question

ablation

answer

removal or destruction of brain tissue in a surgical procedure

question

absolute threshold

answer

intensity level at which one can detect a stimulus 50% of the time

question

accommodation

answer

the process of modifying a schema to account for new information; the process of the eyes lens changing shape in order to focus on distant or near objects

question

acetylcholine (ACh)

answer

a neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory and muscle movement

question

need for achievement

answer

desire for accomplishment, mastery of people, ideas, things, desire for reaching a high standard

question

achievement test

answer

a test that assesses what one has learned

question

acquisition

answer

a process in classical conditioning by which the association of a neutral stimulus with a natural stimulus is first established

question

action potential

answer

the electrical process by which information is transmitted the length of an axon

question

activation synthesis

answer

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

question

adrenal gland

answer

source of the hormone norepinephrine which affects arousal

question

affective disorders

answer

psychological disturbances of mood

question

need for affiliation

answer

desire to associate with others, to be part of a group, to form close and intimate relationships

question

after image

answer

an image that remains after a stimulus is removed, especially one in which the colors are reversed

question

agonists

answer

drugs which mimic the activity of neurotransmitters

question

alcohol

answer

the most frequently used and abused CNS depressant in most cultures; its use affects mood, judgment, cognition

question

all-or-nothing

answer

description of the action of neurons when firing

question

alpha waves

answer

seen when an individual is in a relaxed, unfocused, yet still awake state

question

amygdala

answer

limbic system component associated with emotion, particularly fear and anger

question

anal stage

answer

Freud's pychosexual period during which a child learns to control his bodily excretions

question

anorexia (nervosa)

answer

an eating disorder in which one starves oneself even though significantly underweight

question

antagonist

answer

drug which blocks the activity of neurotransmitters

question

anterograde amnesia

answer

loss of memory for events that occur after the onset of the amnesia; eg, see in a boxer who suffers a severe blow to the head and loses memory for events after the blow

question

retrograde amnesia

answer

loss of memory for events that occurred before the onset of amnesia; eg a soldier's forgetting events immediately before a shell burst nearby, injuring him

question

antisocial personality disorder

answer

psychological disorder in which one demonstrates a lack of conscience

question

anvil

answer

the middle of the three ossicles

question

aphasia

answer

impairment of language usually caused by damage to the left hemisphere

question

arousal

answer

condition in which the sympathetic nervous system is in control

question

artificial intelligence

answer

a subdiscipline of computer science that attempts to simulate human thinking

question

assimilation

answer

interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schema

question

association areas

answer

areas of the cerebral cortex which have no specific motor or sensory repsonsibilities, but rather are involved in thinking, memory and judgment

question

associative learning

answer

learning in which an organism learns that certain events occur together, such as my cat knowing that she will be fed when I get home from work

question

attachment

answer

theory developed by Harlow; types include secure and insecure

question

attitude

answer

a relatively enduring evaluation of a person or thing; Asch demonstrated that this doesn't always match one's behavior

question

attraction

answer

feeling of being drawn toward another and desiring the company of a person

question

attribution theory

answer

a way of explaining others' behavior by either one's disposition or one's situation

question

auditory canal

answer

the area that sound waves pass through to reach the eardrum

question

authoritarian

answer

style of parenting in which the parent creates strict rules for the child and the child has little or no input into determining the rules

question

autonomic nervous system

answer

division of the nervous system that control the glands and organs; its divisions arouse or calm

question

autonomy vs. shame and doubt

answer

Erikson's stage in which a toddler learns to exercise will and to do things independently; failure to do so causes shame and doubt

question

availability heuristic

answer

this cognitive shortcut features the idea that events which are vividly in memory seem to be more common

question

axon

answer

extension of the neuron which carries, via an action potential, information that will be sent on to other neurons, muscles or glands

question

babbling

answer

stage of language development at about 4 months when an infant spontaneously utters nonsense sounds

question

basic research

answer

scientific investigations intended to expand the knowledge base

question

applied research

answer

scientific investigations intended to solve practical problems

question

behavioral

answer

perspective on psychology that sees psychology as an objective science without reference to mental states

question

belief perseverance

answer

situation in which one's beliefs continue despite the fact that the ground for the beliefs have been discredited

question

big 5 personality factors

answer

openness to new experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

question

binocular cues

answer

retinal disparity and convergence which enable people to determine depth using both eyes

