AP Psychology Vocabulary (Modules 1-15)

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Psychology

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186 Terms

1

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

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2

Socrates/Plato

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

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3

Aristotle

A philosopher who emphasized empirical observation and categorization of knowledge.

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4

Descartes

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

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5

Bacon

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

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6

Locke

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

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7

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

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8

Wundt

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

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9

Structuralism

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

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10

Titchener

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

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11

James

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

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12

Functionalism

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

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13

Calkins

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

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14

Washburn

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

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15

Pavlov

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

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16

Freud

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

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17

Piaget

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

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18

Watson

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

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19

Skinner

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

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20

Humanistic Psychology

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

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21

Rogers

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

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22

Maslow

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

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23

Cognitive Psychology

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

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24

Cognitive Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked to mental processes.

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25

Nature-Nurture Debate

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

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26

Darwin

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

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27

Natural Selection

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

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28

Evolutionary Psychology

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

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29

Behavior Genetics

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

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30

Culture

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

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31

Positive Psychology

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

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32

Levels of Analysis

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

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33

Biopsychosocial Approach

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

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34

Psychodynamic Approach

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

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35

Social-Cultural Approach

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

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36

Psychometrics

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

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37

Basic Research

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

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38

Developmental Psychology

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

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39

Educational Psychology

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

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40

Personality Psychology

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

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41

I/O Psychology

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

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42

Human Factors Psychology

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

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43

Applied Research

Research aimed at solving practical problems and improving human life.

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44

Counseling Psychologists

Psychologists who help people deal with personal and interpersonal issues.

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45

Clinical Psychologists

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

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46

Psychiatrists

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

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47

Intuition

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

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48

Hindsight Bias

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

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49

Overconfidence

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

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50

Scientific Attitude

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

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51

Critical Thinking

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

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52

Scientific Method

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

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53

Theory

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

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54

Hypotheses

Testable predictions derived from theories.

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55

Operational Definitions

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

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56

Replicate

To repeat a study to verify the results.

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57

Case Study

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

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58

Survey

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

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59

Wording Effects

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

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60

Random Sample

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

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61

Sampling Bias

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

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62

Naturalistic Observation

The observation of behavior in a natural environment without manipulation.

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63

Goodall

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

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64

Correlate

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

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65

Scatterplots

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

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66

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect.

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67

Illusory Correlation

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

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68

Regression Toward the Mean

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

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69

Perceiving Order

The tendency to see patterns or connections in random data.

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70

Experiment

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

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71

Blind Study

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

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72

Double Blind Study

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

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73

Placebo Effect

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

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74

Experimental Condition

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

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75

Control Condition

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

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Random Assignment

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

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Independent Variable

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

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78

Dependent Variable

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

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79

Validity

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

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80

Informed Consent

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

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81

Debrief

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

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82

Animal Study

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

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83

Ethics

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

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84

Value Judgment

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

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85

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize and describe the characteristics of a dataset.

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86

Histogram

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

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87

Central Tendency

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

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88

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a dataset.

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89

Mean

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

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90

Median

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

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91

Range

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

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92

Skew

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

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93

Standard Deviation

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

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94

Normal Curve

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

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95

Inferential Statistics

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

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96

Statistical Significance

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

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97

Biological Psychologists

Psychologists who study the relationship between biological processes and behavior.

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98

Neuron

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

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99

Dendrite

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

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100

Axon

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

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