A
AB Design
A single subject research design that contains one baseline (A) and one treatment (B).
ABAB Design
A single subject research design that contains a baseline (A1), treatment (B1), a second baseline (B2) and a second treatment phase (B2)
Alpha (lowercase)
The abbreviation for probability of error in statistical results. See Type I Error. (a)
Alternative Hypothesis
The hypothesis that states there is a difference between two or more sets of data.
Absolute Zero
Characteristic of a scale of measurement that contains a point where the scale has no value.
Accommodation
The creation of new cognitive schemas when objects, experiences, or other information does not fit with existing schemas.
Action Potential
The firing on a neuron. Occurs when the charge inside the neuron becomes more positive than the charge outside.
Acetycholine
A neurotransmitter associated with voluntary movement, sleep and wakefulness.
Aggressive
An interpersonal style where only the immediate needs of the self are considered rather than the needs of others. (As opposed to passive or assertive)
Agoraphobia
An anxiety disorder characterized by an intense fear of leaving one's home.
All or None Law
Either a neuron completely fires or it does not fire at all.
Alpha (lowercase)
The abbreviation for probability of error in statistical results. See Type I Error. (a)
Alternative Hypothesis
The hypothesis that states there is a difference between two or more sets of data.
Altruism
Behavior that is unselfish and may even be detrimental but which benefits others.
Amnesia
Loss of memory. Usually only a partial loss such as for a period of time or biographical information.
Amygdala
A part of the brain's limbic system that attaches emotional significance to information and mediates both defensive and aggressive behavior.
Anal Expulsive Personality
Stemming from the Anal stage, a child who becomes fixated due to over control transfers his or her unresolved anal (or control) issues into characteristics such as cruelty, pushiness, messiness, or disorganization.
Anal Retentive Personality
Stemming from the Anal stage, a child who becomes fixated due to under control transfers his or her unresolved anal (or control) issues into characteristics such as compulsivity, stinginess, cleanliness, organization, and obstinance.
Anal Stage
Freud's second stage of psychosexual development where the primary sexual focus is on the elimination or holding onto feces. The stage is often thought of as representing a child's ability to control his or her own world.
Analysis
See Psychoanalysis.
Analysis of Variance
An inferential statistical procedure used to test whether or not the means of two or more sets of data are equal to each other.
ANOVA
Analysis of Variance.
Anxiety
The physiological and psychological reaction to an expected danger, whether real or imagined.
Aphasia
The impairment of the ability to communicate either through oral or written discourse as a result of brain damage.
Approach-Approach Conflict
The conflict presented when two opposite but equally appealing choices are available but can not both be obtained.
Approach-Avoidance Conflict
The conflict presented when the best positive choice will result in a negative outcome as well as positive.
Arousal Theory
The theory stating that we are motivated by our innate desire to maintain an optimal level of arousal.
Assertive
Style of interpersonal interaction where both the needs of the self and others are considered. (As opposed to passive or aggressive)
Assimilation
Incorporating objects, experiences, or information into existing schemas.
Associations
The phenomenon in learning that states we are better able to remember information if it is paired with something we are familiar with or otherwise stands out.
Attachment
The strong bond a child forms with his or her primary caregiver.
Attribution
An idea or belief about the etiology of a certain behavior.
Attribution Theory
The theory that argues people look for explanation of behavior, associating either dispositional (internal) attributes or situational (external) attributes.
Authoritarian [parents]
Parenting style focused on excessive rules, rigid belief systems, and the expectation of unquestioned obedience.
Authoritative [parents]
Parenting style focused on setting reasonable rules and expectations while encouraging communication and independence.
Autonomic Nervous System
Part of the peripheral nervous system that regulates the involuntary actions of the body (e.g., breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, pupil dilation). Also regulates the Fight or Flight Phenomenon.
Availability Heuristic
A rule of thumb stating that information more readily available in our memory is more important than information not as easily accessible.
Aversion Therapy
A type of behavioral treatment where an aversive stimuli is paired with a negative behavior in hopes that the behavior will change in the future to avoid the aversive stimuli.
