GRE Psychology Subject Test / Terms & Detailed
Definitions, 2025/2026.
1. AblationANSWERS A surgically induced brain lesion.
2. Absolute refractory periodANSWERS The period that follows the onset of an action
potential. During this period,
A nerve impulse cannot be initiated
3. Absolute thresholdANSWERS The minimum of stimulus energy needed to activate a
sensory system.
4. AccommodationANSWERS A principle of Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It
occurs when cognitive structures
Are modified because new information or new experiences do not fit into existing cognitive
structures.
5. AcetylcholineANSWERS A neurotransmitter found in both central and peripheral nervous
systems linked to Alzheimer's disease and used to transmit nerve impulses to the muscles,
respectively.
6. AcrophobiaANSWERS A specific phobia that is an irrational fear of heights.
7. ACT model (Adaptive Control of Thought)ANSWERS A model that describes
memory in terms of proce-
Dural and declarative memory.
8. Actor-observer effectANSWERS The tendency of actors to see observer behavior as
due to external factors (situ- ational factors) and the tendency of observers to attribute actors'
behaviors to internal characteristics (dispositional characteristics).
9. AdrenalineANSWERS A hormone that increases energy available for "fight or fligh
reactions (also known as epineph-
,Rine).
10. AfterimagesANSWERS A visual sensation that appears after prolonged or intense
exposure to a stimulus.
11. AgnosiaANSWERS Impairments in perceptual recognition.
12. AgoraphobiaANSWERS An irrational fear of being in places or situations where escape
might be diflcult.
13. All-or-none lawANSWERS A law about nerve impulses stating that when depolarization
reaches the critical threshold
(-50 millivolts) the neuron is going to fire, each time, every time.
14. Alternate-form methodANSWERS In psychometrics, it is the method of using two
or more ditterent forms of a test to determine the reliability of a particular test.
15. AltruismANSWERS A form of helping behavior where the person's intent is to benefit
someone else at some cost to him- or herself.
16. AmnesiaANSWERS A dissociative disorder where individuals are unable to recall past
experience, but this inability is not due to a neurological disorder.
17. Analogy of inoculationANSWERS mcguire's analogy that people can be
psychologically inoculated against the "attack" of persuasive communications by first
exposing them to a weakened attack.
18. Analyses of Variance (anovas)ANSWERS A statistical method to compare the
means of more than two groups by comparing the between-group variance to the within-
group variance.
,19. AnchoringANSWERS A cognitive term (a heuristic) that refers to the tendency of people
to make decisions based on reference points, or standards used to make judgements.
20. Anima (animus)ANSWERS An archetype from Jung's theory referring to the feminine
behaviors in males, and the masculine behaviors in females.
21. Anorexia nervosaANSWERS An eating disorder characterized by a refusal to maintain a
minimal normal body weight.
22. Anterograde amnesiaANSWERS Memory loss for new information following brai
injury.
23. Anti-social personality disorderANSWERS A personality disorder characterized by
pattern of disregard for,
And violation of, the rights of others.
24. Aphagia.ANSWERS An impairment in the ability to eat.
25. AphasiasANSWERS Language disorders, which are associated with Broca's and
Wernicke's areas in the brain.
26. Apparent motionANSWERS An illusion that occurs when two dots flashed in ditterent
locations on a screen seconds
Apart are perceived as one moving dot.
27. ApraxiaANSWERS An impairment in the organization of voluntary action.
28. ArchetypesANSWERS The building blocks for the collective unconscious referred to in
Jung's theory of personality.
29. AssimilationANSWERS A principle of Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It is the
process of understanding new
, Information in relation to prior knowledge, or existing schemata.
30. Association areaANSWERS Areas in the brain that integrate information from ditterent
cortical regions
31. Atkinson-Shiffin modelANSWERS A model of memory that involves three memory
structures (sensory, short-term
And long-term), and the processes that operate these memory structures.
32. Attachment bondANSWERS Evidence of a preference for the primary caregiver and a
wariness of strangers.
33. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/HD)ANSWERS A disorder
characterized by develop-
Mentally atypical inattention and/or impulsivity-hyperactivity.
34. Attribution theoryANSWERS Fritz Heider's theory that people tend to infer the causes
of other people's behavior as either dispositional (related to the individual) or situational
(related to the environment).
35. Authoritarian parenting styleANSWERS A parenting style tending to use punitive
control methods and lacking emotional warmth.
36. Authoritative parenting styleANSWERS A parenting style tending to have
reasonably high demands for child compliance coupled with emotional warmth.
37. AutismANSWERS A disorder whose essential features are lack of responsiveness to
other people, gross impairment in communication skills, and behaviors and interests that are
repetitive, inflexibly routined and stereotyped.
38. Autokinetic effectANSWERS An illusion that occurs when a spot of light appears to
move erratically in a dark room, simply because there is no frame of reference.
