Studied by 827 people
empiricism
The view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should therefore rely on observation and experimentation
structuralism
Early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchner; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind
functionalism
A school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function--how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
experimental psychology
The study of behavior ad thinking using the experimental method
behaviorism
The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes
humanistic psychology
A historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people
cognitive neuroscience
The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory and language)
psychology
The science of behavior and mental process
nature-nurture issue
The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors
natural selection
The principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
levels of analysis
The differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
biopsychosocial approach
An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
behavioral psychology
The scientific study of observable behavior and its explanation by principles of learning
biological psychology
The scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes
cognitive psychology
The scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
evolutionary psychology
The study of the evolution of behavior and mind using principles of natural selection
psychodynamic psychology
Studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior, and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders
social-cultural psychology
The study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking
psychometrics
The scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
basic research
Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
developmental psychology
A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
educational psychology
The study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning
personality psychology
The study of an individual's characteristic pattern thinking, feeling, and acting
social psychology
The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
applied research
Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
industrial-organizational psychology
The application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
human factors psychology
An I/O subfield that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use
counseling psychology
A branch psychology that assists people with problems in living and in achieving greater well-being
clinical psychology
A branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
psychiatry
A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy
positive psychology
The scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive
community psychology
A branch of psychology that studies how people interact with social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups
testing effect
Long-term memory is often increased when some of the learning period is devoted to retrieving the to-be-remembered information
SQ3R
Survey, question, read, retrieve, review
debriefing
The post experimental explanation of a study, including it's purpose, and any deceptions, to its participants
informed consent
An ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate
culture
The enduring ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
statistical significance
A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
inferential statistics
Numerical data that allow one to generalize-to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population
normal curve
A symmetrical bell shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean and fewer towards the extremes
standard deviation
A compacted measure of how much scores vary around the mean score
range
The difference between the highest and lowest scores in the distribution
skewed distribution
A representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value
median
The middle score in a distribution; half of the scores are above it and half are below it
mean
The arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores
mode
The most frequently occurring score in a distribution
descriptive statistics
Numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation
validity
The extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to
dependent variable
The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable
confounding variable
A factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment
independent variable
The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied
placebo
Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent
double-blind procedure
An experimental procedure in which both the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo
random assignment
Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups
control group
In an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment
experimental group
In an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable
experiment
A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process. By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control to control other relevant variables
illusory correlation
The perception of a relationship where none exists
scatterplot
A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the point suggest the direction of the relationship between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation
correlation coefficient
A statistical index of the relationship between two variables
correlation
A measure of the extent to which two variables change together, and thus how well either variable predicts the other
random sample
A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
population
All those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn
sampling bias
A flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample
survey
A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group
naturalistic observation
Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
case study
A descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
replication
Repealing the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
operational definition
A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study
hypothesis
A testable prediction often implied by a theory
theory
An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events
critical thinking
Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather examine assumptions, assesses the source, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, assesses conclusions
hindsight bias
The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it
neuron
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
dendrites
A neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
axon
The neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
myelin sheath
A fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
action potential
A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
refractory period
A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
threshold
The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
all-or-none response
A neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full strength response) or not firing
synapse
The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap
neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to rector sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
reuptake
A neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron
endorphins
"Morphine within"--natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure
agonist
A molecule that by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response
antagonist
A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response
nervous system
The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord
peripheral nervous system
The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
nerves
Bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
sensory (afferent) neurons
Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
motor (efferent) neurons
Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
interneurons
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
somatic nervous system
The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system
automatic nervous system
The part of the peripheral system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms
sympathetic nervous system
The division of the automatic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
parasympathetic nervous system
The division of the automatic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
reflex
A simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus
endocrine system
The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
