AP Psychology Vocab

Critical Thinking

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

Empiricism

The idea that knowledge comes from experience and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge

Structuralism

An early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind

Introspection

The process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one’s own psychological processes 

Functionalism

An early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function- how they enable the organism to adapt, survive and, flourish

Behaviorism

The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)

Humanistic Psychology

A historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential.

Cognitive Psychology

The study of mental processes, such as occur when we perceive, learn, remember, think, communicate, and solve problems

Cognitive Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

Pyschology

The science of behavior and mental processes

Nature-Nurture Issue

The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture.

Natural Selection

The principle that inherited traits that better enable and organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Behavior Genetics

The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Culture

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

Biopsychosocial Approach

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural viewpoints

Behavioral psychology

The scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning

Biological Psychology

The scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes.

Psychodynamic Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders

Social-cultural psychology

The study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking

Testing affect

Enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information. Also referred to as a retrieval practice effect or test-enhanced learning

SQ3R

A study method incorporating five steps: survey, question, read, retrieve, review

Psychometrics

The scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

Basic Research

Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Developmental Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social change throughout the life span

Educational Psychology

The study of how psychological process affect and can enhance teaching and learning

Personality Psychology

The study of individuals characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and acting

Social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

Applied research

Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Industrial Organizational psychology

The application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

Human factors psychology

A field of psychology allied with I/O psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use.

Counseling Psychology

A branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and achieving a greater well-being

Clinical Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Psychiatry

A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who are licensed to provide medical (for example drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy 

Community Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups 

Hindsight bias

the tendency to believe after learning an outcome that one would have foreseen it

Theory

Ab explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

Hypothesis

A testable prediction often implied by a theory

Operation definition

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures 

Replication

Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced 

Case study

A descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Naturalistic Observation

A descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation

Survey

A descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, (random sample) of the group

Sampling bias

A flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

population

all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

Random Sample

A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Correlation

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well wither factor predicts the other

Correlation Coefficient

A statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to 1)

Variable

Anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

Scatterplot

A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggest the direction between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggest the strength of the correlation

Illusory Correlation

Perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger-than-actual relationship

Regression toward the mean

The tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back toward the average

Experiment

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect in some behavior or mental process. By random assignment of participants the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors

Experimental Group

In an experiment the group exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable

Control Group

In an experiment the group not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

Double blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies

Placebo

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent

Independent Variable

In an experiment the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

Confounding variable

a factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a study’s result

Dependent variable

In an experiment the outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

Validity

the extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to do

Informed Consent

Giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Debriefing 

The postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants