Biological Behavior
This specialized cell transmits information throughout the nervous system.
What is a neuron?
The minimum amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time is known as this.
What is the absolute threshold?
Learning that occurs when one links two stimuli together, such as Pavlov’s dogs salivating at a bell.
A person who selectively seeks information that confirms pre-existing beliefs demonstrates this common cognitive bias, which may be stronger in those high in rigidity or low in openness.
What is confirmation bias?
This type of therapy focuses on changing maladaptive thoughts to change emotions and behavior.
What is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?
This structure is essential for balance and coordinated movement.
What is the cerebellum?
These natural fluctuations in alertness and awareness occur over roughly 24 hours.
What are circadian rhythms?
The previously neutral stimulus that, after conditioning, comes to trigger a response is called this.
What is the conditioned stimulus (CS)?
The mental shortcut people use that often leads to quick judgments but sometimes errors is called this.
What is a heuristic?
This disorder is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety.
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
This lobe is most associated with planning, judgment, and impulse control.
What is the frontal lobe?
Dreams that reflect our unconscious desires and wishes are emphasized in this famous psychoanalytic theory.
What is Freud’s wish-fulfillment theory?
A slot machine pays off after an unpredictable number of plays, illustrating this type of reinforcement schedule.
What is variable-ratio schedule
Individuals high in narcissism or self-confidence may overestimate their knowledge or abilities, demonstrating this cognitive bias.
What is overconfidence bias?
This therapy involves changing behaviors through reinforcement and punishment rather than exploring unconscious thoughts.
What is behavior therapy?
Two individuals share a genetic vulnerability for alcoholism, but only one develops the disorder due to environmental exposure; this illustrates this principle.
What is gene–environment interaction?
When perception begins with sensory input and builds up to higher-level interpretation, psychologists describe it as this.
What is bottom-up processing?
A parent scolds their child for drawing on the walls. This decreases the likelihood of the child repeating the behavior. This is an example of this type of operant conditioning.
What is positive Punishment
The process of getting information out of memory storage and back into conscious awareness is called this.
What is retrieval?
Therapy in which a clinician helps a patient gain insight into unconscious conflicts is based on this psychological perspective.
What is psychoanalysis?
The human preference for immediate rewards, beneficial in environments of scarcity but problematic in modern settings, reflects these inherited evolutionary patterns.
What are outdated tendencies?
Withdrawal symptoms after stopping a psychoactive substance illustrate this biological response.
What is physical dependence?
If a previously extinguished behavior reappears after a pause, it demonstrates this classical conditioning effect.
What is spontaneous recovery?
A person frustrated by their boss yells at their roommate instead of expressing anger at the workplace. This redirection of emotion illustrates this defense mechanism.
What is displacement?
In this humanistic therapy, the clinician provides unconditional positive regard to help the client reach self-actualization.
What is client-centered therapy (or person-centered therapy)?