Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior
This refers to the brain's ability to modify its connections or re-map itself, often following damage or new experiences.
brain plasticity
This phenomenon describes the worldwide trend of rising intelligence test scores observed over many decades.
Flynn Effect
These external agents, such as chemicals or viruses, can cross the placental barrier and cause physical or cognitive damage to a developing fetus.
teratogens
This principle states that performance is best when arousal is at a moderate level, rather than being too high or too low.
Yerkes-Dodson Law
Hans Selye's model describes the body's three-stage physiological response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
This specific neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for the transmission of pain signals throughout the nervous system.
substance p
This term refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes, or "thinking about thinking".
metacognition
This term describes the tendency for an organism to decrease its response to a stimulus after it has been presented repeatedly.
habituation
This common bias leads people to overemphasize internal personality traits and underemphasize situational factors when judging others.
fundamental attribution error
This potentially permanent side effect of long-term antipsychotic use involves involuntary facial tics and body movements.
tardive dyskinesia
This part of the brain stem plays a critical role in controlling arousal and the sleep/wake cycle.
reticulating activating system (RAS)
This mental shortcut involves making judgments about the probability of an event based on how well it matches a specific prototype.
representativeness heuristic
This type of learning occurs when an individual observes the consequences of someone else's behavior and adjusts their own actions accordingly.
vicarious conditioning
This psychological tension occurs when a person holds two conflicting beliefs or when their behavior contradicts their attitudes.
cognitive dissonance
This model suggests that psychological disorders result from a combination of a biological vulnerability and environmental triggers.
diathesis-stress model
This chemical, often released during social bonding or childbirth, acts as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter.
oxytocin
This specific type of sensory memory allows for a very brief, fleeting "snapshot" of visual information.
iconic memory
In Vygotsky's theory, this represents the gap between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with guidance.
zone of proximal development
This theory of persuasion identifies two distinct paths for changing attitudes: the logical "central route" and the more superficial "peripheral route".
Elaboration Likelihood Model
This specific form of cognitive-behavioral therapy was developed to help individuals regulate intense emotions and is often used for borderline personality disorder.
dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
This neurological condition is characterized by "face blindness," where an individual cannot recognize familiar faces despite having intact visual acuity.
prosopagnosia
This biological process involves the long-lasting strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity, serving as a foundation for memory.
long-term potentiation
This complex theory examines development through nested layers of environment, from the microsystem to the chronosystem.
ecological systems theory
This social-cognitive concept explains how an individual's behavior, internal traits, and environment all influence one another in a constant loop.
reciprocal determinism
Aaron Beck used this term to describe the negative patterns of thinking—about the self, the world, and the future—common in depression.
cognitive triad