AS CIE Psychology: Quick Memorisation Guide to Key Terminology | AS CIE 心理学：核心词汇术语速记指南

📚 AS CIE Psychology: Quick Memorisation Guide to Key Terminology | AS CIE 心理学：核心词汇术语速记指南

Mastering psychological terminology is not just about passing a vocabulary test — it is about unlocking the entire AS CIE Psychology syllabus. Every essay, every short-answer question, and every scenario-based exam item expects you to use precise terms to describe behaviours, mental processes, and research methods. This guide turns abstract words into memorable chunks using roots, mnemonics, and clear definitions, helping you retrieve the right term exactly when you need it under exam pressure.

掌握心理学术语不仅仅是为了通过词汇测试，更是打开整个 AS CIE 心理学大纲的钥匙。每一道论文题、简答题和情境题都要求你用准确的术语来描述行为、心理过程和研究方法。本指南利用词根、助记法和清晰的定义将抽象的词汇转化为容易记忆的组块，帮助你在考试压力下准确提取所需术语。

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1. Why Memorise Terminology? | 为什么要记忆术语？

Precise terminology is the currency of academic psychology. When you write ‘independent variable’ instead of ‘the thing I changed’, you signal to the examiner that you understand experimental logic. Command terms such as ‘describe’, ‘explain’, and ‘evaluate’ in AS papers require you to deploy specialist vocabulary fluently. Moreover, many marks are lost because students confuse similar-sounding terms like ‘validity’ and ‘reliability’, or ‘obedience’ and ‘conformity’. Systematic memorisation eliminates these errors.

术语是学术心理学的硬通货。当你在答题时写出“自变量”而不是“我改变的那个东西”时，你就向考官展示了实验逻辑的理解。AS 试卷中的指令词如“描述”“解释”“评价”要求你流利地运用专业词汇。此外，许多失分是因为学生混淆了发音相似的术语，比如“效度”与“信度”，或“服从”与“从众”。系统化的记忆能够消除这类错误。

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2. The Power of Roots and Affixes | 词根与词缀的力量

Many psychological terms are built from Greek or Latin roots. Once you learn these building blocks, you can decode unfamiliar words instantly. For instance, ‘psych-‘ means mind or soul, ‘-ology’ means study of, so ‘psychology’ is the study of the mind. ‘Neur-‘ refers to nerves, ‘hypo-‘ means under or below normal, and ‘hyper-‘ means excessive. Breaking words into roots reduces cognitive load and creates meaningful associations.

许多心理学术语源自希腊语或拉丁语词根。一旦你学会这些构词模块，就能迅速破解陌生词汇。例如，“psych-”表示心灵或灵魂，“-ology” 表示学科，因此 “psychology” 是对心灵的研究。’neur-‘ 指神经，’hypo-‘ 表示低于正常水平，’hyper-‘ 表示过度。将单词拆解为词根可以减轻认知负荷，并建立有意义的联系。

Prefix ‘a-‘ or ‘an-‘: without or lack of. Example: ‘atypical’ means not typical; ‘anomie’ means without norms.

前缀 ‘a-‘ 或 ‘an-‘： 表示没有或缺乏。例如：’atypical’ 表示非典型的；’anomie’ 表示失范（缺乏规范）。

Root ‘cogni-‘: to know or think. Terms: cognition, cognitive, recognition. This root appears everywhere in the cognitive approach.

词根 ‘cogni-‘： 知道或思考。词汇：cognition (认知)、cognitive (认知的)、recognition (再认)。这个词根在认知取向中随处可见。

Suffix ‘-ism’: a belief, theory, or condition. Example: ‘behaviourism’, ‘structuralism’, ‘autism’.

后缀 ‘-ism’： 学说、理论或状态。例如：behaviourism (行为主义)、structuralism (结构主义)、autism (自闭症)。

Root ‘soma-‘: body. Example: ‘psychosomatic’ – mind-body connection; ‘somatic nervous system’ – controls voluntary body movements.

词根 ‘soma-‘： 身体。例如：psychosomatic (心身的) ——心理与身体的联系；somatic nervous system (躯体神经系统) ——控制身体随意运动。

Visualise the word ‘amygdala’ as an almond (‘amygdale’ in Greek) because the amygdala is almond-shaped and processes emotions like fear. Create a mental image of a frightened almond to lock the term in memory.

将单词“amygdala”（杏仁核）视觉化为一颗杏仁（希腊语中 ‘amygdale’ 意为杏仁），因为杏仁核形似杏仁且处理恐惧等情绪。在脑海中创造一个受惊吓的杏仁形象，就能将术语牢牢记住。

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3. Research Methodology Essentials | 研究方法核心术语

Methodology terms form the backbone of Paper 2 and are frequently tested in scenario-based questions. Getting these definitions right instantly boosts your marks.

