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261 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Absolute Threshold
|
the lowest level of stimulation that a person can consciously detect 50 percent of the time the stimulation is |
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Accommodation |
as a monocular cue, the brain's use of information about the changing thickness of the lens of the eye in response to looking at objects that are close or far away. |
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Action Potential |
the release of the neural impulse, consisting of a reversal of the electrical charge within the axon. |
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Action Therapy |
therapy in which the main goal is to change disordered or inappropriate behavior directly |
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Adrenal Glands |
endocrine glands located on top of each kidney that secrete over 30 different hormones to deal with stress, regulate salt intake, and provide a secondary source of sex hormones affecting the sexual changes that occur during adolescence. |
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Aerial (Atmospheric) Perspective |
the haziness that surrounds objects that are farther away from the viewer, causing the distance to be perceived as greater. |
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Afferent (Sensory) Neuron |
a neuron that carries information from the senses to the central nervous system. |
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Afterimages |
images that occur when a visual sensation persists for a brief time even after the original stimulus is removed. |
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Agonists |
chemical substances that mimic or enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter on the receptor sites of the next cell, increasing or decreasing the activity of that cell. |
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All-Or-None |
referring to the fact that a neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all. |
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Amygdala |
brain structure located near the hippocampus, responsible for fear responses and memory of fear. |
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Antagonists |
chemical substances that block or reduce a cell's response to the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters. |
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Antianxiety Drugs |
drugs used to treat and calm anxiety reactions, typically minor tranquilizers. |
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Antidepressant |
drugs drugs used to treat depression and anxiety. |
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Antipsychotic Drugs |
drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and other bizarre behavior. |
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Applied Behavior Analysis |
modern term for a form of functional analysis and behavior modification that uses a variety of behavioral techniques to mold a desired behavior or response. |
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Applied Research |
research focused on finding practical solutions to real-world problems |
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Association Areas |
areas within each lobe of the cortex responsible for the coordination and interpretation of information, as well as higher mental processing |
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Auditory Canal |
short tunnel that runs from the pinna to the eardrum. |
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Auditory Nerve |
bundle of axons from the hair cells in the inner ear. |
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Authenticity |
the genuine, open, and honest response of the therapist to the client. |
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Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) |
division of the PNS consisting of nerves that control all of the involuntary muscles, organs, and glands. |
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Aversion Therapy |
form of behavioral therapy in which an undesirable behavior is paired with an aversive stimulus to reduce the frequency of the behavior. |
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Axon |
tubelike structure of neuron that carries the neural message from the cell body to the axon terminals, for communication with other cells. |
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Axon Terminals |
enlarged ends of axonal branches of the neuron, specialized for communication between cells. |
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Basic Research |
research focused on adding information to the scientific knowledge base. |
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Behavior Modification |
or applied behavior analysis the use of learning techniques to modify or change undesirable behavior and increase desirable behavior |
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Behavior Therapies |
action therapies based on the principles of classical and operant conditioning and aimed at changing disordered behavior without concern for the original causes of such behavior. |
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Behaviorism |
the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only. |
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Bilateral Anterior Cingulotomy |
psychosurgical technique in which an electrode wire is inserted into the anterior cingulate gyrus, with the guidance of magnetic resonance imaging, to destroy a very small portion of that brain area with electric current. |
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Bimodal
|
condition in which a distribution has two modes
|
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Bimodal Distribution
|
frequency distribution in which there are two high points rather than one
|
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Binocular Cues
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cues for perceiving depth based on both eyes.
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Binocular Disparity
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the difference in images between the two eyes, which is greater for objects that are close and smaller for distant objects.
|
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Biological Psychology (Or Behavioral Neuroscience)
|
branch of neuroscience that focuses on the biological bases of psychological processes, behavior, and learning.
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Biomedical Therapy
|
therapy for mental disorders in which a person with a problem is treated with biological or medical methods to relieve symptoms.
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Biopsychological Perspective
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perspective that attributes human and animal behavior to biological events occurring in the body, such as genetic influences, hormones, and the activity of the nervous system.
