation.

Experiment

A controlled study designed to test cause-and-effect relationships.

Major Depressive Disorder

Characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest.

Bipolar Disorder

Marked by alternating episodes of mania and depression.

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape may be difficult or help unavailable.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.

Schizophrenia

Features hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Involves the presence of two or more distinct identities or personalities.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Characterized by a disregard for others, lack of empathy, and manipulative behavior.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Marked by intrusive obsessions and repetitive compulsions.

Obsession

Persistent, intrusive thoughts that cause distress.

Compulsion

Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Characterized by intense emotional instability and unstable relationships.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Marked by grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disorder affecting communication and behavior.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Triggered by traumatic events, causing flashbacks and severe anxiety.

Dependent Personality Disorder

Excessive need to be taken care of and fear of separation.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder involving binge eating followed by purging.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by restrictive eating and fear of weight gain.

Pica Disorder

Involves the consumption of non-food items.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Obsessive focus on perceived flaws in appearance.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Depression related to seasonal changes, typically occurring in winter.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Excessive fear of being separated from attachment figures.

Reactive Attachment Disorder

Occurs when a child fails to form normal attachments with caregivers.

Dissociative Amnesia

Memory loss that occurs after a traumatic or stressful event.

Insomnia

Persistent difficulty in falling or staying asleep.

Punishment (Behavioral Therapy)

Technique to decrease unwanted behavior by administering a negative consequence.

Token Economy

Behavioral therapy using tokens as rewards for desired behaviors.

Systematic Desensitization

Gradual exposure therapy that pairs relaxation with exposure to a feared stimulus.

Flooding

Intense and prolonged exposure to a feared stimulus to reduce anxiety.

Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Challenges and changes irrational beliefs.

Person-Centered Therapy

Therapy emphasizing empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Aversion Therapy

Pairs unwanted behaviors with unpleasant stimuli to reduce those behaviors.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Medical treatment using electrical stimulation of the brain to treat severe depression.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to change negative thought patterns.

Exposure Therapy

Gradually exposes individuals to their fears to lessen anxiety.

Group Therapy

Therapeutic approach where individuals work through issues in a group setting.

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Medications commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.

Placebo Effect

Improvement in symptoms due to belief in the treatment rather than the treatment itself.

Mania

An abnormally elevated mood associated with Bipolar Disorder.

Dementia

Decline in cognitive function, as seen in disorders like Alzheimer’s.

Paranoia

Irrational mistrust or suspicion, often observed in schizophrenia.

Panic Attack

Sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort, common in panic disorder.

Hallucination

Sensory experiences that are not based in reality, often seen in schizophrenia.

Delusion

Strongly held false beliefs despite evidence to the contrary.

Intense Sadness

Deep, persistent sadness characteristic of Major Depressive Disorder.

Rapid Speech

Fast, pressured speech often observed during manic episodes.

Presence of Two Distinct Personalities

Characteristic feature of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Operant Conditioning

Learning process where behavior is influenced by consequences (rewards and punishments).

Classical Conditioning

Learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus (Pavlov’s dogs).

Negative Correlation

A relationship where as one variable increases, the other decreases.

Positive Correlation

A relationship where two variables increase or decrease together.

No Correlation

Indicates no predictable relationship between two variables.

Strong Correlation Numbers

Correlation coefficients close to +1 or -1 indicate a strong correlation.

Weak Correlation Numbers

Correlation coefficients close to 0 indicate a weak correlation.

Abnormal Behavior

Behavior that is statistically rare, causes distress, or impairs functioning.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

Physiological reaction to threat involving rapid mobilization of energy (sympathetic nervous system activation).