AP Psychology - Princeton Review Unit 5 Key Terms

Stressors

Events or conditions that trigger stress responses in individuals, such as life changes, environmental factors, or daily hassles.

Eustress

A positive form of stress that can motivate individuals and help them achieve their goals, often associated with feelings of excitement or fulfillment.

Distress

A negative form of stress that can lead to anxiety, decreased performance, and various health issues, often resulting from overwhelming or unpleasant challenges.

Transient

stress that is temporary and usually resolves quickly, often related to specific situations or events.

Chronic

stress that persists over a long period of time, often resulting from ongoing challenges or pressures, and can lead to serious health problems.

General Adaptation Syndrome

A three-stage response to stress described by Hans Selye, consisting of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages as the body attempts to adapt.

Alarm

the first stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome where the body perceives a stressor and initiates a fight-or-flight response. During this stage, adrenaline is released, preparing the body to respond.

Corticosterone

A steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to stress, playing a role in the stress response and influencing metabolism.

Resistance

the second stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome where the body adapts to the ongoing stressor, maintaining high levels of alertness and physiological responses to cope with the stress.

Exhaustion

the final stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome where the body's resources are depleted, leading to reduced ability to cope with stress and increased vulnerability to illness or fatigue.

Tend and Befriend Theory

A theory suggesting that in response to stress, women are more likely to protect and care for their offspring and seek social support, contrasting with the fight-or-flight response.

Problem-Focused Theory

A coping strategy aimed at tackling the source of stress directly, involving problem-solving and active efforts to change the situation.

Emotion-Focused Coping

A coping strategy that involves managing emotional responses to stress rather than addressing the source of the stress directly, often through avoidance, distraction, or seeking emotional support.

Gratitude

A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation, often resulting in a positive emotional state. It can enhance well-being and foster social connections.

Signature Strengths

Positive traits or abilities that individuals exhibit consistently, often used to enhance well-being and personal development.

Post-Traumatic Growth

The positive psychological change that occurs as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances, leading to personal development and a greater appreciation for life.

Disordered Behavior

Behavior that deviates from societal norms and interferes with daily functioning, often associated with mental health disorders.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

A comprehensive classification system used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders based on specific criteria and symptoms.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (OCD)

A global standard for the classification and diagnosis of mental health conditions, used by health professionals worldwide to address mental disorders across various cultures.

Eclectic Approach

A therapeutic approach that combines techniques and perspectives from different psychological schools of thought to address the unique needs of individuals.

Psychoanalytic School

An approach to psychology that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences on behavior and mental processes, often involving techniques like free association and dream analysis.

Humanistic School

A psychological approach that emphasizes personal growth, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people. It focuses on individual potential and stresses the importance of being true to oneself.

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological viewpoint that focuses on mental processes such as perception, memory, thought, and problem-solving, emphasizing how people understand and interpret their experiences.

Behavior Approach

A psychological perspective that studies observable behaviors and the ways they're learned through conditioning and reinforcement. It disregards internal mental states, focusing solely on responses to stimuli.

Biological View

A perspective in psychology that emphasizes the influence of biological processes on behavior, including genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry.

Sociocultural Approach

A psychological perspective that examines how social and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes, including norms, values, and customs that shape individual experiences.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological approach that focuses on how evolutionary principles, such as natural selection, shape behaviors, mental processes, and traits that enhance survival and reproduction.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

A psychological model that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors to understand behavior and mental processes, emphasizing the interplay between these dimensions.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A psychological theory that suggests mental disorders develop from the interaction between a pre-existing vulnerability (diathesis) and stressful life events. It emphasizes that both genetic predispositions and environmental factors contribute to the onset of psychological conditions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. It encompasses a wide range of symptoms and levels of functioning.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder marked by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development.

Schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thought, perception, emotions, and behavior. Individuals with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations, delusions, and impaired functioning in daily life.

Delusions

False beliefs that are strongly held despite contrary evidence. They can manifest in various forms such as paranoia or grandiosity.

