The sick role theory states that sick people are exempt from normal social roles and responsibilities. Rather, they have their own responsibilities and ‘social role’. Central among these is the expectation that they seek medical treatment with the goal of returning to their usual social role. Sick role theory emerges from medical sociology. It suggests […]
Sick Role Theory: Examples and Definition Read More »
Positive sanctions are rewards or positive consequences given in response to desired, idealized, or normative behavior. The role of positive sanctions is to encourage and reinforce a certain behavior. By providing a reward, it is more likely to occur and reoccur. Examples of positive sanctions might include praise, rewards, privileges, money, or preferential treatment. Positive
Positive Sanctions: Definition & 27 Examples Read More »
In psychology, a primary reinforcer is anything that humans innately desire. As a result, humans are motivated to do tasks that will lead to the acquisition of a primary reinforcer. A primary reinforcer is usually a basic need related to the satisfaction of a biologically driven desire. For example, water, food, sleep, and shelter are
15 Primary Reinforcer Examples Read More »
Habituation is the decreased response that occurs as a result of repeated exposure to a stimulus. When first exposed to a stimulus, such as a sound, the stimulus will get our attention and evoke a response (a ‘conditioned stimulus‘). However, after experiencing the stimulus repeatedly over a prolonged period of time, we may develop sensory
15 Habituation Examples (In Psychology) Read More »
Medicalization refers to the act of excessively defining and medically treating conditions, behaviors or attitudes. This phenomenon has occurred when medical professionals, pharmaceutical drug manufacturers, and other relevant expert panels attempt to apply medical rationalization to situations where medical intervention may not be in the best interest of an individual. Often, this involves broadening of
12 Medicalization Examples Read More »
The ecological footprint is a way of measuring human impact on the environment. It calculates the biologically productive land and sea area required to support (provide resources and absorb waste) a given population. The ecological footprint is expressed in “global hectares” (GHA) and can be measured at individual, national, or global levels. The concept of
10 Ecological Footprint Examples Read More »
Humanism is a philosophy based on the centrality of humans and human flourishing. Without a god at the center of its worldview, it instead considers reason to be the chief formulator of ethical values and decision making. Humanism has its roots in ancient Greece and was shaped by various movements (the Renaissance, the Age of
15 Humanism Examples Read More »
Working memory refers to the parts of human memory dedicated to processing and utilizing temporary (or ‘short-term’) information. Working memory has very limited capacity and information is only held temporarily. The term “working memory” was first presented by Miller et al. (1960). In the past, many researchers used the term “short-term store” or “short-term memory.”
10 Working Memory Examples Read More »
Chunking is a memorization technique. It refers to grouping similar bits of information together to make them easier to remember. A simple everyday example of chunking is the digits on a credit card: they are grouped into sets of four (or a single ‘chunk’) to make them easier to memorize. Instead of remembering 16 individual
15 Chunking Examples (Memory Psychology) Read More »
Institutional racism is a form of racism that occurs when institutions (such as governments, schools, workplaces, etc.) discriminate through their policies and practices. Unlike racial slurs or hate crimes, institutional racism is not overt. Instead, it is usually quite “invisible” and perhaps even “unintentional”, which is why it is more difficult to address. It is
10 Institutional Racism Examples Read More »
