Introduction to Psychology

These flashcards are designed to help students review key concepts in psychology for their exam preparation. Each card includes a fill-in-the-blank statement and a definition to reinforce understanding.

Health is defined as a state of complete __________, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

Physical

The __________ approach takes into account the biological, psychological, and sociocultural aspects of behavior.

Biopsychosocial

Prosopagnosia is the inability to recognize __________.

faces

The __________ attribution error emphasizes personal factors over situational factors when interpreting others' behavior.

Fundamental

The Law of __________ states that behaviors that are rewarded are strengthened.

Effect

The __________ effect refers to putting too much emphasis on situational factors as opposed to personal factors.

Over-justification

Structuralism is the analysis of __________ structures.

mental

The study of our mental adaptation is known as __________.

Functionalism

Psychoanalysis focuses on how the __________ shapes personality.

unconscious

The __________ psychology perspective looks at the relationship between behavior and biological processes.

Biological

Cognitive psychology focuses on understanding mental processes including perceiving, __________, and problem-solving.

remembering

The __________ perspective regards behavior as a result of unconscious processes.

Psychoanalytic

Contemporary psychology emphasizes a __________ viewpoint integrating different perspectives.

multifactorial

The major fields of psychology include biological, __________, developmental, social, and clinical psychology.

cognitive

Cognitive neuroscience focuses on understanding cognitive processes using neuroimaging and __________ techniques.

brain-scanning

The __________ model emphasizes the genetic origins of psychological mechanisms.

evolutionary

Psychological research begins with generating __________.

hypotheses

In experiments, the __________ variable is the hypothesized cause.

independent

The __________ variable is influenced by the independent variable and measures participants' behavior.

dependent

A __________ group helps establish a baseline for comparison in experiments.

control

The correlation coefficient measures the degree to which two variables are __________.

related

A positive correlation indicates that when one variable increases, the other __________.

increases

A negative correlation indicates that when one variable increases, the other __________.

decreases

__________ correlation means there is no relationship between the two variables.

Zero

Correlation does not equal __________; we cannot infer cause and effect from correlational studies.

causation

Direct observation allows researchers to observe phenomena as they occur __________.

naturally

Surveys can include questionnaires or __________.

interviews

Ethical principles in research include obtaining __________ consent before experimentation.

informed

The __________ model of human development examines how the microsystem and macrosystem influence a child’s environment.

ecological

Plasticity refers to the capacity for __________ in human traits.

change

In the nature vs. nurture debate, _________ emphasizes genetic inheritance while nurture emphasizes environmental factors.

nature

The __________ period is crucial for development, where specific events must occur for normal progression.

critical

__________ behavior refers to an infant's tendency to show preference for stimuli they are familiar with.

Preferential

Facial preference is an __________ response of infants to human faces.

inborn

Binocular vision develops around __________ months of age.

3

__________ refers to the subjective experience of the world based on personal perceptions.

Subjectivity

The cognitive revolution was influenced by information processing models that liken human mental processes to __________.

computers

Deprivation of early positive experiences can lead to difficulties in __________ and emotional development.

attachment

Cognitive Development Theory (Piaget) progresses in stages: Sensorimotor, Pre-operational, Concrete operational, and __________ operational.

Formal

During the __________ stage, infants learn about their world through sensory and motor actions.

Sensorimotor

Egocentrism in the Pre-operational stage means difficulty in understanding perspectives __________ from one's own.

different

In the Concrete Operational stage, children understand the concept of __________, where quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

conservation

During adolescence, the development of __________ reasoning begins, allowing youth to think abstractly.

deductive

Stress increases the sympathetic nervous system's activity leading to physiological changes like increased __________ rate.

heart

Biomedical approaches to therapy typically focus on physical __________ of mental disorders.

causes

_____________ therapy focuses on addressing cognitive distortions and maladaptive thought patterns.

Cognitive behavioral

Obsessive compulsive disorder is characterized by recurrent __________ thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

intrusive

Eysenck proposed personality is defined in terms of two dimensions: introversion-extroversion and __________.

neuroticism

The Big Five personality traits are Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and __________.