Definitions, 2025/2026.
1. AblationANSWERS A surgically induced brain lesion.
2. Absolute refractory periodANSWERS The period that follows the onset of an action
potential. During this period,
A nerve impulse cannot be initiated
3. Absolute thresholdANSWERS The minimum of stimulus energy needed to activate a
sensory system.
4. AccommodationANSWERS A principle of Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It
occurs when cognitive structures
Are modified because new information or new experiences do not fit into existing cognitive
structures.
5. AcetylcholineANSWERS A neurotransmitter found in both central and peripheral nervous
systems linked to Alzheimer's disease and used to transmit nerve impulses to the muscles,
respectively.
6. AcrophobiaANSWERS A specific phobia that is an irrational fear of heights.
7. ACT model (Adaptive Control of Thought)ANSWERS A model that describes
memory in terms of proce-
Dural and declarative memory.
8. Actor-observer effectANSWERS The tendency of actors to see observer behavior as
due to external factors (situ- ational factors) and the tendency of observers to attribute actors'
behaviors to internal characteristics (dispositional characteristics).
9. AdrenalineANSWERS A hormone that increases energy available for "fight or fligh
reactions (also known as epineph-
,Rine).
10. AfterimagesANSWERS A visual sensation that appears after prolonged or intense
exposure to a stimulus.
11. AgnosiaANSWERS Impairments in perceptual recognition.
12. AgoraphobiaANSWERS An irrational fear of being in places or situations where escape
might be diflcult.
13. All-or-none lawANSWERS A law about nerve impulses stating that when depolarization
reaches the critical threshold
(-50 millivolts) the neuron is going to fire, each time, every time.
14. Alternate-form methodANSWERS In psychometrics, it is the method of using two
or more ditterent forms of a test to determine the reliability of a particular test.
15. AltruismANSWERS A form of helping behavior where the person's intent is to benefit
someone else at some cost to him- or herself.
16. AmnesiaANSWERS A dissociative disorder where individuals are unable to recall past
experience, but this inability is not due to a neurological disorder.
17. Analogy of inoculationANSWERS mcguire's analogy that people can be
psychologically inoculated against the "attack" of persuasive communications by first
exposing them to a weakened attack.
18. Analyses of Variance (anovas)ANSWERS A statistical method to compare the
means of more than two groups by comparing the between-group variance to the within-
group variance.
,19. AnchoringANSWERS A cognitive term (a heuristic) that refers to the tendency of people
to make decisions based on reference points, or standards used to make judgements.
20. Anima (animus)ANSWERS An archetype from Jung's theory referring to the feminine
behaviors in males, and the masculine behaviors in females.
21. Anorexia nervosaANSWERS An eating disorder characterized by a refusal to maintain a
minimal normal body weight.
22. Anterograde amnesiaANSWERS Memory loss for new information following brai
injury.
23. Anti-social personality disorderANSWERS A personality disorder characterized by
pattern of disregard for,
And violation of, the rights of others.
24. Aphagia.ANSWERS An impairment in the ability to eat.
25. AphasiasANSWERS Language disorders, which are associated with Broca's and
Wernicke's areas in the brain.
26. Apparent motionANSWERS An illusion that occurs when two dots flashed in ditterent
locations on a screen seconds
Apart are perceived as one moving dot.
27. ApraxiaANSWERS An impairment in the organization of voluntary action.
28. ArchetypesANSWERS The building blocks for the collective unconscious referred to in
Jung's theory of personality.
29. AssimilationANSWERS A principle of Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It is the
process of understanding new
, Information in relation to prior knowledge, or existing schemata.
30. Association areaANSWERS Areas in the brain that integrate information from ditterent
cortical regions
31. Atkinson-Shiffin modelANSWERS A model of memory that involves three memory
structures (sensory, short-term
And long-term), and the processes that operate these memory structures.
32. Attachment bondANSWERS Evidence of a preference for the primary caregiver and a
wariness of strangers.
33. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/HD)ANSWERS A disorder
characterized by develop-
Mentally atypical inattention and/or impulsivity-hyperactivity.
34. Attribution theoryANSWERS Fritz Heider's theory that people tend to infer the causes
of other people's behavior as either dispositional (related to the individual) or situational
(related to the environment).
35. Authoritarian parenting styleANSWERS A parenting style tending to use punitive
control methods and lacking emotional warmth.
36. Authoritative parenting styleANSWERS A parenting style tending to have
reasonably high demands for child compliance coupled with emotional warmth.
37. AutismANSWERS A disorder whose essential features are lack of responsiveness to
other people, gross impairment in communication skills, and behaviors and interests that are
repetitive, inflexibly routined and stereotyped.
38. Autokinetic effectANSWERS An illusion that occurs when a spot of light appears to
move erratically in a dark room, simply because there is no frame of reference.
