AP Psychology Overview

These flashcards cover key concepts from AP Psychology, focusing on psychological perspectives, biases, research methods, and data interpretation.

Psychological Perspectives

Different ways psychologists explain behavior and mental processes.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Focuses on the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences, developed by Sigmund Freud.

Behavioral Perspective

Emphasizes observable behavior and how it is shaped by environmental influences.

Sociocultural Perspective

Explains behavior through social and cultural influences such as family and religion.

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on personal growth and free will, highlighting positive potential and self-actualization.

Cognitive Perspective

Examines how people think and process information, influencing behavior through mental processes.

Biological Perspective

Explains behavior through biological systems like brain structures, neurotransmitters, and hormones.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Combines biological, psychological, and social factors to explain behavior.

Evolutionary Perspective

Focuses on survival and adaptation based on Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection.

Cultural Norms

Shared rules and guidelines within a community that define acceptable behavior.

Cognitive Bias

Systematic errors in thinking that affect judgment, memory, and decision-making.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to focus on information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe an outcome was predictable after it has already happened.

Overconfidence Bias

The tendency to overestimate one's knowledge or abilities, leading to poor decisions.

Null Hypothesis (H₀)

States there is no real effect or relationship; any observed difference is due to chance.

Alternative Hypothesis (H₁)

States there is a real effect or relationship; represents what the researcher expects.

P-Value

A statistic that helps determine whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis.

Effect Size

Indicates the strength of the relationship between variables and how meaningful the effect is.

Correlation

Measures the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Statistical Significance

Indicates whether results obtained from data analysis are likely to be due to chance or reflect true effects.