Understanding Psychology: Key Concepts and Terms

Sensation

Receiving stimuli

Perception

Understanding stimuli

Selective Attention

Focusing on a specific aspect of experience

Selective Perception

Recalling only those circumstances that confirm our beliefs

Functional Fixedness

Getting locked into a specific way of thinking

Neuroplasticity

Capacity of the brain to change its internal structure based on new experiences

Hippocampus

Brain structure responsible for memory and new learning

Mnemonics

Memory devices

Retroactive Interference

When more recent information gets in the way of trying to recall older information

Proactive Interference

When old information prevents the recall of newer information

Testwiseness

Practice effect of taking tests

Scientific Method

Observe an event, develop a model, test the prediction, observe the result, revise the hypothesis, repeat as needed

Determinism

Belief that individuals are governed by outside forces

Free Will

Belief that individuals are a result of the choices they make

Proactivity

Focuses on results and taking initiative

Reactivity

Produces excuses and explanations, reacting to circumstances

Internal Locus of Control

Taking responsibility for one's actions and outcomes

External Locus of Control

Blaming others for one's actions and outcomes

Hedonism

Theory stating that human behavior is motivated by the pursuit of pleasure or avoidance of pain

Hedonic Treadmill

The continuous pursuit of things believed to bring happiness

Peak-End Theory

Psychological rule by which we judge events based on their peak and end moments

Fredrickson Theory

Negative emotions alert us to danger

Irrational Self-Talk

Catastrophizing and automatic thoughts, running commentary, and negative messages

Cognitive Restructuring

Psychotherapeutic process of learning to identify and dispute irrational thoughts

Self-Efficacy

One's belief in one's ability to succeed

Defensive Pessimism

Strategy to prepare for anxiety

Dispositional Pessimism

Self-critique and discounting previous successful performances

Self-Esteem

Measure of how much you value and judge yourself

Inferiority Complex

Lack of self-worth (Freud)

Pathological Critic

Negative inner voice

Signature Strengths

Most essential characteristics of who we are

Trait

Distinguishing characteristic or quality

Authoritarian Parenting

Restrictive, punitive style

Authoritative Parenting

Warm, nurturing while at the same time setting meaningful limits

Permissive Indifferent

Uninvolved in a child's life

Permissive Indulgent

Failing to set limits

Unconditional Positive Regard

Acceptance of a child regardless of behavior

Conditional Positive Regard

Judging a child's value based on their behavior

Attitude of Gratitude

Being able to appreciate what's important to us, a way of stepping back from stresses

Mindfulness

Helps savor things and moments

Metacognition

Understanding one's own thought processes

Stress

Anything that requires an adaptive response

Positive Stress (Eustress)

Negative Stress (Distress)

Placebo Effect

Fake treatment that produces a real response

Glucocorticoids

Hormones that control metabolism

Endorphins

Hormones that reduce pain