My Psych Flashcards

Psychoanalytic perspective

Emphasizes the role of unconscious psychological processes in shaping personality and behavior.

Id

The part of the psyche that represents primal desires and instincts.

Ego

The rational part of the psyche that mediates between the id and the reality of the external world.

Superego

The moral component of the psyche that incorporates social standards learned from parents and society.

Defense mechanisms

Psychological strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety and conflict.

Unconscious

The part of the mind that contains thoughts and desires of which we are not aware.

Psychodynamic therapies

Therapies that aim to bring unconscious thoughts to consciousness to address psychological issues.

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on observable behaviors and how they are learned through interactions with the environment.

Classical conditioning

A learning process that creates associations between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus.

Operant conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior.

Incentive theory of motivation

Theory suggesting that behavior is motivated by external rewards.

Behavioral therapies

Therapeutic approaches that focus on changing maladaptive behaviors.

Humanistic perspective

Emphasizes the inherent goodness of people and their capacity for growth.

Self-actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potential.

Unconditional positive regard

Acceptance and support of a person regardless of what they say or do.

Positive psychology

The study of what makes life worth living and the factors that contribute to human happiness.

Self-determination theory of motivation

Theory proposing that people are motivated by a need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

Client-centered therapies

Therapies emphasizing a supportive environment to help clients find self-direction and personal growth.

Cognitive perspective

Focuses on internal mental processes and how they influence behavior.

Encoding

The process of transforming information into a form that can be stored in memory.

Storage

The retention of encoded information over time.

Retrieval

The process of recalling or recognizing stored information.

Chunking

A memory technique that involves grouping information into manageable units.

Schema

Cognitive frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Top-down processing

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes.

Bottom-up processing

Information processing that begins with sensory input.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts that facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs.

Hindsight bias

The inclination to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.

Perceptual set

A predisposition to perceive things in a certain way.

Framing

The way information is presented, which can influence decision-making and judgment.

Stages of cognitive development

The theory by Piaget that outlines the progression of cognitive abilities in children.

Cognitive appraisal

The evaluation of the significance of a situation for one's wellbeing.

Stress/distress/eustress

Different types of stress, where distress is negative and eustress is positive.

Cognitive therapies

Psychotherapies that focus on changing unhelpful thoughts and beliefs.

Social-cognitive perspective

Emphasizes the interaction of cognitive processes, behavior, and the environment.

Social learning theory

Theory that posits behavior is learned through observation and imitation.

Reciprocal determinism

The concept that personal, behavioral, and environmental factors all influence each other.

Locus of control

The degree to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them.

Intrinsic motivation

The motivation to engage in an activity for its own sake.

Extrinsic motivation

The motivation to engage in an activity to earn rewards or avoid punishment.

Normative social influence

Influence that leads to conformity to be liked or accepted by others.

Informational social influence

Influence that leads to conformity because we believe others' interpretations are correct.

Obedience

Compliance with the demands or orders of an authority figure.

Arousal/sensation-seeking theory

Theory suggesting that individuals seek out stimulation and arousal.

Yerkes-Dodson law

Law stating that optimal performance occurs at intermediate levels of arousal.

Self-efficacy

Belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations.

Self-esteem

One's overall evaluation of their worth or value.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups, often leading to behavior changes.

Groupthink

A mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Group polarization

The tendency for group discussion to enhance the group's prevailing attitudes.

Social loafing

The tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group.

Social facilitation

The tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others than when alone.

Situational attribution

Attributing behavior to external factors or situations.

Dispositional attribution

Attributing behavior to internal traits or characteristics.

Resilience

The ability to recover from or adjust easily to adversity or change.

Relative deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself.

Adaptation-level phenomenon

The tendency to adapt to new situations until they become the norm.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

A psychotherapy that challenges maladaptive thoughts to change patterns

Biological perspective

Focus on the influence of biological factors on behavior and mental processes.

Cerebellum

A brain structure that regulates balance and coordination.

Long-term potentiation

A long-lasting enhancement in communication between two neurons that results from stimulating them simultaneously.

Limbic system

A set of brain structures involved in emotion, memory, and arousal.

Frontal lobe

The part of the brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and planning.

Parietal lobe

The lobe that processes sensory information.

Occipital lobe

The lobe responsible for visual processing.

Temporal lobe

The lobe associated with hearing, memory, and language.

Somatosensory cortex

Brain region that processes body touch and movement sensations.

Motor cortex

Area of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by glands that regulate various functions in the body.

Central nervous system

The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body.

Peripheral nervous system

The part of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord.

Plasticity

The ability of the brain to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Sleep

A natural state of rest characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, and inhibition of muscular activity.

Circadian rhythm

The physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle.

Transduction

The process by which sensory stimuli are converted into neural signals.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.

Cochlea

The auditory portion of the inner ear that translates sound waves into neural signals.

Brain scans

Techniques used to visualize the structure and function of the brain.

Twin studies

Studies that help researchers understand the relative contributions of genetics and environment on behavior.

Kinesthesis

The sense that detects body position and movement of body parts.

Vestibular sense

The sense that contributes to balance and spatial orientation.

Drive-reduction theory of motivation

Theory that proposes motivation arises from imbalances in homeostasis.

Fight-flight-freeze response

The body's response to perceived threats, preparing for confrontation or escape.

General adaptation syndrome

The three-stage response (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) that the body goes through when under stress.

Sensory adaptation

Reduced sensitivity to constant stimuli over time.

Evolutionary perspective

Focuses on how human behavior and mental processes have evolved to enhance survival and reproduction.

Nature vs. nurture

The debate over the relative influence of genetics and environment on behavior.

Adaptation

The process through which species undergo changes to better suit their environment.

Natural selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Attachment

The emotional bond between a child and a caregiver.

Emotion

A complex psychological state that involves a subjective experience, a physiological response, and a behavioral or expressive response.

Cultural norms

Shared guidelines or rules that prescribe the behavior that is acceptable in a given culture.

Individualistic culture

A culture that emphasizes personal goals and independence.

Collectivistic culture

A culture that emphasizes group goals and interdependence.

Gender role

Social and behavioral norms that are generally considered appropriate for individuals of a specific gender.

Parenting styles

Different approaches to raising children, including authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful.