Developmental psychology.pdf

Glossary 599
single-pair traits Characteristics produced by the
combination of a single pair of genes. For example,
human eye color may be determined by genes for blue
or brown. See multiple-pair traits.
situational attribution Ascribing a person's behavior to a
given situation, rather than to personal traits or
disposition. External_ rather than internal factors are
emphasized. See attribution theory. See also
dispositional attribution.
situational test A test situation in which a candidate is
observed as he or she reacts to a daily task or to a
sample of the job or role to be filled.
situationism A view of personality which emphasizes the
influence of the immediate environment; the context is
emphasized, rather than enduring personal dispositions.
See situational attribution.
size constancy The tendency for an object to be seen as
maintaining its absolute size despite changes in the size
of the retinal images.
size of retinal image In visual space perception, nearby
objects have a larger image than more distant ones,
thus providing a cue to distance.
skewed curve A curve in which scores are much more
frequent toward one end or the other than in the middle.
In a positive skew, there is a "tail" of extra scores
toward the high end; in a negative skew, the "tail" is
toward the lower end. Compare with normal curve.
Skinner box A small chamber for the purpose of studying
operant conditioning under controlled conditions,
designed by B. F. Skinner. The three basic
characteristics include a confined space, a simple lever
or disc to be operated, and a provision for food or water.
This apparatus is now commonly referred to as an
operant chamber.
slow learner A student able to profit from normal
classroom instruction, providing that the material is
presented at a somewhat slower than normal rate. This
student is not considered mentally retarded.
social comparison Evaluating oneself in relation to others.
social development The growing capacity, especially in a
child, for successful interactions with others of one's
species.
social distance The third zone in the measurement of
interpersonal space, ranging frogi 4 to 12 feet. Friendly
conversations and business conferences often occur at
this distance. See proxemics.
social facilitation Occurs whenever the individual in a
group situation exceeds his or her characteristic
performance level when working alone. It does not
necessarily mean that the person is more efficient in the
group situation, for he or she may have increased
output but may make more mistakes.
socialization Learning to conform to group ways;
acquiring a specific culture.
social learning theory A view which stresses that learning
occurs through interacting with and especially by
observing others. Also called observational learning. The
observed person serves as a model and the learner is
prompted to imitate that person, especially when the
model's behavior results in favorable consequences,
called reinforcement. See modeling and reinforcement
social psychology The study of individuals'
responsiveness to one another, especially at the human
level. An area of psychology emphasizing the study of
groups and group interactions.
social specialist A group member who plays a significant
role in group morale and group cohesion. Contrast with
task specialist.
sociobiology A field of study emphasizing the role of
genetic factors in social behavior, including human
social behavior.
sociocultural model A view of the origins of human
maladjustment which stresses the role of environmental
factors. This approach, more than the others, has
relevance for preventive mental health. See devil model,
medical model.
sociogram A graphic representation of the results
obtained with a sociometric questionnaire, showing
interactions between group members in terms of
acceptance and/or rejection.
solution learning Learning how to respond to various
conditions in the environment, chiefly through operant
conditioning. Responses determined through the
principle of reinforcement. See signal learning, twofactor
theory.
somatic therapy (s5-mat'-ik) Pertaining to the body.
Altering body states by medical procedures for the
purpose of alleviating mental illness. The methods
include brain surgery, administration of drugs, and use
of shock.
somatization disorder Bodily problems without any
identifiable physiological basis. Complaints of diverse
physical problems, often in conjunction with one
another, in the absence of any clear organic problem.
Such complaints are therefore presumed to have some
psychological origins. One form of somatoform disorder.
somatoform disorders Physical symptoms in the absence
of underlying physiological problems, presumably
related to psychological stress. In one form,
somatization disorder, there are diverse symptoms; in
another, the conversion disorder, the symptoms are
more specific.
somatotonia (s5-mat-uh-to'-nee-uh) Temperament
characterized by marked vigor, directness of manner,
competitiveness, need for action.
somatotyping Determining types of physique according to
Sheldon's system, in which the somatotype 1-1-7, for
example, is low in the endomorphic, low in the
mesomorphic, and high in the ectomorphic dimension.
somesthesis Pertaining to body feeling or to sensitivity
originating in the skin, muscles, and body cavity.
source credibility In mass media communication, the
degree of confidence held by the audience with respect
to the communicator. A credible source is perceived to
be highly reliable and therefore most important in the
audience's acceptance of the communication.
source traits Underlying traits central to the personality,
as opposed to surface traits.
space perception Perceiving or otherwise reacting to the
size, distance, or depth aspects of the environment.