Psychology Terms
Psychologists use terms like “ego,” “anxiety,” and “cognitive processes” to explain various aspects of human thought and behavior. These psychology terms are essential for anyone looking to understand how the mind works and how our mental processes shape actions and interactions.
Contents
What Are Psychology Terms?
Psychology terms are specific words and phrases used to describe concepts, phenomena, and conditions related to the mind and behavior. These terms include vocabulary for psychological conditions, processes such as perception and cognition, and therapeutic techniques.
Examples include聽cognition, which refers to mental processes like thinking and memory, and聽behavior, which describes actions and reactions of individuals. Familiarity with these terms can aid in discussions and studies in the field of psychology.
List of Psychology Terms
Psychology encompasses an array of terms that can help you better understand the mind and behavior. Here is a list of some essential psychology terms:
- Abnormal Psychology
- Affect
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Behaviorism
- Cognition
- Conditioning
- Cognitive Dissonance
- Defense Mechanism
- Developmental Psychology
- Empathy
- Freudian Slip
- Humanistic Psychology
- Id, Ego, Superego
- Intelligence
- Motivation
- Neurotransmitters
- Operant Conditioning
- Personality
- Phobia
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychotherapy
- Resilience
- Self-Actualization
- Social Psychology
- Stress
- Unconscious
- Validity
- Attachment Theory
- Attribution Theory
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Biofeedback
- Bystander Effect
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Collective Unconscious
- Conditioned Response
- Conformity
- Dissociation
- Ego Defense Mechanisms
- Emotional Intelligence
- Forensic Psychology
- Groupthink
- Habituation
- Heuristics
- Implicit Memory
- Learned Helplessness
- Locus of Control
- Mindfulness
- Neuroplasticity
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Positive Reinforcement
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Projection
- Psychosomatic
- Reciprocal Determinism
- Schema
- Self-Efficacy
- Social Facilitation
- Social Learning Theory
- Transference
These terms only scratch the surface of psychological vocabulary, but they are fundamental to the field. Whether you are a student or someone interested in psychology, knowing these terms can deepen your understanding.
Common Psychology Terms with their Meanings
Understanding psychology terms can help you grasp the basics of how the mind works. Here are some common terms you might encounter:
Cognition: The mental processes of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Addiction: A psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or behavior. It affects both mental and physical health.
Cognitive Psychology: This field focuses on internal mental processes such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, and language.
Developmental Psychology: This branch studies the social and mental development of individuals throughout their life, especially in childhood.
Behavioral Psychology: Also known as behaviorism, this area examines how people learn and how they behave based on interactions with the environment.
Insomnia: A condition characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep. It can impact daily functioning and overall health.
Perception: The process by which individuals organize and interpret sensory information to understand their environment.
Motivation: The driving force behind actions, desires, and needs. It explains why people initiate, continue, or stop behavior.
Emotion: Complex reactions that involve physical and psychological responses to experiences.
Personality: The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s unique character.
Attention: The cognitive process of focusing on specific stimuli while ignoring others.
Experimental Psychology: Uses scientific methods to study psychological issues through controlled experiments.
Absolute Threshold: The minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for a stimulus to be detected 50% of the time.
Action Potential: A brief electrical charge that travels down a neuron, enabling it to communicate with other neurons.
Adaptation: The process through which organisms adjust to new environments or changes in their current environment.
Infographics of Common Psychology Terms
Insatiable Meaning
Spontaneity Meaning
Grateful Meaning
Discernment Meaning
Weary Meaning
Cathartic Meaning
Hopeless Romantic Meaning
Clever Meaning
ADHD Meaning
Adversity Meaning
Leniency Meaning
Forbearance Meaning
Virtue Meaning
Mourning Meaning
PTSD Meaning
OCD Meaning
CBT Meaning
DBT Meaning
MBT Meaning
Prejudice Meaning
Humanity Meaning
Pity Meaning
Kindness Meaning
Mercy Meaning
Tenderness Meaning
Bliss Meaning
Sorrow Meaning
Grief Meaning
Affection Meaning
Sympathy Meaning
Commonly Confused Psychology Terms
Sensing vs. Intuition
Psychologist vs. Therapist
Left vs. Right Brain
Interpersonal vs. Intrapersonal
Psychology vs. Psychiatry
Pink Noise vs. White Noise
OCD vs. OCPD
Compassion vs. Empathy
Lust vs. Love
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