CLEP Psychology Study Guide Rated A+

CLEP Psychology Study Guide Rated A+ A pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information and the relationships among them. Schemas A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus ("signal") amid background stimulation ("noise"). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and level of fatigue. Signal Detection Theory A neurologically based condition in which a person experiences "crossed" responses to stimuli. It occurs when stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway (e.g., hearing) leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway (e.g., vision). Synesthesia A measure of how rapidly a wave oscillates. The higher this value, the greater the amount of energy in the wave. Wave Frequency Depicts the intensity or force with which air strikes the ear (loudness) Wave Amplitude Also known as pure light and are made up of waves of all one color Monochromatic Light Adapting or revising one's current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. Accommodation A form of psychological treatment in which the patient is exposed to a stimulus while simultaneously being subjected to some form of discomfort. e.g. applying an electric shock to a patient each time they attempt to drink alcohol Aversion Therapy The most basic and fundamental type of learning Conditioning Training of an organism to withdraw from an unpleasant stimulus before it starts Avoidance conditioning A type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events e.g. Ivan Pavlov's dogs that salivate at the sound of a bell In this example, salivating is a NORMAL (classical) response to food. Classical Conditioning *A response not normally associated with a given stimulus. *In Pavlov's experiment, the dogs started salivating even if there was no food. Dogs do not normally salivate when a bell rings unless they knew from before that when a bell rings, food comes. Conditioned Response Ordinarily a neutral stimulus paired with a unconditioned stimulus to achieve a desired result and eventually produces the desired response in an organism when presented alone; in Pavlov's experiment, the bell Conditioned Stimulus A strategy that seeks to change behavior by modifying its consequences. Contingency Management Occurs when reinforcement is delivered after every single target behaviour Continuous Reinforcement (CRF) Schedule The ability to perceive and respond to differences among stimuli Discrimination (Psychology) When an aversive stimulus is presented, an animal