Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

compliance

 
Behavior that occurs in response to 
direct social pressure (Module 53).

compulsion

 
An irresistible urge to repeatedly 
carry out some act that seems strange and 
unreasonable (Module 47).

concepts

 
A mental grouping of similar objects, 
events, or people (Module 23).

concrete operational stage

 
According to 
Piaget, the period from 7 to 12 years of age that 
is characterized by logical thought and a loss of 
egocentrism (Module 37).

conditioned response (CR)

 
A response that, 
after conditioning, follows a previously neutral 
stimulus (e.g., salivation at the ringing of a bell) 
(Module 17).

conditioned stimulus (CS)

 
A once-neutral 
stimulus that has been paired with an uncondi-
tioned stimulus to bring about a response for-
merly caused only by the unconditioned 
stimulus (Module 17).

cones

 
Cone-shaped, light-sensitive receptor 
cells in the retina that are responsible for sharp 
focus and color perception, particularly in 
bright light (Module 11).

confi rmation bias

 
The tendency to seek out 
and weight more heavily information that 
supports one’s initial hypotheses and to ignore 
contradictory information that supports alter-
native hypotheses or solutions (Module 24).

conformity

 
A change in behavior or attitudes 
brought about by a desire to follow the beliefs 
or standards of other people (Module 53).

consciousness

 
The awareness of the sensa-
tions, thoughts, and feelings being experienced 
at a given moment (Module 14).