Displacement - psychoanalytic defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses
toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person, as when redirecting anger toward a safer
outlet
antisocial personality disorder - a personality disorder in which a person exhibits a lack of
conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or
a clever con artist
Agreeableness - how trusting, good-natured, cooperative, and soft-hearted one is
Agression - physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone
alarm stage of GAS - organism recognizes stress, begins to respond
altruism - a concern for others; generosity
Anal Stage (18-36 months) - Freud's pychosexual period during which a child learns to control his
bodily excretions
anorexia nervosa - an eating disorder in which an irrational fear of weight gain leads people to
starve themselves
Autism Spectrum Disorder - A disorder characterized by deficits in social relatedness and
communication skills that are often accompanied by repetitive, ritualistic behavior.
behavior therapy - a treatment process that focuses on changing unwanted behaviors through
rewards and reinforcements
, binge eating disorder - significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but
without the compensatory purging, fasting, or excessive exercise that marks bulimia nervosa
biological theory of abnormality - Biological factors within the human body such as the brain
structures, neurochemicals, and genes are the primary causes of psychological disorders.
Biopsychosocial theory of abnormality - A combination of biological, psychological, and
sociocultural factors contribute to psychological disorders.
bipolar disorder - A mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and
lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania.
borderline personality disorder - condition marked by extreme instability in mood, identity, and
impulse control
bulimia nervosa - an eating disorder characterized by episodes of overeating, usually of high-
calorie foods, followed by vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise
bystander effect - the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other
bystanders are present
cognitive behavioral therapy - a popular integrated therapy that combines cognitive therapy
(changing self-defeating thinking) with behavior therapy (changing behavior)
cognitive dissonance - an unpleasant state that arises when a person recognizes the inconsistency
of his or her actions, attitudes, or beliefs
cognitive therapy - therapy that teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting;
based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events and our emotional reactions
conditions of worth - the conditions a person must meet in order to regard himself or herself
positively