Exam 1 Material

adjustment

refers to the psychological processes through which people manage or cope with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

affective forecasting

behaivor

is any overt (observable) response or activity by an organism.

case study

in-depth investigation of an individual subject.

clinical psychology

is the branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders.

control group

consists of similar subjects who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group.

correlation

exists when two variables are related to each other.

correlation coefficient

numerical index of the degree of relationship that exists between two variables.

dependent variable

variable that is thought to be affected by the manipulations of the independent variable.

empiricism

is the premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation.

experiment

is a research method in which the investigator manipulates one (independent) variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second (dependent) variable as a result.

experimental group

consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable.

hedonic adaptation

independent variable

condition or event that an experimenter varies in order to see its impact on another variable.

mnemonic devices

or strategies for enhancing memory

narcissism

personality trait marked by an inflated sense of importance, a need for attention and admiration, a sense of entitlement, and a tendency to exploit others.

naturalistic observation

researcher engages in careful observation of behavior without intervening directly with the subjects.

overlearning

psychology

is the science that studies behavior and the physiological and mental processes that underlie it, and it is the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems

subjective well being

individuals’ personal assessments of their overall happiness or life satisfaction.

surveys

structured questionnaires or interviews designed to solicit information about specific aspects of participants’ behavior, attitudes, and beliefs.