In psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
That eerie sense that “I’ve experienced this before”. Cues form the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience
The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
Delusions
False beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders
The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
The experimental factor- in psychology, the behavior or mental process –that is being measured; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable
Drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions
The ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance
A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
The minimum difference that a person can detect two stimuli. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
Defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person, as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet
A split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others
Disorder in which conscious awareness becomes separated from previous memories, thoughts, or feelings
A rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes A DNA molecule has two strands – forming a double helix – held together by bonds between pairs of nucleotides
An experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or placebo. Commonly used in drug evaluation studies
A condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one’s genetic makeup
A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind. Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the dreamer’s delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it
Drive-reduction theory
The idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need
The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders
Dualism
The presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact