Vocabulary in Psychology

Key Terms and Definitions

This section introduces essential vocabulary for understanding foundational concepts in psychology. Mastery of these terms is crucial for success in introductory psychology courses.

• Absolute threshold: The minimum stimulus intensity required for detection 50% of the time.

• Adrenal glands: Endocrine glands above the kidneys that secrete hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.

• Behaviorism: A psychological approach focusing on observable behaviors and their environmental determinants.

• Big 5 personality traits: Five broad domains of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

• Cerebrum: The largest part of the brain, responsible for higher brain functions such as thought and action.

• Cognitive: Pertaining to mental processes like thinking, memory, and problem-solving.

• Collectivist cultures: Societies that emphasize group goals and interdependence over individual achievement.

• Cones: Photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and visual acuity.

• Dendrite: Branch-like extensions of neurons that receive signals from other neurons.

• Epinephrine: Also known as adrenaline; a hormone involved in the fight-or-flight response.

• Function: The purpose or activity of a psychological process or structure.

• Functionalism: An early school of psychology focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior.

• Glia cells: Non-neuronal cells in the nervous system that support and protect neurons.

• Heritability of traits: The proportion of variation in a trait attributable to genetic factors.

• Hippocampus: A brain structure involved in memory formation and spatial navigation.

• Hypothalamus: A brain region controlling homeostasis, hunger, thirst, and hormone release.

• Light intensity: The strength or brightness of light, affecting perception.

• Negative correlations: A relationship where one variable increases as the other decreases.

• Neuron: The basic unit of the nervous system, specialized for transmitting information.

• Occipital lobe: The region of the cerebral cortex responsible for visual processing.

• Optic nerve: The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

• Parietal lobe: The region of the cerebral cortex involved in processing sensory information.

• Peak sensitivity: The wavelength at which a photoreceptor cell is most responsive.

• Positive correlations: A relationship where both variables increase or decrease together.

• Psychoanalysis: Freud's theory and therapeutic method focusing on unconscious motives and conflicts.

• Pupil: The opening in the center of the iris that regulates the amount of light entering the eye.

• Retina: The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye containing photoreceptors.

• Rods: Photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for vision in low light.

• Sclera: The white, protective outer layer of the eye.

• Sociocultural: Relating to the influence of society and culture on behavior.

• Wavelengths: The distance between successive peaks of a wave, important in color perception.

Theorists and Their Theories

Major Contributors to Psychology

Understanding the contributions of key theorists is essential for grasping the development of psychological thought.

• Abraham Maslow: Developed the hierarchy of needs, emphasizing self-actualization.

• B.F. Skinner: Leading behaviorist known for operant conditioning.

• Eleanor Gibson: Researched perceptual development, including the "visual cliff" experiment.

• Erik Erikson: Proposed the psychosocial stages of development.

• Harry Harlow: Studied attachment in monkeys, highlighting the importance of caregiving.

• Ivan Pavlov: Discovered classical conditioning through experiments with dogs.

• Jean Piaget: Developed the theory of cognitive development in children.

• Lawrence Kohlberg: Known for his theory of moral development.

• Mary Phipps Clark: Conducted research on racial identity and child development.

• Raymond Cattell: Developed the 16-factor model of personality.

• Sylvian Freud: (Likely a misspelling of Sigmund Freud) Founder of psychoanalysis.

• Wilhelm Wundt: Established the first psychology laboratory; considered the father of experimental psychology.

• William James: Promoted functionalism and wrote influential psychology texts.

Check out the timeline! (Additional info: Students should review the historical timeline of psychological theories for context.)

Concepts in Psychology

Core Ideas and Methods

This section covers foundational concepts and research methods in psychology, essential for understanding experimental design and data interpretation.

• Animal testing: The use of non-human animals in psychological research to study behavior and biological processes.

• Color blindness: A visual deficiency where individuals cannot distinguish certain colors.

• Correlation: A statistical measure indicating the relationship between two variables.

• Descriptive statistics: Methods for summarizing and describing data sets.

• Correlational studies: Research designs that examine the relationship between variables without manipulating them.

• Principle of falsifiability: The idea that scientific theories must be testable and capable of being proven false.

• Reliability: The consistency of a measure or test.

• Research hypothesis: A specific, testable prediction about the outcome of a study.

• Sampling: The process of selecting participants for a study.

• Validity: The extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

• Vision sensitivity: The ability to detect visual stimuli, often measured in terms of threshold.

• Visual impairment: Any condition that limits visual function.

• Visual information processing: The interpretation and analysis of visual stimuli by the brain.

Example: Correlation

• If a study finds a positive correlation between hours studied and exam scores, it means that as study time increases, exam scores tend to increase as well.

• Correlation does not imply causation; other factors may influence the relationship.

Key Statistical Formulas

• Pearson correlation coefficient: Measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables.

• Mean (average):

Additional info:

• Some theorist names may be misspelled or abbreviated; for example, "Sylvian Freud" likely refers to Sigmund Freud.

• Students should familiarize themselves with the historical development of psychological theories and research methods for a comprehensive understanding.