Psych Cheatsheet by Sol Aso

Development & Motivation

Lifespan Development

Lifespan Development: Study of how people grow and change from conception to death, encompassing physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes.

Piaget’s Cognitive Theory: Describes stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Emphasizes how children construct knowledge.

Sensorimotor Stage: (0-2 years) Infants learn through senses and actions. Object permanence develops.

Preoperational Stage: (2-7 years) Symbolic thinking, egocentrism, lack of conservation.

Concrete Operational Stage: (7-11 years) Logical thinking about concrete events, conservation achieved.

Formal Operational Stage: (12+ years) Abstract and hypothetical reasoning.

Motivation Theories

Motivation: The process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.

Locus of Control: Belief about whether the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do (internal locus) or on events outside our personal control (external locus).

Internal Locus: Belief that one controls their own destiny. Associated with higher achievement and lower stress.

External Locus: Belief that fate, luck, or powerful others control one’s destiny. May lead to learned helplessness.

Drive Reduction Theory: Motivation arises from imbalances in homeostasis, creating needs that drive us to reduce these needs (e.g., hunger, thirst).

Maslow’s Self-Actualization: The highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, representing the realization of one’s full potential. Requires fulfilling basic needs first.

Hierarchy of Needs: Physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization.

Personality & Social Dynamics

Personality Psychology

Personality Psychology: Study of an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Levels of Consciousness: Awareness of ourselves and our environment. Includes conscious, preconscious, and unconscious levels.

Conscious: Current awareness.

Preconscious: Information readily available but not currently in awareness.

Unconscious: Thoughts, feelings, and memories inaccessible to conscious awareness.

Personality Traits: Enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself. (e.g., Big Five: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism)

The Big Five: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism (OCEAN).

Social Psychology

Social Psychology: The study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

Forming Relationships: Factors influencing attraction, such as proximity, similarity, physical attractiveness, and reciprocity.

Birth Order: The idea that one’s position in the family (firstborn, middle child, lastborn) influences personality traits and behaviors.

Cooperation: Working together towards a common goal. Promotes group cohesion and achievement.

Pygmalion Effect: Higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. Also known as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Cognitive Dissonance: Psychological discomfort arising from holding two or more conflicting cognitions. Often reduced by changing beliefs or behaviors.

Bystander Effect: The presence of others reduces the likelihood that any one individual will intervene in an emergency situation due to diffusion of responsibility.

Persuasion Techniques: Strategies used to influence others’ attitudes or behaviors (e.g., foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face, reciprocity).

Group Dynamics: The interactions and processes that occur within a group, including leadership, communication, and conflict resolution.

Stress, Health, and I/O Psychology

Stress & Health

Stress: The process by which we perceive and respond to events that we appraise as threatening or challenging.

Stress Coping Styles: Strategies used to manage stress, such as problem-focused coping (addressing the stressor) and emotion-focused coping (managing emotional reactions).

Types of Stressors: Events that cause stress, including acute stressors, chronic stressors, catastrophes, and daily hassles.

Biofeedback: A technique in which individuals learn to control physiological responses (e.g., heart rate, muscle tension) through feedback from monitoring devices.

Appraisal: The cognitive process of evaluating a potential stressor. Primary appraisal assesses the threat, secondary appraisal assesses resources to cope.

Burnout: A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress.

Control and Stress: The perception of control over stressful events can buffer the impact of stress.

I/O Psychology

I/O Psychology: The application of psychological principles and research methods to improve the workplace and the lives of employees.

Work-Family Balance: The extent to which individuals can effectively manage their responsibilities at work and at home.

Flow: A state of deep absorption and engagement in an activity, characterized by a loss of self-awareness and a sense of timelessness.

Hawthorne Effect: The tendency for people to behave differently when they know they are being observed.

What do I/O psychologists do?: They conduct research and apply findings to improve employee selection, training, performance, job satisfaction, and organizational effectiveness.

Psychological Disorders & Treatment

Psychological Disorders

Psychological Disorder: A pattern of behavior or psychological symptoms that causes significant distress or impairment in personal functioning.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of interactions.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Preoccupation with perceived flaws in physical appearance that are not noticeable or appear minor to others.

ADHD: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

OCD: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Characterized by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety.

Treatment Approaches

Treatment of Psychological Disorders: Various methods used to alleviate psychological distress and improve functioning.

Deinstitutionalization: The movement to reduce the population of mental institutions by shifting care to community-based settings.

Cognitive Approaches: Therapies that focus on changing maladaptive thought patterns (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT).

Behavioral Approaches: Therapies that focus on changing maladaptive behaviors (e.g., exposure therapy, systematic desensitization).

Pharmaceuticals: Use of medications to treat psychological disorders (e.g., antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications).

Types of Psychotherapy:

Play Therapy: Uses play to help children express and resolve their feelings.

Humanistic Therapy: Emphasizes self-awareness and acceptance (e.g., client-centered therapy).

Exposure Therapy: Confronting feared stimuli to reduce anxiety.