Neuroticism

Depression can commonly arise from a combination of genetic predisposition and __________ factors.

environmental

While personality traits are generally stable, they may still change over the __________ of a person's life due to experiences.

course

Placebo effects can be attributed to the psychological and emotional reactions tied to patient __________.

beliefs

Cognitive therapy aims to change __________ beliefs into healthier perspectives.

irrational

Motivational interviewing focuses on helping clients to __________ around their reason for change.

explore

The dopamine system is involved in feelings of __________, which can be heightened by certain behaviors.

pleasure

Health psychology investigates the interplay between psychological factors and _________ health outcomes.

physical

Systemic desensitization helps individuals reduce anxiety by gradually exposing them to __________ stimuli.

feared

Carl Rogers emphasized the importance of __________ positive regard in client-centered therapy.

unconditional

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was developed to assess __________ and personality traits.

psychopathology

The impact of aging on intelligence is nuanced; Crystallized intelligence tends to __________ while fluid intelligence declines.

increase

Performance on cognitive tests may decline with age due to slowed reaction time and reduced processing __________.

speed

Cognitive behavioral therapy incorporates techniques that help individuals develop healthier __________ processes.

cognitive

Sensation is the raw experience of stimuli, while perception involves integrating and __________ these sensations.

interpreting

Classical conditioning involves learning through association between a __________ and an unconditioned stimulus.

neutral stimulus

Operant conditioning focuses on learning behaviors through __________ and reinforcement.

consequences

__________ psychology explores how cultural factors influence psychological processes and human behavior.

Cultural

The term ________ refers to the interaction of genetic and environmental factors in shaping an individual’s behavior.

interactionism

A significant aspect of long-term memory is the ability to encode this information through meaningful __________.

connections

Meta-analysis is a method of combining and interpreting results from multiple __________ on the same topic.

studies

Psychosomatic disorders are illnesses that involve both psychological and __________ factors.

physiological

Body language and expressive behaviors can communicate feelings even when __________ is not present.

verbal communication

Anxiety is often characterized by __________ thinking patterns leading to feelings of unease.

catastrophic

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and manage one's own and others' __________.

emotions

Coping strategies can be categorized as problem-focused or __________ -focused.

emotion

Depression is linked to a negative cognitive triad: negative views of the self, the world, and the __________.

future

Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome includes stages: alarm, resistance, and __________.

exhaustion

The Hawthorne effect describes the impact on participants' behavior when they are aware that they are being _________.

observed

The placebo effect is enhanced by a strong belief in the __________ of the treatment.

effectiveness

Psychological factors can directly influence physical health through stress, which may affect the ________ system.

immune

Maladaptive coping strategies include avoidance and __________.

substance abuse

Type A behavior is characterized by competitive, _____-driven impulses.

achievement

The __________ model highlights the interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors in mental health.

biopsychosocial

Cognitive distortions are patterns of negative thinking that can lead to emotional __________.

dysfunction

Coping strategies may be adaptive or __________ depending on their effectiveness in managing stress.

maladaptive

Behavioral therapy seeks to modify _________ patterns as a part of treatment.

behavioral

The Humanistic approach in therapy emphasizes individuals' capacity for __________ and self-actualization.

growth

Anxiety is often manifest in physical symptoms such as __________, rapid heartbeat, and sweating.

nervousness

The __________ triad in cognitive therapy refers to negative thoughts about the self, the world, and the future.

cognitive

Transference is the phenomenon where patients project feelings from past relationships onto their _________.

therapist

Empathy in the therapeutic alliance refers to the therapist's ability to understand the client's __________.

feelings

The __________ perspective focuses on the individual and their unique experiences in the therapeutic process.

humanistic

Anthropocene is a term referring to the current geological age viewed as the period during which human activity has been the __________ force on Earth.

dominant

Social learning theory emphasizes the role of __________ in behavior modification and personality development.

observation

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a projective test designed to reveal a person's __________ needs.

social

Psychosis can manifest through symptoms such as delusions and __________.

hallucinations

Freud's concept of the Id is primarily concerned with primal __________ and desires.

drives

The __________ theory posits that our responses to emotions are based on physiological arousal.

James-Lange

Antipsychotic medications primarily target __________ to help manage symptoms of schizophrenia.

dopamine

Neither __________ nor despair is an inevitable aspect of aging, as many elderly individuals find fulfillment.

loss

Community psychology focuses on social issues and aims to improve the quality of life in community __________.

settings