326 ❯ GlossaryAmnesia—a loss of memory.
Amygdala—part of the limbic system of the brain
that influences emotions such as aggression, fear,
and self-protective behaviors; is involved in the
storage of emotional memories.
Anal stage—Freud’s second stage of development
in which the child receives pleasure from the anal
region, especially during elimination.
Analytical—one of the three parts of Sternberg’s
triarchic theory of intelligence; is similar to what
is tested by traditional IQ tests and what we are
asked to do in school: compare, contrast, analyze,
and figure out cause-effect relationships.
Anchoring effect—the tendency to be influenced by
a suggested reference point, pulling our response
toward that point.
Androgyny—the presence of desirable masculine and
feminine characteristics in one individual.
Animism—belief of a preoperational child that all
things are living just like him or her according to
Piaget.
Anorexia nervosa—eating disorder more common in
the adolescent female characterized by weight less
than 85 percent of normal, abnormally restrictive
food consumption, and an unrealistic body image
that she is still fat.
Anterograde amnesia—a disorder caused by brain
damage that disrupts a person’s ability to form new
long-term memories of events that occur after the
time of the brain damage.
Antidepressant drugs—medicines that elevate mood
states; three main categories include tricyclics (such
as Elavil), MAO inhibitors (such as Nardil), and
SSRI inhibitors (such as Prozac).
Antipsychotic drugs—powerful medicines that
lessen agitated behavior, reduce tension, decrease
hallucinations and delusions, improve social
behavior, and produce better sleep behavior espe-
cially in patients with schizophrenia (also called
neuroleptics).
Antisocial personality disorder—a disorder char-
acterized by a failure to conform to standards of
decency; repeated lying and stealing; a failure to
sustain lasting, loving relationships; low tolerance
for boredom; and a complete lack of guilt.
Anxiety—a feeling of impending doom or disaster
from a specific or unknown source that is charac-
terized by mood symptoms of tension, agitation,
and apprehension; bodily symptoms of sweating,
muscular tension, and increased heart rate and
blood pressure; as well as cognitive symptoms of
worry, rumination, and distractibility.Anxiety hierarchy—a listing of frightening events
in increasing order of severity used in systematic
desensitization treatment for phobias.
Anxiolytics—anti-anxiety drugs (tranquilizers) such
as benzodiazepines including Librium, Valium,
Xanax, and Buspirone.
Aphasia—impairment of the ability to understand
(receptive) or use (expressive) language.
Approach-approach conflict—a conflict in which
the individual must choose between two positive
stimuli or circumstances.
Approach-avoidance conflict—a conflict in which
the individual must decide whether or not to
choose a circumstance involving a single stimulus
that has both positive and negative characteristics.
Aptitude test—test that measures what our potential
is and whether or not we will benefit from some
training; predicts our future capacity to learn and
develop.
Archetypes—according to Jung, a number of
uni versal themes that are part of the collective
unconscious.
Arousal—level of alertness, wakefulness, and acti-
vation caused by activity in the central nervous
system; optimal level varies with the person and
the activity.
Artificial intelligence (AI)—a field of study in
which computer programs are designed to simulate
human cognitive abilities such as reasoning, learn-
ing, and understanding language.
Artificialism—the belief of the preoperational child
that all objects are made by people.
Assimilation—process by which we incorporate new
information into our existing cognitive structures
or schemas.
Association areas—regions of the cerebral cortex
that do not have specific sensory or motor func-
tions, but are involved in higher mental functions
such as thinking, planning, and communicating.
Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory—assumes
three different memory systems: sensory memory,
short-term memory (STM), and long-term
memory (LTM).
Attachment—a close emotional bond or relationship
between the infant and the caregiver.
Attention—set of perceptual processes by which you
choose from among the various stimuli bombard-
ing your senses at any instant, allowing some to be
further processed by your senses and brain.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—
a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by
inattention, impulsivity, and an elevated level of
activity compared to most other children.BM.indd 326 27-05-2018 15:32:46