Psychology Glossary

15 Psychology and human behaviour terms

This glossary will feature entry-level vocabulary necessary to understand the basics of psychology

Anxiety: Noun; Apprehension or uneasiness about an anticipated event or uncertain situation; Example: Anxiety before an important examination is a common experience
Behaviour: Noun; The actions or reactions of an organism in response to internal or external stimuli.; Example: A psychologist may observe a child's behaviour during a social activity.
Cognition: Noun; All forms of knowing and awareness, including perceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, and problem-solving.; Example: Cognition allows people to process information, solve problems, and make decisions.
Cognitive dissonance: Noun; Psychological discomfort resulting from inconsistency between beliefs, attitudes, or actions; Example: A person may experience cognitive dissonance when their actions contradict their personal values
Conditioning: Noun; A learning process involving associations between stimuli or between behaviour and its consequences; Example: Through conditioning, a person may begin to associate a particular sound with an expected event
Consciousness: Noun; Awareness of internal experiences and the external environment; Example: Consciousness allows a person to be aware of their thoughts and surroundings
Depression: Noun; A mood state involving sadness and reduced interest or pleasure; it can also refer to a mental health disorder; Example: Depression can affect a person's mood, energy, and ability to carry out daily activitie
Emotion: Noun; A complex reaction involving subjective feelings, physiological changes, and behavioural responses.; Example: Fear is an emotion that can prepare the body to respond to danger.
Learning: Noun; A change in behaviour or knowledge resulting from experience.; Example: Learning occurs when a person develops a new skill through practice.
Memory: Noun; The ability to retain information or past experiences and retrieve them later.; Example: Memory helps students recall information they learned in class.
Neuroplasticity: Noun; The brain's ability to change in response to experience.; Example: Neuroplasticity helps the brain adapt as a person learns a new skill
Perception: Noun; The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.; Example: Perception influences how people interpret the same situation differently.
Personality: Noun; The characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours associated with an individual.; Example: Personality can influence how someone responds to unfamiliar social situations
Psychosomatic: Adjective; Relating to physical symptoms that are influenced or caused by psychological factors.; Example: Stress can contribute to psychosomatic symptoms, such as stomach discomfort
Reinforcement: Noun; A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring again.; Example: Positive reinforcement can encourage a student to repeat a desirable behaviour by providing praise