Definitions

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

The term refers to the scientific study of the individual’s mental processes, behaviors, and experiences. It provides crucial insights to important issues of individuals and society.

Question 2

Sensation

Answer 2

the processes whereby a sensory receptor is stimulated and triggers the physiological impulses that result in a reaction inside or outside the body

Question 3

Perception

Answer 3

the processes that organize information from sensory organs and interpret the information based on prior knowledge and experience

Question 4

Information-processing framework

Answer 4

This is a basic analytical model of human learning and memory that presents people’s mental processes as a sequence similar to how computers process information. The human cognitive process involves sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Question 5

Sensory memory

Answer 5

This is the memory that receives external stimuli and addresses initial information in the cognitive system. It briefly holds information awaiting the process of short-term memory.

Question 6

Short-term memory (STM)

Answer 6

This is the memory that is involved in attention and associates meaning with stimulation. STM has limited capacity and is able to last up to 20 seconds without rehearsal.

Question 7

Long-term memory (LTM)

Answer 7

This is the memory that stores information over long periods of time. LTM has unlimited capacity and duration.

Question 8

Chunking

Answer 8

a strategic mechanism of grouping meaningful information into units to improve memory

Question 9

Attention

Answer 9

a cognitive state of awareness that focuses on the available perceptual information in the physical world

Question 10

Positive reinforcement

Answer 10

the presence of a pleasant stimulus that consequently increases the probability of repeating the same response over time

Question 11

Negative reinforcement

Answer 11

the removal of an unpleasant stimulus that consequently increases the probability of the escape response over time

Question 12

Punishment

Answer 12

the delivery of an unpleasant consequence that reduces the probability of undesired behavior over time

Question 13

The zone of proximal development (ZPD)

Answer 13

In Vygotsky’s learning theory, individual learners can achieve the ideal learning performance when their actual development level and task difficulty reach an equilibrium.

Question 14

Intelligence

Answer 14

a general cognitive competence to think, plan, decide, reason, solve problems, think abstractly, understand complex ideas, and learn from experience

Question 15

Self-determination theory (SDT)

Answer 15

People’s behaviors are either motivated by internal factors, such as interests and enthusiasm (intrinsic motivation), or external factors such as rewards (extrinsic motivation).

Question 16

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory

Answer 16

Basic human motives result from a hierarchy whereby the needs at each level of the hierarchy must be satisfied before the next level can be achieved. These needs progress from basic biological needs to the need for self-actualization.

Question 17

Emotion

Answer 17

a complicated psychological state that is triggered by internal and external events or people

Question 18

Social psychology

Answer 18

the scientific study that investigates the influence of social context regarding individuals’ feelings, thoughts, and behaviors

Question 19

Social perception

Answer 19

the process by which people actively collect, interpret, understand, and categorize other people’s behavior in different situations

Question 20

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 20

a person’s prediction made about a target person, some future behavior, or an event that modifies interactions so as to produce what is expected

In other words, a self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when a person’s expectations or beliefs influence their actions and behavior, leading to outcomes that confirm original expectations.

Question 21

Attribution theory

Answer 21

the psychological theory introduced by Heider (1958) that describes the judgments people use to generate causal explanations about other people’s behaviors

Question 22

Social influence

Answer 22

a psychological phenomenon whereby people’s attitudes, judgments, decisions, or other behaviors are affected and changed by social forces

Question 23

Informational social influence

Answer 23

the influence of other people that we tend to rely on because we view their information as a source of knowing what is right (i.e. when people conform to others for accurate information), especially in an ambiguous situation

Example: Following locals during an emergency in a foreign country.

