Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

stress

 
A person’s response to events that are 
threatening or challenging (Module 43).

structuralism

 
Wundt’s approach, which 
focuses on uncovering the fundamental mental 
components of consciousness, thinking, and 
other kinds of mental states and activities 
(Module 2).

subjective well-being

 
People’s own evaluation 
of their lives in terms of both their thoughts and 
their emotions (Module 45).

superego

 
According to Freud, the fi nal person-
ality structure to develop; it represents the 
rights and wrongs of society as handed down 
by a person’s parents, teachers, and other 
important fi gures (Module 40).

survey research

 
Research in which people cho-
sen to represent a larger population are asked a 
series of questions about their behavior, 
thoughts, or attitudes (Module 5).

syllogistic reasoning

 
Formal reasoning in 
which people draw a conclusion from a set of 
assumptions (Module 23).

sympathetic division

 
The part of the auto-
nomic division of the nervous system that acts 
to prepare the body for action in stressful situa-
tions, engaging all the organism’s resources to 
respond to a threat (Module 8).

synapse

 
The space between two neurons 
where the axon of a sending neuron communi-
cates with the dendrites of a receiving neuron 
by using chemical messages (Module 7).

syntax

 
Ways in which words and phrases can 
be combined to form sentences (Module 25).

systematic desensitization

 
A behavioral 
technique in which gradual exposure to an 
anxiety-producing stimulus is paired with 
relaxation to extinguish the response of anxiety 
(Module 49).