question

biological

answer

perspective that stresses links between biology and behavior

question

bipolar cells

answer

eye neurons that receive information from the retinal cells and distribute information to the ganglion cells

question

bipolar disorder

answer

mood disorder in one experiences both manic and depressed episodes

question

blind spot

answer

point in the retinal where the optic nerve leaves the retina so there are no rods or cones there

question

bottom-up processing

answer

analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works its way up to the brain's integration of sensory information

question

hemispheres

answer

we have two, right and left, and some brain functions seem to centered in one or the other

question

brainstem

answer

oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells upon entering the skull; controls fundamental survival processes like heartrate and breathing

question

bulimia

answer

eating disorder characterized by excessive eating followed by purging

question

bystander effect

answer

the tendency to not offer help when needed if others are present who do not offer help

question

Cannon-Baird

answer

theory of emotion that says that a stimulus causes simultaneously psyiological arousal and the subjective experience of an emotion

question

case study

answer

scientific investigation in which a single subject is studied in great detail

question

CAT scan

answer

a method of creating static images of the brain through computerized axial tomography

question

catatonic

answer

a form of schizophrenia in which the patient has muscle immobility and does not move

question

catharsis

answer

release of aggressive energy through activity or fantasy

question

Central Nervous System

answer

consists of the brain and the spinal cord

question

cerebellum

answer

brain structure that controls well-learned motor activities like riding a bike

question

cerebral cortex

answer

the fabric of interconnecting cells that blankets the brain hemispheres; the brain's center for information processing and control

question

chaining

answer

using operant conditioning to teach a complex response by linking together less complex skills

question

chunking

answer

organizing units of information into manageable units such as memorizing a phone number as three groups of information 248-555-1212

question

circadian rhythm

answer

the daily biological rhythms that occur in a 24-hour period

question

classical conditioning

answer

method of learning in which a neutral stimulus can be used to elicit a response that is usually a natural response to a stimulus

question

client-centered therapy

answer

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

question

clinical

answer

this type of psychologist studies, assesses and treats those with psychological disorders

question

cochlea

answer

this coiled structure in the inner ear is fluid-filled and in it the energy from sound waves stimulate hair cells

question

cognitive dissonance theory

answer

this says that we will suffer discomfort and act to change the situation when our thoughts and actions seem to be inconsistent

question

cognitive

answer

perspective on psychology that stresses the importance of mental activities associated with thinking, remembering, etc

question

cognitive therapy

answer

treatment for psychological disorders that centers on changing self-defeating thinking

question

collective unconscious

answer

Jung's theory that we all share an inherited memory that contains our culture's most basic elements

question

color blindness

answer

a variety of disorders marked by inability to distinguish some or all colors

question

collectivist

answer

this adjective describes cultures in which the individual is less important than the group

question

concrete operations

answer

Piaget's stage in which children learn such concepts as conservation and mathematical transformations; about 7 - 11 years of age

question

concurrent validity

answer

the extent to which two measures of the same trait or ability agree

question

conditioned response

answer

in classical conditioning, the response elicited by the conditioned stimulus

question

conditioning

answer

generally, learning in which certain experiences make certain behaviors more or less likely; there are two forms of this

question

conduction

answer

one type of hearing impairment caused by mechanical problems in the ear structures

question

cones

answer

neurons in the retina that are responsible for color vision

question

confirmation bias

answer

a tendency to search for information that supports one's preconceptions

question

conformity

answer

adjusting behavior to meet a group's standard

question

confounding variable

answer

extraneous factor that interferes with the action of the independent variable on the dependent variable

question

consciousness

answer

one's awareness of one's environment and oneself.

