AP Psychology Unit 0

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining the main focus areas of the seven major psychological perspectives.

Biological perspective

Main focus: Brain, hormones, genetics

Cognitive perspective

Main focus: Thinking, memory, decisions

Behavioral perspective

Main focus: Learned behaviors, rewards, punishments

Psychodynamic perspective

Main focus: Unconscious thoughts, childhood experiences

Humanistic perspective

Main focus: Free will, personal growth

Sociocultural perspective

Main focus: Culture, society, social influences

Evolutionary perspective

Main focus: Natural selection, survival, adaptation

Self- Actualization

Becoming the best version of yourself and fulfilling your potential.

Case Study

In depth investigation of one person or a small group.

Naturalistic Observations

Watching behavior in its natural environment without interfering

Survey

Asking people questions to collect information about their attitudes or behaviors.

Positive Correlation

Both variables move in the same direction.

Negative Correlation

One variable increases while the other decrease

No correlation

No consistent relationship.

Correlation does not prove causation

Just because two things are related doesn’t mean one causes the other.

Independent variable

What the researcher manipulates or changes

Dependent variable

What the researcher measures

Experimental group

The group that receives the treatment or condition being tested

Control group

The comparison group that does not receive the experimental treatment often receiving a placebo or a standard condition

Random Sampling

Randomly selected people from a population

This helps make the sample representative

Who gets selected?

Random assignment

Randomly placing participants into experimental groups

This helps reduce pre-existing differences between groups

Which group do they join?

Confounding Variable

And outside factor that changes along with independent variable and could influence the dependent variable

It provides an alternative explanation for the results

Operational Definition

Explain exactly how researchers will measure or manipulate a variable in a study.

How is it measured?

Social Desirability Bias

Participants give answers they believe our socially acceptable rather than completely truthful.

Informed Consent

Participants receive information about the study and voluntarily agree to participate.

Debriefing

Researchers explain the studies, purpose, and any deception afterwards.