Psych Exam 4

active listening

a therapeutic technique in which the therapist pays close attention to his/her clients' words and then echoes, paraphrases, and clarifies what the client says; a key component of client-centered therapy

antianxiety medication

medication that reduces anxiety via depression of central nervous system activity

antipsychotics

a group of medications used to treat the positive symptoms of psychosis

behavior therapy

a type of therapy that helps the client/ individual change potentially self-destructive behavior through application of learning principles

cognitive behavioral therapy

a type of therapy that helps the person/client change potentially self-destructive behavior through addressing negative thought patterns that fuel the behavior

counterconditioning

a behavioral technique using classical conditioning to replace an undesirable response to a stimulus with a desired response

exposure therapy

a behavioral technique that involves having the client face her or his fear while engaging in calming strategies

family therapy

a form of group therapy in which a therapist works with two or more family members to address dysfunctional family dynamics

light exposure therapy

a technique developed to help people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that most often affects people living in climates far from the equator that have long, dark winters

mood stabilizers

medications that balance out extreme moods by acting on neurotransmitters that influence mood and behavior

psychodynamic therapies

psychodynamic therapies a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the client reaching self-awareness of unconscious content and childhood experiences, as well as understanding the impact they have on past and present behavior

psychopharmacology

the scientific study of the impact drugs have on psychological disorders

anorexia nervosa

a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss

behavioral model

a scientific approach to psychology concerned only with observable and measurable behavior that can be objectively recorded

binge eating disorder

an eating disorder characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating without accompanying compensatory behaviors

biopsychosocial model

a scientific approach to psychology that considers biological, psychological, and social factors and their complex interactions into understanding the effects on human behavior and mental disorders

bipolar disorder

a mental disorder characterized by alternating periods of extreme highs (mania) and extreme lows (depression)

bulimia nervosa

a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of binge eating and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting

cognitive model

a scientific approach to psychology emphasizing the need to understand the mechanical and internal processes of the mind, in order to better understand abnormal behavior

culture-bound syndromes

disorders that occur in a particular culture and are closely tied to the values of those societies, though the underlying emotions can be felt universally

dangerous behavior

behavior that has serious potential to harm self or others

deviant behavior

behavior that is different from what most people in a person's reference group exhibit

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals

disordered behavior

behavior that causes distress for the person exhibiting it, and/or distress for those around the person

dissociative disorder

a mental disorder characterized by a disruption in consciousness, in which a person seems to experience a sudden loss of memory or change in identity, often as a response to overwhelmingly stressful circumstances

dissociative identity disorder

a dissociative disorder in which two or more distinct identities are thought to alternately control a person's behavior, often a result of severe trauma

dysfunctional behavior

behavior that interferes with a person's ability to perform necessary activities, such as going to work or caring for family members

eating disorder

a mental disorder characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits

generalized anxiety disorder

a mental disorder characterized by tension, excess worry, and a state of physiological arousal that has no specific trigger

hoarding disorder

a mental disorder that is characterized by a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them

major depressive disorder

a mental disorder that is characterized by feelings of extreme unhappiness and hopelessness, which interferes with one's work, sleep, eating, and life

medical model

model that conceptualizes abnormal behavior as the result of physical causes that can be treated through medical means

obsessive-compulsive disorder

a mental disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/ or actions (compulsions)

panic disorder

feelings of tremendous fear, when there is no reasonable causation, and characterized by panic attacks that can last for several minutes or longer

personality disorder

a mental disorder characterized by a maladaptive pattern behaviors and cognitions that often impair the ability to interact successfully in the social environment

phobia

a completely irrational fear toward an object or situation, where the individual only finds peace by avoiding the object

post-traumatic stress disorder

a mental disorder characterized by intrusive memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, hypervigilance, and/or insomnia that lingers for a month or more after experiencing a traumatic event

psychodynamic model

Freudian approach to psychology that interprets personality in terms of conscious and unconscious forces

psychological disorder

a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that are deviant, disordered, dysfunctional, and/ or dangerous

schizophrenia

a chronic and often disabling mental disorder characterized by disorganized and/or delusional thinking, distorted sensory and perceptual experiences, and blunted or inappropriate emotions and behaviors

sociocultural model

an approach to psychology that considers the complex effects social and cultural factors have on individual behavior

substance use disorder

a disorder in which use of one or more substances results in a maladaptive behavior and cognition patterns that often impair judgment, finances, and interpersonal relationships

antidepressants

medications that reduce depression by increasing levels of neurotransmitters associated with positive mood

applied behavior analysis

a treatment approach that replaces undesirable behavior with positive behavior through conditioning, punishment, or reinforcement

client-centered therapy

a type of psychotherapy in which the client is given an accepting, empathetic environment in which to explore and attain personal growth