question

consummate love

answer

includes passion, intimacy and committment

question

control group

answer

subjects in an experiment who do not receive application of the independent variable but are measured nonetheless for the dependent variable

question

convergent thinking

answer

a type of critical thinking in which one evaluates existing possible solutions to a problem to choose the best one

question

cornea

answer

the transparent outer covering of the eye

question

corpus callosum

answer

the fibers that connect the right and left hemispheres, enabling them to communicate

question

correlation

answer

the degree of relationship between two variables

question

correlation coefficient

answer

a positive one near 1.0 indicates two variable are positively related; a negative number indicates a negative relationship; zero indicates no relationship

question

cross-sectional

answer

type of study that measures a variable across several age groups at the same time

question

debriefing

answer

giving participants in a research study a complete explanation of the study after the study is completed

question

defense mechanisms

answer

Freud's processes by which individuals express uncomfortable emotions in disguised ways

question

deindividuation

answer

when an individual seems to lose himself or herself in the group's identity

question

deinstitutionalization

answer

moving people with psychological or developmental disabilities from highly structured institutions to home- or community-based settings

question

delta waves

answer

largest brain waves, associated with deep, dreamless sleep

question

delusion

answer

irrational, highly improbable belief

question

dendrite

answer

a branch off the cell body of a neuron that receives new information from other neurons

question

denial

answer

a defense mechanism in which unpleasant thought or desires are ignored or excluded from consciousness

question

dependent variable

answer

the variable that the experimenter measures at the end of the experiment

question

depressant

answer

any agent that reduces the activity of the CNS

question

depth perception

answer

an ability that we exercise by using both monocular and binocular cues

question

difference threshold

answer

also called the jnd; smallest distinction between two stimuli that can consistently be detected

question

diffusion of responsibility

answer

reduction in sense of responsibility often felt by individuals in a group; may be responsible for the bystander effect

question

discrimination

answer

treating members of different races, religions, ethnic groups differently; usually associated with prejudice

question

displacement

answer

defense mechanism in which unwanted feelings are directed towards a different object

question

dispositional attribution

answer

assuming that another's behavior is due to personality factors, not situational ones

question

dissociative identity disorder

answer

also called multiple personality disorder

question

dissociative fugue

answer

disorder in which one travels away from home and is unable to remember details of his past, including often his identity

question

divergent thinking

answer

a type of creative thinking in which one generates new solutions to problems

question

dopamine

answer

a neurotransmitter that is associated with Parkinson's disease (too little of it) and schizophrenia (too much of it)

question

double blind

answer

this term describes an experiment in which neither the subjects nor the experimenter knows whether a subject is a member of the experimental group or the control group

question

dreams

answer

occur most often during REM sleep; may be caused by activation-synthesis, or may be a way of cementing memories

question

drive reduction

answer

theory that claims that behavior is driven by a desire to lessen drives resulting from needs that disrupt homeostasis

question

DSM

answer

initials of the American Psychiatric Association's book that lists diagnostic criteria for many psychological disorders

question

dyslexia

answer

a learning disability that results in difficulty reading and writing

question

eardrum

answer

also called the tympanic membrane

question

echoic

answer

term that describes memory of sounds

question

EEG

answer

initials of a method of representation of brain waves

question

ego

answer

the Latin for \"I\"; in Freud's theories, the mediator between the demands of the id and the superego

question

egocentrism

answer

in a toddler, the belief that others perceive the world in the same way that he or she does

question

Electra complex

answer

counterpart to the Oedipus complex for females

question

electroconvulsive therapy

answer

a treatment in which low level electric current is passed through the brain

question

embryo

answer

early stage of human development, when cells have begun to differentiate

question

emotion theories

answer

James-Lange, Cannon-Baird and Singer-Schachter are three

question

encoding

answer

conversion of sensory information into a form that can be retained as a memory

question

endocrine system

answer

the slow messenger system of the body; produces hormones that affect many bodily functions

question

endorphins

answer

neurotransmitters that give one a feeling of well-being, euphoria or eliminate pain

question

episodic

answer

describes a type of memory that includes specific events that one has personally experienced

question

evolutionary

answer

perspective that stresses the value of behavior in Darwinian terms

question

experiment

answer

form of scientific investigation in which one variable is tested to determine its effect on another

question

experimental group

answer

subjects in an experiment to whom the independent variable is administered

question

explicit

answer

term that describes memories that can be consciously recalled

question

external locus of control

answer

this term describes what you have if your behaviors are driven mainly by outside forces

question

extinction

answer

in classical conditioning, the process of eliminating the previously acquired association of the conditioned stimulus and conditioned response

question

extraversion

answer

one of the Big 5, a personality trait orients one's interests toward the outside world and other people, rather than inward

question

extrinsic

answer

term that describes motivations that drive behavior in order to gain rewards from outside forces

question

false consensus

answer

a belief that others share the same opinion about something, when actually most don't

