PSY101 Final Term Important Notes

PSY101 Introduction to Psychology

Glossary

Forensic Psychology: Forensic psychology is the application of psychological principles and

knowledge to various legal activities. Typical issues include child custody disputes, child abuse or

neglect, assessing personal capacity to manage one's affairs, matters of competency to stand trial,

criminal responsibility, personal injury, and advising judges in matters relating to sentencing regarding

various mitigants and the actuarial assessment of future risk.

Linguistics:

The scientific study of language, which may be undertaken from many different

aspects, for example, sounds (phonetics) or structures of words (morphology) or meanings (semantics).

Empathy:

Ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings,

desires, ideas, and actions. The empathic actor or singer is one who genuinely feels the part he or she is

performing. The spectator of a work of art or the reader of a piece of literature may similarly become

involved in what he or she observes or contemplates. The use of empathy was an important part of the

psychological counseling technique developed by Carl R. Rogers

Object assembly:

A Wechsler performance subtest consisting of one sample and four test-item

jigsaw puzzles of common objects. The child is asked to assemble the pieces to complete a picture. Items

are presented one at a time in a specified pattern. The items are timed, with bonus points awarded for

speed; some points are awarded for partially correct responses. Object assembly is a test of synthesis,

involving visual organization and visual-motor coordination and attention. ...

Reliability:

The extent to which a measurement instrument yields consistent, stable, and uniform

results over repeated observations or measurements under the same conditions each time. For

example, a scale is unreliable if it weighs a child three times in three minutes and gets three different

Validity:

In statistics a valid measure is one which is measuring what it is supposed to measure.

Validity implies reliability (accuracy). A valid measure must be reliable, but a reliable measure need not

be valid.

Analytical intelligence:

Analytical intelligence involves conscious direction of our mental

processes to find thoughtful solutions to problems.

Cognitive Therapy : The treatment approach based on the theory that our cognitions or thoughts

control a large part of our behaviors and emotions. Therefore, changing the way we think can result in

positive changes in the way we act and feel.

Construct :

any variable that cannot be directly observed but rather is measured through indirect

methods. (Examples: intelligence, motivation)

Convergent Thinking :

Logical and conventional thought leading to a single answer.

Conversion Disorder : A somatoform disorder where the individual experiences a loss of sensation or

function due to a psychological belief (e.g., paralysis, blindness, deafness).

Counter conditioning : The use of conditioning to eliminate a previously conditioned response. The

conditioned stimulus (CS) is repaired with a different unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to eventually elicit a

new conditioned response (CR)

Episodic Memory :

Subcategory of Declarative memory where information regarding life events

are stored.

Etiology :

Causal relationships of diseases; theories regarding how the specific disease or disorder

began.

Experimental Group : In research, the group of subjects who receive the independent variable.

Experimental Method :

Research method using random assignment of subjects and the

manipulation of variables in order to determine cause and effect.

Insight :

The understanding of a relationship between current thoughts, feelings, and/or

behaviors and where these originated or how they are maintained.

Intelligence : The degree to which one can adapt to one’s environment.

Intelligence Quotient [IQ] : The scores achieved on psychological tests aimed at quantifying

intellectual ability.

Latent Learning :

Learning that occurs without apparent reinforcement but is not demonstrated

until such time as reinforcement occurs.

Learning :

A relatively permanent change in behavior due to an interaction with the environment.

Learning Theory :

Based on the idea that changes in behavior result more from experience and

less from our personality or how we think or feel about a situation.

Libido :

Sigmund Freud’s terminology of sexual energy or sexual drive.