Psychological Theories

opponent-processing theory

Theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

trichromatic theory

Theory of color vision is dependent on three types of cones: red, blue, and green

place theory

Theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated

frequency theory

Theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch

gate control theory

Theory that spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain.

scapegoat theory

Theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone (individual or group) to blame

social exchange theory

Theory that human interactions are transactions that aim to maximize one's rewards and minimize one's costs - often influence helping behavior

cognitive dissonance theory

Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent, or when our beliefs do not match our behavior

attribution theory

Theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

language acquisition theory

Ability to learn a language occurs more rapidly as children

Piaget's cognitive theory

Theory about the development of human intelligence; how humans gradually come to acquire, construct, and use it

Kohlberg's morality theory

Moral reasoning develops sequentially through three broad levels, each composed of two stages

Erikson's psychosocial theory

Theory that development is influenced by social interactions and social factors that present issues/dilemmas that must be faced at various ages.

Zone of Proximal Development

Difference between what children can do with assistance and what they can do alone

Rescorla's contingency theory

Proposes that the connection between the CS (bell) & UCS (food) must be meaningful in order for learning to occur; emphasized timing and number of trials

Bandura's social learning theory

Learning occurs when we observe other people and model their behavior - influenced by retention and motivation

Sternberg's triarchic theory

View that intelligence is best classified into three areas that predict real-world success: analytical, creative, and practical

Gardner's multiple intelligences

Our abilities are best classified into eight or nine independent intelligences, which include a broad range of skills beyond traditional school smarts.

two-factor theory

the Schachter-Singer theory that to experience emotion involves (1) physically arousal and (2) a cognitively label needed to process the emotion

arousal theory

Theory of motivation suggesting that people are motivated to maintain an optimal level of alertness and physical and mental activation.

incentive theory

Theory of motivation stating that behavior is directed toward attaining desirable stimuli (reward) and avoiding unwanted stimuli (punishment)

drive-reduction theory

Physiological needs create an aroused state of tension (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

information processing theory

Dreams help us sort out the day's events and consolidate our memories

activation-synthesis theory

Dreams are caused by widespread, random activation of neural circuitry

signal detection theory

Theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.