Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

the Australian Indigenous population, which includes Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islander peoples and people who have both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage; the term ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ encompasses all three

Abstract

a section of a scientific report that is a concise summary of the whole investigation

Accuracy

how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured

Acquired

present after brain injury or a significant psychological event

Acquisition

the process during which an organism learns to associate two events (the neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus)

Acronym

an abbreviation formed from the first letter of each word and pronounced as a single word

Acrostic

a phrase (or poem) in which the first letter of each word functions as a cue to help with recall

Acute stress

stress that usually occurs because of a sudden threat and only lasts for a short time

Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder (ASPD)

a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterised by an advance in the timing of sleep onset and awakening compared to the timing that is desired

Affective functioning

a person’s experience of their emotions

After conditioning

the final stage of classical conditioning

Agonist

a type of drug that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter that binds to the same receptor by stopping the presynaptic neuron from firing

Alarm reaction stage

the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which we first become aware of the stressor; it consists of two phases – shock and countershock

Allocation

dividing a sample into groups in an investigation

Altered state of consciousness

any state that differs in awareness when compared to normal waking consciousness

Alzheimer’s disease

a neurodegenerative disease characterised by the progressive deterioration of brain neurons, causing memory loss, decline in cognitive and social skills and personality changes

Amnesia

a permanent or temporary, complete or partial loss of memory

Amygdala

a structure located deep in the temporal midbrain; involved in emotional reactions and formation of emotional memories particularly relating to fear

Amyloid plaque

an abnormal build-up of beta-amyloid proteins between the synapses of neurons that interfere with communication

Anecdote

a short personal account of an event

Antecedent

an environmental stimulus that triggers an action

Anterograde amnesia

the inability to form new explicit long-term memories after an amnesia-causing event

Anxiety

an emotion akin to worrying and uneasiness that something is wrong or something bad is going to happen, usually accompanied by physiological signs

Aphantasia

the inability to visualise imagery

Appraisal

the process of categorising an event on the basis of its perceived significance and how it may affect our wellbeing

Gallagher et al
Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Benign/positive

describes a situation or event that is perceived as having a positive outcome for an individual, i.e. it either maintains (benign) or enhances their wellbeing (positive)

Benzodiazepine

a type of agonist drug that works on the central nervous system to make the post- synaptic neuron less likely to fire, which regulates anxiety

Between subjects design

an investigation design in which participants are randomly allocated to either the control or the experimental condition

Biological factor

a factor that relates to the physiological functioning of the body

Biological intervention

a treatment targeting physiological mechanisms believed to contribute to a condition

Biological risk factor

a factor that relates to the physiological functioning of the body, and may contribute to mental disorders

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

the percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream

Blue light

a part of the visible light spectrum that is emitted from smartphone screens, computer monitors, televisions, LED and fluorescent light bulbs, as well as sunlight

Brain

a complex structure that receives and processes sensory stimuli from the body and coordinates responses, including voluntary movements, emotions and conscious thought

Brain atrophy

the loss of neurons within the brain

Brain scan

an examination of the brain that shows brain activity and tissues that cannot be detected otherwise

Breathing retraining

an anxiety management technique that involves teaching someone with a specific phobia how to control their breathing in the presence of their phobic stimulus

Bright light therapy

a therapy to treat a sleep disorder in which the person is exposed to a bright light to reset the sleep–wake cycle

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Approach strategy

an effort to confront a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects

Attention

the first stage in observational learning, when the learner actively watches the model’s behaviour and the consequences

Autobiographical memory

a memory system consisting of episodes recollected from an individual's life, based on a combination of episodic and semantic memory

Autonomic nervous system

a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s internal environment in an autonomous or self- regulated manner

Avoidance behaviour

actions a person takes to escape from difficult thoughts and feelings

Avoidance strategy

an effort to avoid a stressor and not deal directly with it and its effects

Bar chart

a way to display data with discrete categories

Basal ganglia

a group of structures deep within the cerebral hemispheres; involved in motor movement, procedural memory and learning

Before conditioning

the first stage of classical conditioning; at this stage no learning has occurred

Behaviour

any observable action by an organism

Behavioural functioning

a person’s observable actions

Behaviourist approach

an approach to learning that states that behaviours are learned through interactions with the environment

Behavioural model

phobias are learned through experience and may be developed, sustained or modified
by environmental consequences such as rewards or punishments

