Essential Terms in Behavioral Science and Social Research
Key Concepts in Behavioral Science and Social Research
Discrimination and Bias
- Ableism: Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.
- Ageism: Discrimination against persons of a certain age group.
Personality Traits and Temperaments
- Agreeableness: The tendency to act in a cooperative, unselfish manner, construed as one end of a dimension of individual differences.
- Ambiversion/Ambivert: A state intermediate between extroversion and introversion.
- Conscientiousness: The quality of wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly.
- Extraversion/Extravert (also “extroversion” and “extrovert”): A personality trait or style characterized by a preference for, or orientation to, engaging socially with others.
- Introversion/Introvert: A personality trait characterized by being shy and quiet, preferring to spend time alone rather than with others.
- Openness to Experience: A dimension of cognitive style that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people.
Classical Temperaments
- Choleric: Bad-tempered or irritable.
- Melancholic: Feeling or expressing pensive sadness.
- Phlegmatic: (Of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
- Sanguine: Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.
Personality Disorders (PD)
These are mental illnesses that severely impact a person’s ability to manage their emotions and relationships:
- Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): A particularly challenging type of personality disorder characterized by impulsive, irresponsible, and often criminal behavior.
- Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD): People with AvPD have chronic feelings of inadequacy and are highly sensitive to being negatively judged by others.
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): A mental illness that severely impacts a person’s ability to manage their emotions.
- Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD): A type of anxious personality disorder. People with DPD often feel helpless, submissive, or incapable of taking care of themselves.
- Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD): A type of psychiatric disorder that features attention-seeking behaviors, seductive behavior, and emotional over-reaction.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD): A mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): A mental health condition that causes an extensive preoccupation with perfectionism, organization, and control.
- Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD): A mental condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of distrust and suspicion of others.
- Schizoid Personality Disorder (SPD): A mental health condition marked by a consistent pattern of detachment from and general disinterest in social relationships.
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPD): A mental health condition marked by a consistent pattern of intense discomfort with relationships and social interactions.
Genetics, Biology, and Social Concepts
- Boundaries: A line which marks the limits of an area; a dividing line.
- Epigenetics: The study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.
- Genetic Expression: The process by which the information encoded in a gene is turned into a function.
- Hikikomori: The extreme avoidance of social contact, often leading to severe social withdrawal.
- Narcissism: Excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one’s physical appearance.
- Nurture (vs. Nature): While Nature refers to innate biological factors (namely genetics), Nurture refers to upbringing or life experience more generally.
- Prevalent: Widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.
- Startle Response: A complicated involuntary reaction to a sudden unexpected stimulus (especially a loud noise); involves flexion of most skeletal muscles and a variety of visceral reactions.
Governance Models in Social Services
These models describe different approaches to decision-making and policy administration:
- Caseworker Governance Model: Governance emphasizing social workers’ role in decision-making and policy administration for social services.
- Dwelling-based Governance Model: Governance centered around housing units, involving active resident participation in decision-making.
- Uncoordinated Governance Model: Governance lacking effective coordination among different governmental entities or actors.
- User-coordinated Governance Model: Governance involving active user participation in decision-making and policy formulation for public services.
Research Methodology
Understanding how data is collected and analyzed is crucial in behavioral science:
- Cohort Study: A research study that compares a particular outcome (such as lung cancer) in groups of individuals who are alike in many ways but differ by a certain characteristic.
- Cross-Sectional Study: A type of research study in which a group of people is observed, or certain information is collected, at a single point in time or over a short period of time.
- Field Study: Collecting data outside of an experimental or laboratory setting.
- Findings: Information discovered as the result of an inquiry or investigation.
- Longitudinal Study: Researchers repeatedly examine the same individuals to detect any changes that might occur over a period of time.