| Sociobiology | The application of evolutionary biology to understanding the social behavior of animals, including humans.
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| Evolution | A theory that all living things have acquired their present forms through gradual changes in their genetic endowment over successive generations.
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| Natural selection | A process in nature resulting in greater rates of survival of those plants and animals that are adapted to their environment.
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| Sexual selection | Selection that results from differences in traits affecting access to mates.
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| Evolutionary psychology | The study of psychological mechanisms that have been shaped by natural selection.
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| Psychoanalytic theory | A psychological theory originated by Sigmund Freud; it contains a basic assumption that part of human personality is unconscious.
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| Libido (lih-BEE-doh) | In psychoanalytic theory, the term for the sex energy or sex drive.
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| Id | According to Freud, the part of the personality containing the libido.
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| Ego | According to Freud, the part of the personality that helps the person have realistic, rational interactions.
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| Superego | According to Freud, the part of the personality containing the conscience.
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| Erogenous (eh-RAH-jen-us) zones | Areas of the body that are particularly sensitive to sexual stimulation.
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| Oedipus (EH-di-pus) complex | According to Freud, the sexual attraction of a little boy to his mother.
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| Electra (eh-LEK-tra) complex | According to Freud, the sexual attraction of a little girl to her father.
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| Classical conditioning | The learning process in which a previously neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus that reflexively elicits an unconditioned response. Eventually the conditioned stimulus itself will evoke the response.
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| Operant (OP-ur-unt) conditioning | The process of changing the frequency of a behavior (the operant) by following it with positive reinforcement (which will make the behavior more frequent in the future) or punishment (which should make the behavior less frequent in the future).
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| Behavior modification | A set of operant conditioning techniques used to modify human behavior.
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| Extinction | The process of repeatedly pairing a behavior with an aversive stimulus, leading to a decline in the frequency of the behavior.
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| Self-efficacy | A sense of competence at performing an activity.
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| Social exchange theory | A theory, based on the principle of reinforcement, that assumes that people will choose actions that maximize rewards and minimize costs.
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| Schema (SKEE-muh) | A general knowledge framework that a person has about a particular topic.
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| Medicalization of sexuality | The process by which certain sexual behaviors or conditions are defined in terms of health and illness, and problematic experiences or practices are given medical treatment.
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| Symbolic interaction theory | A theory based on the premise that human nature and the social order are products of communication among people.
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