Beneficence

an ethical concept involving the commitment to maximising benefits and minimising risks and harms

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

a common intervention consisting of a range of cognitive and behavioural therapies and learning principles to help people identify and change unhelpful thought processes, feelings and behaviours to more helpful ones

Cognitive bias

the tendency to think in a way that involves errors of judgement and faulty decision-making

Cognitive functioning

a person’s mental processing

Cognitive model

a model that describes how people’s perceptions of situations influence their emotional and behavioural reactions

Community

a group of people who live in the same location or who share an interest or characteristic in common, and who interact or have the potential to interact

Conclusion

a statement about the findings of a study, which addresses the aim and hypothesis

Conditioned response (CR)

a learned behaviour that is similar to the unconditioned response and is now triggered by the conditioned stimulus as a result of conditioning

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

a stimulus that was previously neutral but now, as a result of repeated associations with the unconditioned stimulus, produces a conditioned response

Conditioning

the learning process by which the behaviour of an organism becomes dependent on an event occurring in its environment

Confidentiality

an ethical guideline that ensures participants remain anonymous, and their personal information is kept private, protected and secure throughout the study

Confounding variable

an unwanted variable that has affected the results of an investigation

Congenital

present from birth

Connection to Country

Indigenous ways of knowing are known to be rooted with deep respect for the ecology and the importance of the connected relationship with the land

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Capacity

the amount of information held within a memory store

Case study

a type of investigation of a particular activity, behaviour, event or problem that contains
a real or hypothetical situation and includes real-world complexities

Catastrophic thinking

a cognitive bias that involves overestimating and exaggerating the worst possible outcomes to situations even though they are unlikely to occur

Central nervous system (CNS)

the brain and the spinal cord; processes and coordinates responses to sensory stimuli

Cerebellum

a cauliflower-shaped structure at the base of the brain; coordinates timing and fluency of movements; encodes and temporarily stores implicit memories of simple conditioned reflexes

Cerebral cortex

a thin, outer layer of the brain; involved in complex mental abilities, sensory processing, voluntary movements and storage of explicit memories

Challenge

the perceived potential for personal gain or growth from an event

Chronic stress

stress that lasts for a long time

Circadian rhythm

biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a 24-hour period

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders

a category of sleep disorders in which
sleep is disrupted because the circadian rhythm and a person’s sleep–wake schedule are misaligned

Classical conditioning

a simple form of learning that occurs through repeated associations between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response

Classification and identification

a type of investigation that involves
arranging phenomena, objects or events
into manageable sets, and recognising phenomena as belonging to a particular set or part of a new or unique set

Cortisol

a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that regulates a wide range of bodily processes, including metabolism, and is released in response to stress

Countershock

the second phase of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor rises above normal

Cultural continuity

the ability to preserve the historical traditions of a culture and carry them forward with that culture into the future

Cultural determinants of wellbeing

cultural factors that influence health and wellbeing

Culture

a way of life that is shared and learned

Daylight

all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime

Debriefing

an ethical guideline involving provision of information to participants at the end of the study, including the true aims, results and conclusions, and answering any questions, clarifying misunderstandings or deception, and providing support to ensure no lasting harm

Decay

the fading away of information in short-term memory when not maintained by rehearsal

Deception in research

an ethical guideline involving withholding the true nature of the study from participants, when their knowledge of the true purpose may affect their behaviour and subsequent validity of the investigation

Declarative memory

an explicit long-term memory of specific facts and events, most of which can be stated or ‘declared’

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)

a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterised by a delay in the timing of sleep onset and awakening compared with the timing that is desired

Dementia

a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Consciousness

the awareness of your own internal mental processes, including your thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions, and your awareness of the external world around you

Conscious response

any response of the nervous system that requires awareness

Consequence

something that makes a behaviour more or less likely to occur again

Consolidation

the process by which a temporary memory is transformed into a more stable, long-lasting form

Context-specific effectiveness

when a coping strategy matches or is appropriate to the stressful situation

Contradictory data

data that appears incorrect

Control group

the group that forms a baseline level to compare the experimental group with

Controlled experiment

an experimental investigation of the relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent variable, in which all other variables are controlled

Controlled variable

a variable that is held constant to ensure that the only influence on the dependent variable is the independent variable

