Social Science Glossary

Social Science

Hi, my name is Maelissa Buteau. For the past five semesters, I have dedicated myself in the study of Social Science, specifically psychology, at College Ahuntsic, and I'm now in my final semester. This program equips students for a variety of career paths such as law, psychology, criminology, and more. Since psychology is my field of study, I decided to do a glossary in this field to help students understand various terms we explore.

agoraphobia

noun

Extreme or irrational fear of entering open or crowded places, of leaving one's own home, or of being in places from which escape is difficult.

Example: My agoraphobic brother had some success managing his symptoms through cognitive behavioral therapy.

en: agoraphobie

behavior

noun

The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.

Example: I'm surprised by her bad behavior toward her friends.

en: comportement

bipolar disorder

noun

A serious mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, ranging from extreme highs (mania or “manic” episodes) to lows (depression or “depressive” episode).

Example: At age 13 she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

en: trouble bipolaire

borderline personality disorder

noun

A mental health condition that affects the way people feel about themselves and others, making it hard to function in everyday life.

Example: People with borderline personality disorder have a strong fear of abandonment or being left alone.

en: trouble de la personnalité borderline

bulimia

noun

An eating disorder in which a large quantity of food is consumed in a short period of time, often followed by feelings of guilt or shame.

Example: Someone with bulimia will often make excuses to avoid eating with friends or family.

en: boulimie

catharsis

noun

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

Example: Music is a means of catharsis for them.

en: catharsis

cognitive Psychology

noun

The study of mental processes such as attention, language use, memory,perception,problem solving, creativity and thinking.

Example: The purpose behind this assignment is to test your cognitive psychology skills.

en: psychologie cognitive

defense Mechanism

noun

A mental process (e.g., repression or projection) initiated, typically unconsciously, to avoid conscious conflict or anxiety.

Example: Marie is projecting her anger on you as a defense mechanism.

en: mécanisme de défense

dissociative Disorder

noun

A mental health conditions that involve experiencing a loss of connection between thoughts, memories, feelings, surroundings, behavior and identity.

Example: Viki has battled dissociative disorder for decades, and the condition has now affected her daughter Jessica.

en: trouble dissociatif

hypochondriasis

noun

In generally, it's defined as abnormal preoccupation with one's health and a fear of having or getting a disease despite physical evidence to the contrary.

Example: I know you don't agree, but I think you are suffering from hypochondriasis.

en: hypocondrie

munchausen syndrome

noun

A psychological condition where someone pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves.

Example: Children who are victims of Munchausen syndrome are usually removed from the offending caregiver immediately and placed in protective custody.

en: syndrome de Münchhausen

narcolepsy

noun

A condition characterized by an extreme tendency to fall asleep whenever in relaxing surroundings.

Example: The schoolboy was diagnosed with narcolepsy a year ago.

en: narcolepsie

obsessive-compulsive disorder

noun

A long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions) that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry ; engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both.

Example: The psychiatrist diagnosed Amanda with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

en: trouble obsessionnel compulsif

paranoia

noun

The unwarranted or delusional belief that one is being persecuted, harassed, or betrayed by others, occurring as part of a mental condition.

Example: I was full of paranoia that people were talking about me.

en: paranoïa

pathology

noun

The science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes.

Example: Research people skilled in experimental pathology.

en: pathologie

post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

noun

A disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.

Example: The record mentions severe childhood trauma complemented by post-traumatic stress disorder.

en: trouble de stress post-traumatique (SSPT)

prosopagnosia

noun

A neurological condition characterized by the inability to recognize the faces of familiar people.

Example: She suffers from prosopagnosia, a condition also known as face blindness.

en: prosopagnosie

psychosomatic

adjective

(Of a physical illness or other condition) caused or aggravated by a mental factor such as internal conflict or stress.

Example: Her doctor was convinced that most of Edith's problems were psychosomatic.

en: psychosomatique

schizophrenia

noun

A serious mental condition of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.

Example: Gibraltar's schizophrenia continues to be fed by colonial pride.

en: schizophrénie

stimulus

noun

A thing or event or phenomenon that evokes a specific functional reaction in an organism.

Example: He reacts to external stimuli but for now can only answer a familiar voice by moving his eyes.

en: stimulus

This glossary was made with the Virtual Writing Tutor glossary maker and grammar checker.