PSYCH Ch. 1

Behaviorism

emphasized the study of observable behaviors especially as they pertain to the process of learning

Case Study

an intensive in depth investigation on a individual, family, or social unit

Collectivist Cultures

a societal framework that prioritizes group goals, social harmony, and interdependence over individual desires

Comparative Psychology

the scientific study of mental processes and behaviors of different species to understand evolutionary and behavioral patterns

Confounding Variable

an outside variable that influences both the dependent and independent variables creating a false or distorted impression of a true cause and effect relationship

Control Group

a standard baseline in an experiment that does not receive the the test treatment or intervention

Correlation Coefficient

a statistical measure that shows the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables

Correlational Study

a non experimental research method that measures two or more variables to understand if and how they are naturally related without the researcher manipulating any factors

Critical Thinking

the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement

Cross sectional design

an observational research method where researchers collect data from different groups of people at a single point in time

Culture

the shared set of beliefs, values, traditions, attitudes, and behaviors that characterize a group of people and are passed down from one generation to the next

Demand Characteristics

environmental cues in a psychological study that hint at the research hypothesis and cause participants to change their behavior

Dependent variable

the outcome factor or behavior that a researcher measures to see how it changes in response to the independent variable

Descriptive Research

a scientific method used to systematically observe, measure, and describe human behavior and mental processes as they naturally occur

Effect Size

a quantitative measure of the magnitude or strength of difference between groups or a relationship of variables in a reserch study

Empirical Evidence

information gathered through direct observation, measurement, or experimentation to test and verify claims about behavior or mental processes

Ethnocentrism

the tendency to judge, evaluate, or interpret other people’s cultures through the lens of one’s own ethnic group or culture, often viewing one’s culture norms as the universal standard or superior

experimental group

the set of participants in a research study who are exposed to a specific manipulation of the independent variable

Functionalism

an early school of thought that focuses on the purpose and function of the mind and behavior, rather than dissecting consciousness into basic parts

Humanistic Psychology

a psychological perspective that focuses on the whole person, free will, and a person’s natural drive for personal growth

Hypothesis

a specific testable prediction about the expected relationship between two or more variables in a research study

Independent variable

the condition or factor that a research4er changes to see what effect it has on another factor

Indigenous psychology

the scientific study of the human mind and behavior that is rooted in a specific local culture that is designed for it’s own people, rather than imported from westernized traditions

individualistic cultures

a society that prioritizes personal independence, autonomy, and individual needs over the collective goals of a group

longitudinal design

a research method that tracks the exact same group of participants and measures the same variables repeatedly over a long period of time

meta analysis

a quantitative research method that combines and statistically analyzes the results of multiple independent studies addressing the same research question

Natural experiment

a study where the researcher looks at the impact of a real world event or condition that happens on its own, without changing or controlling anythnig

naturalistic observation

a research method where psychologists watch and record human and animal behavior in a real world setting without trying to control or change anything

negative correlation

a statistical relationship where two variables move in opposite directions, meaning as one variable increases the other decreases

neuroscience

the scientific study of how the brain and nervous system shape human behavior, thoughts, and feelings

open science

a movement and set of practices designed to make research methods, data, and findings accessible, reproducible, and transparent

operational definition

a precise measurable description of an abstract concept or variable so it can be directly observed and tested in a study

placebo

an inactive substance or fake treatment that has no real effect

placebo effect

when a person's physical or mental health improves after receiving a fake or inactive treatment, purely because they believe it will work

positive correlation

a relationship between two variables where both variables move in the same direction

psychiatry

the branch of medicine focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders

psychoanalysis

a psychological theory and talk therapy method founded by Sigmund Freud that explores how the unconscious mind shapes behavior, feelings, and relationships

psychology

the scientific study of the mind and behavior

random assignment

an experimental technique where researchers use chance procedures to place participants into different groups, such as an experimental group or a control group

random selection

a method where researchers choose participants from a larger population by chance so that every person has an equal and independent chance of being picked

replicate

to repeat a research study or experiment using new participants and data to see if the original findings can be achieved again

representative sample

a smaller group of participants that accurately mirrors the key characteristics, demographics, and proportions of a larger target population

sample

a smaller, manageable subset of participants drawn from a larger target population used to conduct a study and make generalized conclusions

scientific method

a structured, systematic process that researchers use to observe, measure, and test ideas about human behavior and mental processes

statistically significant

when the data shows an effect or difference that is too large to be explained by random chance alone

statistics

the branch of mathematics and scientific method used to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret behavioral and mental data

structuralism

the first historical school of thought, founded by Wilhelm Wundt and popularized by Edward Titchener, that sought to break down conscious experience into its basic elemental parts, such as sensations, images, and feelings, using a method called introspection

survey

a research method used to collect self-reported data from a sample of people through questionnaires or interviews

testing effect

the psychological finding that actively taking a test or recalling information improves long term memory and retention much better than simply rereading or restudying the same material for the same amount of time

theory

a well supported, fact based framework of concepts and principles that describes, explains, and predicts human behavior and mental processes

variable

any characteristic, quality, or value that can change or differ across individuals, situations, or time and can be measured, manipulated, or controlled in a study