AP Psychology Unit 4/5 Vocab

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110 Terms

1

Absolute Threshold

The minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

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2

Accommodation

The eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina.

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3

Addiction

Compulsive craving and use of a substance.

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4

Alcohol Use Disorder

Prolonged and problematic alcohol use.

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5

Alpha Waves

The slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.

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6

Amphetamines

Drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing sped-up functions.

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7

Audition

The sense or act of hearing.

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8

Barbiturates

Drugs depressing the central nervous system, impairing memory and judgment.

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9

Binocular Cues

Depth cues that depend on the use of both eyes.

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10

Blind Spot

The point where the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a 'blind' spot because no receptor cells are located there.

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11

Bottom-Up Processing

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information.

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12

Change Blindness

Failing to notice changes in the environment.

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13

Circadian Rhythm

The biological clock regulating bodily rhythms on a 24-hour cycle.

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14

Cocaine

A powerful stimulant producing increased alertness and euphoria.

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15

Cochlea

A coiled, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear that triggers nerve impulses in response to sound waves.

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16

Cochlear Implant

A device converting sounds into electrical signals to stimulate the auditory nerve.

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17

Color Constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if lighting alters the wavelengths reflected.

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18

Conduction Hearing Loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system conducting sound waves to the cochlea.

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19

Cones

Retinal receptors concentrated near the retina's center and function in daylight or well-lit conditions.

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20

Consciousness

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

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21

Delta Waves

The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

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22

Depressants

Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.

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23

Depth Perception

The ability to see objects in three dimensions, allowing judgment of distance.

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24

Difference Threshold (Just Noticeable Difference)

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.

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25

Dissociation

A split in consciousness that allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously.

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26

Dream

A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts in a sleeping mind.

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27

Ecstasy (MDMA)

A stimulant and mild hallucinogen causing euphoria and social intimacy.

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28

Embodied Cognition

The influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments.

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29

Ernest Hilgard

Known for his theory of dissociation in hypnosis.

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30

Extrasensory Perception (ESP)

The claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input.

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31

Feature Detectors

Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, like shape, angle, or movement.

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32

Figure-Ground

The organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings (ground).

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33

Fovea

The central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster.

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34

Frequency

The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time, determining pitch.

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35

Frequency Theory

Theory that the brain reads pitch by monitoring the frequency of neural impulses.

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36

Gate-Control Theory

Theory that the spinal cord has a gate that blocks or allows pain signals to the brain.

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37

Gestalt

An organized whole; gestalt psychologists emphasize our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes.

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38

Grouping

The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

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39

Hallucination

A false sensory experience with no external stimulus.

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40

Hallucinogens

Drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images.

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41

Hue

The color we experience, determined by the wavelength of light.

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42

Hypnosis

A social interaction involving a subject's openness to suggestions.

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43

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to see visible objects when attention is directed elsewhere.

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44

Inner Ear

The innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.

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45

Insomnia

Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

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46

Intensity

The amount of energy in a light or sound wave, perceived as brightness or loudness.

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47

Iris

The colored part of the eye, a muscle that controls the size of the pupil.

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48

Kinesthesia

The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts.

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49

Latent Content

The hidden meaning of a dream, per Freud.

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50

Lens

The transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to focus images on the retina.

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51

LSD

A powerful hallucinogenic drug causing visual distortions.

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52

Manifest Content

The remembered storyline of a dream.

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53

Methamphetamine

A highly addictive stimulant that affects dopamine levels.

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54

Middle Ear

The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea with three tiny bones that concentrate vibrations on the cochlea's oval window.

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55

Monocular Cues

Depth cues available to either eye alone.

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56

Narcolepsy

A disorder causing uncontrollable sleep attacks.

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57

Near-Death Experience

An altered state of consciousness reported after close brushes with death.

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58

Nicotine

A stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco.

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59

Night Terrors

High arousal and appearance of terror during NREM-3 sleep.

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60

NREM Sleep

Non-rapid eye movement sleep encompassing all stages except REM.

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61

Opiates

Drugs that reduce pain and anxiety.

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62

Opponent-Process Theory

Theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision.

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63

Optic Nerve

The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.

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64

Parallel Processing

The brain's ability to process many aspects of a problem simultaneously.

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65

Parapsychology

The study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis.

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66

Perception

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.

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67

Perceptual Adaptation

The ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or inverted visual field.

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68

Perceptual Constancy

Perceiving objects as unchanging despite changes in illumination and retinal images.

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69

Perceptual Set

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.

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70

Phi Phenomenon

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off.

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71

Pitch

A tone's highness or lowness, depending on frequency.

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72

Place Theory

Theory linking the pitch we hear with the location where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated.

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73

Posthypnotic Suggestion

A suggestion made during hypnosis to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized.

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74

Priming

The activation of certain associations, predisposing perception, memory, or response.

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75

Psychoactive Drug

A chemical that alters perceptions and moods.

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76

Psychophysics

The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli and our psychological experience of them.

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77

Pupil

The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters.

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78

REM Rebound

The tendency for REM sleep to increase after deprivation.

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79

REM Sleep

A sleep stage with vivid dreams and relaxed muscles, while other systems are active.

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80

Retina

The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing rods and cones and processing visual information.

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81

Retinal Disparity

A binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from both eyes.

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82

Rods

Retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision.

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83

Selective Attention

The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.

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84

Sensation

The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.

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85

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or auditory nerves.

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86

Sensory Adaptation

Diminished sensitivity due to constant stimulation.

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87

Sensory Interaction

The principle that one sense may influence another.

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88

Sigmund Freud

Proposed theories on dreams, particularly manifest and latent content.

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89

Signal Detection Theory

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background noise.

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90

Sleep

A periodic, natural loss of consciousness.

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91

Sleep Apnea

A disorder with temporary cessations of breathing and awakenings.

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92

Stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity and increase body functions.

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93

Subliminal

Below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness.

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94

Substance Use Disorder

Continued substance craving and use despite risks.

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95

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

A pair of hypothalamic cell clusters controlling circadian rhythm.

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96

THC

The major active ingredient in marijuana causing mild hallucinations.

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97

Tolerance

Diminished drug effect with regular use.

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98

Top-Down Processing

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, drawing on our experience and expectations.

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99

Transduction

The conversion of one form of energy into another, as in transforming stimulus energies into neural impulses.

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100

Vestibular Sense

The sense of body movement and position, including balance.

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