Theories
Albert Bandura
This experiment demonstrated _________ by training dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell
Classical conditioning
What does CBT stand for?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Counseling and Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy involve collaborative, talk-based approaches that help individuals explore emotions, resolve difficulties, and develop healthier coping strategies.
They emphasize the therapeutic relationship, personal growth, and improving quality of life rather than strictly diagnosing mental disorders.
What does MEPA stand for?
Middle East Psychological Association
What is highest level of Malsow's hierarchy?
Self-actualization
Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment (Zimbardo, 1971) simulated a prison environment with students randomly assigned as guards or prisoners to study how social roles influence behaviour. Within days, guards became abusive and prisoners showed extreme stress, demonstrating how situational factors and assigned roles can powerfully shape behaviour beyond individual personality.
Name one or more third-wave therapy(s)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental health disorders across the lifespan using evidence-based psychological methods.
It integrates scientific research with clinical practice to understand distress, improve functioning, and support long-term psychological wellbeing.
Who is the director of the MEPA UAE chapter?
Dr. Afsana Faheem
Ian Hacking's "Looping Effect"
Describes how human classifications - such as those in sociology or psychology - change the people they classify, which in turn requires those classifications to be revised.
This experiment proved that humans, not just dogs or animals, could also be classically conditioned.
Little Albert Experiment
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a trauma-focused psychotherapy that helps individuals process distressing memories using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements.
It reduces the emotional intensity of traumatic experiences by helping the brain reprocess memories so they become less intrusive, overwhelming, or negatively charged.
School and Educational Psychology
School and educational psychology applies psychological principles to support learning, development, and wellbeing in educational settings.
Practitioners work with students, teachers, and families to assess learning needs, address behavioural or academic challenges, and create supportive school environments.
How many countries is MEPA currently operating in?
6 countries
Cognitive Behavioral Theory
A theory that indicates that people's emotions, thoughts, behavior, and physical sensations, are linked to one another
Bystander Effect
Darley and Latané (1968) studied how the presence of others influences helping behaviour by creating simulated emergency situations where participants believed someone needed assistance. They found that participants were less likely to help and slower to act when more bystanders were present, demonstrating the bystander effect and the diffusion of responsibility.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses magnetic pulses to activate or modulate specific regions of the brain involved in mood, cognition, and behaviour.
It is commonly used as a treatment for depression, schizophrenia, OCD, and other neuropsychiatric conditions when medications are ineffective, helping to alter neural activity in targeted brain circuits.
Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology examines the intersection between psychology and the legal system, applying psychological knowledge to legal questions and criminal behaviour.
It includes activities such as risk assessment, offender rehabilitation, expert testimony, and evaluating individuals' mental states in legal contexts.
What are MEPA's three main goals?
What are the Gottman's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"?
Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling
Maguire et al. (2000)
Used MRI scans to compare the brains of London taxi drivers with non-drivers and found that taxi drivers had significantly larger posterior hippocampi. Because the hippocampus is involved in spatial navigation and memory, the findings suggest that extensive spatial experience can physically change brain structure—a key example of neuroplasticity.
Perinatal Psychotherapy
This modality supports mental health during pregnancy and the first year postpartum, addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, bonding, or birth-related trauma.
It integrates psychological therapy with an understanding of the unique biological, emotional, and relational changes experienced during pregnancy.
Clinical Neuropsychology
Focuses on understanding how brain structure and function relate to behaviour, cognition, and emotional processes.
Clinicians assess and treat individuals with neurological conditions such as, brain injury, dementia, stroke, or epilepsy to support rehabilitation and daily functioning.
What countries is MEPA currently operating in?
UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan
Fun fact: Saudi Arabia and Oman are soon to join the MEPA chapters!