Ap Psych full vocab for 2025 test

The things that are in parentheis in the term are "hints"

Psychology

The study of the mind.

Biological

we are simply products of chemical reactions.

Cognitive

we cannot help which thoughts "pop" into our mind.

Social

we are playdoh shaped by the social pressure around us

Psychodynamic

we are puppets of our unconscious

Evolutionary

the study of behaviour, thought, and feeling as viewed through the lens of evolutionary

Behavioral

we are simply the result of years worth of conditioning

Humanistic

we have a natural inclination towards growth and are uncomfortable stagnating

EXPERIMENT

happens only in a lab setting only way to get causation

NON-EXPERIMENTAL

research that takes place outside the lab and finds relationships

Experimental designs

Involves the manipulation of an independent variable and random assignment to groups or comparison of equivalent groups

Correlation

A linear relationship between two variables.

Case Study

In-depth investigation of an individual or small group.

Naturalistic Observation

Watching behavior in authentic environments.

Data collected in a field-setting without manipulation of a variable.

Meta-analysis

Summarizes previous studies on a topic.

Could summarize multiple correlational studies or multiple experimental studies.

Survey

collect data from a group of participants by asking them a set of questions, typically through questionnaires or interviews, to gather self-reported information about their thoughts, behaviors, and experiences

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about how variables will interact in a study.

Falsifiable hypothesis

A hypothesis that can be proven false. Duh!

Operational definition

non perfect instructions about how to measure abstract variables

Likert scales

A type of survey question that asks participants to rate something along a fixed scale, often from "strongly agree" to

"strongly disagree." or 1-5

Sample

A subset of the population that is used to represent the entire group in a study.

Population

The entire group that a researcher is interested in studying.

Representative sample

A sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population. You want a sample that represents all type of people

Random sample

Everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected

Representation of participants (same as representative sample but on a larger scale)

The extent to which participants in a study accurately reflect the population being studied.

Generalizing (Does it apply for everyone?)

Applying the results from a study to a larger population.

Social desirability bias

When participants respond in a way they think is socially acceptable rather than how they truly feel or behave.

Single-blind study( not knowing they are taking the fake or the real drug)

participants do not know something about the study so they act natural

Experimenter bias

When a researcher's expectations or bad practies influence the outcome of a study.

Double blind technique

both the researcher and the participants don't know something

Peer review

researchers must submit their work and get judged their peers/experts before it is published

Replication

Repeating a study to see if the same results can be obtained, ensuring reliability.

Independent variables

The variables that are manipulated or changed in an experiment.

Dependent variables

The variables that are measured fisan experiment to see if they are affected by the independent variables.

Manipulation of Independent variables

The process of changing the independent variable to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Random assignment

Assigning participants to different groups in an experiment by chance. DONE DURING EXPERIMENTS

Control group

The group in an

experiment that does not receive the independent variable and is used for comparison.

Experimental group

The group in an experiment that receive the treatment or the Independent variable

Placebo

Fake independent variable

Confounding variable

a type of research bias ,factors besides the independent variable that might affect the dependent variable in an experiment

Placebo effect

participant's belief affect the result

Naturalistic observation

Observing and recording behavior in its natural environment without interference.

Qualitative research/measures

Research that collects non-numerical data, such as interviews or observations, to understand concepts, thoughts, or experiences.

Structured interviews

asking the same questions in the same way

Correlation r-value

A measure of the relationship between two variables. CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION

Positive correlation (more studying better test scores)

A relationship between two variables where bott variables move in the same direction.

Negative correlation (more stress less quality of sleep)

A relationship between two variables where one variable increases as th other decreases.

Directionality problem (not knowing is stress causes poor sleep or if poor sleep causes stress)

In correlational research, the issue of not knowing which variable causes changes in the other.

Thrid variable problem

in correlational research, the possibility that an unmeasured variable is actually causing the relationship between two variables.

Variation

A measure of how much scores in a data set differ from each other and from the mean.

Percentile rank (if you score in the 90th percentile u score 90%better than the test takers)

The percentage of scores in a distribution that a particular score is higher than.

