AP Psychology Vocabulary (Modules 1-15)

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Socrates/Plato

Philosophers who explored topics of ethics, knowledge, and the nature of the mind.

Aristotle

A philosopher who emphasized empirical observation and categorization of knowledge.

Descartes

A philosopher known for his statement "I think, therefore I am," and dualism of mind and body.

Bacon

A philosopher who promoted the scientific method and empirical approaches to knowledge.

Locke

A philosopher who argued that the mind is a tabula rasa (blank slate) at birth, influenced by experience.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Wundt

The founder of modern psychology, known for establishing the first psychology laboratory.

Structuralism

An early school of psychology that aimed to understand the structure of the mind through introspection.

Titchener

A psychologist who brought structuralism to America and expanded on Wundt’s ideas.

James

A psychologist and philosopher known for functionalism and the idea of the "stream of consciousness."

Functionalism

An early school of psychology that focused on the functions of mental processes in adapting to the environment.

Calkins

The first female president of the American Psychological Association, known for her work in memory.

Washburn

The first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, known for her work in animal behavior.

Pavlov

A psychologist known for his experiments on classical conditioning with dogs.

Freud

The founder of psychoanalysis, focusing on the unconscious mind and its influence on behavior.

Piaget

A developmental psychologist known for his theory of cognitive development in children.

Watson

A psychologist who established behaviorism and emphasized the study of observable behavior.

Skinner

A behaviorist known for his work on operant conditioning and reinforcement.

Humanistic Psychology

A perspective emphasizing personal growth, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people.

Rogers

A humanistic psychologist known for client-centered therapy and the concept of unconditional positive regard.

Maslow

A psychologist known for creating the hierarchy of needs and the concept of self-actualization.

Cognitive Psychology

The study of mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked to mental processes.

Nature-Nurture Debate

The discussion regarding the relative importance of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) in determining behavior.

Darwin

The naturalist known for his theory of evolution through natural selection.

Natural Selection

The process through which traits that enhance survival and reproduction become more common in a population.

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of how evolutionary principles influence human behavior and cognition.

Behavior Genetics

The field studying the interplay between genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, and practices of a group, influencing behavior and mental processes.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing, focusing on strengths and well-being.

Levels of Analysis

Different perspectives in psychology, including biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels.

Biopsychosocial Approach

An integrated approach considering biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding health and behavior.

Psychodynamic Approach

A perspective emphasizing the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences on behavior.

Social-Cultural Approach

An approach that examines how social and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.

Psychometrics

The field concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement.

Basic Research

Research aimed at increasing the scientific knowledge base without immediate practical application.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how and why human beings change throughout their life span.

Educational Psychology

The study of how people learn and the best practices for teaching.

Personality Psychology

The study of individual differences in personality traits and how they influence behavior.

I/O Psychology

Industrial/organizational psychology; the study of behavior in work settings and the application of psychological principles to workplace issues.

Human Factors Psychology

The study of how people interact with machines and technology, aiming to improve usability and safety.

Applied Research

Research aimed at solving practical problems and improving human life.

Counseling Psychologists

Psychologists who help people deal with personal and interpersonal issues.

Clinical Psychologists

Psychologists who assess and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

Psychiatrists

Medical doctors specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, often prescribing medication.

Intuition

The ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.

Overconfidence

A cognitive bias characterized by an overestimation of one’s abilities or knowledge.

Scientific Attitude

An attitude of curiosity, skepticism, and open-mindedness in approaching questions and evidence.

Critical Thinking

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue to form a judgment.

Scientific Method

A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

Theory

A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world based on a body of evidence.

Hypotheses

Testable predictions derived from theories.

Operational Definitions

Specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to study.

Replicate

To repeat a study to verify the results.

Case Study

An in-depth examination of a single individual or group.

Survey

A research method involving the collection of data from a predefined group.

Wording Effects

The influence of the phrasing of questions on the responses obtained in surveys or experiments.

Random Sample

A sample that fairly represents a population, ensuring that each member has an equal chance of being included.

Sampling Bias

A bias that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.

Naturalistic Observation

The observation of behavior in a natural environment without manipulation.

Goodall

A primatologist known for her extensive study of wild chimpanzees, contributing to our understanding of animal behavior.

Correlate

A statistical measure indicating the extent to which two variables fluctuate together.

Scatterplots

Graphs that depict the relationship between two variables, showing how one may affect the other.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect.

Illusory Correlation

The perception of a relationship between two variables when none exists.

Regression Toward the Mean

The phenomenon where extreme values tend to be followed by more moderate ones.

Perceiving Order

The tendency to see patterns or connections in random data.

Experiment

A research method that involves manipulating one or more variables to observe the effect on another variable.

Blind Study

A study in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is in the experimental or control group.

Double Blind Study

A study in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is in the experimental or control group.

Placebo Effect

A phenomenon where participants experience a perceived improvement in condition due to expectations, not actual treatment.

Experimental Condition

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment or manipulation being tested.

Control Condition

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, serving as a baseline for comparison.

Random Assignment

The process of assigning participants to experimental or control groups randomly to eliminate bias.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated or changed in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to assess the impact of the independent variable.

Validity

The extent to which a test or experiment measures what it is intended to measure.

Informed Consent

The process of providing potential participants with information about a study to allow for informed decision-making.

Debrief

The process of informing participants about the study’s purpose and any deceptions used after the study concludes.

Animal Study

Research involving non-human animals to understand behavior and physiological processes.

Ethics

Principles guiding the conduct of research, ensuring the welfare of participants and the integrity of the study.

Value Judgment

An assessment based on personal beliefs or opinions, influencing perceptions and decisions.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize and describe the characteristics of a dataset.

Histogram

A graphical representation of the distribution of numerical data, showing frequency of data points within intervals.

Central Tendency

Measures that summarize a dataset with a single value representing the center of the data distribution (mean, median, mode).

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a dataset.

Mean

The arithmetic average of a dataset, calculated by dividing the sum of all values by the number of values.

Median

The middle value in a dataset when the values are arranged in order.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset.

Skew

A measure of the asymmetry of a distribution, indicating whether data points are concentrated on one side.

Standard Deviation

A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values.

Normal Curve

A bell-shaped curve representing a distribution where most values cluster around the mean.

Inferential Statistics

Statistical methods used to make generalizations or predictions about a population based on a sample.

Statistical Significance

A determination that a result is unlikely to have occurred by chance, indicating a reliable effect.

Biological Psychologists

Psychologists who study the relationship between biological processes and behavior.

Neuron

The basic building block of the nervous system, responsible for transmitting information throughout the body.

Dendrite

The branch-like structures of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.

Axon

The long, slender part of a neuron that transmits electrical impulses away from the cell body.