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Blind Spot
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area in the retina where the axons of the three layers of retinal cells exit the eye to form the optic nerve, insensitive to light.
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Bottom-Up Processing
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the analysis of the smaller features to build up to a complete perception.
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Brightness Constancy
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the tendency to perceive the apparent brightness of an object as the same even when the light conditions change.
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Broca's Aphasia
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condition resulting from damage to Broca's area, causing the affected person to be unable to speak fluently, to mispronounce words, and to speak haltingly. |
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Case Study |
study of one individual in great detail. |
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Central Nervous System (CNS) |
part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord. |
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Cerebellum |
part of the lower brain located behind the pons that controls and coordinates involuntary, rapid, fine motor movement, and may have some cognitive functions |
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Cerebral Hemispheres |
the two sections of the cortex on the left and right sides of the brain. |
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Cerebrum |
the upper part of the brain consisting of the two hemispheres and the structures that connect them. |
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Closure |
the tendency to complete figures that are incomplete |
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Cochlea |
snail-shaped structure of the inner ear that is filled with fluid. |
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Cognitive Neuroscience |
study of the physical changes in the brain and nervous system during thinking. |
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Cognitive Perspective |
modern perspective that focuses on memory, intelligence, perception, problem solving, and learning. |
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Cognitive Therapy |
therapy in which the focus is on helping clients recognize distortions in their thinking and replacing distorted, unrealistic beliefs with more realistic, helpful thoughts. |
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
action therapy in which the goal is to help clients overcome problems by learning to think more rationally and logically, which in turn will impact their behavior. |
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Computed Tomography (CT) |
brain-imaging method using computer-controlled X-rays of the brain. |
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Concept Map |
an organized visual representation of knowledge consisting of concepts and their relationships to other concepts. |
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Cones |
visual sensory receptors found at the back of the retina, responsible for color vision and sharpness of vision. |
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Contiguity |
the tendency to perceive two things that happen close together in time as being related |
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Contingency Contract |
a formal, written agreement between the therapist and client (or teacher and student) in which goals for behavioral change, reinforcements, and penalties are clearly stated. |
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Continuity |
the tendency to perceive things as simply as possible with a continuous pattern rather than with a complex, broken-up pattern. |
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Control Group |
subjects in an experiment who are not subjected to the independent variable and who may receive a placebo treatment. |
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Convergence |
the rotation of the two eyes in their sockets to focus on a single object, resulting in greater convergence for closer objects and lesser convergence if objects are distant. |
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Corpus Callosum |
thick band of neurons that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres. |
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Correlation |
a measure of the relationship between two variables. |
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Correlation Coefficient |
a number that represents the strength and direction of a relationship existing between two variables. |
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Correlation Coefficient |
a number that represents the strength and direction of a relationship existing between two variables. |
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Cortex |
outermost covering of the brain consisting of densely packed neurons, responsible for higher thought processes and interpretation of sensory input. |
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Critical Thinking |
making reasoned judgments about claims. |
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Cybertherapy |
psychotherapy that is offered on the Internet. Also called online, Internet, or Web therapy or counseling |
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Dark Adaptation |
the recovery of the eye's sensitivity to visual stimuli in darkness after exposure to bright lights. |
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Dendrites |
branchlike structures of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons. |
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Dependent Variable
|
variable in an experiment that represents the measurable response or behavior of the subjects in the experiment.
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Depth Perception
|
the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions..
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Descriptive Statistics
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a way of organizing numbers and summarizing them so that patterns can be determined
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Diffusion
|
process of molecules moving from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. |
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Directive Therapy |
in which the therapist actively gives interpretations of a client's statements and may suggest certain behavior or actions |
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Double-Blind Study |
study in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know if the subjects are in the experimental or the control group. |
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Eclectic |
approach to therapy that results from combining elements of several different approaches or techniques. |
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Efferent (Motor) Neurons |
neuron that carries messages from the central nervous system to the muscles of the body. |
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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) |
form of biomedical therapy to treat severe depression in which electrodes are placed on either one or both sides of a person's head and an electric current is passed through the electrodes that is strong enough to cause a seizure or convulsion. |
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Electroencephalogram (EEG) |
a recording of the electrical activity of large groups of cortical neurons just below the skull, most often using scalp electrodes. |
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Electroencephalograph
|
machine designed to record the electroencephalogram.