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict
The conflict where both possible choices have an equal negative outcome.
Axon
The tail-like part of the neuron through which information exits the cell.
B
Behavior Modification
The application of behavioral theory to change a specific behavior.
Behavior Therapy
The application of behavioral theory (e.g. conditioning, reinforcement) in the treatment of mental illness.
Behaviorism
The school of psychology founded on the premise that behavior is measurable and can be changed through the application of various behavioral principles.
Bell-Shaped Curve
Also referred to as a normal distribution or normal curve, a bell-shaped curve is a perfect mesokurtic curve where the mean, median, and mode are equal.
Beta (uppercase)
Abbreviation for Power in statistical results. See Type II Error. (b)
Binocular Cues
Visual cues (convergence and retinal disparity) that require both eyes to perceive distance (as opposed to monocular cues)
Bisexuality
Being attracted to or aroused by members of both genders. See Sexual Orientation.
Blind Study
As a way to avoid the placebo effect in research, this type of study is designed without the subject's knowledge of the anticipated results and sometimes even the nature of the study. The subjects are said to be 'blind' to the expected results.
Broca’s Aphasia
An aphasia associated with damage to the Broca's area of the brain, demonstrated by the impairment in producing understandable speech.
Burnout
Changes in thoughts, emotions, and behavior as a result of extended job stress and unrewarded repetition of duties. Burnout is seen as extreme dissatisfaction, pessimism, lowered job satisfaction, and a desire to quit.
C
Canonical Correlation
A correlational technique used when there are two or more X and two or more Y. (Example: The correlation between (age and sex) and (income and life satisfaction)
Castration Anxiety
According to Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development, the fear a boy in the phallic stage experiences due to a fear that his father will render him powerless if his father finds out about his attraction toward his mother.
Catharsis
The emotional release associated with the expression of unconscious conflicts.
CEEB Score
A standard score that sets the mean to five-hundred and standard deviation to one-hundred. Used on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
Cell Body
The main part of a neuron where the information is processed.
Central Nervous System
The brain and the spinal cord.
Central Tendency
A statistical measurement attempting to depict the average score in a distribution (see mean, median, and/or mode)
Centration
A young child's tendency to focus only on his or her own perspective of a specific object and a failure to understand that others may see things differently.
Cerebellum
Part of the brain associated with balance, smooth movement, and posture.
Cerebral Hemispheres
The two halves of the brain (right and left)
Chemical Imbalance
A generic term for the idea that chemical in the brain are either too scarce or too abundant resulting in or contributing to a mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Others believe that the disorder precedes the imbalance, suggesting that a change in mood, for example, changes our chemicals rather than the chemical changing our mood.
Chunk
A unit of information used in memory
Chunking
Combining smaller units of measurement or chunks into larger chunks. (e.g., a seven chunk phone number such as 5-5-5-1-2-1-2 becomes a five chunk number such as 5-5-5-12-12)
Classical Conditioning
The behavioral technique of pairing a naturally occurring stimulus and response chain with a different stimulus in order to produce a response which is not naturally occurring.
Client Centered Therapy
A humanistic therapy based on Carl Roger's beliefs that an individual has an unlimited capacity for psychological growth and will continue to grow unless barriers are placed in the way.
Coefficient of Determination
The statistic or number determined by squaring the correlation coefficient. Represents the amount of variance accounted for by that correlation.
Coercive Power
Power derived through the ability to punish.
Cognition
The process of receiving, processing, storing, and using information.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Treatment involving the combination of behaviorism (based on the theories of learning) and cognitive therapy (based on the theory that our cognitions or thoughts control a large portion of our behaviors).
Cognitive Dissonance
he realization of contradictions in one's own attitudes and behaviors.
Cognitive Psychology
The sub-field of psychology associated with information processing and the role it plays in emotion, behavior, and physiology.
Cognitive Therapy
The treatment approach based on the theory that our cognitions or thoughts control a large part of our behaviors and emotions. Therefore, changing the way we think can result in positive changes in the way we act and feel.