Coping

all the things we do to manage and reduce the stress we experience

Coping flexibility

the ability to modify our coping strategies to adapt and meet the demands of different stressful situations

Coping strategy

a method that we use to manage or reduce the stress produced by a stressor

Correlational study

a type of investigation that involves planned observation and recording of events and behaviours that have not been manipulated or controlled to understand the relationships or associations existing between variables, to identify which factors may be of greater importance, and to make predictions

Emotional wellbeing

relates to the ability to feel a range of emotions and express them in a positive way

Encoding

converting sensory information into a useable from that can be processed by the brain

Enteric nervous system (ENS)

a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system; it consists of nerve cells lining the gastrointestinal tract and controls the digestive system

Episodic future thinking

projecting yourself forwards in time to pre-experience an event that might happen in your personal future

Episodic memory

the declarative memory of personally experienced events

Ethical concepts

general ethical considerations used to analyse the ethical and moral aspects of conduct surrounding psychological issues and psychological investigations

Ethical guidelines

guidelines that ensure the protection and welfare of all participants in research

Evidence

a verified fact

Evidence-based intervention

a treatment shown to be effective in valid and reliable research studies

Excitatory effect

the increased likelihood that the post- synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Exhaustion stage

the third stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the continued depletion of energy stores and high levels of hormones such as cortisol decrease resistance to the stressor and impair the immune system

Experimental group

the group that is exposed to the independent variable and receives the experimental treatment

Explicit memory

information that can be consciously retrieved and stated, such as ‘known facts’

External factor

a factor that influences mental wellbeing and originates from outside a person, such as the physical and social environment

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Dendritic spine

a dendrite fibre that grows by sprouting on the post-synaptic neuron

Dependent variable

the variable that is being measured by the researcher

Discussion section

a section of a scientific report or poster that analyses the findings and concludes the research

Disorganised insecure attachment

occurs when a child does not receive consistent care or emotional support from a primary caregiver early in life; leads to inconsistent behaviour being displayed towards this caregiver by the child

Displacement

adding new single items to short-term memory by pushing out old items

Dopamine

a multifunctional neurotransmitter with both excitatory and inhibitory effects, that is involved in many central nervous system functions such as movement, pleasure, attention, mood, cognition and motivation

Dreaming

a guide to life and living; Dreaming is not just stories, it is art, songs, dance; it is written into the land itself

Duration

the length of time information is held within a memory store

During conditioning

the second stage of classical conditioning, in which learning occurs through association

Dysfunctional GABA system

a failure to produce, release or receive the correct amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid

Electroencephalography (EEG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain

Electromyography (EMG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the skeletal muscles

Electro-oculography (EOG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the muscles controlling the eyes

Gut

the gastrointestinal tract or long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus

Gut–brain axis (GBA)

the connection between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, that enables bidirectional communication between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract

Gut microbiota

the microbe population in the gut (digestive system)

Harm/loss

the damage to the individual that has already occurred as a result of a stressor

High level of functioning

the ability to carry out a wide range of daily activities, attend to self-care, maintain interpersonal relationships and demonstrate resilience in the face of everyday challenges

Hippocampus

a structure in the temporal midbrain; involved in formation of long-term explicit memories and their transfer to the cerebral cortex
for storage

Hyperventilation

rapid, shallow breathing

Hypnogram

a line graph that represents the stages of sleep plotted against time

Hypothesis

a statement predicting the probable outcomes of an investigation

Implications

the impact a study might have on the population, relevant theory and future research

Implicit memory

memory not requiring conscious retrieval, such as ‘how to’ skills

Incomplete data

data that has elements missing

Independent variable

the variable that is being manipulated (controlled, selected or changed) by the researcher

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

External stressor

a cause of stress that originates from outside an individual, such as an event or environmental extreme

External validity

whether the results of research can be applied to similar individuals in a different setting

Extraneous variable

a variable other than the independent variable that may have an unwanted effect on the dependent variable and results of an investigation

Fear hierarchy

a list of anxiety-inducing experiences relating to the patient's phobia, in order of from easiest to confront, to the most difficult
to confront

Fieldwork

a type of investigation that involves collecting information through observing and interacting with a selected environment

Filigree appendage

a fibre that grows by sprouting from the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron

First Nations

Indigenous people of Australia; or First Peoples

Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response

an automatic biological response to a perceived stressor that increases our chances of survival in our environment

