Glossary D

Glossary D

Diathesis-stress model refers to a theory of stress that suggests that some individuals are vulnerable to stress-related illnesses because they are genetically predisposed to those illnesses.
Diathesis-stress model refers also to the proposal that people are born with a predisposition (or "diathesis") that places them at risk for developing a psychological disorder if exposed to certain extremely stressful life experiences. Moreover, it refers to hypothesis that both an inherited tendency/ vulnerability and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder.

Diathesis-stress model of depression refers to a Theory of Depression proposing that the impact of Stress is moderated by individual risk factors and that the occurrence of depressi

diathesis –stress model of depression refers to a theory of depression proposing that the impact of stress is moderated by individual risk factors and that the occurrence of depression depends on the interaction between the subject’s personal vulnerability and life stress.

Diazepam-binding inhibitor or DBI refers to brain protein that blocks the behavioral effects of Diazepam and other Benzodiazepines.

Dichotic listening task refers to an experimental procedure in which a person wears earphones that present different words to the two (2) ears at the same time and the person tries to say either or both words; an experimental task in which two (2) different auditory stimuli are simultaneously presented to the two (2) ears. The purpose of this task is to infer which cerebral hemisphere is responsible for processing the stimuli on the basis of which stimulus the listener perceives.

Dichotic presentation is a process of presenting different message to each ear; when a person is presented and hears two (2) or more different, specially recorded messages over earphones and is asked to attend to one of them.

Dichotomous format refers to a test item format in which there are two (2) alternatives for each item.

Dichotomous thinking is the inflexible way of thinking in which everything is viewed in either/or terms