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a therapeutic technique in which electric currents are sent through the brain to induce a brief seizure, which causes the brain to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)

a technique to help veterans traumatized by their combat experiences

group therapy

a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists work with people/clients as a group

insight therapies

a technique used to help individuals improve functioning through increasing understanding and expression of unresolved conflicts

lobotomy

surgical procedure performed on the brain to help alleviate more severe symptoms of mental illness, such as agitation and aggression

psychoanalysis

a type of therapy that investigates repressed fears and conflicts by bringing them into the conscious mind in order to treat the mental disorder

psychosurgery

surgical procedures performed on the brain in order to alleviate severe symptoms of mental illness that are not responsive to less invasive treatments

attitudes

the emotional and cognitive evaluations that we attach to people, places, objects, and ideas

central route of persuasion

attitude change that is due to a careful weighing and evaluation of arguments and the characteristics of the object or event

confederate

a trained actor that is working with the researchers

correspondence bias

the tendency to believe that people's behavior matches their personal characteristics

explicit social norms

social norms that are formally adopted by a group as written laws, rules, or policies

implicit social norms

expectations and rules governing social behavior that are not part of formally adopted laws, rules, or policies

in-groups

the individuals with whom we directly identify and perceive as most similar to us

out-groups

the individuals with whom we least directly identify and who we perceive to be most dissimilar from us

personal attribution

occurs when we assign the cause of the behavior to something within the individual, such as his or her personality, beliefs, or motivations

self-esteem

our personal view of ourselves

bystander effect

the tendency for the likelihood of receiving help to decrease as the number of people witnessing the emergency increases

cognitive dissonance theory

the tension we experience when our attitudes and behaviors do not match; motivates us to change our attitudes to be more consistent with our behaviors

conformity

the process of adapting our individual behavior to meet the social norms, attitudes, and behaviors of a social group.

diffusion of responsibility

the more people in the group, the less any one person is responsible for the outcome of the situation

fundamental attribution error

the error in which we tend to make more personal attributions than situational attributions when observing others' behavior

informational influence

changes in behavior due to a desire to do what is right in a social setting and to act correctly

normative influence

changes in behavior due to a desire for social approval or to avoid social disapproval

peripheral route of persuasion

attitude change that is due to quick association with positive or negative cues in the environment or the object or event

prejudice

a strong positive or negative attitude toward a group of people that biases the way we think, act, and feel about the members of a particular group

self-fulfilling prophecies

situations where the expectations of an event increase the likelihood of the event occurring, which reinforces the expectation of the event

self-serving bias

we accept our successes as a product of personal characteristics and losses as due to situational variables

situational attribution

occurs when we assign the cause of the behavior to something outside the individual such as the context or other people in the situation

social norms

the rules and expectations of the group concerning the behavior of individual members

social roles

the expected behaviors of individuals with certain characteristics in a social group

stereotypes

the overgeneralized characteristics that we assign to all members of a perceived group

Agreeableness

one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics indicating helpfulness, empathy, and trust

Conscientiousness

one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics indicating a tendency to be organized, careful, and disciplined

Conscious

the part of Freud's structure of mind that is currently accessible

Defense mechanisms

processes by which the ego reduces anxiety

Displacement

a defense mechanism in which unacceptable thoughts or feelings about a person or thing are shifted to a more acceptable person or thing

Ego

the part of Freud's structure of personality that must find a way to act that satisfies basic desires without violating social constraints

Extraversion

one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics indicating where a person gets his or her energy; an extravert feels 'recharged' by social interaction whereas an introvert feels recharged by being alone

Humanistic theorists

psychologists that choose to focus on the potential for positive growth and achievement in an individual rather than the individual's deficits

Id

the part of Freud's structure of personality that houses primitive desires

Locus of control

the perceived source of control in an individual's life that results in the attribution of events to circumstances either within or beyond the individual's control

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

the most widely-used objective personality inventory, primarily utilized to help diagnose psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MTBI)

a Jungian personality test that has been used in team building, leadership training, personality development, and marriage counseling

Neuroticsm

one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics indicating a tendency toward anxiety and insecurity

Objective personality tests

a self-report questionnaire that clearly asks about a wide range of behaviors and feelings and assesses several traits at once

Observational learning

learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others; modeling

Openness

one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics indicating a willingness to try new experiences

Person-situation controversy

a person's behavior is different in different situations

Personality

a person's relatively consistent pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving

Pleasure principle

the driving force of the id, which constantly seeks gratification of basic desires

Preconscious

the part of Freud's structure of mind that is accessible but not currently conscious

Projection

a defense mechanism in which unwanted thoughts or feelings are assigned to another person

Projective personality tests

assessment instruments based on the psychodynamic perspective that are sensitive to the examiner's beliefs and are a way to examine the unconscious

Psychic determinism

point of view stating that past experiences influence the present state of mind and that nothing happens by chance