Psychology Perspectives and Research Methods

Vocabulary flashcards covering psychological perspectives, foundational scientific terms, and research methods based on the provided lecture notes.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Explains behavior through unconscious motives, internal conflicts, early childhood experiences, and defense mechanisms that influence behavior.

Behavioral Perspective

Explains behavior through observable actions that are encouraged or discouraged by conditioning, reinforcement, punishment, and environmental stimuli.

Cognitive Perspective

Explains behavior through mental processes including attention, problem solving, memory, perception, thinking, expectations, and decision making.

Biological Perspective

Explains behavior through genetics, brain structures, neurotransmitters, hormones, and nervous-system activity that influences behavior and mental processes.

Humanistic Perspective

Emphasizes free will, personal growth, self-concept, subjective experiences, and the drive toward self-actualization (Full potential).

Evolutionary Perspective

Explains behavior by examining adaptive tendencies and survival instincts and how ancestral environments may influence modern behavior.

Sociocultural Perspective

Explains behavior through cultural, social norms, groups, institutions, and social expectations on behavior and mental processes.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Explains behavior as the result of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors, rather than a single cause.

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes and observable behavior.

Systematic Empiricism

The use of organized methodical observation and measurement to gather empirical evidence about behavior and mental processes.

Empirical Evidence

Refers to all the information that is obtained through observation and exploration.

Basic Research

Increasing the scientific knowledge base to fully understand a topic with no practical objective.

Applied Research

Answers specific questions and is used to solve a problem or do something of practical use.

Theory

A highly researched, rigorously tested framework / starting point which is generally accepted as an explanation or predictor of events or behaviors.

Hypothesis

A specific, testable prediction about the relationship between variables or the outcome of a research study.

Operational Definition

Specifies how a researcher will measure and manipulate variables in a study as well as defines any variables that need explanation in psychology.

Falsifiability

A falsifiable hypothesis in psychology is a statement that can be tested and potentially proven false through observation or experimentation.

Verifiability

An experiment must be replicable by another researcher; if methods, structure, and /or operational definitions are unclear, verifiability will not be possible.

Quantitative Data

Numerical type of data providing information about quantities.

Qualitative Data

Non-numerical data that is descriptive and usually has less specific research questions.

Descriptive Research

Studies used to describe behaviors and attributes that are observed and measured, which do not test specific relationships.

Case Study

An observation technique in which one or a few individuals are carefully studied in-depth usually over a long period of time.

Survey (Self-Report) Method

Relies on the individual's own reports of their symptoms, behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes.

Wording Effect

Possible effects on participants caused by the order of words or even the choice of the words themselves presented.

Self-Report Bias

A bias occurring because people simply may lie or misremember.

Social Desirability Bias

A bias occurring when people answer questions in a way that they think makes them look good.

Naturalistic Observation

Careful observations of behaviors in a subject's natural / native environment, where the researcher does not intervene at all.

Laboratory Observation

Observing behavior in a more contrived and controlled situation, usually the laboratory.

Observer/Hawthorne Effect

When people know they are being watched, they are less likely to behave naturally.

Researcher Bias

When researchers unconsciously skew their observations to fit their research goals or expectations.

Correlational Studies

Used to examine the relationships between two variables to make predictions and identify patterns, but do not establish cause and effect because they do not involve manipulation of variables.

Scatterplot

A display of data where the closer the dots form a diagonal line, the stronger the relationship.

Positive Correlation

When both variables increase and decrease together.

Negative Correlation

When one variable increases, the other variable decreases.

No Correlation

Indicated by a score of or close to $0$, meaning no relationship seems to exist between 2 variables.

Illusory Correlation

A perceived but non-existent correlation.

Third Variable Problem

The possibility that a third, unmeasured variable may be influencing the relationship between the two variables of interest.

Directionality Problem

The condition where it is impossible to conclude which variable causes change in the other.