Hallucinations

Sensory experiences without external stimuli, often occurring in schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

Disorganized Thinking

A symptom of schizophrenia involving incoherent or illogical thought processes, which can lead to disorganized speech and behavior. Individuals may struggle to express themselves clearly or follow a logical sequence in conversation.

Disorganized Speech

A symptom often associated with schizophrenia, characterized by fragmented or nonsensical speech patterns that disrupt communication. Individuals may fail to stay on topic or respond appropriately to questions.

Positive Symptoms

Symptoms of schizophrenia that reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions, such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thoughts.

Negative Symptoms

The absence or reduction of normal emotional responses or behaviors, often seen in schizophrenia. This can include lack of motivation, reduced emotional expression, and social withdrawal.

Catatonia

A state of unresponsiveness or abnormal motor behavior, often seen in schizophrenia or other severe mental disorders, where individuals may exhibit immobility, excessive movement, or bizarre postures.

Dopamine Hypothesis

The theory suggesting that schizophrenia may be linked to an overactivity of dopamine neurotransmission in certain brain regions, contributing to symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.

Major Depressive Disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in most activities, often accompanied by changes in sleep, appetite, and energy levels.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic form of depression characterized by a low mood lasting for at least two years, often accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, changes in appetite, and low self-esteem.

Bipolar Disorder I

A mental health condition characterized by extreme mood swings, including manic episodes that may last for at least seven days or be so severe that hospitalization is required, often alternating with depressive episodes.

Bipolar Disorder II

A mental health condition involving episodes of depression and hypomania, which are less severe than the manic episodes seen in Bipolar Disorder I.

Panic Disorder

A type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden periods of intense fear or discomfort, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

Panic Attacks

Sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort, often leading to physical symptoms and feelings of losing control.

Atque de Nervios

A condition characterized by intense emotional distress and anxiety, often manifesting in physical symptoms or episodes of panic.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A common anxiety disorder marked by excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life, including work, health, and social interactions, often accompanied by physical symptoms like fatigue and restlessness.

Specific Phobias

A type of anxiety disorder characterized by an excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that leads to avoidance behavior.

Agoraphobia

An intense fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable, often leading to avoidance of certain places or situations.

Social Anxiety

A fear of social situations where one may be judged or evaluated by others, leading to significant anxiety and avoidance of social interactions.

Taijin Kyofusho

A form of social anxiety prevalent in Japan, characterized by the intense fear of offending others or causing social discomfort through one's appearance or behavior.

Obsessions

Recurrent, intrusive thoughts or impulses that cause significant anxiety or distress.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared event, often in response to obsessions.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A mental health disorder characterized by persistent obsessions and compulsions that interfere with daily functioning.

Hoarding Disorder

A condition where individuals have persistent difficulty discarding possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts living spaces and daily activities.

Derealization

A dissociative symptom where individuals feel detached from their surroundings, as if the world is unreal or dreamlike.

Depersonalization

A dissociative symptom in which individuals feel disconnected from their own thoughts, body, or sense of self, often experiencing themselves as if they are observing from outside their body.

Dissociative Amnesia

A condition characterized by an inability to recall important personal information, usually following a traumatic or stressful event, which cannot be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

Fugue

a subtype of dissociative amnesia characterized by sudden travel away from home or customary work locations, inability to recall one's past, and confusion about personal identity.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A severe form of dissociative disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities within an individual, often stemming from traumatic experiences.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A mental health condition that is triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, leading to flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, leading to severe food restriction and a significantly low body weight. Individuals may also exhibit a distorted body image.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder marked by episodes of binge eating followed by purging, such as vomiting or excessive exercise, often associated with a preoccupation with body shape and weight.

Purging

A behavior used by individuals with bulimia nervosa to compensate for overeating, which may include self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or the misuse of laxatives.

Cluster A

A group of personality disorders characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors, including paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others, often interpreting their motives as malevolent.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A personality disorder marked by a lack of interest in social relationships, emotional coldness, and a tendency to lead a solitary lifestyle.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by acute discomfort in close relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and eccentric behavior.

