Substance Abuse Disorders

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SELECTIVE ATTENTION

Process whereby one pays attention only to messages that address a need or interest or are consistent with the individual's

PRIMARY DATA

The data first obtained through observation or experiment prior to analysis and statistical work up.

PROBLEMS IN LIVING

Those concrete and identifiable problems patients with chronic mental conditions face in daily life. These could include problems keeping a

PSEUDOCONDITIONING

In instances of Pavlovian conditioning, the elicitation of a response by a previously neutral stimulus. This occurs after a series

PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING

The interaction between therapist and client to explore any cognitive or behavioral disorders may be present in their lives. Information

PSYCHOSCIENCE

A science dealing with mind, function and behavior. Also a science dealing with mental diseases and disorders and their treatment.

QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

An experiment in which participants are assigned to either control groups or experimental groups in a non-random manner.

REAL SELF

The individual's unique wishes and emotions and the potential on their part for future growth as a being.

RECONSTRUCTIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY

Mental therapy aimed at fundamental and comprehensive adjustment of a subject's personality by improving the subject's comprehension of personality growth,

RELIABILITY OF COMPOSITES

Reliability of the various components of a test or measurement device. See also: composite reliability.

RESPONSE SET

Inclination to provide answers to queries in a methodical way, regardless of the content of the question. See also: response

RISK AVERSION

Propensity to evade any option which might impose any loss contingency, even a very small one, when determining which of

SALIENCE HYPOTHESIS

The standard principle of perceptual experience dependent upon which particularly salient stimuli (items, individuals, meanings, and so forth) should be

SELECTIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING

Making sense of attitude-relevant details in a prejudiced fashion. Though numerous possible biases are feasible, it has customarily been presumed

PRIMARY EMOTION

Universally accepted and recognized emotions. These include love, hate, joy and surprise.

PROCEDURE

1. A logical sequence of actions leading to a goal. 2. The set way a study is to be structured

PSEUDOMEMORY

A false memory. A recollection of events that never actually happened. Pseudomemory differs from a memory that is simply inaccurate.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFICIT

Any cognitive, emotional or behavioral performance of an individual that is below average.

PSYCHOSIS

Any abnormal mental state with characteristics of serious impairment in the higher brain functions such as perception, cognition and/or cognitive

QUESTIONNAIRE

A list of questions soliciting information on a topic.