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, associated with anxiety, specific phobias and Parkinson’s disease

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

a biological model of stress that proposes we have a non-specific biological response to stress that occurs in three stages

Genetic vulnerability

an increased likelihood that a person will develop a particular mental disorder because of their DNA

Glutamate

the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, involved with learning and memory

Investigation question

the question that is to be solved by a study

Irrelevant

describes a situation or event that has no implications for an individual’s wellbeing because nothing will be gained or lost, or they are not invested in the situation

Justice

an ethical concept involving fair consideration of competing claims, no unfair burden on a particular group, and fair access to benefits of an action

Kinaesthetic

to do with body movement or sensation

Learner

the individual who observes, remembers and initiates the actions of the model

Learning

the process of acquiring knowledge or skills resulting from experience; there are many approaches

Learning map

images or visuals used to map out processes for learners

Lesion

a damaged or abnormal area of the brain that might appear like a scar or wound

Life span

the period of time a person is alive

Life stressor

an everyday or conceivable event, such as a relationship breakdown, work challenge or failing a test

Limitations of conclusions

the faults or flaws in the design of an investigation that may limit the conclusions of that investigation

Line graph

a way to display numerical and continuous data

Literature review

a type of investigation that involves collating and analysing secondary data findings
and viewpoints

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Indigenous

First Australians and First Peoples of any country

Induced altered state of consciousness

an altered state of consciousness that has been brought about on purpose

Informed consent procedures

an ethical guideline conducted before a study begins – participants agree to participate after they have received all the details of the study, including the purpose, procedures and potential risks

Inhibitory effect

the decreased likelihood that the post- synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Integrity

an ethical concept involving the commitment to searching for knowledge and understanding and the honest reporting of all sources of information and results

Internal factor

a factor that influences mental wellbeing and originates from within a person, such as genetics and hormones

Internal stressor

a cause of stress that originates within an individual; can be both psychological and biological/physiological

Internal validity

whether a study investigates what it sets out or claims to investigate

Interneuron

a nerve cell in the spinal cord that connects motor and sensory neurons by relaying information between the two

Introduction section

a section of a scientific report or poster that provides an overview of what the investigation is trying to achieve and why it is important

Investigation aim

the purpose of a study

Investigation design

a framework that determines how participants experience the experimental and control conditions

Investigation methodology

the particular type of research study

Mental time travel

the capacity to mentally reconstruct past personal events and imagine possible future scenarios

Mentally healthy

the state of not having difficulty with everyday activities and displaying resilience

Method of loci

a mnemonic system that commits a familiar location or sequence of locations to memory, then visually links them with information that needs to be recalled

Methodology section

a section of a scientific report or poster that describes the participants, materials and procedures used in the study

Microbe

a microscopic living thing found in water, soil and the air

Mindfulness meditation

the practice of observing the present moment, suspending judgements, and focusing on something calm and peaceful

Mixed design

an investigation design that combines elements of a between subjects design and a within subjects design

Mnemonic

any technique used for improving or enhancing memory

Mode

the value that occurs most frequently within a set of data

Model

the live, pre-recorded or symbolic person being observed

Modelling

a type of investigation in which a physical or conceptual model is constructed and/or manipulated to simulate a system

Motivation

a stage of observational learning, when the learner has the desire to perform the model’s behaviour

Motor neuron

a nerve cell that transmits motor impulses from the spinal cord to the skeletal and smooth muscles

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Long-term depression (LTD)

the relatively permanent weakening synaptic connections as a result of repeated low-level activation

Long-term memory (LTM)

memory that is relatively permanent and holds huge amounts of information for a long time, possibly lifelong

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

the relatively permanent strengthening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated activation of a neural pathway

Mean

a statistic that is the average value of a set of data

Measurement error

the difference between the measured value and the true value

Measures of central tendency

a category of statistics that describes the central value of a set of data

Measures of variability

a category of statistics that describe the distribution of data

Median

the middle value in an ordered set of data

Melatonin

a hormone that induces drowsiness and decreases cell activity

Memory

an information processing system that actively receives, organises, stores and recovers information

Memory bias

distorted thinking that either enhances or impairs the recall of a memory or alters its content

Mental disorder

a condition that affects mood, thinking and behaviour and is typically long lasting

Mental health and wellbeing

a beneficial emotional state in which a person realises their abilities, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and contributes to their community