方法论术语是 Paper 2 的支柱，经常在情境题中进行考查。准确掌握这些定义会立刻提升你的分数。

Independent Variable (IV): The factor that the researcher deliberately manipulates or changes in an experiment to observe its effect.

自变量 (IV)： 研究者在实验中刻意操纵或改变的因素，以观察其效应。

Dependent Variable (DV): The factor that is measured by the researcher; it is expected to change because of the manipulation of the IV.

因变量 (DV)： 研究者测量得到的因素；预计因自变量的操纵而发生变化。

Extraneous Variable (EV): Any variable other than the IV that could influence the DV if not controlled. Examples: noise, time of day, participant mood.

额外变量 (EV)： 除自变量外任何可能影响因变量的变量，若不加以控制。例如：噪音、时段、被试情绪。

Confounding Variable: A type of extraneous variable that varies systematically with the IV, so you cannot tell which variable caused the change in the DV. It ruins internal validity.

混淆变量： 一种与自变量发生系统性共变的额外变量，因此无法判断是哪个变量引起了因变量的变化。它会破坏内部效度。

Standardisation: Keeping the procedure and instructions exactly the same for all participants to minimise extraneous variables.

标准化： 对所有被试保持完全相同的程序和指导语，以最小化额外变量。

Counterbalancing: A technique used in repeated measures designs to control for order effects by varying the order of conditions across participants (ABBA design).

平衡法： 用于重复测量设计的技术，通过在不同被试中变化实验条件的顺序来控制顺序效应（如 ABBA 设计）。

Random Allocation: Assigning participants to conditions purely by chance to avoid researcher bias and participant variables. This is essential for independent measures designs.

随机分配： 纯粹基于机会将被试分配到不同实验条件中，以避免研究者偏向和参与者变量。这对独立组设计至关重要。

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4. Biological Psychology: Brain & Neurotransmitters | 生物心理学：大脑与神经递质

Biological terms can seem intimidating because they sound medical, but breaking them into syllables and linking them to their functions makes them manageable. Focus on the key structures and chemicals specified in the AS syllabus.

生物学术语听起来像医学术语，可能让人望而生畏，但将它们拆分成音节并与其功能联系起来，就会变得容易掌握。请重点关注 AS 大纲中指定的关键结构和化学物质。

Neurotransmitter: A chemical messenger that transmits signals across a synapse from one neuron to another. Think of it as a key fitting into a receptor lock.

神经递质： 一种化学信使，通过突触将信号从一个神经元传递到另一个神经元。可以想象成一把钥匙插入受体锁孔。

Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation. High levels are linked to schizophrenia (positive symptoms), while low levels are linked to Parkinson’s disease. Remember it as the ‘do-more’ chemical – it drives you to seek rewards.

多巴胺： 与愉悦、奖赏和动机相关的神经递质。高水平与精神分裂症（阳性症状）相关，低水平与帕金森病相关。可记作“多做”化学物——它驱使你寻求奖赏。

Serotonin: A neurotransmitter regulating mood, sleep, and appetite. Low serotonin is associated with depression. The mnemonic ‘SERENE-tonin’ helps recall its calming, mood-stabilising role.

血清素： 调节情绪、睡眠和食欲的神经递质。低血清素与抑郁症相关。助记窍门“SERENE-tonin”（宁静素）有助于记住其镇静、稳定情绪的作用。

Amygdala: Almond-shaped structure in the limbic system responsible for emotional processing, especially fear and aggression. Visualise an almond shouting aggressively to cement the link.

杏仁核： 边缘系统内杏仁状的结构，负责情绪加工，特别是恐惧和攻击性。想象一个杏仁在愤怒地叫喊，以巩固这一联系。

Hippocampus: Located near the amygdala, crucial for forming new long-term memories and spatial navigation. Think of a ‘hippocampus campus’ where memories go to school.

海马体： 紧邻杏仁核，对形成新的长时记忆和空间导航至关重要。想象一个“海马校园”，记忆在那里上学。

Prefrontal Cortex: The front part of the frontal lobes involved in decision-making, impulse control, and social behaviour. It is the ‘executive’ of the brain. Link it to ‘pre-frontal control’ – it stops you before you act foolishly.

