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1A-B-AdesignExperimentaldesigninwhichparticipantsfirstexperiencethebaselinecondition(A),thenexperiencetheexperimentaltreatment(B),andthenreturntothebaseline(A).AbnormalpsychologyTheareaofpsychologicalinvestigationconcernedwithunderstandingthenatureofindividualpathologiesofmind,mood,andbehavior.AbsolutethresholdTheminimumamountofphysicalenergyneededtoproduceareliablesensoryexperience;operationallydefinedasthestimuluslevelatwhichasensorysignalisdetectedhalfthetime.AccommodationTheprocessbywhichtheciliarymuscleschangethethicknessofthelensoftheeyetopermitvariablefocusingonnearanddistantobjects.AccommodationAccordingtoPiaget,theprocessofrestructuringormodifyingcognitivestructuressothatnewinformationcanfitintothemmoreeasily;thisprocessworksintandemwithassimilation.AcquisitionThestageinaclassicalconditioningexperimentduringwhichtheconditionedresponseisfirstelicitedbytheconditionedstimulus.ActionpotentialThenerveimpulseactivatedinaneuronthattravelsdowntheaxonandcausesneurotransmitterstobereleasedintoasynapse.AcutestressAtransientstateofarousalwithtypicallyclearonsetandoffsetpatterns.AddictionAconditioninwhichthebodyrequiresadruginordertofunctionwithoutphysicalandpsychologicalreactionstoitsabsence;oftentheoutcomeoftoleranceanddependence.AgeismPrejudiceagainstolderpeople,similartoracismandsexisminitsnegativestereotypes.AggressionBehaviorsthatcausepsychologicalorphysicalharmtoanotherindividual.2AgoraphobiaAnextremefearofbeinginpublicplacesoropenspacesfromwhichescapemaybedifficultorembarrassing.AIDSAcronymforacquiredimmunedeficiencysyndrome,asyndromecausedbyavirusthatdamagestheimmunesystemandweakensthebody'sabilitytofightinfection.AlgorithmAstep-by-stepprocedurethatalwaysprovidestherightanswerforaparticulartypeofproblem.All-or-nonelawTherulethatthesizeoftheactionpotentialisunaffectedbyincreasesintheintensityofstimulationbeyondthethresholdlevel.AltruismProsocialbehaviorsapersoncarriesoutwithoutconsideringhisorherownsafetyorinterests.Alzheimer'sdiseaseAchronicorganicbrainsyndromecharacterizedbygraduallossofmemory,declineinintellectualability,anddeteriorationofpersonality.AmacrinecellsCellsthatintegrateinformationacrosstheretina;ratherthansendingsignalstowardthebrain,amacrinecellslinkbipolarcellstootherbipolarcellsandganglioncellstootherganglioncells.AmbiguityAperceptualobjectthatmayhavemorethanoneinterpretation.AmnesiaAfailureofmemorycausedbyphysicalinjury,disease,druguse,orpsychologicaltrauma.AmygdalaThepartofthelimbicsystemthatcontrolsemotion,aggression,andtheformationofemotionalmemory.AnalyticpsychologyAbranchofpsychologythatviewsthepersonasaconstellationofcompensatoryinternalforcesinadynamicbalance.AnchoringheuristicAninsufficientadjustmentupordownfromanoriginalstartingvaluewhenjudgingtheprobablevalueofsomeeventoroutcome.AnimalcognitionThecognitivecapabilitiesofnonhumananimals;researcherstracethedevelopmentofcognitive3capabilitiesacrossspeciesandthecontinuityofcapabilitiesfromnonhumantohumananimals.AnorexianervosaAneatingdisorderinwhichanindividualweighslessthan85percentofherorhisexpectedweightbutstillcontrolseatingbecauseofaself-perceptionofobesity.AnticipatorycopingEffortsmadeinadvanceofapotentiallystressfuleventtoovercome,reduce,ortoleratetheimbalancebetweenperceiveddemandsandavailableresources.AnxietyAnintenseemotionalresponsecausedbythepreconsciousrecognitionthatarepressedconflictisabouttoemergeintoconsciousness.AnxietydisordersMentaldisordersmarkedbyphysiologicalarousal,feelingsoftension,andintenseapprehensionwithoutapparentreason.ApparentmotionAmovementillusioninwhichoneormorestationarylightsgoingonandoffinsuccessionareperceivedasasinglemovinglight;thesimplestformofapparentmotionisthephiphenomenon.ArchetypeAuniversal,inherited,primitive,andsymbolicrepresentationofaparticularexperienceorobject.AssimilationAccordingtoPiaget,theprocesswherebynewcognitiveelementsarefittedinwitholdelementsormodifiedtofitmoreeasily;thisprocessworksintandemwithaccommodation.AssociationcortexThepartsofthecerebralcortexinwhichmanyhigh-levelbrainprocessesoccur.AttachmentEmotionalrelationshipbetweenachildandtheregularcaregiver.AttentionAstateoffocusedawarenessonasubsetoftheavailableperceptualinformation.AttitudeThelearned,relativelystabletendencytorespondtopeople,concepts,andeventsinanevaluativeway.AttributiontheoryAsocial-cognitiveapproachtodescribingthewaysthesocialperceiverusesinformationtogenerate4causalexplanations.AttributionsJudgmentsaboutthecausesofoutcomes.AudiencedesignTheprocessofshapingamessagedependingontheaudienceforwhichitisintended.AuditorycortexTheareaofthetemporallobesthatreceivesandprocessesauditoryinformation.AuditorynerveThenervethatcarriesimpulsesfromthecochleatothecochlearnucleusofthebrain.AutomaticprocessesProcessesthatdonotrequireattention;theycanoftenbeperformedalongwithothertaskswithoutinterference.Autonomicnervoussystem(ANS)Thesubdivisionoftheperipheralnervoussystemthatcontrolsthebody'sinvoluntarymotorresponsesbyconnectingthesensoryreceptorstothecentralnervoussystem(CNS)andtheCNStothesmoothmuscle,cardiacmuscle