Cluster B

A group of personality disorders characterized by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behavior, including antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A personality disorder marked by pervasive patterns of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others. Individuals often display deceitfulness, impulsivity, and a lack of remorse for their actions.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotions, along with marked impulsivity.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior, including a constant need for approval, dramatic expressions of emotion, and often flirtatious or seductive behavior.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others, often marked by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and preoccupation with fantasies of success.

Cluster C

A cluster of personality disorders in the DSM-5 characterized primarily by anxiety and fear, including Avoidant Personality Disorder, Dependent Personality Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, leading to avoidance of social interactions.

Dependent Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive behavior and fears of separation. Individuals with this disorder often rely heavily on others for decision-making and fear abandonment.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

A personality disorder marked by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control, often at the expense of flexibility and efficiency. Individuals may be excessively devoted to work and productivity, with a rigid adherence to rules and order.

Psychosurgery

A surgical procedure that involves the destruction of brain tissue to alleviate severe mental disorders, often used when other treatments have failed.

Prefrontal Lobotomy

A form of psychosurgery that involves severing connections in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, historically used to treat severe psychiatric conditions.

Insight

The awareness and understanding of one's own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, often leading to personal growth and resolution of psychological issues.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud that focuses on uncovering unconscious motives and conflicts through techniques such as free association, dream analysis, and transference.

Dream Interpretation

A technique in psychoanalysis where therapists analyze dreams to uncover unconscious thoughts and feelings, providing insight into the dreamer's psyche.

Free Association

A psychoanalytic technique in which patients express their thoughts and feelings freely without censorship, allowing therapists to explore the unconscious mind.

Personal-Centered Therapy

A humanistic therapeutic approach developed by Carl Rogers that emphasizes the importance of the therapist's empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness in facilitating client self-discovery and personal growth.

Active Listening

A communication technique used in therapy where the therapist fully concentrates, understands, responds, and remembers what the client says, fostering a supportive environment for effective dialogue.

Genuineness

The quality of being authentic and sincere in therapy, allowing clients to feel understood and valued, which enhances the therapeutic relationship.

Unconditional Positive Regard

A core concept in humanistic psychology, particularly in Carl Rogers' approach, that involves accepting and valuing a client without conditions or judgments, fostering a safe environment for personal growth.

Cognitive Therapy

A type of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and beliefs to improve emotional regulation and behavior.

Cognitive Triad

A concept in cognitive therapy that refers to the three components of negative thinking patterns: negative views about the self, negative views about the world, and negative views about the future.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that combines individual therapy with group skills training, emphasizing the development of mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A type of psychotherapy that integrates cognitive and behavioral techniques to change negative thought patterns and behaviors, often used to treat anxiety and depression.

Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) / Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)

A form of cognitive therapy developed by Albert Ellis that focuses on identifying and changing irrational beliefs, aiming to reduce emotional distress and promote healthier thinking patterns.

Behavioral Therapy

A therapeutic approach that focuses on modifying unhealthy behaviors through various techniques such as reinforcement, conditioning, and exposure. It is often used to address issues like anxiety, phobias, and addiction.

Aversion Therapy

A behavioral treatment that involves exposing a patient to a stimulus while simultaneously presenting some form of discomfort, aiming to elicit an aversion response to the stimulus.

Systemic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce anxiety responses to a feared stimulus by gradually exposing the patient to the stimulus while teaching relaxation techniques.

Applied Behavioral Analysis

A structured method of behavior modification that uses principles of operant conditioning to teach new skills and reduce problematic behaviors, commonly used in treating autism spectrum disorders.

Biofeedback

A technique that teaches individuals to control physiological functions through real-time feedback, often used to manage stress and anxiety.

Hypnosis

A state of focused attention and increased suggestibility, often used for therapeutic purposes to address various psychological issues or behaviors.

Group Therapy

A form of psychotherapy in which a small group of individuals meets regularly to discuss and address their issues under the guidance of a therapist, promoting support and shared experiences among members.