前额叶皮层： 额叶的前部，参与决策、冲动控制和社会行为。它是大脑的“执行官”。可联系 ‘pre-frontal control’ ——它在你做出愚蠢行为前阻止你。

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5. Cognitive Psychology: Memory Models | 认知心理学：记忆模型

The multi-store model and the working memory model contain a series of precise technical terms that can easily be jumbled. Use vivid imagery and stories to sequence them correctly.

多储存库模型和工作记忆模型包含一系列精确的技术术语，很容易混淆。运用生动的意象和故事来正确排序它们。

Sensory Memory: The first store that holds information from the senses in an unprocessed form for a very brief duration (less than half a second for visual icons). It has a huge capacity but very limited duration. Only information that is paid attention to passes on to short-term memory.

感觉记忆： 记忆的第一储存库，以未经加工的形式短暂保留来自感官的信息（视觉图像少于半秒）。容量巨大但持续时间极短。只有被注意到的信息才会进入短时记忆。

Short-Term Memory (STM): A temporary store with limited capacity (7 ± 2 chunks) and limited duration (around 18-30 seconds without rehearsal). Information here can be encoded acoustically. Maintenance rehearsal keeps it active and transfers it to long-term memory.

短时记忆 (STM)： 临时储存库，容量有限（7±2个组块），持续时间短暂（无复述时约18-30秒）。信息可以以声音编码形式存在。保持性复述使其保持活跃并转入长时记忆。

Long-Term Memory (LTM): The permanent store with potentially unlimited capacity and duration. Tulving proposed three types: episodic (personal events), semantic (facts, knowledge), and procedural (skills, actions). Think of ‘ESP’ – Episodic, Semantic, Procedural.

长时记忆 (LTM)： 永久性储存库，容量和持续时间可能无限。Tulving 提出三种类型：情节记忆（个人事件）、语义记忆（事实、知识）和程序性记忆（技能、动作）。可用 “ESP” 记——Episodic, Semantic, Procedural。

Central Executive: The master component of the working memory model. It directs attention, coordinates the slave systems, and deals with cognitive tasks. It is modality-free and has limited capacity. Imagine a strict CEO in a brain office managing two assistants.

中央执行器： 工作记忆模型的主控部分。它指挥注意力、协调从属系统并处理认知任务。没有情态特异性且容量有限。想象大脑办公室中一名严厉的 CEO 管理着两名助理。

Phonological Loop: Deals with auditory information and preserves the order of incoming verbal information. It has two subdivisions: the phonological store (inner ear) and the articulatory control process (inner voice). Subvocal repetition keeps the loop running.

语音环： 处理听觉信息并保持传入言语信息的顺序。它包含两个部分：语音储存器（内心耳朵）和发音控制过程（内心声音）。无声复述维持语音环运行。

Visuospatial Sketchpad: Processes visual and spatial information, helping you navigate a room or visualise an object. It creates a mental map and integrates colour, shape, and location. The ‘inner eye’.

视空间模板： 处理视觉和空间信息，帮助你在房间中导航或在脑中可视化物体。它创建心理地图并整合颜色、形状和位置。即“内心之眼”。

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6. Social Psychology: Conformity & Obedience | 社会心理学：从众与服从

Social influence terms often appear in the same question and require precise distinction. Creating contrast pairs helps prevent confusion.

社会影响术语常出现在同一道题中，需要精确区分。创建对比配对有助于防止混淆。

Conformity: A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group. It does not require direct orders.

从众： 个体因来自他人或群体的真实或想象的压力而改变行为或观点。它不需要直接命令。

Obedience: Following a direct order from an authority figure. The key difference is the presence of an explicit instruction and a hierarchy. Remember: conformity = fitting in; obedience = obeying commands.

服从： 遵循权威人物的直接命令。关键区别在于存在明确指示和等级关系。请记住：从众 = 合群；服从 = 服从命令。

Normative Social Influence (NSI): Conforming because we want to be liked, accepted, or avoid rejection. It leads to public compliance but not necessarily private acceptance. Think ‘Norm-ative’ – we follow the group norm.

规范社会影响 (NSI)： 因希望被他人喜欢、接纳或避免排斥而从众。它导致表面服从，不一定是内心接纳。可记作’规范’——我们遵循群体规范。

Informational Social Influence (ISI): Conforming because we believe others have more accurate information, especially in ambiguous situations. It typically leads to internalisation – a permanent change in private beliefs.

信息社会影响 (ISI)： 因相信他人拥有更准确的信息而从众，尤其在模棱两可的情境中。它通常导致内化——个体私人信念的永久改变。

Agentic State: A mental state proposed by Milgram in which a person feels no personal responsibility for their actions because they act as an ‘agent’ of an authority. They shift the responsibility up the hierarchy.