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Empathy |
the ability of the therapist to understand the feelings of the client |
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Endocrine Glands |
glands that secrete chemicals called hormones directly into the bloodstream. |
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Enzymatic Degradation |
process by which the structure of a neurotransmitter is altered so it can no longer act on a receptor. |
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Evidence-Based Treatment |
also called empirically supported treatment, refers to interventions, strategies, or techniques that have been found to produce therapeutic and desired changes during controlled research studies. |
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Evolutionary Perspective |
perspective that focuses on the biological bases of universal mental characteristics that all humans share |
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Excitatory Synapses |
ynapse at which a neurotransmitter causes the receiving cell to fire |
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Experiment
|
a deliberate manipulation of a variable to see if corresponding changes in behavior result, allowing the determination of cause-and-effect relationships.
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Experimental Group
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subjects in an experiment who are subjected to the independent variable. |
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Experimenter Effect |
tendency of the experimenter's expectations for a study to unintentionally influence the results of the study. |
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Exposure Therapies |
behavioral techniques that expose individuals to anxiety- or fear-related stimuli, under carefully controlled conditions, to promote new learning. |
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Family Counseling (Family Therapy) |
a form of group therapy in which family members meet together with a counselor or therapist to resolve problems that affect the entire family. |
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Figure-Ground |
the tendency to perceive objects, or figures, as existing on a background. |
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Flooding |
technique for treating phobias and other stress disorders in which the person is rapidly and intensely exposed to the fear-provoking situation or object and prevented from making the usual avoidance or escape response. |
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Free Association |
psychoanalytic technique in which a patient was encouraged to talk about anything that came to mind without fear of negative evaluations. |
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Frequency Distribution |
a table or graph that shows how often different numbers or scores appear in a particular set of scores. |
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Frequency Theory |
theory of pitch that states that pitch is related to the speed of vibrations in the basilar membrane. |
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Frontal Lobes
|
areas of the brain located in the front and top, responsible for higher mental processes and decision making as well as the production of fluent speech.
|
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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) |
MRI-based brain-imaging method that allows for functional examination of brain areas through changes in brain oxygenation. |
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Functionalism |
early perspective in psychology associated with William James, in which the focus of study is how the mind allows people to adapt, live, work, and play. |
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Gestalt Psychology |
early perspective in psychology focusing on perception and sensation, particularly the perception of patterns and whole figures. |
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Gestalt Therapy |
form of directive insight therapy in which the therapist helps clients to accept all parts of their feelings and subjective experiences, using leading questions and planned experiences such as role-playing. |
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Glial Cells |
cells that provide support for the neurons to grow on and around, deliver nutrients to neurons, produce myelin to coat axons, clean up waste products and dead neurons, influence information processing, and, during prenatal development, influence the gener |
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Gonads |
sex glands; secrete hormones that regulate sexual development and behavior as well as reproduction |
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Group Therapy |
form of therapy or treatment during which a small group of clients with similar concerns meet together with a therapist to address their issues. |
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Habituation |
tendency of the brain to stop attending to constant, unchanging information. |
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Hertz (Hz) |
cycles or waves per second, a measurement of frequency. |
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Hippocampus |
curved structure located within each temporal lobe, responsible for the formation of long-term declarative memories. |
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Histogram |
a bar graph showing a frequency distribution. |
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Hormones |
chemicals released into the bloodstream by endocrine glands. |
|
Hypothalamus |
small structure in the brain located below the thalamus and directly above the pituitary gland, responsible for motivational behavior such as sleep, hunger, thirst, and sex |
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Hypothesis |
tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observations. |
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Independent Variable |
variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter. |
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Inferential Statistics |
statistical analysis of two or more sets of numerical data to reduce the possibility of error in measurement and to determine if the differences between the data sets are greater than chance variation would predict. |
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Inhibitory Synapses |
ynapse at which a neurotransmitter causes the receiving cell to stop firing. |
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Insight Therapies |
therapies in which the main goal is helping people to gain insight with respect to their behavior, thoughts, and feelings. |
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Interneuron |
a neuron found in the center of the spinal cord that receives information from the afferent neurons and sends commands to the muscles through the efferent neurons. Interneurons also make up the bulk of the neurons in the brain. |
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Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) |
f therapy for depression which incorporates multiple approaches and focuses on interpersonal problems. |
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Just Noticeable Differences (Jnd, Or The Difference Threshold) |
e smallest difference between two stimuli that is detectable 50 percent of the time. |
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Kinesthetic Sense |
sense of the location of body parts in relation to the ground and each other. |
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Latent Content |
the symbolic or hidden meaning of dreams |
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Lesioning |
insertion of a thin, insulated electrode into the brain through which an electrical current is sent, destroying the brain cells at the tip of the wire. |
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Light Adaptation |
the recovery of the eye's sensitivity to visual stimuli in light after exposure to darkness. |
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Limbic System |
a group of several brain structures located primarily under the cortex and involved in learning, emotion, memory, and motivation. |
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Linear Perspective |
the tendency for parallel lines to appear to converge on each other. |
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
brain-imaging method using radio waves and magnetic fields of the body to produce detailed images of the brain. |
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Mean |
the arithmetic average of a distribution of numbers. |
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Measure Of Central Tendency |
numbers that best represent the most typical score of a frequency distribution. |
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Measures Of Variability |
measurement of the degree of differences within a distribution or how the scores are spread out. |
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Median |
the middle score in an ordered distribution of scores, or the mean of the two middle numbers; the 50th percentile. |
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Medulla |
the first large swelling at the top of the spinal cord, forming the lowest part of the brain, which is responsible for life-sustaining functions such as breathing, swallowing, and heart rate. |
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Mirror Neurons |
neurons that fire when an animal or person performs an action and also when an animal or person observes that same action being performed by another. |
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MLler-Lyer Illusion |
illusion of line length that is distorted by inward-turning or outward-turning corners on the ends of the lines, causing lines of equal length to appear to be different. |
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Mnemonic |
a strategy or trick for aiding memory. |
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Mode |
the most frequent score in a distribution of scores. |
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Modeling |
learning through the observation and imitation of others. |
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Monocular Cues (Pictorial Depth Cues) |
cues for perceiving depth based on one eye only. |
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Motion Parallax |
the perception of motion of objects in which close objects appear to move more quickly than objects that are farther away. |
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Motor Cortex |
rear section of the frontal lobe, responsible for sending motor commands to the muscles of the somatic nervous system. |
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Motor Pathway |
nerves coming from the CNS to the voluntary muscles, consisting of efferent neurons. |
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Myelin |
fatty substances produced by certain glial cells that coat the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse. |
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Negatively Skewed |
a distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the high end of the distribution. |
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Nerves |
bundles of axons coated in myelin that travel together through the body. |
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Nervous System |
an extensive network of specialized cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body. |
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Neuron |
the basic cell that makes up the nervous system and that receives and sends messages within that system. |
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Neuroplasticity |
the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma. |
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Neuroscience |
a branch of the life sciences that deals with the structure and function of neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue. |
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Neurotransmitter |
chemical found in the synaptic vesicles that, when released, has an effect on the next cell. |
