exam Monday

Psychology

The scientific study of mind and behavior.

Structuralism

A school of thought that breaks consciousness into its parts, associated with Wundt.

Functionalism

A school of thought that focuses on the purpose of behaviors, associated with James.

Behaviorism

A school of thought that studies only observable behavior, represented by Watson and Skinner.

Psychoanalysis

A theory by Freud that emphasizes the role of unconscious drives in behavior.

Humanism

A perspective that suggests people strive for growth, associated with Rogers and Maslow.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Neuron

A nerve cell that transmits messages; key parts include dendrite, axon, and synapse.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter involved in movement and reward; too much can lead to schizophrenia.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects mood and sleep; low levels can lead to depression.

Frontal lobe

The brain region associated with decision-making.

Amygdala

The brain region that processes emotions such as fear and anger.

Hippocampus

The area of the brain involved in memory.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain responsible for balance.

Absolute threshold

The smallest detectable stimulus.

Difference threshold

The minimum difference in stimulation that a person can detect 50% of the time, also known as just noticeable difference (JND).

Sensory adaptation

The reduced sensitivity to constant stimuli over time.

Sleep Stages

Stages of sleep including deep sleep stages 1-4 and REM where dreams occur.

Sleep Disorders

Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy that affect sleep quality.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process through association, famously demonstrated by Pavlov's dogs.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs by watching others, as shown in Bandura's Bobo doll experiment.

Encoding (Memory)

The process of getting information into memory.

Decoding (Memory)

The process of retrieving information from memory.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to focus on information that confirms one’s existing beliefs.

Generational Intelligence (g factor)

Spearman's concept of general intelligence.

Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's theory that proposes different forms of intelligence exist.

Big Five Personality Traits

A model describing five key dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, used for diagnosing psychological disorders.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A type of therapy that aims to change both thoughts and behaviors.

Conformity

The adjustment of behavior or thinking to align with a group standard.

Obedience

The compliance with directions from an authority figure.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable attitude toward a group that can result in discrimination.