ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICE
a device used by a person with hearing loss to emphasize a single specific type of sound. Unlike conventional hearing…
ASSOCIATIONISM
n. the theory that complex mental processes, such as thinking, learning, and memory, can be mainly explained by the associative…
ASSORTATIVE MATING
a type of mating behavior in which mates are chosen based on specific traits (e.g., attractiveness, similarity of body size…
ASYNDETIC THINKING
distorted or disjointed thought processes in which ideas and images are fragmented or unconnected with each other. It is prevalent…
ATTENTION-DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
a former and still commonly used name for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as defined by the DSM-IV.
ATTITUDE THERAPY
a treatment that emphasizes the evaluation of current attitudes in terms of the origins of the attitudes, the purpose these…
ATTRIBUTION ERROR
refers to a bias in ascribing motives to behaviors or causes to outcomes. See also fundamental attribution error- group attribution…
ATYPICAL IMPULSE-CONTROL DISORDER
in the DSM-lll, this represented a category of impulse-control disorders. In the DSM-IV-TR these are labeled impulse-control disorders not otherwise…
AUDITORY BLENDING
the ability to synthesize the individual sounds (phonemes) of a word so that the whole word can be comprehended or…
AUDITORY MASKING
a reduction in the ability to detect, discriminate, or recognize a specific sound (the signal or target) due to interferences…
AUDITORY TRAINING
a type of therapy that helps people with hearing loss to distinguish sounds and understand spoken language. The therapy teaches…
AUTHENTICITY
1. the quality of being genuine and true to one's own values2. in psychotherapy and counseling, a valued characteristic of…
AUTO- (AUT-)
1. a reference to the self (e.g., autobiography). 2. may refer to self-caused (e.g., autohypnosis).
AUTOFLAGCLLATION
n. refers to sexual pleasure that is derived from striking, whipping, or beating oneself in some manner.
AUTOMATED SPEECH RECOGNITION (ASR)
the recognition of human speech by means of a computer-based process. Recognition in this context is assessed via the written…