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Nondirective |
therapy style in which the therapist remains relatively neutral and does not interpret or take direct actions with regard to the client, instead remaining a calm, nonjudgmental listener while the client talks. |
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Normal Curve |
a special frequency polygon, shaped like a bell, in which the scores are symmetrically distributed around the mean, and the mean, median, and mode are all located on the same point on the curve with scores decreasing as the curve extends from the mean. |
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Objective Introspection |
the process of examining and measuring one's own thoughts and mental activities. |
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Observer Bias |
tendency of observers to see what they expect to see |
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Observer Effect |
tendency of people or animals to behave differently from normal when they know they are being observed. |
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Occipital Lobe |
section of the brain located at the rear and bottom of each cerebral hemisphere containing the primary visual centers of the brain. |
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Olfaction (Olfactory Sense) |
the sensation of smell. |
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Olfactory Bulbs |
areas of the brain located just above the sinus cavity and just below the frontal lobes that receive information from the olfactory receptor cells. |
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Olfactory Bulbs |
two bulb-like projections just under the front of the brain that receive information from the receptors in the nose |
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Operational Definition |
definition of a variable of interest that allows it to be measured. |
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Opponent-Process Theory |
theory of color vision that proposes visual neurons (or groups of neurons) are stimulated by light of one color and inhibited by light of another color. |
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Ovaries |
the female gonads |
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Overlap (Interposition) |
the assumption that an object that appears to be blocking part of another object is in front of the second object and closer to the viewer. |
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Oxytocin |
hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland that is involved in reproductive and parental behaviors. |
|
Pancreas |
endocrine gland; controls the levels of sugar in the blood. |
|
Parasympathetic Division |
(eat-drink-and-rest system) part of the ANS that restores the body to normal functioning after arousal and is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the organs and glands. |
|
Parietal Lobes |
sections of the brain located at the top and back of each cerebral hemisphere containing the centers for touch, temperature, and body position. |
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Participant Modeling |
technique in which a model demonstrates the desired behavior in a step-by-step, gradual process while the client is encouraged to imitate the model. |
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Participant Observation |
a naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed |
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Perception |
the method by which the sensations experienced at any given moment are interpreted and organized in some meaningful fashion. |
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Perceptual Set (Perceptual Expectancy) |
the tendency to perceive things a certain way because previous experiences or expectations influence those perceptions. |
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) |
all nerves and neurons that are not contained in the brain and spinal cord but that run through the body itself |
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Person-Centered Therapy |
a nondirective insight therapy based on the work of Carl Rogers in which the client does all the talking and the therapist listens. |
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Pineal Gland |
endocrine gland located near the base of the cerebrum; secretes melatonin |
|
Pinna |
the visible part of the ear. |
|
Pitch |
psychological experience of sound that corresponds to the frequency of the sound waves; higher frequencies are perceived as higher pitches. |
|
Pituitary Gland |
gland located in the brain that secretes human growth hormone and influences all other hormone-secreting glands (also known as the master gland) |
|
Place Theory |
theory of pitch that states that different pitches are experienced by the stimulation of hair cells in different locations on the organ of Corti. |
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Placebo Effect |
the phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior. |
|
Plagiarism |
the copying of someone else's exact words (or a close imitation of the words) and presenting them as your own. |
|
Polygon |
line graph showing a frequency distribution. |
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Pons |
the larger swelling above the medulla that connects the top of the brain to the bottom and that plays a part in sleep, dreaming, left-right body coordination, and arousal. |
|
Population |
the entire group of people or animals in which the researcher is interested. |
|
Positively Skewed |
a distribution of scores in which scores are concentrated in the low end of the distribution. |
|
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) |
brain-imaging method in which a radioactive sugar is injected into the subject and a computer compiles a color-coded image of the activity of the brain. |
|
Prefrontal Lobotomy |
psychosurgery in which the connections of the prefrontal cortex to other areas of the brain are severed. |
|
Proximity |
the tendency to perceive objects that are close to each other as part of the same grouping. |
|
Psychiatric Social Worker |