question

feature detection

answer

the ability of the brain to identify specific components of visual stimuli such as corners or edges

question

fetal alcohol syndrome

answer

sometimes the result in a child of the mother's excessive drinking while pregnant, characterized by low birth weight, facial abnormalities, mental retardation

question

fetus

answer

a stage in human development extending from about ten weeks after conception to birth

question

figure-ground

answer

refers to our ability to distinguish foreground from background in visual images

question

fixed interval

answer

describes the schedule of reinforcement wherein a worker receives a paycheck every Friday

question

fixed ratio

answer

describes a schedule of reinforcement wherein a worker is paid for a certain sum for each product produced

question

flashbulb

answer

term describes a vivid memory of a personally significant and emotionalevent

question

fluid

answer

term describes a type of intelligence used to cope with novel situations and problems

question

crystallized

answer

term describes a type of intelligence which applies cultural knowledge to solving problems

question

foot-in-the-door

answer

term describes a phenomenon in which people who agree to a small request are more likely to later agree to a larger request

question

formal operations

answer

One of Piaget's stages; includes the ability to use abstract thinking

question

fovea

answer

the central focus area of the retina

question

frequency

answer

theory of hearing which states that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the tone's frequency

question

functional fixedness

answer

the tendency to think about things only in terms of their usual uses; can be a hindrance to creative thinking

question

functionalism

answer

William James's school of thought that stressed the adaptive and survival value of behaviors

question

fundamental attribution error

answer

tendency to attribute others' behavior to their dispositions and our own behaviors to our situations

question

ganglion cells

answer

their axons form the optic nerve

question

general adaptation syndrome

answer

Seyle's concept that the body responds to stress with alarm, resistance and exhaustion

question

generativity vs. stagnation

answer

Erikson's stage of social development in which middle-aged people begin to devote themselves more to fulfilling one's potential and doing public service

question

gene

answer

made of DNA, it is the basic building block of heredity

question

genital stage

answer

Freud's stage of psychosexual development when adult sexuality is prominent

question

gestalt

answer

German word for \"whole\", it refers to our tendency to perceive incomplete figures as complete

question

glial cell

answer

this acts as a support system for neurons

question

grammar

answer

a system of rules in a language

question

social norm

answer

a group's determination of socially acceptable behavior

question

group polarization

answer

tendency of group members to move to an extreme position after discussing an issue as a group

question

groupthink

answer

tendency for group members to think alike with certainty of correctness, biased perceptions of outgroup members, and generally defective decision-making processes

question

hallucination

answer

a false sensory perception that seems to be real but for which there is not an actual external stimulus

question

hallucinogen

answer

a substance capable of producing a sensory effect in the absence of real external sensory stimuli

question

heritability

answer

the extent to which differences in a group of a characteristic is due to genetics, not environment

question

heuristic

answer

a useful, but unprovable, cognitive shortcut, such as a \"rule of thumb\"

question

hierarchy of needs

answer

Maslow's theory of the most important motivations people have

question

hindsight bias

answer

the tendency, after an event occurs, to overestimate the likelihood that an event could have been predicted

question

hippocampus

answer

limbic system component associated with memory

question

homeostasis

answer

the steady, stable state that is the body's regulatory processes try to maintain

question

hormone

answer

chemical substance secreted by endocrine glands that affect body processes

question

humanist

answer

perspective in psychology that stresses the goodness of people and their possibility of reaching their fullest potential

question

hunger

answer

it is regulated by the lateral hypothalamus and the ventromedial hypothalamus

question

hypnosis

answer

a social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain events or emotions will occur

question

hypochondriasis

answer

a disorder characterized by an unreasonable fear that one has a serious disease

question

hypothalamus

answer

limbic system component that regulates hunger, body temperature and other functions

question

hypothesis

answer

a prediction of how the an experiment will turn out

question

iconic

answer

term that describes the memory of images

question

id

answer

in Freud's conception, the repository of the basic urges toward sex and agression

question

identity vs. role confusion

answer

Erikson's stage during which teenagers and young adults search for and become their true selves

question

imprinting

answer

evidence of critical period in some animals; they follow the first moving thing they see after hatching