Mean

Average

Median

The middle score once put in order

Mode

The number that pops up the most in an data set.

mode

The score that shows up the most in a data set

Range

subtract the highest and the lowest scores in a data set

Evolutionary perspective

The brain grows a certain way according to genetics (genetic illness)

Heredity

Transmission of characteristics from parents to children

Nature (Pitbulls will always be aggressive)

What you’re born with

Nurture (Pitbulls are soft and cuddly)

what your parents do to for you

Central nervous system (CNS) (control center)

the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) (networking cables)

he body, sensory neuron, motor neuron

Normal curve (Most students scored around the average on a test, with fewer scoring very high or very low.)

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data.

Positive skew (Most students scored low on a test, with a few students scoring very high.)

When a distribution has a long tail on the right side, indicating that most scores are low but a few are very high.

Negative skew (Most students scored high on a test, with a few students scoring very low)

When a distribution has a long tail on the left side, indicating that most scores are high but a few are very low.

Bimodal distribution (Test scores clustering around two different scores, such as a lot of B's and D's, but few A's or C's.)

A distribution with two distinct peaks, indicating two common scores.

Standard deviation (A class with test scores closely clustered around the average has a low standard deviation.)

A measure of how spread out the scores in a distribution are around the mean.

Regression toward the mean (A student scoring exceptionally high on one test and then scoring closer to average on the next test.)

The tendency for extreme scores to move closer to the average over time.

Correlation coefficient (A correlation coefficient of +0.8 indicates a strong positive relationship between study time and scores.)

A numerical measure of the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Scatterplot (Plotting hours studied against test scores to see if there is a relationship.)

A graph that shows the relationship between two variables using dots to represent individual data points.

Statistical significance p-value (First born children have 1.5 IQ higher. Not due to chance. Lots of testing)

the results are probably not due to chance... 95% likelihood not due to chance

Effect sizes (Finding that a new teaching method has a large effect size on student performance)

how important is the difference

Institutional review Board (A legal and ethics committee reinsure it does not harm participants.)

Gives permission to researchers to do the study

Informed consent

informing participants about the study and getting their permission but, if you give too much information? Bias or confounding variable

Informed assent

Similar to informed consent but used for participants who are minors, requiring agreement from both the child and a parent or guardian.

Protection from harm

Ensuring that participants are not exposed to unnecessary risks or discomfort during a study.

Confidentiality

Keeping participants' information private and ensuring their data is not shared without their permission.

Deception

Single Blind Misleading

participants about the true purpose of a study, allowed only when necessary and ethical guidelines are followed.

Debriefing

after the study, tell participants why you deceived them maybe offer support / therapy

Somatic nervous system (SNS)

A part of the PNS that controls voluntary muscle movements

Sympathetic nervous system  = stress

A part of the ANS that prepares the body for fight-or-flight responses.

Parasympathetic nervous system = relax

A part of the ANS that calms the body and conserves energy after a threat has passed. “rest and digest”

Brain stem (Power supply of the computer, keeps everything running)

responsible for basic survival functions like heartbeat and breathing. Contains Medulla

Cerebellum

a part of the brain that regulates balance, coordination, and fine motor skills. It plays a key role in the coordination of voluntary movements.

Medulla (like life support, it makes sure you are breathing, heart is beating, ect.)

Keeps you alive - in the brain stem.

Reticular activating system

a network of neurons in the brain stem that regulates wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions. It plays a crucial role in attention and arousal.

Reward center (caused addiction)

Areas of the brain, of pleasure and reinforcement. (Dopamine)

Cerebral cortex

Thin, wrinkled outer layer of the brain involved in higher-level thinking, perception, and decision-making.

Thalamus

A relay station for sensory information, processing and transmitting it to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.

Hypothalamus

Regulates basic drives and desires.It plays a crucial role in homeostasis, controlling hunger, thirst, body temperature, and the sleep-wake cycle.

Pituitary gland

Known as the "master gland," it controls other endocrine glands and all hormones. It is    controlled by the hypothalamus

Hippocampus

A brain structure involved in the formation and storage of memories.

Amygdala

involved in processing negative emotions, especially fear and aggression

Homeostasis

the process of maintaining a stable internal environment in the body.

Limbic system

A group of brain structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation.

Occipital lobes

The part of the cerebral cortex responsible for processing visual information.

Parietal lobes

The part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing sensory information like touch and spatial awareness.

Temporal lobes

The part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing auditory information and memory.

Frontal lobes

The part of the cerebral cortex involved in thinking, planning, personality