a social worker with some training in therapy methods who focuses on the environmental conditions that can have an impact on mental disorders, such as poverty, overcrowding, stress, and drug abuse |
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Psychiatrist |
a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. |
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Psychoanalysis |
the theory and therapy based on the work of Sigmund Freud. |
|
Psychoanalysis |
an insight therapy based on the theory of Freud, emphasizing the revealing of unconscious conflicts. |
|
Psychodynamic Perspective |
modern version of psychoanalysis that is more focused on the development of a sense of self and the discovery of motivations behind a person's behavior other than sexual motivations. |
|
Psychodynamic Therapy |
a newer and more general term for therapies based on psychoanalysis with an emphasis on transference, shorter treatment times, and a more direct therapeutic approach. |
|
Psychologist |
a professional with an academic degree and specialized training in one or more areas of psychology. |
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Psychology |
scientific study of behavior and mental processes. |
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Psychopharmacology |
the use of drugs to control or relieve the symptoms of psychological disorders. |
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Psychosurgery |
surgery performed on brain tissue to relieve or control severe psychological disorders. |
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Psychotherapy |
therapy for mental disorders in which a person with a problem talks with a psychological professional. |
|
Random Assignment |
process of assigning subjects to the experimental or control groups randomly, so that each subject has an equal chance of being in either group |
|
Range |
the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution |
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Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) |
gnitive behavioral therapy in which clients are directly challenged in their irrational beliefs and helped to restructure their thinking into more rational belief statements |
|
Receptor Sites |
three-dimensional proteins on the surface of the dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neurotransmitters. |
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Reflection |
therapy technique in which the therapist restates what the client says rather than interpreting those statements. |
|
Reflex Arc |
the connection of the afferent neurons to the interneurons to the efferent neurons, resulting in a reflex action. |
|
Relative Size |
perception that occurs when objects that a person expects to be of a certain size appear to be small and are, therefore, assumed to be much farther away |
|
Replicate |
in research, repeating a study or experiment to see if the same results will be obtained in an effort to demonstrate reliability of results. |
|
Representative Sample |
randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger population of subjects |
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Resistance |
occurring when a patient becomes reluctant to talk about a certain topic, by either changing the subject or becoming silent. |
|
Resting Potential |
the state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse. |
|
Reticular Formation (RF) |
an area of neurons running through the middle of the medulla and the pons and slightly beyond that is responsible for general attention, alertness, and arousal. |
|
Reuptake |
process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles. |
|
Reversible Figures |
visual illusions in which the figure and ground can be reversed. |
|
Rods |
visual sensory receptors found at the back of the retina, responsible for noncolor sensitivity to low levels of light. |
|
Sample |
group of subjects selected from a larger population of subjects, usually selected randomly. |
|
Scientific Method |
system of gathering data so that bias and error in measurement are reduced. |
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Self-Help Groups Or Support Groups |
group composed of people who have similar problems and who meet together without a therapist or counselor for the purpose of discussion, problem solving, and social and emotional support. |
|
Sensation |
the process that occurs when special receptors in the sense organs are activated, allowing various forms of outside stimuli to become neural signals in the brain. |
|
Sensory Adaptation |
tendency of sensory receptor cells to become less responsive to a stimulus that is unchanging. |
|
Sensory Conflict Theory |
an explanation of motion sickness in which the information from the eyes conflicts with the information from the vestibular senses, resulting in dizziness, nausea, and other physical discomfort. |
|
Sensory Pathway |
nerves coming from the sensory organs to the CNS consisting of afferent neurons. |
|
Shape Constancy |
the tendency to interpret the shape of an object as being constant, even when its shape changes on the retin |
|
Significant Difference |
a difference between groups of numerical data that is considered large enough to be due to factors other than chance variation. |
|
Similarity |
the tendency to perceive things that look similar to each other as being part of the same group |
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Single-Blind Study |
study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group. |
|
Size Constancy |
the tendency to interpret an object as always being the same actual size, regardless of its distance. |
|
Skewed Distribution |
frequency distribution in which most of the scores fall to one side or the other of the distribution. |
|
Skin Senses |
the sensations of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. |
|
Sociocultural Perspective |
perspective that focuses on the relationship between social behavior and culture. |
|
Soma |
the cell body of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the cell. |
|
Somatic Nervous System |
division of the PNS consisting of nerves that carry information from the senses to the CNS and from the CNS to the voluntary muscles of the body. |
