AP Psych 200 Term List

acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

activation synthesis

the idea that dreams are the result of the cerebral cortex interpreting and organizing random flashes of brain activity, originating in the lower brain structures, especially the pons

algorithm

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem.

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

antagonists

drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter

antisocial personality disorder

a personality disorder in which a person exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist

aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).

aptitude tests

tests designed to predict a person's future performance

assimilation vs. accomodation

updating your schemes vs building/changing your schemes

attachment contact comfort

hypothesized that animals/humans need warmth, comfort as a primary need

authoritarian vs. authoritative parenting

Authoritarian: The bad one with harshness and expected obidience; Authoritative: the reasonable rational one with mediation, communication and warmth

autism spectrum disorder

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

availability heuristic

making a decision based on the answer that most easily comes to mind

basilar membrane

a structure in the inner ear that undulates when vibrations from the ossicles reach the cochlear fluid

behavioral approach

in personality theory, this perspective focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development

belief perserverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited

benzodiazepines

drugs that lower anxiety and reduce stress

big five traits

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

biofeedback

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

biomedical approach

an approach to psychological disorders that considers only pathophysiological causes and offers pharmaceutical and medical solutions for symptom alleviation

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social

bipolar disorder

mood disorder in one experiences both manic and depressed episodes

blindspot

The area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves. It has no rods or cones so cannot detect light.

borderline personality disorder

condition marked by extreme instability in mood, identity, and impulse control

bottom up processing

the analysis of the smaller features to build up to a complete perception

broaden and build theory

theory proposing that happiness predisposes us to think more openly

central and peripheral route to persuasion

Central route to persuasion occurs when a person is persuaded by the content of the message. Peripheral route to persuasion occurs when a person is persuaded by something other than the message's content.

cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

chronosystem

historical changes that influence the other systems

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

client centered therapy

developed by Carl Rogers, this humanistic therapy includes unconditional positive regard

cochlea

a coiled, bony, fluid

cognitive approach

An approach to psychology emphasizing the mental processes involved in knowing: how we direct our attention, perceive, remember, think, and solve problems.

cognitive behavioral therapy

a popular integrative therapy that combines cognitive therapy (changing self

concrete operational

thinking logically about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations

cones/rods

The first layer of cells is directly activated by light. ___ cells are activated by color, _____ are cells that respond to black and white.

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

confounding variables

factors that cause differences between the experimental group and the control group other than the independent variable

conservation

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

control group

the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

convenience sampling

choosing individuals who are easiest to reach

critical and sensitive periods

developmental peak and gradual decline in ability to benefit from necessary experience

deindividuation

the loss of self awareness and self restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity

diffusion of responsibility

the tendency for individuals to feel diminished responsibility for their actions when they are surrounded by others who are acting the same way

discrimination

in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

disorganized

type of schizophrenia in which behavior is bizarre and childish and thinking, speech, and motor actions are very disordered

displacement

psychoanalytic defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person, as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet

display rules

cross

dispositional attributions

attributions that explain someone's behavior in terms of factors internal to the person, such as traits or preferences

dissociative identity disorder

disorder occurring when a person seems to have two or more distinct personalities within one body

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

argues that delusions, halucinations, and agitation associated with schizophrenia arise from either too much dopamine or from oversensitivity to dopamine in the brain

double blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug

drive reduction theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

echoic memory

a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds

eclectic approach

an approach to psychotherapy that, depending on the client's problems, uses techniques from various forms of therapy

egocentrism

the inability to see the world through anyone else's eyes

ego defense mechanisms

largely unconscious distortions of thoughts or perceptions that act to reduce anxiety

emotional stability

the extent to which people feel secure and unworried and how likely they are to experience negative emotions under pressure

emotion focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

endorphins

"morphine within", natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

epinephrine

Neurotransmitter secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. Also known as adrenaline.

episodic memory

the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place

eustress

positive stress

evolutionary approach

An approach to psychology centered on evolutionary ideas such as adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection as the basis for explaining specific human behaviors.

exosystem

social settings that a person may not experience firsthand but that still influence development

exposure therapy

therapy that confronts clients with what they fear with the goal of reducing the fear

extraversion

dimension of personality referring to one's need to be with other people

extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation

extrinsic: behaving in a way to gain rewards and avoid punishments (eg studying in order to get a good grade…); intrinsic: performing at your best for its own sake (eg studying because youre genuinely interested in the topic)

facial feedback

the effect of facial expressions on experienced emotions, as when a facial expression of anger or happiness intensifies feelings of anger or happiness

fluid vs crystallized intelligence

Fluid intelligence is defined as the ability to solve new problems, use logic in new situations, and identify patterns. In contrast, crystallized intelligence is defined as the ability to use learned knowledge and experience.

fovea

the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster

framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

fundamental attribution error

the tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

general adaptation syndrome

alarm, resistance, exhaustion

generalization

the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses

generalized anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

generativity and stagnation

7th stage in Erikson's model; in middle age, adults must discover a sense of contributing to the world or they may feel a lack of purpose

g factor

general intelligence

ghrelin

A hunger arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach

gratitude

appreciation, thankfulness

gross motor coordination

using large muscle groups for controlled, goal directed movements

group polarization

the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

group think

the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

hawthorne effect

A change in a subject's behavior caused simply by the awareness of being studied

hindsight bias

A change in a subject's behavior caused simply by the awareness of being studied

humanist approach

a psychology perspective that adopts a holistic approach to human existence through investigations of meaning, values, freedom, tragedy, personal responsibility, human potential, spirituality, and self actualization

hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

implicit memory

retention independent of conscious recollection

industry and inferiority

age 6 to puberty, elementary school, learn the pleasures of applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior

informational vs normative social influence

Normative Influence is conformity based on one's desire to fulfill others' expectations and gain acceptance. Informational influence is conformity under acceptance of evidence about reality which has been provided by others

in group vs out group bias

Tendency to judge the behavior of members of your group favorably and other group members unfavorably

initiative vs guilt

Erikson's third stage in which the child finds independence in planning, playing and other activities

insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

instinctive drift

the tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns

integrity and despair

8th stage in Erikson's model; when reflecting at the end of life, an older adult must feel a sense of satisfaction or experience despair (feelings of having wasted one's life)

interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs