G-1
attribution theory The theory that people are motivated to explain their
own and other people’s behavior by attributing causes of that behavior to
a situation or a disposition.
autonomic nervous system The subdivision of the peripheral nervous
system that regulates the internal organs and glands.
availability heuristic The tendency to judge the probability of a type of
event by how easy it is to think of examples or instances.
avoidance goals Goals framed in terms of avoiding unpleasant experi-
ences, such as trying not to look foolish in public.
axon A neuron’s extending fiber that conducts impulses away from the
cell body and transmits them to other neurons or to muscle or gland cells.
basic concepts Concepts that have a moderate number of instances and
that are easier to acquire than those having few or many instances.
basic psychology The study of psychological issues for the sake of
knowledge rather than for its practical application.
behavior modification The application of operant-conditioning techniques
to teach new responses or to reduce or eliminate maladaptive or problem-
atic behavior; also called applied behavior analysis.
behavior therapy A form of therapy that applies principles of classical
and operant conditioning to help people change self-defeating or prob-
lematic behaviors.
behavioral genetics An interdisciplinary field of study concerned with
the genetic bases of individual differences in behavior, personality, and
abilities.
behavioral self-monitoring In behavior therapy, a method of keeping
careful data on the frequency and consequences of the behavior to be
changed.
behaviorism An approach to psychology that emphasizes the study of
observable behavior and the role of the environment and prior experience
as determinants of behavior.
binocular cues Visual cues to depth or distance requiring two eyes.
biological perspective A psychological approach that emphasizes bodily
events and changes associated with actions, feelings, and thoughts.
biological rhythm A periodic, more or less regular fluctuation in a bio-
logical system; it may or may not have psychological implications.
bipolar disorder A disorder in which a person experiences at least one
episode of mania (excessive euphoria) typically alternating with episodes
of depression.
borderline personality disorder A disorder characterized by extreme neg-
ative emotionality and an inability to regulate emotions; it often results in
intense but unstable relationships, impulsiveness, self-mutilating behav-
ior, feelings of emptiness, and a fear of abandonment by others.
brain stem The part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting
of the medulla and the pons.
brightness Lightness or luminance; the dimension of visual experience
related to the amount (intensity) of light emitted from or reflected by an
object.
bulimia nervosa An eating disorder characterized by episodes of exces-
sive eating (bingeing) followed by forced vomiting or use of laxatives
(purging).
case study A detailed description of a particular individual being studied
or treated.
cell body The part of the neuron that keeps it alive and determines
whether it will fire.
central nervous system (CNS) The portion of the nervous system consist-
ing of the brain and spinal cord.
cerebellum A brain structure that regulates movement and balance and
that is involved in some cognitive tasks.absolute threshold The smallest quantity of physical energy that can be
reliably detected by an observer.
acculturation The process by which members of minority groups come to
identify with and feel part of the mainstream culture.
action potential A brief change in electrical voltage that occurs between
the inside and the outside of an axon when a neuron is stimulated; it
serves to produce an electrical impulse.
activation-synthesis theory The theory that dreaming results from the
cortical synthesis and interpretation of neural signals triggered by activity
in the lower part of the brain.
adrenal hormones Hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands
and that are involved in emotion and stress.
adrenarche [a-DREN-ar-kee] A time in middle childhood when the adre-
nal glands begin producing the adrenal hormone DHEA and other adrenal
hormones that affect cognitive and social development.
affect heuristic The tendency to consult one’s emotions instead of esti-
mating probabilities objectively.
agoraphobia A set of phobias, often set off by a panic attack, involving
the basic fear of being away from a safe place or person.
algorithm A problem-solving strategy guaranteed to produce a solution
even if the user does not know how it works.
alternative hypothesis An assertion that the independent variable in a
study will have a certain predictable effect on the dependent variable;
also called an experimental or research hypothesis.
amnesia The partial or complete loss of memory for important personal
information.
amygdala [uh-MIG-dul-uh] A brain structure involved in the arousal and
regulation of emotion and the initial emotional response to sensory infor-
mation.
anorexia nervosa An eating disorder characterized by fear of being fat,
a distorted body image, radically reduced consumption of food, and
emaciation.
antianxiety drugs (tranquilizers) Drugs commonly but often inappropri-
ately prescribed for patients who complain of moderate forms of anxiety,
worry, or unhappiness.
antidepressant drugs Drugs used primarily in the treatment of mood dis-
orders, especially depression and anxiety.
antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics) Drugs used primarily in the treat-
ment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders; they are often used
off label and inappropriately for other disorders such as dementia and
impulsive aggressiveness.
antisocial personality disorder (APD) A personality disorder character-
ized by a lifelong pattern of irresponsible, antisocial behavior such as
lawbreaking, violence, and other impulsive, reckless acts, and lack of
remorse for harms inflicted.
applied psychology The study of psychological issues that have direct
practical significance; also, the application of psychological findings.
appraisals The beliefs, perceptions, expectations, and judgments that
people draw on to explain their own and other people’s behavior, and
that influence which emotion a person will feel in a given circumstance.
approach goals Goals framed in terms of desired outcomes or experi-
ences, such as learning to scuba dive.
archetypes [AR-ki-types] Universal, symbolic images that appear in
myths, art, stories, and dreams; to Jungians, they reflect the collective
unconscious.
arithmetic mean An average that is calculated by adding up a set of
quantities and dividing the sum by the total number of quantities in
the set.Glossary