ANNIHILATION
n. In psychoanalytic theory, this term refers to the complete destruction of the self. In object relations theory, this term…
ANTINOCICEPTIVE
describes or relates to any unique factor that increases tolerance for, or reduces sensitivity to, a dangerous or harmful stimuli,…
APPEARANCE-REALITY DISTINCTION
the implicit knowledge that the appearance of an object does not necessarily correspond to the reality. For example, a sponge…
ARBITRARY INFERENCE
a cognitive error whereby a person draws a conclusion that is either unrelated to or contradicted by the evidence at…
ARTIFICIALISM
the assumption that anything that exists must have been made by a conscious entity, such as God or a human…
ASSOCIATIVE LEARNING
a type of learning in which bonds are formed between varying element of the materials. In different learning theories, these…
ATYPICAL DEPRESSION
a major depressive episode or dysthymic disorder that is characterized by unusual features.
AUDITORY SYSTEM
the entirety of the biological structures and processes responsible for hearing. Overall, the peripheral auditory system, or auditory periphery, includes…
AUTONOMIC HYPERACTIVITY
arousal of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which results in physiological symptoms like anxiety and fear (e.g., sweating, palpitations, dry…
AVOIDANCE CONDITIONING
refers to the establishment of a pattern of behavior that prevents, postpones, or reduces the frequency of aversive stimulation. In…
BEHAVIOR GENETICS
n. a field of study which focuses on the role of genetics in human behavior. It examines behavior patterns which…
BEHAVIORAL PLASTICITY
n. the capacity and degree to which human behavior can be altered by environmental factors such as learning and social…
BILATERAL SYMMETRY
n. in anatomy, refers to a symmetrical arrangement of body parts such that either half (left or right) is an…
BIOLOGICAL FACTOR
n. Anything which affects the function and behavior of a living organism. Internally, this factor can be a physical, physiological,…
BIVARIATE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
n. in statistics, refers to a two-way frequency distribution which can be represented through a graph or table. Either way,…
BRIGHTNESS
n. in visual perception, refers to a state of enhanced light intensity. Being the source of light, the stimulus is…
CANNON-BARD THEORY
n. a theory which attempts to explain the emotional state and its expression. It asserts that emotions are a result…