Psychology Perspectives, Scientific Methods, and Cognitive Biases

Psychodynamic Perspective

Explores how unconscious drives, conflicts, and childhood experiences shape behavior.

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on observable behaviors and how they are learned through interaction with the environment.

Humanistic Perspective

Emphasizes personal growth, free will, and self-actualization.

Cognitive Perspective

Examines internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving.

Biological Perspective

Studies the physiological bases of behavior in humans and animals.

Evolutionary Perspective

Considers how behaviors and mental processes serve survival and reproduction.

Sociocultural Perspective

Analyzes how culture, social norms, and social environments influence behavior.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Combines biological, psychological, and social factors to provide a comprehensive understanding of behavior.

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes and behavior.

Mental Processes

Internal, unobservable activities of the mind such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving.

Behavior

Observable actions of a person or animal.

Confirmation Bias

Tendency to search for or remember information that confirms what you already believe.

Hindsight Bias

Belief that one "knew it all along" after an event has occurred.

Overconfidence

Having more faith in one's knowledge or judgments than is accurate.

Empirical Evidence

Information gathered through observation, measurement, or experimentation.

Scientific Method

Systematic process: make observations, form a hypothesis, design a study, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and share results.

Hypothesis

A specific, testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Peer Review

Process where experts evaluate a research study before it is published.

Replication

Repeating a study to see if the same results can be found again.

Reliability

Consistency of results when a test or study is repeated under similar conditions.

Validity

Extent to which a test or study measures what it is intended to measure.