question

in-group bias

answer

tendency to favor one's own group over other groups

question

incentive

answer

an external stimulus that tends to encourage behavior

question

independent

answer

type of variable manipulated by the experimenter

question

individualist

answer

culture in which the individual is valued more highly than the group

question

industry vs. inferiority

answer

Erikson's stage between 6 and 11 years, when the child learns to be productive

question

inferiority complex

answer

Adler's conception of a basic feeling of inadequacy stemming from childhood experiences

question

information processing

answer

humans accomplish this either in parallel (unconsciously) or in serial fashion (consciously)

question

informed consent

answer

agreement to participate in psychology research, after being appraised of the dangers and benefits of the research

question

initiative vs guilt

answer

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

question

insanity

answer

a legal term describing one's inability to be responsible for one's action due to the condition of the mind

question

insight

answer

in psychoanalysis, the basic understanding one develops of the underlying sources of emotion or behavioral difficulty

question

insomnia

answer

inability to fall asleep or remain asleep long enough for sufficient rest

question

instinct

answer

a complex pattern of behavior that is fixed across a species

question

integrity vs despair

answer

Erikson's final stage in which those near the end of life look back and evaluate their lives

question

Intelligence

answer

the ability to learn from experience, to use information, to understand things

question

IQ

answer

the average is 100; there are many definitions of this attribute, including multiple and crystallized

question

internal locus of control

answer

people with this tned to respond to internal states and desires; they tend to see their successes as the result of their own efforts

question

interneurons

answer

cells in the spinal cord through which reflexes travel without going to the brain

question

interposition

answer

monocular visual cue in which two objects are in the same line of vision and one patially conceals the other, indicating that the first object concealed is further away

question

intimacy vs isolation

answer

Erikson's stage in which individuals form deeply personal relationships, marry, begin families

question

intrinsic

answer

term that describes motivations that derive from one's interest in the object of the motivation, rather than from rewards that one might gain

question

introversion

answer

a personality trait that signifies that one finds energy from internal sources rather than external ones

question

James-Lange

answer

theory of emotion in which physiological arousal precedes the emotion

question

just world

answer

phenomenon that describes the belief that what happens to people is what they deserve

question

just noticeable difference

answer

the threshold at which one can distinguish two stimuli that are of different intensities, but otherwise identical

question

kinethesis

answer

sense of balance and of one's physical position

question

latent

answer

Freud's stage of psychosexual development occuring from about age 6 to puberty during which little happens in psychosexual terms

question

latent content

answer

the hidden or disguised meaning of dreams

question

latent learning

answer

a change in behavior due to experience acquired without conscious effort, s, for example, a student using a quote in an exam essay that the student had never tried to memorize, though eh had encountered it in studying

question

law of effect

answer

Thorndike's rule that behaviors which have positive outcomes tend to be repeated

question

learned helplessness

answer

lack of motivation to avoid unpleasant stimuli after one has failed before to escape similar stimuli

question

lens

answer

a curved, transparent element of the vision system that provides focus

question

lesion

answer

any destruction or damage to brain tissue

question

lithium

answer

in psychopharmacology, this is used to control bipolar symptoms

question

longitudinal

answer

describes research that measures a trait in a particular group of subjects over a long period of time

question

long term

answer

refers to memory that is stored effectively in the brain and may be accessed over an extended period of time

question

long term potentiation

answer

a possible source of the formation of memories; improvement in a neuron's ability to transmit caused by repeated stimulations

question

lucid

answer

describes a dream in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming and is able to influence the progress of the dream narrative

question

eidetic

answer

describes a type of visual memory that is retained for a long time; photographic

question

mania

answer

high state of arousal, often accompanied by poor judgment

question

manifest

answer

describes, in Freudian terms, the surface content of a dream

question

marijuana

answer

a drug, often smoked, whose effects include euphoria, impairment of judgment and concentration and occasionally hallucinations; rarely reported as addictive

question

mean

answer

numerical average of a set of numbers

question

median

answer

the middle one of a set of numbers

question

medulla

answer

part of the brain nearest the spinal cord which controls breathing, heart rate and blood pressure

question

memory

answer

functions associated with this include encoding, storage and retrieval

question

mental age

answer

developed by Binet; equal to one's chronological age times the percentage score on an IQ test

question

mere exposure effect

answer

this phenomenon causes one to prefer a stimulus as a consequence of repeated exposures to that stimulus, particularly is there is no adverse result of the exposure

question

metacognition

answer

thinking about thinking

question

MMPI

answer

the initials of a long, detailed personality inventory

question

mnemonic device

answer

method of improving memory by associating new information with previously learned information

question

mode

answer

the most commonly occurring term in a batch of data

question

modeling

answer

the process of observing and imitating a behavior

question

monocular

answer

terms that means \"one eyed\", used to indicate the sort of of enviromental cues to depth perception tha tonly require one eye, for example, interposition

question

morpheme

answer

in language, the smallest unit that carries meaning

question

motion parallax

answer

a depth cue in which the relative movement of elements in a scene gives depth information when the observer moves relative to the scene

question

motivation

answer

a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

question

motor cortex

answer

an area of the brain, near the rear of the frontal lobes, that controls voluntary movement

question

motor neuron

answer

this carries information from the brain to the muscles; also called \"efferent\"

question

MRI

answer

a technique that enables us to see static images of the brain's structures; uses magnetism to achieve this effect

question

dissociative identity disorder

answer

also called multiple personality disorder

question

myelin sheath

answer

a layer of fatty tissue encasing a neuron's axon that speeds transmission

question

narcolepsy

answer

a disorder characterized by sudden sleep attacks, often at inopportune times

question

naturalistic

answer

term refers to observations made of individual's behavior in an everyday life setting

question

nature vs nurture

answer

name for a controversy in which it is debated whether genetics or environment is responsible for driving behavior

question

negative reinforcement

answer

in operant conditioning, removing something unpleasant in order to elicit more of a particular behavior

question

neural network

answer

refers to interconnected neuron cells

question

neuron

answer

the fundamental building block of the nervous system

question

neuroscience

answer

perspective on psychology that emphasizes the study of the brain and its effects on behavior

question

neurotransmitter

answer

a chemical that is released by a neuron for the purpose of carrying information across the gaps (synapses) between neurons

question

neutral

answer

describes a stimulus in classical conditioning that would normally not elicit the response intended, such as the tone in Pavlov's experiments before it was associated with the food

question

night terrors

answer

also called sleep terror disorder, these include the characteristic of waking abruptly in a state of panic, usually in children, less often in adults

question

normal distribution

answer

describes a symmetrical, bell shaped curve that shows the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes

question

norm

answer

an understood rule for social behavior

question

NREM

answer

refers to sleep during which there is no rapid eye movement

question

obesity

answer

condition of having excess body fat resulting in being greatly overweight

question

object permanence

answer

recognition that things continue to exist even though hidden from sight; infants generally gain this after 3 to 7 months of age

question

observational learning

answer

change in behavior due to watching other people behave

question

obsessive-compulsive disorder

answer

an anxiety disorder characterized by repetitive obsessions and compulsions

question

occipital

answer

this lobe contains the primary vision processing function

question

Oedipus complex

answer

in Freud's theory, the conflict which results in a boy gaining a superego and beginning to emulate his father

question

olfactory bulb

answer

the first brain structure to pick up smell information from the nose

question

omission training

answer

a procedure in which reinforcement occurs when a specific behavior does not occur in a fixed period of time

question

operant conditioning

answer

a method of influencing behavior by rewarding desired behaviors and punishing undesired ones

question

operational definition

answer

a description of an experimental variable in such a way that the variable can be measured and the procedure can be replicated

question

optic chiasm

answer

the point in the brain where the visual field information from each eye \"crosses over\" to the appropriate side of the brain for processing

question

optic nerve

answer

the axons of the ganglion cells form this

question

oral stage

answer

Freud's first stage of psychosexual development during which pleasure is centered in the mouth

question

opponent process theory

answer

term used in both vision theory and emotion theory

question

outgroup

answer

generally, any group that one does not belong to

question

oval window

answer

membrane at the enterance to the cochlea through which the ossicles transmit vibrations

question

panic disorder

answer

characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks

question

paranoid

answer

a type of schizophrenia characterized by prominent delusions that are persecutory or grandiose

question

parasympathetic

answer

the branch of the nervous system that automatically calms us down when the reason for arousal has passed

question

parietal

answer

lobe that contains the sensory cortex

question

Parkinson's disease

answer

this ailment, whose symptoms includes tremors and later difficulty walking, is caused by inability to produce dopamine

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perception

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the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information

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peripheral nervous system

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the subsystem of the nervous system that does not include the CNS