Cohort Effects
The effects of being born and raised in a particular time or situation where all other members of your group has similar experiences that make your group unique from other groups
Collective Unconscious
According to Jung, the content of the unconscious mind that is passed down from generation to generation in all humans.
Compulsion
The physical act resulting from an obsession. Typically a compulsive act is done in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort created by an obsession.
Concrete Operational Stage
According to Piaget, the stage of cognitive development where a child between the ages of 7 and 12 begins thinking more globally and outside of the self but is still deficient in abstract thought.
Concurrent Validity
A measurements ability to correlate or vary directly with an accepted measure of the same construct
Conditioned Response
The response in a stimulus-response chain that is not naturally occurring, but rather has been learned through its pairing with a naturally occurring chain.
Conditioned Stimulus
The stimulus in a stimulus-response chain that is not naturally occurring, but rather has been learned through its pairing with a naturally occurring chain.
Conditioning
The process of learning new behaviors or responses as a result of their consequences.
Confidence Interval
The level of certainty that the true score falls within a specific range. The smaller the range the less the certainty.
Conformity
Changing your attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, or behaviors in order to be more consistent with others.
Confound
Any variable that is not part of a research study but still has an effect on the research results
Conscience
According to Freud, the restriction demanded by the superego.
Consciousness
Awareness of yourself and the world around you.
Conservation
The understanding, typically achieved in later childhood, that matter remains the same even when the shape changes ( i.e., a pound of clay is still a pound of clay whether it is rolled in a ball or pounded flat).
Consolidation
The physiological changes in the brain associated with memory storage.
Consolidation Failure
The failure to store information in memory.
Constant
Any variable that remains the same throughout a study.
Construct
Any variable that can not be directly observed but rather is measured through indirect methods. (Examples: intelligence, motivation)
Construct Validity
The general validity of a measuring device. Construct validity answers the question of whether or not the measuring device actually measures the construct under question.
Content Validity
A measurement device’s ability to be generalized to the entire content of what is being measured.
Context Dependent Memory
The theory that information learned in a particular situation or place is better remembered when in that same situation or place.
Continuous Reinforcement
The application of reinforcement every time a specific behavior occurs.
Control Group
The group of subjects in an experiment that does not receive the independent variable.
Convergence
The binocular cue to distance referring to the fact that the closer an object, the more inward our eyes need to turn in order to focus
Convergent Thinking
Logical and conventional thought leading to a single answer.
Conversion Disorder
A somatoform disorder where the individual experiences a loss of sensation or function due to a psychological belief (e.g., paralysis, blindness, deafness).
Correlated Sample
Sample data that is related to each other.
Correlation
The degree to which two or more variables a related to each other. A correlation refers to the direction that the variables move and does not necessarily represent cause and effect. (Example: height and weight are correlated. As one increases, the other tends to increase as well)
Correlation Coefficient
The statistic or number representing the degree to which two or more variables are related. Often abbreviated 'r.'
Counter conditioning
The use of conditioning to eliminate a previously conditioned response. The conditioned stimulus (CS) is repaired with a different unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to eventually elicit a new conditioned response (CR)
Critical Period
A time frame deemed highly important in developing in a healthy manner; can be physically, emotionally, behaviorally, or cognitively.
Critical Value
The value of a statistic required in order to consider the results significant.
Cross Sectional Study
A research study that examines the effects of development (maturation) by examining different subjects at various ages
Cross Sequential Study
A research study that examines the effects of development (maturation) by combining longitudinal and cross sectional studies
Crowding
The psychological and psychological response to the belief that there are too many people in a specified area.
Crystallized Intelligence
The part of intelligence which involves the acquisition, as opposed to the use, of information
D
Decay
Theory which states that memory fades and/or disappears over time if it is not used or accessed.
Declarative Memory
The part of long-term memory where factual information is stored, such as mathematical formulas, vocabulary, and life events.
Deductive Reasoning
Decision making process in which ideas are processed from the general to the specific.
