AP Psych Cumulative Vocab Review

Conformation bias

favoring information that confirms beliefs

Confounding variable

hidden factor that affects results

Convenience sample

easily available participants

Correlation coefficient

number showing strength of relationship

Cross-sectional research

one-time comparison of groups

Directionality problem

unclear which variable causes the other

Double blind procedure

neither participant nor researcher knows condition

Effect size

how strong a result is

Experimental bias

researcher influences results

Hindsight bias

believing you “knew it all along”

Informed consent

agreement to participate with full understanding

Longitudinal research

study over a long period of time

Meta-analysis

combines results from many studies

Operational definition

exact way a variable is measured

Overconfidence

too much certainty in beliefs

Percentile rank

score compared to others

Behavioral perspective

behavior learned from environment

Biological perspective

behavior based on brain and biology

Cognitive perspective

focus on thinking and mental processes

Evolutionary perspective

behavior shaped by survival

Humanistic perspective

focus on growth and self-potential

Psychodynamic perspective

unconscious thoughts influence behavior

Social-cultural perspective

culture and society influence behavior

Qualitative research

non-numerical descriptive data

Quantitative research

numerical data

Regression towards the mean

extreme scores move toward average

Replication

repeating a study

Sample bias

unrepresentative sample

Self-report bias

inaccurate self descriptions

Single-blind procedure

participant does not know condition

Social desirability bias

responding to look good

Statistical significance

result unlikely due to chance

Third variable problem

hidden factor affects relationship

Adoption studies

studies of adopted children to compare genetics and environment

Environmental factors

outside influences on behavior

Genetic predisposition

inherited tendency

Heredity

traits passed genetically

Mental processes

thinking activities

Twin studies

comparing identical and fraternal twins

Autonomic nervous system

automatic body control system

Central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

Nervous system

body communication system

Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)

rest and digest system

Somatic nervous system

voluntary movement system

Spinal cord

communication pathway between brain and body

Sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight system

Action potential

neuron firing signal

Addiction

dependence on substance or behavior

Agonist

increases neurotransmitter effect

All or nothing principle

neuron fires fully or not at all

Antagonist

blocks neurotransmitter effect

Depolarization

neuron becomes electrically active

Depressants

slow down nervous system activity

Glial cells

support cells for neurons

Hallucinogens

drugs that alter perception

Hormones

chemical messengers in body

Adrenaline

fight or flight hormone

Ghrelin

hunger hormone

Leptin

fullness hormone

Interneurons

connect neurons within nervous system

Motor neurons

control voluntary and involuntary movements by transmitting signals to muscles and glands

Multiple sclerosis

disease damaging nerve covering

Myasthenia gravis

muscle weakness disorder

Neurons

nerve cells

Neurotransmitter

chemical messenger between neurons

Acetylcholine

movement neurotransmitter

Dopamine

reward and pleasure neurotransmitter

Endorphins

natural painkillers

Excitatory

increases likelihood neuron fires

GABA

inhibitory calming neurotransmitter

Glutamate

main excitatory neurotransmitter

Inhibitory

decreases likelihood neuron fires

Norepinephrine

acts as both a stress hormone and a neurotransmitter, playing a critical role in the "fight-or-flight" response, alertness, and blood pressure regulation

Serotonin

mood and sleep regulation

Substance P

pain neurotransmitter

Psychoactive drugs

drugs that affect brain function

Reflex arc

automatic response pathway

Refractory period

recovery time after firing

Resting potential

neuron at rest state

Reuptake

recycling neurotransmitters

Reuptake inhibitors

block reuptake process

Sensory (afferent) neurons

send signals to brain

Stimuli

triggers from environment

Stimulants

increase alertness and energy

Withdrawal symptoms

physical and mental effects after stopping a drug

Aphasia

loss of ability to understand or produce language

Brain plasticity

brain’s ability to change and adapt

Brainstem

basic life functions (breathing

Broca’s area

speech production area of brain

Cerebellum

balance and coordination control

Cerebral cortex

outer layer for thinking and reasoning

Contralateral hemispheric organization

each brain side controls opposite body side

EEG

brain wave recording device

MRI

brain imaging scan using magnets

Hemispheres

left and right halves of brain

Lesioning

removing or damaging brain tissue for study

Limbic system

emotion and memory system

Amygdala

fear and emotion processing

Corpus callosum

connects brain hemispheres

Frontal lobe

decision making and planning