AP Psychology All Units (0-5) Vocabulary

Psychology

The science of behavioral and mental processes.

Introspection

To look within.

Perception

How we organize and interpret sensory information.

Psychodynamics

School of psychology that believes one's behavior/personality is a result of interactions of the individual outside of their conscious awareness.

Behaviorism

A psychological theory that studies how people and animals learn and behave through interactions with their environment.

Operant Conditioning

Conditioning through reinforcements and punishments.

Existential Psychology

Who am I? How we exist. Self-concept.

Cognitive Psychology

Study of mental processes in the broadest sense.

Biological Psychology

Literal study of the parts of the Brain, nervous system, endocrine system.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked with cognition.

Self-Actualization

Full potential - Observing all facets of life that can give us info of what we are capable of.

Behavioral Genetics

Field of psych that explores how particular behaviors and environmental factors may be attributed to specific, genetically based psychological characteristics.

Evolutionary Psychology

Focuses on the origins of the human mind and behavior.

Socio-Cultural Psychology

School of psychology that emphasizes how society and culture can shape one's behaviors and thought processes.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Model that considers the complex interactions between biological, psychological, and social factors.

Developmental Psychology

Focuses on conducting research on age-related behavioral changes and applying scientific knowledge to educational, child-care, policy, and related settings.

Educational Psychology

Focuses on psychological processes involved in learning. Studies the relationship between learning and the physical and social environments.

Personality Psychology

Focuses on studying how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors differ from one another and how they work together to make a person unique.

Social Psychology

Focuses on interactions with others. Studies how our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors are affected by and influence other people.

Industrial/Org. Psychology

Focuses on the relationship between people and their working environments. Develops ways to increase productivity, improve personnel selection, or promote job satisfaction.

Human Factors Psychology

Focuses on working with designers and engineers to tailor appliances, machines, and work settings to our natural perceptions and inclinations.

Counseling Psychology

Focuses on helping people adjust to life transitions or make lifestyle changes. Although similar to clinical psychologists, they help people with adjustment problems rather than severe psychopathology.

Clinical Psychology

Focuses on promoting psychological health in individuals, groups, and organizations. Some clinical psychologists specialize in specific psychological disorders.

Psychiatry

Focuses on treatment via medical doctors licensed to prescribe drugs and otherwise treat physical causes of psychological disorders.

Positive Psychology

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

Community Psychology

Focuses on moving beyond focusing on specific individuals or families and deal with broad problems of mental health in community settings.

Basic Research

Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.

Applied Research

Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.

Confirmation Bias

A tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.)

P.O.R.E

Perceiving order in random events. A tendency to see patterns in events that are completely random.

Meta-Analysis

Set of statistical techniques for combining data from independent studies to produce a single estimate of effect. Very objective and accurate.

Naturalistic Observation

Involves the systematic study of behavior in natural settings rather than a laboratory. Participants cannot know they are being watched.

Case Studies

Oldest form of descriptive research. Focuses on a single person or group over a long period of time. Participants can know they're being watched.

Inductive Reasoning

Process of reasoning that moves from specific observations to broader generalizations.

Atypical Case Studies

Cannot be generalized to overall human population.

Correlational Research

Type of research technique based on the naturally occurring relationship between two or more variables. Involves the use of scatterplots.

Experimental Research

A research technique in which an investigator deliberately manipulates selected events or circumstances and then measures the effects of those manipulations on subsequent behavior.

Double-Blind Experiment

When the experimenter and subjects both do not know anything about the experiment.

Placebo Effect

Feeling as if in the experimental group while being in the control group.

Hawthorne Effect

When subjects of an experimental study change or improve their behavior because it is being evaluated or studied.

Descriptive Statistics

Numerical data used to measure & describe characteristics of groups. (Refers to Central Tendency & Measures of Variation).

Standard Deviation

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Normal Curve

A normal distribution - A symmetrical bell-shaped curve describing the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean.

Inferential Statistics

Numerical data that helps us determine if results can be generalized to a larger population.

Statistical Significance

How likely it is than an obtained result occurred by chance or if it truly represented the overall population.

P-Value

A statistical measure used to determine the likelihood that an observed outcome is the result of chance.

Type I Data Error

Falsely concluding your data as statistically significant.

Type II Data Error

Falsely concluding your data as not statistically significant.

Nature

Genetic or predisposed characteristics that influence physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes.

Nurture

External factors that one experiences, such as family interactions or education.

Evolutionary Perspective

Explores how natural selection affects the expression of behavior and mental processes to increase survival and reproductive success.

Phrenology

Belief that bumps on the skull can explain underlying functions of the brain.

Central Nervous System

Includes the brain and the spinal cord and interacts with all processes in the body.

Peripheral Nervous System

Relays messages from the central nervous system to the rest of the body and includes the autonomic and somatic nervous systems.

