AP Psychology Units 1-2: SIMPLE Flashcard Format

Structuralism

Using self-reflection to study the mind's structure.

Functionalism

Studying how the mind helps us adapt to our environment.

Behaviorism

Only studying behavior we can actually see.

Psychoanalytic

Believing hidden thoughts in our unconscious mind control us.

Humanistic

Focusing on people's potential to grow and be their best self.

Cognitive

Studying how we think, remember, and solve problems.

Biological

Linking brain chemistry and body systems to behavior.

Evolutionary

Believing our behaviors helped our ancestors survive.

Sociocultural

How our culture and social groups affect our behavior.

Experiment

Changing one thing to see if it affects another thing (only method that proves cause/effect).

Correlational

Measuring if two things are related (but NOT that one causes the other).

Survey

Asking people questions about their thoughts/behaviors.

Case Study

Deeply studying one special person or situation.

Naturalistic Observation

Watching behavior in real-life settings without interfering.

Independent Variable

The thing the researcher changes on purpose.

Dependent Variable

The thing being measured as the result.

Confounding Variable

Outside factors that could mess up the results.

Random Assignment

Randomly putting people in groups to make them equal.

Control Group

The group that gets NO treatment, for comparison.

Mean

The average (add up all scores, divide by number of scores).

Median

The middle score when all are lined up.

Mode

The most common/frequent score.

Range

The difference between highest and lowest scores.

Standard Deviation

How spread out the scores are from average.

Normal Curve

The bell curve where most scores are in the middle.

p-value

The chance that results happened by accident.

Statistical Significance

When there's less than 5% chance results are accidental.

Dendrites

The 'listeners' that receive messages.

Axon

The 'speaker' that sends messages out.

Myelin Sheath

The insulation that makes messages travel faster.

Terminal Buttons

The message releasers at the end.

Action Potential

The electrical message that travels through a neuron.

Acetylcholine

Helps muscles move and form memories (problems = Alzheimer's).

Dopamine

Controls movement and pleasure (too little = Parkinson's, too much = Schizophrenia).

Serotonin

Controls mood, sleep, appetite (low levels = depression).

GABA

The brain's 'brake pedal' that calms things down (low levels = anxiety).

Glutamate

The brain's 'gas pedal' that excites things (too much = seizures).

Endorphins

The body's natural painkillers that make you feel good.

Central Nervous System

Brain + Spinal Cord (the command center).

Peripheral Nervous System

All the nerves connecting brain to body.

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements (like walking).

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls automatic body functions (like heartbeat).

Sympathetic Nervous System

'Fight or flight' - prepares for emergency.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

'Rest and digest' - calms body down.

Medulla

Controls basic life support (breathing, heartbeat).

Pons

Helps with sleep and facial expressions.

Reticular Formation

Controls alertness and attention.

Cerebellum

Controls balance and coordination.

Amygdala

Emotion center (especially fear and anger).

Hypothalamus

Body's thermostat (hunger, thirst, temperature, sex drive).

Hippocampus

Memory maker (forms new memories).

Frontal Lobe

Thinking, planning, personality, decision-making.

Parietal Lobe

Touch and spatial awareness.

Occipital Lobe

Vision processing.

Temporal Lobe

Hearing and understanding language.

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movements.

Somatosensory Cortex

Processes touch sensations.

Broca's Area

Speaking words (damage = know what you want to say but can't say it).

Wernicke's Area

Understanding language (damage = can speak but words don't make sense).

Corpus Callosum

The bridge connecting left and right brain sides.

Plasticity

Brain's ability to change and adapt.

Pituitary Gland

The 'master gland' that controls other glands.

Adrenal Glands

Release adrenaline for 'fight or flight'.

Thyroid Gland

Controls metabolism (energy use).

Pancreas

Controls blood sugar levels.

Gonads

Ovaries/testes that control reproduction and sex characteristics.