Defenses (Defense Mechanisms)
Psychological forces which prevent undesirable or inappropriate impulses from entering consciousness (e.g., forgetting responsibilities that we really didn't want to do, projecting anger onto a spouse as opposed to your boss). Also called Defense Mechanisms, Defense System, or Ego Defenses.
Degrees of Freedom
The numbers of individual scores that can vary without changing the sample mean. Statistically written as 'N-1' where N represents the number of subjects.
Delusion
False belief system (e.g., believing you are Napoleon, have magical powers, or the false belief that others are 'out to get you.').
Dendrites
Extensions of the cell body of a neuron responsible for receiving incoming neurotransmitters.
Dependent Variable
The variable in an experiment that is measured; the outcome of an experiment.
Descriptive Statistics
The branch of statistics that focuses on describing in numerical format what is happening now within a population. Descriptive statistics require that all subjects in the population (the entire class, all males in a school, all professors) be tested.
Developmental Psychology
The area of psychology focused on how children grow psychologically to become who they are as adults.
Deviation IQ Score
A standard score used for reporting IQ scores where the mean is set to 100 and standard deviation to 15
Difference Threshold
The smallest change in perception which is noticeable at least 50% of the time.
Discrimination
In behavioral theory, the learned ability to differentiate between two similar objects or situations.
Disorientation
Inability to recognize or be aware of who we are (person), what we are doing (situation), the time and date (time), or where we are in relation to our environment (place). To be considered a problem, it must be consistent, result in difficulty functioning, and not due to forgetting or being lost.
Displacement
The pushing out of older information in short term memory to make room for new information.
Dispositional Attribute
An attribute explained or interpreted as being caused by internal influences.
Dissociation
A separation from the self, with the most severe resulting in Dissociative Identity Disorder. Most of us experience this in very mild forms such as when we are driving long distance and lose time or find ourselves day dreaming longer than we thought.
Distinctiveness
The phenomenon in memory that states we are better able to remember information if it is distinctive or different from other information.
Divergent Thinking
The ability to use previously gained information to debate or discuss issues which have no agreed upon definitive resolution.
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward system.
Dopamine Hypothesis
The theory that schizophrenia is caused by an excess amount of dopamine in the brain. Research has found that medication to reduce dopamine can reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Double Blind Study
Research method in which both the subjects and the experimenter are unaware or 'blind' to the anticipated results.
Drive
An internal motivation to fulfill a need or reduce the negative aspects of an unpleasant situation.
Drug Therapy
The use of medication to treat a mental illness.
E
Ego
In Psychoanalytical theory, the part of the personality which maintains a balance between our impulses (id) and our conscience (superego).
Egocentric
The thinking in the preoperational stage of cognitive development where children believe everyone sees the world fro the same perspective as he or she does.
Ego Defense Mechanisms
See Defenses
Ego Ideal
In psychoanalytic thought, this is the ideal or desired behavior of the ego according to the superego.
Ellis, Albert
A cognitive Psychologist who developed the concept of Rational-Emotive Therapy.
Emotion
Feelings about a situation, person, or objects that involves changes in physiological arousal and cognitions.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
The awareness of and ability to manage one's emotions in a healthy and productive manner.
Encoding
The transformation of information to be stored in memory.
Endorphins
A neurotransmitter involved in pain relief, and feelings of pleasure and contentedness.
Epinephrine
A neurotransmitter involved in energy and glucose metabolism. Too little has been associated with depression.
Episodic Memory
Subcategory of Declarative memory where information regarding life events are stored.
Equal Intervals
Characteristic of a scale of measurement where the individual units possess the qualities of equal intervals. The difference between each unit of measurement is exactly the same.
Equity Theory
The theory that argues a couple must see each other as contributing and benefiting equally to the relationship for them both to feel comfortable in the relationship.
Error
The amount of other variables (aside from what you are measuring) that can impact the observed score
Error Level
The level of accepted error within a given set of data. The greater the error level, the wider the confidence interval.
Escape Conditioning
Operant conditioning based on the idea that a behavior is more likely to be repeated if it results in the cessation of a negative event.
