Key Concepts in Psychology and Neuroscience Defined

Hypothalamus: Location and Function

The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and directly above the brain stem. It forms the anterior part of the diencephalon. All vertebrate brains contain a hypothalamus. In humans, it is roughly the size of an almond and controls certain metabolic processes and other activities of the Autonomic Nervous System.

Classical and Operant Conditioning

These are two fundamental processes in behavioral psychology:

• Classical Conditioning: A process that involves creating an association between a naturally existing stimulus (unconditioned stimulus) and a previously neutral one (conditioned stimulus).
• Operant Conditioning: Utilizes reinforcement and punishment to create associations between behaviors and the consequences for those behaviors.

Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Intelligence is often defined as our intellectual potential—something we are born with, something that can be measured, and a capacity that is difficult to change. This theory proposes several distinct types of intelligence:

• Visual/Spatial
• Verbal/Linguistic
• Logical/Mathematical
• Bodily/Kinesthetic
• Musical
• Interpersonal
• Naturalist

Maturation: Development and Aging Process

Maturation is the process that a living thing goes through as it ages and becomes ripe or fully developed. Examples of things that undergo maturation include soybeans, antelope, bourbon, frogs, magnolia trees, the human sex drive, and peaches.

REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement)

There are two primary types of sleep: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement).

REM sleep, also known as paradoxical sleep, occurs in cycles every 60–90 minutes throughout your sleep period. During the REM stage, you experience rapid eye movements, and your muscles become almost paralyzed. The majority of dreams occur during REM sleep, but not all of them.

The Big Five Personality Traits (FFM)

In psychology, the Big Five personality traits are five broad domains or dimensions used to describe human personality. The theory based on these factors is called the Five Factor Model (FFM), initially proposed by D. W. Fiske (1949).

The Big Five factors are:

• Openness
• Conscientiousness
• Extraversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

Situationism vs. Dispositionism in Psychology

These terms describe competing views on the causes of human behavior:

Dispositionism

Dispositionism is a term in social psychology used to describe the belief that people's actions are conditioned by internal factors, such as beliefs, values, personality traits, or abilities, rather than the external situation they find themselves in. A Dispositionist is a person who adheres to Lay Dispositionism—the tendency to use personality traits (like intelligence) to explain and predict social actions or outcomes.

Situationism

Situationism in psychology refers to an approach to personality that holds that people are more influenced by external, situational factors than by internal traits or motivations (Ross & Nisbett, 1991).