AP Psychology module 2 vocab

Cognitive psychology

The scientific exploration of how people perceive, process, and remember information as well as how thinking and emotion interact in mental disorders.

Cognitive neuroscience

A mix of cognitive psychology and neuroscience, studies brain activity underlying mental activity.

Psychology

The science of behavior and mental processes.

Nature-nurture debate

The ongoing debate in psychology about whether our human traits are inherited or develop through experience.

Natural selection

The idea that from chance variations, nature selects traits that best enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Evolutionary psychology

Focuses on how humans are alike because of common biology and evolutionary history.

Behavior genetics

Focuses on how people individually differ because of different genetics and environments.

Culture

Shared ideas and behaviors that one generation passes onto the next.

Positive psychology

The idea that happiness is a by-product of a meaningful life.

Biopsychosocial approach

An integrated approach formed by combining the biological, psychological, and social-cultural viewpoints.

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on determining what triggers people to do certain actions.

Biological perspective

Focuses on studying how heredity and experience influence us individually.

Psychodynamic perspective

The approach based on the view that certain actions are a way to express unconscious feelings.

Social-cultural perspective

The study of how expression of emotions vary across cultures.

Testing effect

The repeated self-testing and rehearsal of previously studied material.

SQ3R study method

A study method consisting of five steps: survey, question, read, retrieve, review.