Estimate
An idea about a characteristic of a population based on sample data (e.g., the sample mean IQ was 102 so we estimate that the population mean IQ is also 102)
Eta
A correlational technique used primarily for non-linear relationships. (Example, income and age are positively correlated until older age at which point the correlation reverses itself to some extent.
Etiology
Causal relationships of diseases; theories regarding how the specific disease or disorder began.
Experimental Group
In research, the group of subjects who receive the independent variable.
Experimental Method
Research method using random assignment of subjects and the manipulation of variables in order to determine cause and effect.
Experimenter Bias
Errors in a research study due to the predisposed notions or beliefs of the experimenter.
Expert Power
Power derived through advanced knowledge or experience in a particular subject.
Ex-Post-Facto (After the Fact) Research
Research method in which the independent variable is administered prior to the study without the researcher’s control and its effects are investigated afterward
External Locus of Control
The belief that the environment has more control over life circumstances than the individual does.
External Validity
The extent to which the data collected from a sample can be generalized to the entire population.
Extinction
The reduction and eventual disappearance of a learned or conditioned response after it is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus-response chain.
Extrinsic Motivation
The desire or push to perform a certain behavior based on the potential external rewards that may be received as a result.
Extroversion
Personality style where the individual prefers outward and group activity as opposed to inward and individual activity.
F
Factor Analysis
A statistical technique used to determine the number of components in a set of data. These components are then named according to their characteristics allowing a researcher to break down information into statistical groups.
Factorial ANOVA
An Analysis of Variance used when there are two or more independent variables. When there are two, the ANOVA is called a Two-Way ANOVA, three independent variables would use a Three-Way ANOVA, etc.
Family Therapy
Treatment involving family members which seeks to change the unhealthy familial patterns and interactions.
Fixation
In Freud's theory of psychosexual development, the failure to complete a stage successfully which results in a continuation of that stage into later adulthood.
Fixed Interval Schedule
A schedule in which the reinforcement is presented after a specific period of time.
Fixed Ratio Schedule
A schedule in which the reinforcement is presented after a specific number of responses.
Fetish
A condition in which arousal and/or sexual gratification is attained through inanimate objects (shoes, pantyhose) or non-sexual body parts (feet, hair). Is considered a problem when the object is needed in order to obtain arousal or gratification and the individual can not can not complete a sexual act without this object present.
Frequency Distribution
A table showing the number of occurrences for each score
Frequency Effect
The phenomenon in memory which states that we tend to remember information better if it is repeated.
Freud, Sigmund
Dr. Freud is often referred to as the father of clinical psychology. His extensive theory of personality development (psychoanalytical theory) is the cornerstone for modern psychological thought, and consists of (1) the psychosexual stages of development, (2) the structural model of personality (id, ego, superego), and (3) levels of consciousness (conscious, subconscious, and unconscious). See Psychoanalysis.
Flooding
A behavioral technique used to treat phobias in which the client is presented with the feared stimulus until the associated anxiety disappears.
Fluid Intelligence
According to Cattell, the part of intelligence which involves the use, as opposed to the acquisition, of information.
Formal Operational Stage
Pavlov's fourth and final stage of cognitive development where thinking becomes more abstract.
Framing
Presenting information either positively or negatively in order to change the influence is has on an individual or group.
Free Association
The psychoanalytic technique of allowing a patient to talk without direction or input in order to analyze current issues of the client.
Frontal Lobe
The lobe at the front of the brain associated with movement, speech, and impulsive behavior.
Frustration
The feelings, thoughts, and behaviors associated with not achieving a particular goal or the belief that a goal has been prematurely interrupted.
Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
The theory arguing that aggression is the natural reaction to frustration.
Functionalism
The school of thought popular in the 19th century emphasizing conscious experiences as a precursor to behavior
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency to over estimate the internal attributes of another person's actions.
G
G
General intelligence. Typically compared to s which represents specific intelligences. G is the culmination of all possible s's.
GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid)
A neurotransmitter involved in the inhibition of anxiety and excitation. Too little GABA has been associated with anxiety disorders.
Gender Identity
The internal sense of being either male or female. Usually congruent with biological gender, but not always as in Gender Identity Disorder.