Question 24

Normative social influence

Answer 24

the influence of other people that leads us to conform because we need to be accepted or liked by them (i.e. gain social acceptance) or avoid rejection

Question 25

Aggressive behavior

Answer 25

people’s intentional behavior aimed at causing physical or psychological damage to others

Question 26

Group

Answer 26

two or more interdependent people who interact with each other and share common goals, identities, and needs

Question 27

Stereotype

Answer 27

the cognitive component of attitudes toward a group of people who have identical characteristics, regardless of their actual variation

Question 28

Prejudice

Answer 28

people’s negative attitudes toward another group of people based purely on their membership in that group (the affective component of attitudes)

Question 29

Discrimination

Answer 29

people’s harmful behavior toward a group of people, solely based on their involvement in that group (the behavioral component of attitudes)

Question 30

Prosocial behavior

Answer 30

human behavior that is carried out with the goal of helping other people

Question 31

Bystander effect

Answer 31

The chance of helpful behavior in an emergency decreases when the number of witnesses increases.

Question 32

Industrial–organizational (I–O) psychology

Answer 32

a sub-field of applied psychology that focuses mainly on human nature at work and explores solutions to practical workplace problems (aims to increase productivity and well-being of employees)

Question 33

KSAOs

Answer 33

These refer to a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and other personal characteristics that are required to succeed at work. These aspects are the main research focus of industrial psychologists.

Question 34

Work analysis

Answer 34

Work analysis is a formal and systematic evaluation approach to collect necessary information about a work unit and present the essential skills/competencies of an efficient employee who is responsible for the job. It supports hiring, training, and performance evaluation.

Question 35

Work-oriented work analysis

Answer 35

an evaluation of the nature of the tasks and duties that are required for a specific position in an organization

Question 36

Worker-oriented work analysis

Answer 36

an evaluation of what employees do at work and the corresponding knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that are required in a job

Question 37

Job evaluation

Answer 37

a formal and systematic approach to evaluate the monetary value of a job in relation to other jobs in an organization Internal equity: evaluating a job by comparing it to other positions within the organization External equity: comparing a job to similar positions in other organizations

Question 38

Work motivation

Answer 38

the internal force or external factors that drive an employee’s job-related behaviors and encourage to attain a goal

Question 39

Work stress

Answer 39

a person’s physical and psychological reactions to the imbalance between self and work environment (in other words: the imbalance between the demands from the work environment and people’s capabilities and resources to meet them)

Question 40

Stressors

Answer 40

physical and psychological factors that generate discomfort and cause temporary or even permanent distortion

Question 41

Work–family conflict

Answer 41

This occurs when individuals experience an imbalance between work and family responsibilities.

Question 42

Job burnout

Answer 42

the state of being chronically overwhelmed by extremely stressful working conditions that have negative consequences on employee well-being

Question 43

Organizational psychology

Answer 43

a sub-field of applied psychology that focuses on employees’ work-related emotions, motivations, and behaviors in organizations

Question 44

Evidence-based conclusion

Answer 44

The results have to be based on empirical study and scientific methods. It is a crucial principle for psychologists while conducting research and applying psychological principles to solve organizational problems.

Question 45

Organizational climate

Answer 45

This term refers to employees’ self-perceived work environment and their organization as a whole. The primary aspects of organizational climate are organizational members’ perception of support, fairness, stress, and conflict.

Question 46

Performance feedback

Answer 46

a form of communication that provides members of the organization with objective information about how well they perform at work

Question 47

Team

Answer 47

a collection of three or more members who cooperate to achieve a common goal, such as developing a product, plan, or service

Question 48

Conflict

Answer 48

the psychological and behavioral reaction to disagreement with individuals’ perspectives, claims, interests, and goals

Question 49

Merger

Answer 49

a form of organizational development whereby two or more independent organizations, which are approximately similar in size, mutually integrate to become a new single entity

Question 50

Acquisition

Answer 50

a form of organizational development (an ongoing business process) where a larger organization (acquirer company) takes over the ownership, assets (e.g., buildings, machinery, equipment, and patents) and shares of a smaller organization (target company)

Question 51

Motivation

Answer 51

motivation refers to a person’s psychological state that directs, changes, and maintains human behavior

Question 52

Industrial psychology

Answer 52

a sub-field of applied psychology that investigates the issues of job analysis, employee selection, evaluation, training, the work environment, and the crucial factors that affect work performance industrial psychologists attempt to improve organizational efficiency via the optimal use of human resources