代理状态： 米尔格拉姆提出的一种心理状态，个体因将自己视为权威的“代理人”而对自己的行为不感到个人责任。他们向上级转移责任。

Legitimacy of Authority: The perception that an individual has the right to give orders due to their social role or position. Uniforms, status, and institutional cues increase legitimacy.

权威的合法性： 因社会角色或职位而认为某人有权下达命令的感知。制服、地位和机构线索会增强合法性。

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7. Developmental Psychology: Attachment | 发展心理学：依恋

Attachment theory has a unique vocabulary that describes the emotional bond between an infant and caregiver. These terms often appear in ‘Describe and evaluate’ essays.

依恋理论拥有一套描述婴儿与看护者情感纽带的独特词汇。这些术语常出现在“描述与评价”的论文题中。

Attachment: A strong, reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and a primary caregiver, characterised by proximity seeking, separation distress, and a secure base from which to explore.

依恋： 婴儿与主要看护者之间强烈的、互动式的情感纽带，特征为寻求亲近、分离痛苦以及以安全基地为基础进行探索。

Monotropy: Bowlby’s concept that infants form one primary attachment bond that is more important than all others. This primary caregiver acts as the template for later relationships.

单柄性： 鲍尔比的概念，指婴儿会形成一段比其他所有关系更重要的主要依恋。这名主要看护者将成为日后关系的内在模板。

Internal Working Model (IWM): A mental representation of the self, the attachment figure, and relationships in general, formed through the first attachment. It influences future romantic and parenting relationships.

内部工作模型 (IWM)： 通过第一段依恋形成的关于自我、依恋对象和整体关系的心理表征。它影响未来的恋爱关系和父母行为。

Secure Attachment: A healthy attachment style where the infant shows distress when the caregiver leaves but is easily comforted upon return. The caregiver is sensitive and responsive. Associated with high self-esteem and resilience.

安全型依恋： 一种健康的依恋模式，看护者离开时婴儿表现出痛苦，但返回时容易获得安抚。看护者敏感且反应及时。与高自尊和韧性相关。

Insecure-Avoidant Attachment: The infant shows little distress when the caregiver leaves and avoids contact upon return. The caregiver is often rejecting or unresponsive. The child learns to suppress emotional needs.

不安全-回避型依恋： 看护者离开时婴儿几乎不表现痛苦，返回时回避接触。看护者常常拒绝或不回应。儿童学会压抑情感需求。

Insecure-Resistant Attachment: The infant is intensely distressed when the caregiver leaves, but upon return, the infant both seeks and resists comfort (ambivalent). The caregiver is inconsistent, sometimes responsive, sometimes unresponsive.

不安全-反抗型依恋： 看护者离开时婴儿表现出强烈的痛苦，但返回时既寻求又抗拒安慰（矛盾型）。看护者不一致，时而回应，时而不回应。

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8. Individual Differences: Abnormal Psychology | 个体差异：异常心理学

Abnormal psychology terminology requires careful use because you must distinguish between symptom descriptors, diagnostic manuals, and treatment methods. Use the four Ds (deviance, distress, dysfunction, danger) as a framework.

异常心理学术语需要谨慎运用，因为你必须区分症状描述词、诊断手册和治疗方法。可用四个 D（偏离、痛苦、功能失调、危险）作为框架。

DSM-5: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association. It provides standardised diagnostic criteria used by clinicians globally. Remember it as the ‘Dictionary of mental disorders’.

DSM-5： 《精神障碍诊断与统计手册》第五版，由美国精神医学学会出版。它为全球临床工作者提供标准化的诊断标准。可记作“心理疾病的词典”。

ICD-10/ICD-11: The International Classification of Diseases, published by the World Health Organization. In the UK and many other countries, ICD is used for clinical diagnosis. It covers both physical and mental disorders.

ICD-10/ICD-11： 《国际疾病分类》，由世界卫生组织发布。在英国及许多其他国家，ICD 用于临床诊断，涵盖身体和精神障碍。

Positive Symptoms (Schizophrenia): Symptoms that add to normal experience, e.g., hallucinations (false sensory perceptions) and delusions (firmly held false beliefs). Think ‘positive’ = ‘plus something extra’.

阳性症状（精神分裂症）： 在正常体验上增加的症状，如幻觉（虚假的感官知觉）和妄想（坚信的错误信念）。可记作“阳性”=“多了些什么”。

Negative Symptoms (Schizophrenia): Symptoms that take away from normal functioning, e.g., avolition (loss of motivation), alogia (poverty of speech), and affective flattening. Think ‘negative’ = ‘minus normal functioning’.