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permissive

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describes a parenting style that is characterized by the parent making few demands on the child

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person-centered

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therapy developed by Rogers featuring the patient's self-discovery and actualization; also called client-centered

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personality

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a consistent pattern of thinking, acting, feeling

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PET scan

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method of brain imaging using positron emissions

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phallic

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name for Freud's stage which features the Oedipus stage

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phobia

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fear

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phoneme

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in language, smallest distinctive sound unit

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pituitary

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gland that is the master gland of the endocrine system

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place theory

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the idea that different sound frequencies stimulate different locations on the basilar membrae

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placebo

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an inert substance given to the control group in an experiment

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placebo effect

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phenomenon that some people get better even though they receive not medication but an inert substance which should have no medical effect

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plasticity

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the ability of the brain to adapt to damage by reorganizing functions

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pons

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part of the brain, works with the cerebellum in coordinating voluntary movement; neural stimulation studied in activation synthesis theory may originate here

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population

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all of the individuals from which subjects for an experiment may be drawn

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positive psychology

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field of study which concentrates on good psychological traits such as contentment and joy; it also studies character traits such as wisdom, integrity and altruism

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PTSD

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initials representing a disorder in which one relives painfully stressful events

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preconscious

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in Freud's theory, the level of consciousness in which thoughts and feelings are not conscious but are readily retrieveable to consciousness

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preconventional

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Kohlberg's stage of moral development in which rewards and punishments dominate moral thinking

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prejudice

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a negative attitude formed toward an individual or group without sufficient experience with the person or group

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preoperational

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Piaget's second stage of cognitive development, when egocentrism declines

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proactive interference

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when prior learning disrupts the recall of new information

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projection

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defense mechanism in which one disguises one's won unacceptable impulses by attributing them to others

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projective

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term describes a personality test in which ambiguous stimuli trigger revelation of inner feelings, thoughts

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psychiatrist

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medical doctor who has specialized in treating psychological disorders

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psychoanalysis

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Freud's therapeutic technique

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psychodynamic

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term describes the perspective on psychology in which inner feeling and unconscious tensions are emphasized

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psychopharmacology

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the study of the effects of drugs on the mind and behavior

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punishment

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can be either positive or negative, intended to reduce the occurrence of a behavior

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random

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term that describes assignment in which all subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to the control group or to the experimental group

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REBT

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Albert Ellis's form of therapy for psychological disorders

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rationalization

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\"The only reason I flunked the test is because our teacher is no good.\"

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reaction formation

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defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses are transformed into their opposite

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reciprocal determinism

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Bandura's idea that though our environment affects us, we also affect our environment

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refractory period

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resting time; occurs in both neuron firing and in human sexual response

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regression

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defense mechanism in which one retreats to an earlier stage of life

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rehearsal

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conscious repetition of information in order to fix it in memory, such as practicing a list of terms to memorize

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reinforcer

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in operant conditioning any event that strengthens the behavior it follows

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reliability

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in testing, the characteristic of a test that produces consistent scores through retesting or alternate halves or other methods

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REM

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describes sleep in which vivid dreams typically occur; this type of sleep increases as the night progresses while stage 4 sleep decreases

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representative

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this kind of sample accurately reproduces the characteristics of the population a researcher is studying

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representativeness heuristic

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this cognitive short cut enables one to generalization based on how closely a stimulus matches a typical member of a class; given a picture of a man in a tweed jacket with a textbook, is this man a professor or a truck driver?

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repression

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defense mechanism in which painful memories are excluded from consciousness

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reticular formation

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a network of cells in the brainstem that filters sensory information and is involved in arousal and alertness

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retina

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the sensory reception system of the eye; includes rods and cones

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retrieval

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the process of recovering information stored in memory

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retroactive interference

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when new learning disrupts the recall of previously-learned information

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rods

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responsible for black and white vision

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role-play

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technique in therapy and training in which participants act out new behaviors or skills

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rooting

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a reflex in which a newborn turns its head in response to a gentle stimulus on its cheek

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Rorschach test

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a projective test that uses inkblots as the ambiguous stimulus

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safety

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the second rung of Maslow's hierarchy; refers to need for freedom from danger

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scapegoat

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this theory says that having suffered negative experience, an individual might blame an innocent person or group for the experience and subsequently mistreat the person or group

