ALL AP PSYCH

Critical Thinking

thinking that doesn’t automatically accept arguments and conclusions.-examines & evaluates evidence, and conclusions

Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, how people think, feel, and behave

Nature v Nurture

influence of inherited characteristics on our personality, growth, and interactions vs environmental influences

Biopsychosocial Approach

an approach that looks at behavior by combining biology (body/brain), psychology (thoughts/feelings), and social factors

Confirmation Bias

the tendency to only notice or believe information that supports what you already think, and ignore evidence that goes against it

Experimenter Bias

when the person running an experiment accidentally influences the results because of their expectations

Hindsight Bias

the “I knew it all along” effect — after something happens, thinking it was obvious even though it wasn’t before

Overconfidence Effect (Bias)

Tendency to overestimate our ability to make correct predictions

Hypothesis

a testable prediction or educated guess about what will happen in an experiment, often implied by a theory

Experiment

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process; to show cause the effect

Random Sample

a group chosen from a population where everyone has an equal chance of being picked — helps results represent the whole group

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to control and experimental groups by chance

Operational Definitions

A statement that clearly explains how a variable is measured or manipulated in an experiment.

Replication

Repeating a study with different participants in different situations to see if the results are consistent and reliable.

Naturalistic Observation

 Observing behavior in a natural setting without interference.

Case Study

An in-depth study of one person or small group, often used for rare conditions.

Wording Effect/Framing

How the phrasing/presentation of a question can influence people’s responses.

Social Desirability BIas

When participants give answers they think are more socially acceptable rather than truthful.

Self-report Bias

When responses in surveys/interviews are inaccurate because of memory errors, social desirability, or misunderstandings.

Likert Scale

A survey scale where people rate their agreement on a range, usually 1-5 scale

Sampling Bias

When a sample does not represent the whole population fairly.

Population

The entire group of people researchers want to study.

Experimental Group

The group that is exposed to the treatment or independent variable in an experiment.

Control Group

The group that does not receive the treatment; used for comparison.

Independent Variables (IV)

The factor the experimenter manipulates to test its effect.

Dependent Variables (DV)

The factor that is measured, the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Confounding /Third Variables

Outside factors that may influence the results, making it unclear what caused the effect.

Convenience Sample

A sample made up of people who are easy to reach, not randomly selected.

Placebo Effect

a measurable or observable improvement in health or behavior that occurs after a "dummy" treatment, driven by the patient's belief in the treatment's effectiveness rather than its active ingredients

Peer Review

When other experts evaluate research before it is published to check quality and accuracy.