AP Psychology Unit 0: Key Terms & Definitions Simplified

Psychodynamic perspective

Focuses on unconscious processes and childhood experiences affecting behavior.

Evolutionary perspective

Examines how natural selection of traits promotes survival of genes.

Humanistic perspective

The psychological view that assumes the existence of the self and emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the freedom to make choices.

Cognitive perspective

Explores how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information.

Biological perspective

Investigates how biological structures and processes impact behavior.

Socio-cultural perspective

Looks at how social and cultural environments influence behavior.

Behavioral perspective

Studies observable behavior and its explanation by principles of learning.

Biopsychosocial perspective

Considers the combined influence of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Curiosity

A desire to learn and understand.

Skepticism

Questioning and doubting accepted ideas.

Humility

Recognition of one's own limitations and mistakes.

Critical thinking

Analyzing information and arguments logically and objectively.

Cultural norms

Shared rules or guidelines within a culture.

Cognitive biases

Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.

Confirmation bias

Tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one's beliefs.

Hindsight bias

Belief that one could have predicted an outcome after knowing it occurred.

Overconfidence

Tendency to overestimate one's own abilities and knowledge.

Theory

Explanation of phenomena based on observations and reasoning.

Hypothesis

Testable prediction derived from a theory.

Falsifiability

Ability of a hypothesis to be proven false.

Operational definition

Precise description of how variables are measured or manipulated.

Replication

Repeating a study to see if the results can be duplicated.

Variable

Any factor that can change and is measurable.

Participant

Individual who participates in research.

Population

Entire group of individuals a researcher is interested in.

Sample

Subset of individuals selected from a population for a study.

Representative sample

Sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population.

Random sampling

Every member of a population has an equal chance of being selected.

Convenience sampling

Selecting participants based on availability and convenience.

Sampling bias

Systematic error due to a non-random sample of a population.

Survey

Research method that involves asking people questions.

Self-report bias

Participants may not provide accurate or truthful responses.

Social desirability bias

Tendency to respond in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others.

Experimenter bias

Unconscious influence of researchers' expectations on the outcome of the study.

Control

Group used as a baseline to compare results.

Experiment

Research method involving manipulation of variables to establish cause and effect.

Generalizability

Extent to which research findings apply to settings or groups other than the sample studied.

Case study

In-depth analysis of a single individual or group.

Naturalistic observation

Observing subjects in their natural environment without interference.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to experimental or control groups by chance.

Independent variable

Variable that is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent variable

Variable that is measured and affected in an experiment.

Confounding variable

Variable other than the independent variable that could influence the results.

Control group

Group that does not receive the treatment and is used for comparison.

Experimental group

Group that receives the treatment in an experiment.

Placebo

Inactive substance or treatment given to the control group.

Single-blind

Participants do not know if they are in the experimental or control group.

Double-blind

Both the researchers and participants do not know who is in the experimental or control group.

Representation

Degree to which the sample reflects the population.