Gender Role
The accepted behaviors, thoughts, and emotions of a specific gender based upon the views of a particular society or culture.
Gender Typing
The process of developing the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions associated with a particular gender.
Generalization
The tendency to associate stimuli, and therefore respond similarly to, due to their closeness on some variable such as size, shape, color, or meaning.
Genital Stage
Freud's final stage of psychosexual development where healthy sexual development is defined as attraction to a same aged, opposite sexed peer.
Gestalt
German word typically translated as meaning 'whole' or 'form.'
Gestalt Therapy
Treatment focusing on the awareness and understanding of one's feelings.
Grouped Frequency Distribution
A table showing the number of occurrences for a grouping of scores. Used a lot in educational settings where a score of 90 to 100 may be grouped as an A, a score of 80 to 90 may be grouped as a B, etc.
Group Polarization
The tendency for members of a cohesive group to make more extreme decisions due to the lack of opposing views.
Group Therapy
Psychotherapy conducted with at least three or four non-related individuals who are similar in some are, such as gender, age, mental illness, or presenting problem.
Group Think
The tendency for members of a cohesive group to reach decisions without weighing all the facts, especially those contradicting the majority opinion.
Gustation
Sense of taste.
H
Habituation
The decrease in response to a stimulus due to repetition (e.g., not hearing the ticking of a clock after getting used to it)
Hallucination
False perception of reality (e.g., hearing voices that aren't there or seeing people who do not exist) [auditory (hearing); visual (sight); olfactory (smell); tactile (touch); and taste].
Halo Effect
The tendency to assign generally positive or generally negative traits to a person after observing one specific positive or negative trait, respectively.
Hawthorne Effect
The phenomenon that subject behavior changes by the mere fact that they are being observed.
Health Psychology
The specific field in psychology concerned with psychology’s impact on health, physical well being, and illness.
Heterosexuality
Being attracted to or aroused by members of the opposite gender. See Sexual Orientation.
Heuristic
A rule of thumb based on experience used to make decisions.
Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s Theory of Motivation which states that we must achieve lower level needs, such as food, shelter, and safety before we can achieve higher level needs, such as belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
Higher Order Conditioning
Pairing a second conditioned stimulus with the first conditioned stimulus in order to produce a second conditioned response.
Hippocampus
Part of the limbic system. Involved more in memory, and the transfer of information from short-term to long-term memory.
History
External events that take place during a research study that are not part of the study but have an effect on the outcome
Homeostasis
The tendency of the body (and the mind) to natural gravitate toward a state of equilibrium or balance.
Homophobia
An irrational hostility, hatred, or fear of homosexuals.
Homosexuality
Being attracted to or aroused by members of the same gender. See Sexual Orientation.
Humanistic Psychology
A theoretical view of human nature which stresses a positive view of human nature and the strong belief in psychological homeostasis.
Humanistic Therapy
Treatment focused on increasing awareness of one's self concept.
Hypnosis
A deep state of relaxation where an individual is more susceptible to suggestions.
Hypnotherapist
A trained, and often licensed, therapist who utilizes the therapeutic technique of hypnosis as part of a treatment regimen.
Hypnotist
An individual, most likely unlicensed, who uses hypnosis techniques or variations of these techniques for a variety of reasons, including treatment and/or entertainment.
Hypothalamus
A part of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system, and therefore maintains the body’s homeostasis (controls body temperature, metabolism, and appetite. Also translates extreme emotions into physical responses.
Hypothesis
A prediction about the relationship between two or more variables.
I
Id
In Psychoanalytical theory, the part of the personality which contains our primitive impulses such as sex, anger, and hunger.
Ideal Self
Humanistic term representing the characteristics, behaviors, emotions, and thoughts to which a person aspires.
Illusion
Misperception of reality (e.g., the illusion of a lake in the middle of a desert).
Imagery
Utilizing the mind to create a mental representation of a sensory experience.
Inappropriate Affect
Expressing contradictory behavior when describing or experiencing an emotion (e.g., smiling when discussing something sad; laughing when talking about the death of a loved one).