|
Somatosensory Cortex |
area of cortex at the front of the parietal lobes responsible for processing information from the skin and internal body receptors for touch, temperature, and body position. |
|
Somesthetic Senses |
the body senses consisting of the skin senses, the kinesthetic sense, and the vestibular senses. |
|
Spatial Neglect |
condition produced most often by damage to the parietal lobe association areas of the right hemisphere, resulting in an inability to recognize objects or body parts in the left visual field. |
|
Spinal Cord |
a long bundle of neurons that carries messages between the body and the brain and is responsible for very fast, lifesaving reflexes. |
|
Standard Deviation |
the square root of the average squared deviations from the mean of scores in a distribution; a measure of variability. |
|
Statistically Significant |
referring to differences in data sets that are larger than chance variation would predict |
|
Statistics |
branch of mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of numerical data. |
|
Stem Cells |
special cells found in all the tissues of the body that are capable of becoming other cell types when those cells need to be replaced due to damage or wear and tear. |
|
Structuralism |
early perspective in psychology associated with Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener, in which the focus of study is the structure or basic elements of the mind. |
|
Sympathetic Division |
(fight-or-flight system) part of the ANS that is responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal. |
|
Synapse (Synaptic Gap) |
microscopic fluid-filled space between the axon terminal of one cell and the dendrites or surface of the next cell. |
|
Synaptic Vesicles |
saclike structures found inside the synaptic knob containing chemicals. |
|
Synesthesia |
disorder in which the signals from the various sensory organs are processed in the wrong cortical areas, resulting in the sense information being interpreted as more than one sensation. |
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Systematic Desensitization |
behavior technique used to treat phobias, in which a client is asked to make a list of ordered fears and taught to relax while concentrating on those fears |
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Temporal Lobes |
areas of the cortex located along the side of the brain, starting just behind the temples, containing the neurons responsible for the sense of hearing and meaningful speech. |
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Testes |
the male gonads. |
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Texture Gradient |
the tendency for textured surfaces to appear to become smaller and finer as distance from the viewer increases. |
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Thalamus |
part of the limbic system located in the center of the brain, this structure relays sensory information from the lower part of the brain to the proper areas of the cortex and processes some sensory information before sending it to its proper area. |
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Therapeutic Alliance |
the relationship between therapist and client that develops as a warm, caring, accepting relationship characterized by empathy, mutual respect, and understanding. |
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Therapy |
treatment methods aimed at making people feel better and function more effectively. |
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Thyroid Gland |
endocrine gland found in the neck; regulates metabolism. |
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Time-Out |
an extinction process in which a person is removed from the situation that provides reinforcement for undesirable behavior, usually by being placed in a quiet corner or room away from possible attention and reinforcement opportunities. |
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Token Economy |
type of behavior modification in which desired behavior is rewarded with tokens. |
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Top-Down Processing |
the use of preexisting knowledge to organize individual features into a unified whole |
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Transduction |
the process of converting outside stimuli, such as light, into neural activity. |
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Transference |
in psychoanalysis, the tendency for a patient or client to project positive or negative feelings for important people from the past onto the therapist. |
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Trichromatic ("Three Colors") Theory |
theory of color vision that proposes three types of cones: red, blue, and green. |
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T-Test |
type of inferential statistical analysis typically used when two means are compared to see if they are significantly different. |
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Unconditional Positive Regard |
referring to the warmth, respect, and accepting atmosphere created by the therapist for the client in person-centered therapy. |
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Vestibular Senses |
the sensations of movement, balance, and body position. |
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Visual Accommodation |
the change in the thickness of the lens as the eye focuses on objects that are far away or close. |
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Volley Principle |
theory of pitch that states that frequencies from about 400 Hz to 4000 Hz cause the hair cells (auditory neurons) to fire in a volley pattern, or take turns in firing. |
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Wernicke's Aphasia |
condition resulting from damage to Wernicke's area, causing the affected person to be unable to understand or produce meaningful language. |
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Z Score |
a statistical measure that indicates how far away from the mean a particular score is in terms of the number of standard deviations that exist between the mean and that score. |