Mental health problem

a relatively short-term disruption that impacts on a person’s everyday functioning

Normal waking consciousness

a state associated with being aware of our internal and external environments

Observational learning

a type of social learning that occurs when a learner observes a model’s actions and their consequences to guide their future actions

Occupational health and safety (OHS)

issues of health, safety and welfare that must be protected in a workplace

Operant conditioning

a learning process in which the likelihood of a voluntary behaviour occurring is determined by its consequences

Opinion

a judgement that is not necessarily based on proof

Oral culture

a culture in which information and stories are communicated by word of mouth

Outlier

a value that lies a long way from other results

Parasympathetic nervous system

a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that controls the body’s internal environment in an autonomous or self- regulated manner

Partial sleep deprivation

the experience of achieving inadequate sleep in terms of quantity or quality

Percentage

a part of a whole, a proportion out of 100

Percentage change

a calculation of the degree of change in a value over time

Peripheral nervous system

all the nerves outside of the central nervous system that carry messages between the central nervous system and muscles, organs and glands throughout the body

Perpetuation

prolonging of the occurrence of a mental disorder and preventing recovery

Personal error

a mistake, miscalculation or observer error made when conducting research

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Narrative

a story which in a cultural context may be delivered in a variety of ways including performance, song and dance

Naturally occurring altered state of consciousness
an altered state of consciousness that occurs without any external influence

Negative punishment

when a behaviour is followed by the removal of a desirable stimulus, decreasing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again

Negative reinforcement

when a behaviour is followed by the removal of an undesirable stimulus, increasing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again

Neocortex

the top layer of the cerebral cortex that is involved in high-order mental processes such as language, attention and memory

Neural transmission

an electrical impulse that occurs when a neuron is activated or fires

Neurofibrillary tangle

an abnormal build-up of protein inside a neuron that is associated with cell death

Neuromodulator

a subclass of neurotransmitters that alter the strength of neural transmission, by increasing or decreasing the responsiveness of neurons to neurotransmitter signals

Neuron

an individual nerve cell that is specialised to receive, process and/or transmit information within the nervous system

Neurotransmitter

a chemical produced by neurons that carries messages to other neurons or cells within the nervous system, including muscles, organs and glands

Neutral stimulus (NS)

a stimulus (prior to conditioning) that doesn’t produce a response

Non-maleficence

an ethical concept involving the avoidance of causing harm

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep

a type of sleep characterised by a progressive decline in physiological activity

Psychological construct

a concept that cannot be objectively observed or measured directly through the collection of data, but is widely understood to exist

Psychological factor

a factor that relates to the functioning of the brain and the mind, including cognitive and affective processes such as thought patterns and memory

Psychological intervention

treatment that uses activities such as psychotherapy to modify thoughts, feelings and behaviours

Psychological risk factor

a factor that relates to the functioning of the brain and the mind, which may contribute to mental disorders

Psychotherapy

any talking therapy designed to help people with a broad range of mental health issues

Punishment

a stimulus from the environment that decreases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring again

Qualitative data

data that describes characteristics and qualities

Quantitative data

data that includes measurable values and quantities and can be compared on a numerical scale

Random allocation

dividing a sample into groups in such a way that each participant has an equal chance of being placed into the experimental group or the control group

Random error

an error that creates unpredictable variations in the measurement process and results in a spread of readings

Random sampling

selecting participants from the population in a way that means each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

a type of sleep characterised by quick darting of the eyes behind closed eyelids and an increase in physiological activity

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Phobia

a persistent, intense, irrational fear of a specific object or event

Place-based learning

learning drawn from the landscape with profound connections to ancestral and personal relationships with place

Polysomnography

a multi-parameter sleep study and a diagnostic tool used in sleep medicine

Population

the wider group of people that a study is investigating

Positive punishment

when a behaviour is followed by adding an undesirable stimulus, decreasing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again

Positive reinforcement

when a behaviour is followed by adding a desirable stimulus, increasing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again

Precipitate

trigger the onset or exacerbation of a mental disorder

Precision

how close a set of measurement values are to each other

Primary appraisal

when an individual determines whether a situation or event is significant to them and stressful or not

Primary data

data collected through first-hand research for an intended purpose

Product, process and system development

a type of investigation in which a product, a process or a system is designed to meet a human need

Protective factor

a factor that plays a role in decreasing the chance of developing a mental disorder

