Your First Steps into Psychology Language

When you first start learning psychology, it’s easy to get confused with all the words. Especially the long ones. Some sound like they belong in a science lab, not in everyday life. But once you know what they mean, these terms can help you understand yourself and others better.

Here are 9 psychology words you might not know, explained simply:

1. Cognitive Dissonance

That uncomfortable feeling you get when your actions don’t match your beliefs. Example: You know that smoking (or drinking too much) is harmful to your health, but you do it anyway.

2. Heuristic

A mental shortcut your brain uses to make quick decisions.

Example: Choosing a restaurant because it’s busy, assuming that means it’s good.

3. Self-Efficacy

Your belief in your ability to succeed at something.

Example: Feeling confident you can finish a tough school project because you’ve done it before.

4. Positive Reinforcement

Rewarding a behavior to encourage it to happen again.

Example: Getting praise for doing your homework, which makes you want to keep doing it.

5. Schema

A mental framework or “file” in your brain that helps you organize and interpret information.

Example: You have a “dog” schema that helps you quickly recognize any new dog you see.

6. Anchoring Bias

When your decisions are heavily influenced by the first piece of information you hear.

Example: If the first shirt you see is $100, a $50 shirt might seem like a bargain, even if it’s not.

7. Operant Conditioning

Learning behavior through rewards and punishments.

Example: Getting detention for being late teaches you the importance of arriving on time.

8. Confirmation Bias

Looking for information that proves what you already believe and ignoring anything that doesn’t. Example: Only reading news that supports your opinion.

9. Flow

A state of being fully focused and “in the zone,” where time seems to fly by. Example: Getting so into drawing that you lose track of hours.

Why These Words Matter

Knowing psychology vocabulary isn’t about sounding fancy; it’s about having better tools to describe how we think, feel, and act. Once you understand these concepts, you’ll start spotting them in your own life and the people around you.