Chris Drew (PhD), Author at Helpful Professor

Sensitization in Psychology: 10 Examples and Definition

Sensitization is a psychological process where repeated exposure to an event or stimulus leads to increasingly intense psychological or physiological responses. Both animals and humans can experience this phenomenon, which is marked by a heightened sensitivity or responsiveness towards the same stimulus over time. For example, someone who has repeatedly experienced trauma may become increasingly […]

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Premack Principle: 10 Examples and Definition

The Premack principle involves offering a pleasurable incentive in exchange for completing an unpleasurable task. It’s also known as the “Grandma’s Law of Reinforcement” based on the idea that grandma offers icecream if you eat your vegetables! In more scholarly language, we say: if a person chooses to do something less likely (less probable) to

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Generalization (Psychology): 10 Examples and Definition

Generalization is a concept of psychology that deals with learning and behavior. It refers to the process whereby information or responses learned in one particular context can be applied to others. For example, suppose a person learns to open a door by turning the handle left. In that case, they will likely do it whenever

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Instrumental Values: 10 Examples and Definition

Instrumental values are the means to achieve some other desirable ends/goals. These values are used to guide behavior and actions. Here, sociologists make a distinction between two types of values: Definition of Instrumental Values Julia Driver defines the concept in the following way: “Instrumental value refers to the value that something has as a means

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Continuous Development (Psychology): with 10 Examples

Continuous development in developmental psychology is the idea that a person’s mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities gradually unfold over time. This process typically starts at birth and can continue into adulthood. However, one’s growth rate may fluctuate during different stages of life. As an illustration, when an infant is born they are almost completely

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Discontinuous Development (Psychology): with 10 Examples

Discontinuous development is a concept that proposes that growth and development occur in a series of sudden shifts or “leaps.” This means that individuals may move from one stage of development to another abruptly, often without any warning or indications of progressive change. For example, a child may have been struggling with forming simple sentences

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15 Metacommunication Examples

Metacommunication is a type of communication that takes place when participants in a conversation comment on or provide context for the content being discussed. It typically occurs as a secondary form of communication following, and often influencing, the primary message or statement. This form of communication enables both parties to understand how to interpret and

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21 Nature vs Nurture Examples

The nature vs. nurture debate is the long-standing argument over whether heredity (nature) or environment (nurture) plays a greater role in developing human characteristics and behaviors. Nature refers to the biological characteristics we are born with, including genetic predispositions toward certain traits. In contrast, nurture includes external influences that shape us, such as culture, relationships,

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15 Learned Behavior Examples

A learned behavior is a behavior that is not natural but rather developed through socialization. Most behaviors, besides basic animalistic instincts, are learned from somewhere or someone. For example, even going to the bathroom is a learned behavior. You don’t see monkeys getting on a toilet, do you? As we grow older, we learn additional

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15 Associative Learning Examples

Associative learning defines a learning situation when two stimuli become linked. The elements of one stimulus then become associated with the second stimulus. For example, a dog comes to associate you opening the cupboard with dinner and dinner time. Even when you open the cupboard not to feed the dog, it still comes running and

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