Intro to Psychology Final

Autism Spectrum Disorder A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and rigid/repetitive behavior
Bipolar I Disorder a disorder characterized by the presence of a manic episode
Compulsion repetitive behaviors or mental acts which temporarily reduce the anxiety associated with an obsession
Delusion fixed belief that is not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)guide which specifies the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
Dissociative Identity Disorder a disorder in which a person experiences two or more distinct personality states, indicated by changes in affect, behavior, perception, etc.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder a disorder characterized by excessive anxiety and worry
Hallucination a sensory perception in the absence of any external stimulus
Major Depressive Disorder a disorder characterized by the presence of a depressive episode
Manic episode a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated mood and abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy
Medical model of mental illness the view thatmental illness is a physical disorder requiring medical treatment
Moral model of mental illness the view that mental illness is caused by something the person has done
Obsession recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are unwanted and cause distress, and which the person tries to ignore or suppress
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder a disorder characterized by the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both
Panic attack an abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and during which th eperson experiences symptoms such as pounding heart, sweating, feeling of choking, etc.
Panic disorder a disorder characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, persistent concern about additional attacks or their consequences, and a significant maladaptive change in behavior related to the attacks.
Personality Disorder category of disorders which are characterized by impairment in personality functioning, interpersonal functioning, and by the presence of pathological personality traits
Phobia a significant fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder a disorder in which a person experiences significant psychological and behavioral problems associated with a traumatic event
Psychopathology a mental illness
Psychosis a loss of contact with reality
Schizophrenia a disorder characterized by the presence of psychosis

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy therapy focused on increasing
acceptance of negative thoughts and behaviors while also clarifying and increasing
commitment to values
Action-focused therapies psychotherapy approaches focused on changing the disordered behavior and thoughts
All-or-nothing thinking (maladaptive thinking) a pattern of thinking in which a person classifies things as only “good” or “bad”
Behavioral rehearsal a therapeutic technique in which the client role-plays with a therapist to learn and practice new skills
Cognitive-behavioral therapy therapies focused on changing maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, and feelings (cognitions) and maladaptive behaviors
Electroconvulsive therapy therapeutic technique in which patients receive brief electrical pulses to the brain, producing a seizure
Exposure therapy therapy for fear/anxiety in which the person is exposed to the feared stimulus
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapytherapy in which a person engages in
bilateral stimulation while recounting traumatic memories
Gestalt therapy therapeutic approach focused on gaining insight into a person’s current experiences and on the individual as a whole
Humanistic therapy therapeutic approach focused on helping clients gain awareness and acceptance and to live fully in the present
Insight therapies psychotherapy approaches focused on gaining understanding and self-awareness
Nonspecific factors aspects of a treatment that are beneficial beyond the specific therapeutic techniques
Overgeneralization (maladaptive thinking) a pattern of thinking in which a person applies a single event to all other situations
Person-centered therapy therapeutic approach that is
nondirective and is centered on the client’s goals and ways of solving problems
Pharmacotherapy the use of medications to treat psychological problems
Psychoanalytic therapy therapeutic approach focused on the influence of unconscious forces and childhood traumas on the mental life and adjustment of the individual
Psychosurgery the use of brain surgery to treat psychological problems
Psychotherapy psychological intervention designed to help people resolve emotional, behaviors, and interpersonal problems and to improve the quality of their lives
Reflective listening a therapist rephrases what the client is saying, instead of directing or interpreting the client’s thoughts
Selective perception (maladaptive thinking) a pattern of thinking in which a person tends to focus on negative events and ignore positive events
Systematic desensitization gradual exposure occurs from the least frightening stimulus to the most frightening stimulus
Transference in psychoanalytic therapy, the process in which the client projects intense, unrealistic feelings from the past onto the therapist
Unconditional positive regard nonjudgmental acceptance of all client feelings