Altruism
Helping others without a direct benefit or expectation of reward.
Prosocial
Helping others with the expectation of a (smaller) reward.
Reciprocal Altruism
Helping others with the unconscious expectation of eventual repayment.
Kinship Selection
Altruistic behavior driven by the desire to help genetic relatives.
Burnstein et al.
Experiment on kin selection, where subjects rated genetic similarity and willingness to help relatives.
Madsen et al.
Study on willingness to endure hardships to help family members in the UK and Africa.
Bystanderism
Phenomenon where the presence of others affects the likelihood of helping someone.
Diffusion of Responsibility
When individuals don't help because they assume others will or feel underqualified.
Pluralistic Ignorance
People conform more in ambiguous situations, as seen in the Aschline Test.
Proximity Theory
The more time spent around someone, the more attractive they become, known as the Mere Exposure Effect.
Compatibility
The more similar someone is to us in attitudes and traits, the more attractive we find them.
Reciprocity
The tendency to like those who like us, as shown in the Axelrod and Hamilton game theory.
Learned Helplessness
Seligman's experiment showing how past experiences can lead to a sense of helplessness.
Self-defeating Bias
Belief that negative events are one's fault and positive events are due to luck.
Polar Thinking
Viewing the world in black and white categories.
Arbitrary Inference
Drawing conclusions without evidence.
Brown and Harris
Factors like loss of a parent, lack of friends, and unemployment increase the risk of depression.
Ahs et al.
PET scan study showing brain activation in response to fear-inducing stimuli.
Chugani (1999)
PET scan study on glucose metabolism in infants and toddlers, highlighting intense neuroplasticity.
Giedd et al
MRI study on brain development in children and adolescents, showing changes in white and grey matter.
Kuhn et al
Study on the effects of video games on the brain, revealing increased grey matter volume in specific brain regions.
Piaget & Inhelder (1956)
Study on egocentrism in children, demonstrating the development of perspective-taking skills.
Baillergeon & De Vos
Study on object permanence in infants, showing early development of this concept.
Freund (1990)
Study on mother-child interaction and its impact on a child's problem-solving abilities.
Winsler et al
Study on private speech patterns and social development in young children.
Nichols et al
Study on motivation in college participants, comparing cooperative learning to traditional lectures.
Pepler & Ross (1981)
Study on divergent and convergent play materials and their impact on creativity in children.
Pretend Play and Divergent Thinking
Russ, Robins & Christiano (2010) found that the ability to engage in pretend play at 6 or 7 years old predicted divergent thinking over a 4-year period, showing that quality of imagination predicted divergent play independent of IQ.
Sociometric Status in Play
Coie & Dodge (1988) discovered that a child's sociometric status in play can significantly impact the child's academic progress.
Cognitive Effects of Institutionalization
Rutter et al (2007) studied children in Romanian orphanages, finding that prolonged institutionalization led to cognitive impairment, while early adoption showed no cognitive differences compared to children adopted locally.
Effects of Neglect on IQ
Koluchova (1972) followed neglected twin boys who improved their IQs significantly over time, catching up academically by age 14, attending university, and forming positive relationships.
Physiological Delays in Institutionalized Children
Spitz observed that orphaned children displayed physiological delays and atypical emotional expressions compared to non-institutionalized children.
Massage Protocol for Premature Infants
Field (1986) showed that a massage protocol for premature infants led to greater weight gain and earlier hospital discharge, potentially explaining size differences in institutionalized versus non-institutionalized children.
Marital Quality and Threat Response
Coan, Schaefer & Davidson (2006) found that holding a spouse's hand reduced threat response, with higher marital quality correlating with lower threat response.
Neuropeptide Y and Resilience
Morgan et al (2009) discovered that soldiers with higher Neuropeptide Y levels showed better resilience during stressful training simulations.
Resilience in Adverse Childhoods
Werner & Smith (2001) found that many individuals with childhood risk factors grew into competent adults, with most overcoming problems by middle age, highlighting reasons for resilience.
Malnutrition and Cognitive Development
Pollitt et al (1995) demonstrated that protein supplements improved cognitive functioning in malnourished children, emphasizing the role of nutrition in cognitive development.
Effects of Malnutrition on Attention
Kar et al (2008) revealed that malnourished Indian children had lower attention, working memory, and visuospatial task scores, with older children showing less impairment.
Environmental Stimulation and Cognitive Development
Farah et al (2008) linked environmental stimulation and parental nurturing to language development and long-term memory performance.
Cognitive Load and Financial Situation
Mani et al (2013) showed that cognitive ability decreased when financial situations were made salient, impacting performance in hypothetical and real-life situations.
Attachment Patterns and "Strange Situations"
Ainsworth et al (1978) identified attachment styles by observing children's responses to separations and reunions in "strange situations."
Cultural Differences in Attachment Styles
Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988) conducted a meta-analysis showing cultural variations in attachment styles, with Type B (secure attachment) being most common but distributed differently across countries.
Love Quiz and Attachment History
Hazan & Shaver used a love quiz to link attachment history to current attachment styles, finding that parental responsiveness influenced attachment patterns.
Attachment Style and Adult Relationships
Simpson et al (1996) demonstrated that attachment style influenced adult relationships, with insecurely attached individuals showing negative strategies in discussions.
Maternal Attachment Style and Child's Attachment
Fonagy et al found a strong correlation between a mother's attachment style and her child's attachment style, indicating a 75% match between the two.
Biological Origin of Gender Identity
Imperato-McGinley et al (1974) studied the Batista family, showing a strong biological basis for gender identity despite social upbringing.
Gender Schema Theory and Memory Distortion
Martin & Halvorson (1983) tested gender schema theory, revealing memory distortion in children when stories conflicted with gender schemas.
Gender Schema Theory and Toy Preferences
Martin et al (1995) explored gender schema theory, finding that children predicted same-sex peers' toy preferences based on their own gender.
Parental Responses to Gender Behavior
Fagot (1978) observed parental reactions to gender-appropriate and -inappropriate behavior, showing more positive responses to gender-appropriate actions.
Gender Stereotyping in Infants
Condry & Condry (1976) demonstrated gender stereotyping in adults' perceptions of infants' emotions, attributing anger to boys and fear to girls.
Understanding Others' Desires
Repacholi & Copnik (1997) revealed that by 18 months, children could understand others' desires, contrasting with egocentric responses at 14 months.
False-Belief Testing in Children
Baron-Cohen et