TEST BANK FOR PSYCHOLOGY
13TH EDITION DAVID G. MYERS
NATHAN C. DEWALL 2024
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
UPDATED
absolute threshold - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the minimum stimulus energy needed to
detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time.
accommodation - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>(1) in developmental psychology, adapting
our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. (2) in sensation
and perception, the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far
objects on the retina.
achievement motivation - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a desire for significant
accomplishment; for mastery of skills or ideas; for control; and for attaining a high
standard.
achievement test - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a test designed to assess what a person
has learned.
acquisition - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when
one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus
begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of
a reinforced response.
action potential - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge
that travels down an axon.
active listening - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>empathic listening in which the listener
echoes, restates, and clarifies. A feature of Rogers' client-centered therapy.
acute schizophrenia - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>(also called reactive schizophrenia) a
form of schizophrenia that can begin at any age, frequently occurs in response to an
emotionally traumatic event, and has extended recovery periods.
adaptation-level phenomenon - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>our tendency to form
judgments (of sounds, of lights, of income) relative to a neutral level defined by our prior
experience.
,addiction - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors
(such as gambling) despite known adverse consequences.
adolescence - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the transition period from childhood to
adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.
adrenal glands - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above
the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse
the body in times of stress.
aerobic exercise - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>sustained exercise that increases heart
and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety.
affiliation need - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the need to build relationships and to feel
part of a group.
aggression - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>any physical or verbal behavior intended to
harm someone physically or emotionally.
agonist - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's
action.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a life-
threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV). AIDS depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections.
alcohol use disorder - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>(popularly known as alcoholism)
alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use.
algorithm - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a methodical, logical rule or procedure that
guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier—but also
more error-prone—use of heuristics.
all-or-none response - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a neuron's reaction of either firing
(with a full-strength response) or not firing.
alpha waves - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed,
awake state.
altruism - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>unselfish regard for the welfare of others.
Alzheimer's disease - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a neurocognitive disorder marked by
neural plaques, often with an onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in
memory and other cognitive abilities.
,amphetamines - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing
speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes.
amygdala - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic
system; linked to emotion.
androgyny - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>displaying both traditional masculine and
feminine psychological characteristics.
anorexia nervosa - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>an eating disorder in which a person
(usually an adolescent female) maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly
underweight; sometimes accompanied by excessive exercise.
antagonist - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a molecule that inhibits or blocks a
neurotransmitter's action.
anterograde amnesia - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>an inability to form new memories.
antianxiety drugs - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>drugs used to control anxiety and
agitation.
antidepressant drugs - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>drugs used to treat depression,
anxiety dis orders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
(Several widely used antidepressant drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—
SSRIs.)
antipsychotic drugs - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>drugs used to treat schizophrenia and
other forms of severe thought disorder.
antisocial personality disorder - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a personality disorder in
which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even
toward friends and family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con
artist.
anxiety disorders - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>psychological disorders characterized by
distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety.
aphasia - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>impairment of language, usually caused by left
hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area
(impairing understanding).
applied research - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>scientific study that aims to solve practical
problems.
aptitude test - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a test designed to predict a person's future
performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn.
, asexual - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>having no sexual attraction to others.
assimilation - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>interpreting our new experiences in terms of
our existing schemas.
association areas - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>areas of the cerebral cortex that are not
involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher
mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.
associative learning - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>learning that certain events occur
together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and
its consequences (as in operant conditioning).
attachment - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>an emotional tie with another person; shown in
young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on
separation.
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a
psychological disorder marked by extreme inattention and/or hyperactivity and
impulsivity.
attitude - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that
predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.
attribution theory - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the theory that we explain someone's
behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition.
audition - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the sense or act of hearing.
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>a disorder that appears in
childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social
interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors.
automatic processing - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>unconscious encoding of incidental
information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such
as word meanings.
autonomic nervous system (ANS) - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>the part of the peripheral
nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as
the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
availability heuristic - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>estimating the likelihood of events
based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps
because of their vividness), we presume such events are common.
