My name is Audrey, I have been studying Social Sciences at Ahuntsic College for the past two years. In my program we see several subjects, such as anthropology, politics, sociology, etc. The field that I like the most is psychology and I would probably want to continue studying in this field later. This glossary contain 20 terms that can help people understand subject related to this field of study. These terms can be used to define psychological behaviors or even treatments related to psychological problems. In this Glossary you have the definition, the translation, the correct pronunciation and some examples to help understand better. Everyone deals with psychological issues, either by themselves or by someone they know, this glossary can help understand some of these, and may help reduce anxiety related to these questions. I found all of my words and some definitions in the textbook, by Nicholas Walker (Actively Engaged Online), I also found some of the definition on google. I hope it would help you.
anxiety
noun
A nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks.
Example: In light of our current understanding of anxiety disorders, evaluate Freud's interpretation and handling of the Wolf-Man case.
fr: Anxiété
Behaviorism
noun
The theory that human and animal behavior can be explained in terms of conditioning, without appeal to thoughts or feelings, and that psychological disorders are best treated by altering behavior patterns.
Example: The Journal of Philosophy, 88(10), 505-519 Graham, George, "behaviorism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2005 Edition), Edward N.
fr: Behaviorisme
bipolar disorder
noun
Also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior.
Example: Despite the mood extremes, people with bipolar disorder often don't recognize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones and didn't get the treatment they need.
fr: Trouble bipolaire
butterfly effect
noun
Notion that an effect or a trivial thing can have serious consequences if it causes an imbalance and causes other changes that create a big upheaval.
Example: The idea behind the butterfly effect was proposed by Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist and mathematician, in the 1960s.
fr: Effet papillon
causality
noun
Causality, or causation, is the relation between an event and a second event, where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first.
Example: This calls into question the causality between authoritarianism and prejudice.
fr: Causalité
classical conditioning
noun
A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired: a response which is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
Example: Phobias are often explained as the result of classical conditioning, much like Pavlov's dogs.
fr: conditionnement classique
cognitive dissonance
noun
A condition of conflict or anxiety resulting from an inconsistency between one's beliefs and one's actions, such as opposing the slaughter of animals and eating meat.
Example: Aronson and Mills (1959, cited in Brown 1988) drew on Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory to claim that the more severe an initiation to a group, the higher the members' evaluations of that group are after joining.
fr: dissonance cognitive
empathy
noun
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Example: The child continued to play on the floor with the nurse and made a comment which I thought showed empathy and sensitivity; when she changed position he asked, "are your legs tired?".
fr: empathie
flooding
noun
A therapy for phobias in which clients are exposed, with their permission, to the stimuli most frightening to them.
Example: Often this type of therapy is integrated with behavioral therapy, which emphases eliminating unwanted behaviors, which have been learnt through classical and operant conditioning, through such techniques as systematic desensitization and flooding.
fr: thérapie d'exposition
halo effect
noun
The tendency for an impression created in one area to influence opinion in another area.
Example: The 'halo effect' suggests that we form our total impression of a person from this one outstanding trait.
fr: L'effet de halo
internalizing
noun
Make (attitudes or behavior) part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.
Example: Due to the quiet nature of internalizing symptoms, children may not receive treatment as quickly as those with more disruptive or externalizing sy?mptoms.
fr: intériorisation
mental illness
noun
Any of various disorders in which a person's thoughts, emotions or behaviour are so abnormal as to cause suffering to himself, herself, or other people.
Example: Researchers selected 'regular gambler' but did not exclude other mental illness, especially emotion disease.
fr: maladie mentale
neurosis
noun
A relatively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behaviour, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality.
Example: Overall Freud described him as having "slipped beyond neurosis into a tangle of crippling symptoms" (Gay, 1989, p.285).
fr: névrose
paranoia
noun
A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system.
Example: This confusion can accentuate the paranoia caused by an Alzheimer's-stricken amygdala.
fr: paranoïa
phobia
noun
An extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.
Example: "Wolf-Man" as Pankejeff was later referred to in Freud's case studies, was diagnosed by Freud as having an anxiety neurosis, an animal phobia in early childhood, compulsive feelings complete with obsessive rituals, attacks of furious rage and neurotic sexual conduct.
fr: phobie
Self-monitoring
noun
The ability observe yourself and know when you are doing an activity act according to a standard.
Example: Self-monitoring allows humans to measure their behavioral outcomes against a set of standards.
fr: auto-surveillance
stimulus
noun
Any phenomenon that causes a reaction or response in an organism.
Example: In Jakarta (Indonesia), for example, a stronger stimulus might be needed to elicit a positive response for the hurt-leg test (e.g. only crippled or maimed men would receive help, according to the local experimenter's interpretation).
fr: stimulus
unconscious
noun
The part of the mind which is inaccessible to the conscious mind but which affects behavior and emotions.
Example: Freud believed this agitated scene to be an unconscious memory of his parents engaging in sexual intercourse, although Freud also later admitted that the dream could have been generated from witnessing animals copulating.
fr: inconscient
welfare
noun
The health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group.
Example: If patients were to receive the correct treatment it would not only benefit them but also improve social and economic functioning as there would be reduced absenteeism and accordingly an increased amount of taxable earnings, decreased levels of alcohol consumption, fuller time employment and reduce dependence on the welfare system.
fr: aide sociale
withdrawal
noun
Estrangement and isolation from others.
Example: This is obviously important for psychological development as there are three disorders noted in DSM IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1995) regarding withdrawal such as "Shyness Disorder", "Adjustment Disorder" and "Introverted Disorder", therefore being withdrawn obviously has psychological disadvantages.