Pruning

the removal of excess neurons and synaptic connections to increase the efficiency of neuronal transmissions

Psychoeducation

educating people diagnosed with mental health conditions and their family members about the disorder and possible treatment options

Respect

an ethical concept involving the consideration of the value of living things, giving due regard, and consideration of the capacity of living things to make their own decisions

Response

a behavioural reaction to a stimulus

Results section

a section of a scientific report or poster that outlines the evidence and findings of the study

Retention

the second stage in observational learning, when the learner stores a mental representation of the model’s behaviour

Retrieval

accessing information that has previously been stored

Retrograde amnesia

the inability to retrieve previously stored memories after an amnesia-causing event

Reward pathway

a group of structures in the brain that are activated by rewarding or reinforcing stimuli

Risk assessment

a process involving the consideration, identification and reduction of physical and psychological risk

Role

the function of a memory store

Rumination

thinking about and focusing on negative thoughts and experiences

Safety data sheet (SDS)

a document that provides all the important information about a substance, such as its ingredients, precautionary statements and first aid measures

Sample

the smaller group of people selected from the population who will be participants in the investigation

Sampling technique

different procedures for selecting participants from the population

Scientific poster

a way to present the main sections of a scientific report in a brief and visual way

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Receptor site

a membrane protein on the dendrites of neurons that receive and detect specific neurotransmitters

Reconstruction

the combining of stored information with other available information to form what is believed to be a more coherent, complete or accurate memory

References and acknowledgements section

a list of all the sources used in a scientific report or poster

Rehearsal

the conscious manipulation of information to keep it in short-term memory for longer or to transfer it to long-term memory

Reinforcement

a stimulus from the environment that increases the likelihood of a response occurring in the future

Relaxation technique

any method or procedure that helps to induce a physiological and psychological relaxation response

Repeatability

the closeness of the agreement between successive measurements of the same quantity, carried out under the same conditions

Reproducibility

the closeness of the agreement between measurements of the same quantity, carried out under different conditions

Reproduction

the third stage of observational learning, in which the learner’s physical and mental capabilities enable them to perform the model’s behaviour

Rerouting

the formation of new connections between neurons to establish alternative neural pathways

Resilience

the ability to recover from adversity

Resistance stage

the second stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the stressor persists, and the body’s resources are maximised to cope and adapt over time

Shock

the first phase of the alarm reaction stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body’s ability to deal with the stressor falls below normal

Short-term memory (STM)

a memory store that has limited capacity of short duration, unless the information is renewed

Simulation

a type of investigation that uses a model to replicate and study the behaviour of a system

Sleep

a naturally occurring and reversible altered state of consciousness, characterised by a reduction in awareness and responsiveness to external surroundings

Sleep diary

a subjective self-report tool used by a person to track their own sleep and wake patterns

Sleep hygiene

the sleep-related behaviours and environmental conditions that are beneficial for sleep

Social factor

a factor that relates to the social components of a person’s environment

Social intervention

an intervention designed to increase social support for people with a mental illness

Social risk factor

a factor that relates to a person’s social contacts and how culture and the social environment can influence the development of mental disorders

Social-cognitive approach

when individuals process, remember and learn information in social contexts to explain and predict their behaviours and that of others

Social wellbeing

relates to the connections you make with other people and your ability to get along with people in a community

Somatic nervous system

a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that carries sensory information to the central nervous system and motor information to the body

Gallagher et al © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 Photocopying is restricted under law and this material must not be transferred to another party.

Scientific report

a report outlining why and how some research was conducted, with an analysis of the findings

Secondary appraisal

when an individual considers the available resources and their own coping strategies, to decide the best way of dealing with a stressor

Secondary data

data obtained second hand through research conducted by another person for another purpose

Self-determination

the ability to participate in decisions on matters that affect one’s life

Self-efficacy

a person’s confidence that they can complete life tasks and meet their goals

Semantic

relating to meaning

Semantic memory

the declarative memory of facts or knowledge about the world

Sensory memory

a memory store that receives and stores an unlimited amount of incoming sensory information for a brief time

Sensory neuron

a nerve cell that carries sensory signals throughout the nervous system

Sensory receptor

a sensory nerve ending that produces an afferent or sensory impulse when stimulated

Serotonin

an inhibitory neurotransmitter that also acts as a neuromodulator, influencing a variety of brain activities

Serotonin pathway

serotonin’s neuromodulatory system, which originates in the brainstem and extends to almost all areas of the cerebrum including the cerebral cortex

Shift work

work that regularly takes place outside of normal business hours, particularly at night and the very early morning; can cause a circadian rhythm sleep disorder

Stressor

any event that causes stress or is perceived as a threat and a challenge to our ability
to cope

Sung narrative

a story told through singing, music and sometimes dance

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

a master body clock in the hypothalamus that regulates body activities to a daily schedule of sleep and wakefulness

Sympathetic nervous system

a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that increases our arousal, readying the body for a quick response

Synapse

the point of communication between two neurons or between a neuron and a target cell such as a muscle or gland

Synaptic gap

the space between the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron and the membrane of the post-synaptic neuron

Synaptic plasticity

specific changes that occur within the synapse, between neurons

Synaptic vesicle

a membrane-bound sphere filled with neurotransmitter molecules

Synaptogenesis

the formation of new synapses that result from the process of sprouting

Systematic desensitisation

a method for treating phobias in which
the phobic stimulus is progressively introduced while the person uses relaxation techniques until their fear is replaced by a relaxation response

Systematic error

an error that causes readings to differ from the true value by a consistent amount each time a measurement is made

Table:

A way to display data and/or summary statistics clearly

Threat: The anticipated harm/loss in the future because of an event

Songline

one of many sung narratives of the landscape that weave across Country and enable every significant place in Aboriginal Dreaming to
be known

Specific environmental trigger

an object, situation or circumstance that probably caused a direct, negative traumatic experience associated with extreme fear or discomfort, which then acts as a cue for future phobic fear responses

Specific phobia

a persistent, intense, irrational fear of a specific object or event

Spinal cord

a dense bundle of nerves that carries sensory information from the body to the brain and motor information from the brain to the body

Spinal reflex

an involuntary and unconscious response to a stimulus involving the spinal cord, which occurs without input from the brain

Sprouting

the growth of axon or dendrite fibres at the synapse

Standard deviation

a statistic that shows the spread of the data around the mean

Stigma

the feeling of shame or disgrace associated with a personal characteristic that indicates you belong to a culturally devalued group in society – this can be real or imagined

Stimulus

an environmental event that triggers a response in an organism

Storage

retaining information over time

Stratified sampling

first dividing the population into subgroups, and then randomly selecting participants from each subgroup in the proportion that they appear in the population

Stress

a state of mental, emotional and physiological tension, resulting from factors that are perceived to challenge or threaten our ability to cope

Transactional model of stress and coping

a model that suggests a stress response is only elicited if an event is perceived to exceed our ability to cope and is based on our appraisal of the situation

True value

the value, or range of values, that would be found if the quantity could be measured perfectly

Ultradian rhythm

biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a period of less than 24 hours

Uncertainty

a lack of exact knowledge of the value being measured

Unconditioned response (UCR)

a response that occurs automatically/ involuntarily when the unconditioned stimulus is presented

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

a stimulus that consistently produces a naturally occurring, automatic response

Unconscious response

any response of our nervous system that does not require awareness

Visual cortex

the primary cortical region of the brain that receives, integrates and processes visual information relayed from the retinas

Voluntary participation

an ethical guideline ensuring that each participant freely agrees to participate in a study, with no pressure or coercion

Ways of knowing

methods through which knowledge becomes apparent to us

Wellbeing

a complex combination of a person’s physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual health that is linked to happiness and life satisfaction

Withdrawal rights

an ethical guideline that ensures the participants are free to discontinue their involvement in a study at any point during or after the conclusion of the study, without receiving any penalty

Within subjects design

an investigation design in which all participants in the sample are involved in both the experimental and control conditions

Written culture

a culture in which stories and information are shared and preserved through the processes of reading and writing

Yarn

an Indigenous system of learning that involves continually sharing stories

Zeitgeber

an environmental cue such as light, temperature and eating patterns that can synchronise the body’s circadian rhythm

Vagus nerve

a nerve that connects the brain (central nervous system) to organs within the autonomic nervous system, via nerve fibres that directly link organs such as the lungs, heart, oesophagus and intestinal tract

Validity

whether a measurement measures what it is supposed to measure

Video monitoring

a sleep study tool used to collect qualitative visual and audio information about a person’s sleep