Psychology Project

BY BRIAN TORRENTE

Imprinting
A Primitive form
of learning in
which some young
animals follow and
form an
attachment to the
first moving object
they see and hear

In this video, the duckling displays imprinting when

he sees Tom as his mom, even though he and Tom are
completely different species, because Tom is the first
thing he ever sees after he is hatched from his egg.

Dissociative
Identity
Disorder
A condition in
which an
individual displays
multiple identities
or personalities;
formerly called
multiple
personality
disorder

Two-face from the

Batman series
shows dissociative
identity disorder
as he is split
between the two
personalities of the
Harvey Dent and
Two-Face, often
switching between
them with the flip
of a coin.

Color
Blindness
Typically a genetic
disorder that
prevents an
individual from
discriminating
certain colors.

The Ishihara test can be used to determine varying

types of colorblindness in individuals. People with
normal vision will see a specific number or shape,
depending on the test, and people with colorblindness
will either see the wrong number or shape or see
nothing at all.

Crystallized
Intelligence
The knowledge a
person has
acquired plus the
ability to access
that knowledge

Contestants on the show Jeopardy, display

crystallized intelligence by accessing the
knowledge they have acquired through study to
answer questions

Mimicry
The imitation of
other peoples
behaviors

The dog in this picture shows

mimicry by copying the movements
of the person in front of them

Humanistic
Therapy
Treatment
technique based
on the assumption
that people have a
tendency for
positive growth
and selfactualization,
which may be
blocked by an
unhealthy
environment that
can include
negative selfevaluation and
criticism from
others

The Bad-Anon group from the movie

Wreck-It Ralph, is an example of
humanistic therapy in which evil
characters from videogames come together
to find ways to deal with always being seen
as the bad guy and learn to live with who
they are

Mental
Representation
The ability to form
internal images of
objects and events

Homer
Simpson
shows mental
representation
in this picture
by creating the
image of a
donut in his
mind

Reflex
Simple unlearned
response triggered
by stimuli Such
as the knee-jerk
reflex set off by
tapping the tendon
just below your
kneecap

Reflex is shown when the kitten responds

to the stimulus of the finger flick by
jumping back and away from it

Natural
Selection
The driving force
behind evolution
by which the
environment
selects the fittest
organisms

The finches that Charles Darwin observed on

the Galapagos Islands display natural selection
by their beak shape, which have changed over
time to suit their environment and available
food sources

Classical
Conditioning
A form of
behavioral
learning in which a
previously neutral
stimulus acquires
the power to elicit
the same innate
reflex produced by
another stimulus

This clip from the show The Office,

shows the process of classical
conditioning in which the neutral
stimulus is Jims computer rebooting
and the reflex of Dwight accepting and
eating an Altoid in response to Jim
offering an Altoid

Scaffolding
A teaching strategy
that emphasized
the role of help
from others in
providing support
for a persons
learning

Tutoring is used as a form of scaffolding

where students who understand a concept
or lesson guide students who dont to help
them understand it

Mnemonic
Strategy
Technique for
improving
memory,
especially by
making
connections
between new
material and
information
already stored in
long-term memory

The phrase Never Eat Soggy Waffles, is a

commonly used mnemonic device to remember
the cardinal directions, as the beginning letters
of the phrase correspond to the beginning
letters in North, East, South, and West,
respectively

Illusion
When one
experiences a
demonstrably
incorrect
perception of a
stimulus patter,
especially one that
also fools others
who are observing
the same stimulus

The video shows illusion by using perspective to

create false perceptions of objects, size, and
distance that trick the viewer into seeing objects
that are not there or differences in size where
there arent

Algorithms
Problem-solving
procedures or
formulas that
guarantee a
correct outcome, if
correctly applied

The image shows the process of 8

different sorting algorithms to
bring the lines to descending order

Illness
Anxiety
Disorder
A somatoform
disorder involving
excessive concern
about health and
disease; also called
hypochondria

The comic displays illness anxiety disorder by

implying that the only reason Mr. Bowden is
feeling sick is because he read about various
diseases and is now convinced he has them

Afterimages
Sensations that
linger after the
stimulus is
removed. Most
visual afterimages
are negative
afterimages, which
appear in reversed
colors

This picture displays an afterimage because

staring at the center of the picture for about 30
seconds and staring looking elsewhere will
leave a faint image of the picture in regular
colors burned into ones vision

Catharsis
A theory
suggesting that
emotional
pressure can be
relieved by
expressing feelings
directly or
indirectly

Catharsis can be expressed through crying

as it helps to relieve a buildup of sadness
or, in some cases, joy.

Phenotype
An organisms
observable
physical and
behavioral
characteristics

The feature of an attached vs. free earlobe is a

common example of phenotypes the express the
genes of an organism

Ambiguous
Figure
Images that can be
interpreted in
more than one
way. There is no
right way to see
an ambiguous
figure

The image
works as an
ambiguous
figure by
changing ones
perspective to
either see
Wolverine
from the Xmen or 2
Batmans
facing each
other

Wisdom
According to
Sternberg, using
ones intelligence
toward a common
good rather than a
selfish pursuit

The Nobel Prize is awarded to those who

use their knowledge and resources to
contribute to all of mankind in various
subjects

Individualism
The view, common in
the Euro-American
world, that places a
high value on
individual
achievement and
distinction.

In the novel
Anthem, the
author, Ayn Rand,
displays
individualism by
showing the
downsides of a
society focusing
heavily on a
collective
conscious and the
importance of self
recognition and
individual
accomplishments
in the main
character

Need
In drive theory, a
need is a biological
imbalance that
threatens survival
if the need is left
unmet. Biological
needs are believed
to produce drives

Food is one of the most basic needs

necessary to survive and maintain
life

Narcissistic
Personality
Disorder
Condition
involving an
exaggerated sense
of self-importance,
a need for constant
attention or
admiration, and
often a
preoccupation
with fantasies of
success or power

Lex Luthor
from DC
Comics shows
a narcissistic
personality
disorder in
that his every
action is
motivated by
wanting
everyone to
look up to him
and see him
as the greatest
man on earth,
even resorting
to crime to
fulfill his
desire

Contact
Comfort
Stimulation and
reassurance
derived from the
physical touch of a
caregiver

Hugging is common form of contact

comfort and when given by a loved one, is
very comforting

Optimism
An attitude that
interprets
stressors as
external in origin,
temporary, and
specific in their
effects

The comic
displays
optimism in
that Optimistic
Man doesnt
show any
negative
reaction to a
stressor