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scatterplot

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name for a graph of data points in a two variable correlation

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schedules of reinforcement

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these include fixed interval and variable ratio

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schema

answer

a collection of basic knowledge about a category of information; serves as a means of organization and interpretation of that information

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schemata

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plural form of schema

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schizophrenia

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disorder characterized by hallucinations and delusions

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higher-order

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term describes conditioning in which the CS for one experiment becomes the UCS in another experiment so that another neutral stimulus can be made to elicit the original UCR

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selective attention

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this term describes the situation when you are focused on certain stimuli in the environment while other stimuli are excluded

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self-concept

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one's idea and evaluation of oneself; this contributes to one's sense of identity

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self-efficacy

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one's ability to act effectively to bring about desired results; from Bandura

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self-actualization

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the highest of Malow's needs; \"the full use of talent\"

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self-esteem

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the more positive one's estimation of one's qualities and characteristics, the higher this is

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self-fulfilling prophecy

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a belief or expectation that helps to make itself true

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self-serving bias

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he tendency to assign oneself credit for successes but to blame failures on external forces

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semantics

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in language, study of meanings of words

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sensorimotor

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describes Piaget's stage in which the child explores the world through interaction of his mouth and hands with the environment

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sensory adaptation

answer

reduced responsiveness caused by prolonged stimulation

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sensory cortex

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the parts of the brain that receive information from the sensory receptors

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sensory neurons

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nervous system cells that receive information from the environment

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afferent

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in neurons, another name for sensory

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serial position effect

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this tells us that the best recall of a list of items will be of those at the beginning of the list

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serotonin

answer

a neurotransmitter; associated with improved mood and other positive emotions

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SSRI

answer

class of drugs used to relieve anxiety by limiting reuptake of a neurotransmitter

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set point

answer

the point at which one's body tries maintain weight

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sexual response

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its four stages are excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution

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shaping

answer

an operant conditioning technique in which reinforces guide behavior to closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

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short-term

answer

type of memory that holds a few items briefly before they are lost

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signal detection

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this theory predicts how and in what circumstances we can detect a stimulus; assumes there is no single threshold

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sleep apnea

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a disorder characterized by cessation of breathing during sleep

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sleep spindles

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short bursts of brain waves detected in stage 2 sleep

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socio-cultural

answer

a perspective on psychology that emphasizes effects on behavior and thinking of one's culture and the people around one

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social exchange

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a theory that suggests that our behavior is based on maximizing benefits and minimizing costs

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social facilitation

answer

a phenomenon in which we perform simple or well-learned tasks better when in the presence of others

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social learning

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a theory that suggests we learn social behaviors by watching and imitating others

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somatic

answer

a division of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movements

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somatoform disorder

answer

any of a group of psychological disturbances characterized by physical symptoms for which there is not a medical cause

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split brain

answer

a condition in which the two brain hemispheres are isolated by cutting the corpus callosum

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spontaneous recovery

answer

in classical conditioning the re-occurence of conditioning after it had appeared to be extinct

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standard deviation

answer

a computation of how much scores vary around a mean

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stereotype

answer

a set of generalizations about a group

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structuralism

answer

school of psychology developed by Wilhelm Wundt

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sublimation

answer

a defense mechanism in which unacceptable energies are directed into socially admirable outlets, such as art

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superego

answer

the part of the personality in Freud's theory that is responsible for making moral choices

question

sympathetic

answer

part of the nervous system that controls the \"flight or fight\" response

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synaptic gap

answer

space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the receptors of the next neuron

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syntax

answer

in language the set of rules that describe how words are arranged to make sentences

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temperament

answer

personality component that ranges from very calm to very exitable

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temporal

answer

the lobe that controls audition

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thalamus

answer

the sensory switchboard

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TAT

answer

a projective test in which subjects look at and tell a story about ambiguous pictures

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theory

answer

this organizes data and is used to make predictions

question

threshold

answer

in a neuron, reaching this causes the neuron to fire

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token economy

answer

a technique in operant conditioning by which desired behaviors receive forms of currency that can be exchanged for rewards

question

twin studies

answer

a common method of investigating whether nature or nurture affects behavior

question

unconditioned response

answer

in conditioning the behavior elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

question

unconditioned stimulus

answer

in conditioning it elicits the UCR

AP Psychology Review

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