Autonomic Nervous System

Governs processes that are involuntary and includes the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

Somatic Nervous System

Governs processes that are voluntary and enables sensations.

Parasympathetic Division

Part of the autonomic nervous system that conserves energy and promotes "rest and digest" functions, slowing heart rate and increasing digestion. Maintains homeostasis.

Sympathetic Division

Part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate, and energy production in response to stress or danger.

Interneurons

Neurons that intervene between sensory inputs and motor outputs. Within the spinal cord.

Gate Control Theory

Belief that there is something within our brain stem that decides if pain makes it to the brain.

Cell Body

Provides the energy to power neural transmission that will engage action potential (firing of neuron).

Dendrite

Area of the neuron that receives the messages and conducts impulses toward the cell body.

Axon

Neural extension that sends messages from dendrites to axon.

Myelin Sheath

Protective coating of axon that aides in the speeding up of neural transmission. Connects to Multiple Sclerosis.

Glial Cells

Cells that provide structure, insulation, communication, and waste transport. Also known as Schwann Cells, create the myelin.

Node of Ranvier

Interruptions along the axon that allow for easier ionic exchange to aide in action potential.

Axon Terminal

Button-like ending of axon that meets up with the synapse.

Synapse

Junction between axon and next dendrite.

Spinal Cord Reflex Arc

Demonstrates how neurons within the central and peripheral nervous systems work together to respond to stimuli.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that relay signals between neurons, with each one having specific functions depending on its location and the type of message.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Increase the likelihood that the receiving neuron will fire an action potential.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Decrease the likelihood of the receiving neuron firing.

Psychoactive Drugs

Alter neurotransmitter functions at various points in the neural communication process.

Agonists

Mimic or enhance a neurotransmitter's effects, encouraging neural firing. Examples include opioids.

Antagonists

Block a neurotransmitters effects, discouraging neural firing. Examples include caffeine.

Acetylcholine

Involved in muscle movement, memory, and learning. An undersupply can lead to paralysis while an oversupply can lead to violent muscle contractions.

Dopamine

Plays a key role in pleasure, motivation, and reward, as well as in regulating movement. An undersupply can lead to Parkinson's Disease while an oversupply can lead to Schizophrenia.

Serotonin

Helps regulate mood, appetite, sleep, and emotional well-being. An undersupply can lead to depression while an oversupply can lead to OCD.

Norepinephrine

Involved in the body's stress response, affecting alertness, arousal, and the fight-or-flight reaction. An undersupply can lead to Bipolar Disorder while an oversupply can lead to high blood pressure.

GABA

Inhibits nerve activity in the brain, helping to calm and reduce anxiety. An undersupply can lead to insomnia and seizures while an oversupply can lead to sleep/eating disorders.

Glutamate

The most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in learning and memory. An oversupply can lead to overstimulation of the brain. Connects with MSG.

Endorphins

Act as natural painkillers and help to reduce stress and promote a feeling of well-being. An oversupply can lead to inadequate pain warnings while an undersupply leads to intense pain.

Substance P

Transmits pain signals and is involved in the body's response to injury. Abnormal levels can lead to Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD.

Resting Potential

Neuron is in a settled manner but has become aware of surroundings. Small charges are apparent.

Action Potential

The energy of the nucleus allows for the message to be fired down the axon. Threshold of excitation and far beyond.

Reuptake

Travelers on stand-by, neurotransmitters in synapse recycled for possible later use by previous (pre-synaptic neuron).

Absolute Refractory Period

After firing, no chance of a refire until regrouped or at proper voltage.

Relative Refractory Period

Earliest moment after firing when a neuron may fire again though not entirely regrouped or back to Resting State.

Brain Stem

Controls basic functioning such as breathing and heart rate.

Reticular Activating System

Control some voluntary movement, eye movement, and some types of learning, cognition, and emotion.

Cerebellum

Controls coordination of muscle movement, balance, and some forms of procedural learning.

Cerebral Cortex

Divided into two hemispheres and includes the limbic system (thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, hippocampus, amygdala), corpus callosum, and the lobes of the cortex.

Occipital Lobes

Control visual information processing and are located in the rear of the brain.

Temporal Lobes

Control auditory and linguistic processing and are located on the sides of the brain.

Parietal Lobe

Control association areas, which process and organize information, and the somatosensory cortex, which processes touch sensitivity. These lobes are located near the back crown of the brain.

Frontal Lobes

Control linguistic processing, higher-order thinking, and executive functioning, especially in the prefrontal cortex.

Brain Plasticity

Ability of the brain to rewire itself or modify or create new connections throughout development. Allows for the function of a damaged part of the brain to be assumed by a different part.

Motor Strip

Motor Neuron Headquarters - Whatever the brain wants to send to the body must go through this location.