Independent Samples
Sample data that is independent or not related to each other.
Independent Variable
The variable in an experiment that is manipulated or compared.
Inductive Reasoning
Decision making process in which ideas are processed from the specific to the general.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
The area or specialty in psychology focused on the application of psychological principles in the work force.
Inferential Statistics
The branch of statistics that focuses on describing in numerical format what might be happening or what might happen (estimation) in the future (probability). Inferential statistics required the testing of only a sample of the population. (Example: 100 students rather than all students).
Inhalant
Substances such as spray paint, freon, and glue that produce an intoxicating effect when inhaled.
Innate
Occurring without learning, inborn.
Insanity
A legal term representing the inability to know right from wrong or the inability to understand the consequences of one's actions.
Insight
The understanding of a relationship between current thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors and where these originated or how they are maintained.
Instinct
A behavior we are born with and therefore does not need to be learned.
Intelligence
The degree to which one can adapt to one’s environment.
Intelligence Quotient [IQ]
The scores achieved on psychological tests aimed at quantifying intellectual ability.
Interaction Effects
When the effect of one variable on another is contingent on a third variable, this contingency is called an interaction effect.
Internal Consistency
An estimate of how reliable a test is when items on the test are compared to each other. See split-half and odd-even reliability.
Internal Locus of Control
The belief that an individual has more control over life circumstances than the environment does.
Internal Validity
A measure of the trustworthiness of a sample of data. Internal validity looks at the subject, testing, and environment in which the data collection took place.
Interquartile Range
The difference between the scores (or estimated scores) at the 75th percentile and the 25th percentile. Used more than the range because it eliminates extreme scores.
Interval Estimation
Estimating the population statistic based on a range around a sample statistic.
Interval Scale
Any scale of measurement possessing magnitude and equal intervals, but not an absolute zero.
Interview
A subjective personality and mental health assessment typically consisting of questions and answers.
Intrinsic Motivation
The motivation or desire to do something based on the enjoyment of the behavior itself rather than relying on or requiring external reinforcement.
Introspection
The process of examining one's own consciousness.
Introversion
The tendency to focus energy inward resulting in decreased social interaction.
J
Just Noticeable Difference
The smallest change in a sensory perception that is detectable 50% of the time.
Jung, Carl
A student of Freud who split from the Psychoanalytic Society because of his disagreements with Freud, especially his view of the collective unconscious.
K
Kurtosis
The shape of a curve or distribution of scores (See Leptokurtic, Mesokurtic, and Platykurtic).
L
Latency Stage
Freud's fourth stage of psychosexual development where sexuality is repressed in the unconscious and children focus on identifying with their same sex parent and interact with same sex peers.
Latent Content
Freud's term for the underlying or hidden content represented in the symbols of dreams.
Latent Learning
Learning that occurs without apparent reinforcement but is not demonstrated until such time as reinforcement occurs.
Law of Effect
Theory proposed by Thorndike stating that those responses that are followed by a positive consequence will be repeated more frequently than those that are not.
Learned Helplessness
A condition that occurs after a period of negative consequences where the person begins to believe they have no control.
Learning
A relatively permanent change in behavior due to an interaction with the environment.
Learning Theory
Based on the idea that changes in behavior result more from experience and less from our personality or how we think or feel about a situation.
Legitimate Power
Power derived through one's position, such as a police officer or elected official.
Libido
Sigmund Freud’s terminology of sexual energy or sexual drive.
Limbic System
A brain system that plays a role in emotional expression, particularly in the emotional component of behavior, memory, and motivation.
Locus of Control
A belief about the amount of control a person has over situations in their life.
Longitudinal Study
A research design that assesses the effects of development (maturation) by using the same subjects over an extended period of time
Long Term Memory
Relatively permanent memory.
Lower Confidence Limit
The lower limit of a confidence interval. If prediction states that the true score falls between 80 and 90, then the lower confidence level is 80.
Lucid Dream
A dream in which you are aware of dreaming and are sometimes able to manipulate the dream. |
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