GLOSSARY G-3
bisexual person attracted to both men and women.
blind spot area in the retina where the axons of the three layers of retinal
cells exit the eye to form the optic nerve; insensitive to light.
borderline personality disorder (BLPD) maladaptive personality pattern
in which the person is moody, unstable, lacks a clear sense of identity, and
often clings to others with a pattern of self-destructiveness, chronic loneli-
ness, and disruptive anger in close relationships.
bottom-up processing the analysis of the smaller features to build up to a
complete perception.
brightness constancy the tendency to perceive the apparent brightness of
an object as the same even when the light conditions change.
Broca’s aphasia condition resulting from damage to Broca’s area, causing
the affected person to be unable to speak fluently, to mispronounce words,
and to speak haltingly.
bulimia nervosa (bulimia) a condition in which a person develops a cycle
of “bingeing,” or overeating enormous amounts of food at one sitting, and
then using unhealthy methods to avoid weight gain.
burnout negative changes in thoughts, emotions, and behavior as a result
of prolonged stress or frustration, leading to feelings of exhaustion.
bystander effect referring to the effect that the presence of other people has
on the decision to help or not help, with help becoming less likely as the
number of bystanders increases.
caffeine a mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, and several other plant-based
substances.
Cannon–Bard theory of emotion theory in which the physiological reac-
tion and the emotion are assumed to occur at the same time.
case study study of one individual in great detail.
catastrophe an unpredictable, large-scale event that creates a tremendous
need to adapt and adjust as well as overwhelming feelings of threat.
catatonia disturbed behavior ranging from statue-like immobility to bursts
of energetic, frantic movement and talking.
central nervous system (CNS) part of the nervous system consisting of the
brain and spinal cord.
central-route processing type of information processing that involves
attending to the content of the message itself.
centration in Piaget’s theory, the tendency of a young child to focus only on
one feature of an object while ignoring other relevant features.
cerebellum part of the lower brain located behind the pons that controls
and coordinates involuntary, rapid, fine motor movement and may have
some cognitive functions.
cerebral hemispheres the two sections of the cortex on the left and right
sides of the brain.
cerebrum the upper part of the brain consisting of the two hemispheres
and the structures that connect them.
character value judgments of a person’s moral and ethical behavior.
chromosome tightly wound strand of genetic material or DNA.
circadian rhythm a cycle of bodily rhythm that occurs over a 24-hour period.
classical conditioning learning to make an involuntary response to a stim-
ulus other than the original, natural stimulus that normally produces the
response.
claustrophobia fear of being in a small, enclosed space.
clinical psychology area of psychology in which the psychologists diag-
nose and treat people with psychological disorders that may range from
mild to severe.
closure a Gestalt principle of perception; the tendency to complete figures
that are incomplete.
cocaine a natural drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant.cochlea snail-shaped structure of the inner ear that is filled with fluid.
cognitive arousal theory (two-factor theory) theory of emotion in which
both the physical arousal and the labeling of that arousal based on cues
from the environment must occur before the emotion is experienced.
cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) action therapy in which the goal is to
help clients overcome problems by learning to think more rationally and
logically, which in turn will impact their behavior.
cognitive development the development of thinking, problem solving, and
memory.
cognitive dissonance sense of discomfort or distress that occurs when a
person’s behavior does not correspond to that person’s attitudes.
cognitive-mediational theory theory of emotion in which a stimulus must
be interpreted (appraised) by a person in order to result in a physical
response and an emotional reaction.
cognitive neuroscience study of the physical changes in the brain and ner-
vous system during thinking.
cognitive perspective modern perspective in psychology that focuses on
memory, intelligence, perception, problem solving, and learning.
cognitive perspective in classical conditioning, modern theory in which con-
ditioning is seen to occur because the conditioned stimulus provides infor-
mation or an expectancy about the coming of the unconditioned stimulus.
cognitive psychologists psychologists who study the way people think,
remember, and mentally organize information.
cognitive therapy therapy in which the focus is on helping clients rec-
ognize distortions in their thinking and replacing distorted, unrealistic
beliefs with more realistic, helpful thoughts.
cognitive universalism theory that concepts are universal and influence
the development of language.
cohort effect the impact on development occurring when a group of people
share a common time period or common life experience.
collective unconscious Jung’s name for the memories shared by all mem-
bers of the human species.
College Undergraduate Stress Scale (CUSS) assessment that measures the
amount of stress in a college student’s life over a 1-year period resulting
from major life events.
community psychology area of psychology in which psychologists serve at
various levels including individual, group, and community, focusing on
promoting social welfare and preventing social problems.
companionate love type of love consisting of intimacy and commitment.
comparative psychology area of psychology in which the psychologists
study animals and their behavior for the purpose of comparing and con-
trasting it to human behavior.
compensation (substitution) defense mechanism in which a person makes
up for inferiorities in one area by becoming superior in another area.
compliance changing one’s behavior as a result of other people directing or
asking for the change.
computed tomography (CT) brain-imaging method using computer-
controlled X-rays of the brain.
concentrative meditation form of meditation in which a person focuses the
mind on some repetitive or unchanging stimulus so that the mind can be
cleared of disturbing thoughts and the body can experience relaxation.
concept map an organized visual representation of knowledge consisting of
concepts and their relationships to other concepts.
concepts ideas that represent a class or category of objects, events, or activities.
concrete operations stage Piaget’s third stage of cognitive development, in
which the school-age child becomes capable of logical thought processes
but is not yet capable of abstract thinking.
conditional positive regard positive regard that is given only when the
person is doing what the providers of positive regard wish.Z03_CICC7961_05_SE_GLOS.indd 3 9/3/16 12:59 AM