AP Psych Vocab 61-90

Convergence

The inward turning of the eyes to focus on a nearby object. The brain uses the degree of convergence to estimate the distance of the object.

Corpus Callosum

Nerve fibers connecting the brain's two hemispheres.

Correlation Coefficient

a numerical indication of the magnitude and direction of the relationship between two variables. The closer the correlation coefficient is to +1 or –1, the stronger the relationship is.

Correlational Research

Type of research technique based on the naturally occurring relationship between two or more variables. Involves the use of scatterplots.

Cortex Specialization

The idea that different brain areas have specialized functions.

Creative Thinking

The ability to think in novel, innovative ways to solve problems.

Crystalized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge and verbal skills that tend to remain stable with age.

Conditioned stimulus

a formerly neutral stimulus that acquires the capacity to elicit a reflexive response.

Conditioned Response

the learned, reflexive response to a conditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned stimulus

the natural stimulus that reflexively elicits a response without the need for prior learning.

Unconditioned response

the unlearned, reflexive response that is elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

Repression

complete exclusion from consciousness of anxiety-producing thoughts, feelings, or impulses.

Displacement

emotional impulses are redirected toward a substitute person or object, usually one less threatening or dangerous than the original source of conflict.

Sublimation

allows us to act out unacceptable impulses by converting these behaviors into a more acceptable form

Rationalization

justifying one’s actions or feelings with socially acceptable explanations rather than consciously acknowledging one’s true motive or desires

Projection

that attribution of one’s own unacceptable urges or qualities to others

Reaction formation

thinking in a way that is the extreme opposite of unacceptable urges or impulses

Denial

the failure to recognize the existence of anxiety provoking information

Regression

retreating to a behavior pattern characteristic of an earlier stage of development

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and personal responsibility when in a group or crowd

Delusions

False beliefs that may manifest as persecutory, believing others are our to harm you, or grandiose, believing you have special powers.

Dementia

A group of cognitive disorders that involve a decline in memory, thinking, and behavior

Depolarization

A change in a neuron's membrane potential, making it more positive

Depressants

Drugs that slow down nervous system activity

Developmental Psychology

Examines how individuals grow, change, and stay the same over the course of their lives

Dialectical Behavior Theory

A form of therapy that combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness strategies, often used for borderline personality disorder

Diathesis-Stress Model

Proposes that the diathesis-stress model proposes that psychological disorders emerge when an individual with a genetic vulnerability.

Dichromatism

A condition where individuals perceive only two colors due to a color vision deficiency

Diffusion of Responsibility

The tendency for individuals to feel less personal responsibility when others are present in an emergency.

Directionality Problem

In correlation research, uncertainty about which variable affects the other.

Discontinuous Development

Proposes that individuals progress through discrete, qualitatively different stages.

Disorganized Attachment Style

An attachment style marked by inconsistent behaviors and confusion about how to relate to caregivers.

Display Rules

Govern how emotions should be expressed in different social contexts

Dispositional Attributions

Connect behavior to internal qualities like intelligence or personality.

Distress

Debilitating, negative stress that overwhelms and hinders. Includes traumatic experiences or constant daily hassles that wear you down.

Distributed Practice

Learning technique where material is studied in smaller sessions over time.

Divergent Thinking

An aspect of creativity characterized by an ability to produce unusual but appropriate responses to problems

Convergent Thinking

occurs when a person gathers facts evidence or experiences from a variety of sources to solve a problem. The result is one answer that hopefully is correct

Door-in-the-Face Technique

Begins with an extreme request that is likely to be rejected and is then followed up by a more reasonable request that seems like a compromise.

Dopamine Hypothesis

A theory suggesting that schizophrenia may be caused by an overactivity of dopamine in the brain

Double-Blind Procedure

Both researchers and participants are unaware of group assignments to avoid bias