Personality Disorders

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APPETITIVE STIMULUS

In positive reinforcement (see positive reinforcement) this represents an unconditioned stimulus that an organism will approach. The effectiveness of this

ASSESSMENT

1. in general, refers to the judgment of the quality, worth, importance, or value of something or someone. 2. may

ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE

a person's characteristic tendencies when inferring the cause of behavior or events, that may be based on three dimensions: the

AVAILABILITY ERROR

refers to cognitive errors made because the first item that comes to mind is often mistaken for the best or

BECK SCALE FOR SUICIDE IDEATION (BSS)

n. a scale of 21 items, focused on examining a patient's suicidal intent. More of an assessment tool, it attempts

BEHAVIORAL COACHING

n. a process in which a client is taught, trained, and guided towards learning a new behavior. The role of

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR

n. any particular behavior or behavior pattern which strongly yet adversely affects health. It increases the chances of developing a

BLOCKING

n. a phenomenon in which a previously-learned thought process prevents or delays the learning and conditioning of new behavior. It

CASANOVA COMPLEX

n. a strong desire that drives a man to make as many sexual conquests or take as many lovers as

CONCURRENT THERAPY

1. the employment of two remedies simultaneously. 2. with regard to marriage, couples, or family therapy, the treatment of significant

CONNECTIONISM

postulated by Edward I. Thorndike, the idea that learning consists of the obtaining of unbiased correlations between reaction and stimulant.

CONTRARIAN

someone who has a propensity to argue with another person or argue in refute of something, no matter what the

COUNSELING PROCESS

the private procedure therapists and patients participate in when trying to identify, confront, and solve certain issues the patient has

CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

a department of psychology which examines likeness and difference in human actions spanning various cultures and recognizes the varying psychological

ACCESSIBILITY

noun. Open, receptive, approachable

ACTUARIAL RISK ASSESSMENT

a mathematically measured prediction of the potential of a person who will present a danger to other people or have

AFFECTIVE STATE

any kind of sentimental condition, often in which someone's feelings control their consciousness.

ANDROGYNOUS PERSONALITY

a mixed personality style in which an individual displays psychological characteristics typically assigned to men and women, as opposed to

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY

the application of the theories, principles, and techniques of psychology to clinical settings, for example, the treatment of psychopathology, educational

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT

an instrument that is typically used in the evaluation of ability, achievement, interests, personality, psychopathology, or some other factor.