阴性症状（精神分裂症）： 使正常功能减退的症状，如意志缺乏（动机丧失）、言语贫乏和情感淡漠。可记作“阴性”=“减去正常功能”。

Systematic Desensitisation: A behavioural therapy for phobias based on classical conditioning. The patient learns relaxation techniques and is gradually exposed to a fear hierarchy until the phobic stimulus no longer triggers anxiety. Step by step, the fear is desensitised.

系统脱敏疗法： 基于经典条件反射的恐惧症行为疗法。患者学习放松技巧，并逐步暴露于恐惧层级中，直到恐惧刺激不再引发焦虑。一步步脱敏恐惧。

Flooding: A behavioural technique where the patient is exposed to the most frightening stimulus immediately without any gradual build-up. The fear response eventually extinguishes due to exhaustion. It is fast but can be highly distressing.

冲击疗法： 一种行为技术，让患者直接面对最恐惧的刺激，无任何渐进过程。恐惧反应最终因精疲力竭而消退。速度快但可能引发高度痛苦。

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9. Mnemonic Strategies for Ethics | 伦理术语的记忆策略

Ethics questions almost always ask you to apply the BPS guidelines or evaluate ethical issues in a study. A memorable acronym guarantees you never miss a point.

伦理问题几乎总是要求你应用 BPS 指南或评价研究中的伦理问题。一个易记的首字母缩略词可确保你永不遗漏要点。

Informed Consent: Participants must be given full information about the aims, procedures, and their rights before agreeing to take part. For children under 16, parental consent is required.

知情同意： 被试在同意参与前必须充分了解研究目的、程序及其权利。16 岁以下儿童需获得监护人同意。

Right to Withdraw: Participants must be told they can leave the study at any time without penalty, and can also withdraw their data after participation.

退出权： 必须告知被试他们可以随时退出研究而不受惩罚，并且可以在参与后撤回自己的数据。

Debriefing: After the study, the true aims and any deception must be revealed and explained. Participants should be returned to their original state and offered support if necessary.

事后解释： 研究结束后，必须揭示和解释真实目的及任何欺骗。被试应被恢复到原来的状态，并在必要时获得支持。

Confidentiality: Personal data must be protected; participants are typically referred to by codes or pseudonyms, not their real names, in any published report.

保密性： 必须保护个人数据；在任何发表的报告中，被试通常以编号或化名指代，而不使用真实姓名。

Protection from Harm: Participants should not be exposed to physical or psychological harm greater than they would encounter in everyday life. The risk of distress must be thoroughly assessed.

免受伤害： 被试不应承受超出日常生活可能遇到的生理或心理伤害。痛苦风险必须经过彻底评估。

Acronym ‘CARD’ provides a quick mental checklist: Consent, Anonymity (confidentiality), Right to withdraw, Debriefing, plus Protection from harm = ‘CARDP’. Recite the acronym as you plan your answer.

首字母缩略语 “CARD” 可提供一个快速心理检查表：Consent（同意）、Anonymity（匿名/保密）、Right to withdraw（退出权）、Debriefing（事后解释），再加上 Protection from harm（免受伤害）组成 “CARDP”。在规划答案时背诵该缩略语即可。

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10. Exam Tips for Terminology Questions | 考试答题术语技巧

AS CIE psychology papers reward precision. Here are practical techniques to embed terminology firmly in your long-term memory and deploy it effectively on exam day.

AS CIE 心理学试卷青睐精确性。以下是一些实用技巧，能将术语牢牢嵌入长时记忆，并在考试当天有效运用。

Create flashcards with the term on one side and a one-sentence definition plus a vivid image on the other. Spaced repetition apps like Anki or Quizlet exploit the testing effect. Instead of just rereading, actively retrieve the definition before flipping the card.

制作抽认卡，一面写术语，另一面写一句话定义加上一个生动的图像。Anki 或 Quizlet 等间隔重复应用利用了测验效应。不要只重读，而是在翻面之前主动提取定义。

For each core study you revise, list the three most important methodological terms it illustrates. For example, the Milgram study involves ‘standardised prods’, ‘obedience’, ‘agentic state’, and ‘demand characteristics’. This contextual learning strengthens neural links.

复习每个核心研究时，列出它所阐释的三个最重要方法论术语。例如，米尔格拉姆研究涉及“标准化鞭策语”“服从”“代理状态”和“需求特征”。这种情境化学习能增强神经连接。

When writing definitions in the exam, always aim for a two-sentence structure: first, a precise definition (what it is), and second, an example or a consequence (why it matters

Published by TutorHao | AS Psychology Revision Series | aleveler.com

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