AP Psychology - Unit 1 Flashcards

Psychology

The study of the mind

Hint: Brain

Plato

Greek philosopher that believed in dualism (mind and body are separate) and that knowledge is pre-existing (in-born, innate)

Aristotle

Greek philosopher that believed in monism (mind and body are connected and that knowledge comes from experience

Rene Descartes

French philosopher who created the theory of dualism (mind and body are separate)

John Locke

English philosopher who believed in monism and that we are born as tabula rasa (blank slate)

Wilhelm Wundt

Father of modern psychology who set up the first psych lab in 1879. He used the technique introspection and wanted to understand the mind (consciousness)

Introspection

Technique in self-observation in which a person experiences something & then describes the personal nature of the experience

Hint: Spectating

Gestalt Psychology

A school of psychology that focused on analyzing the mind & consciousness as a whole

Hint: Astronomy

Structuralism

Psychology school founded by E.B. Titchner that focused on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components.

Hint: Breaking down atoms

Edward Bradford Titchener

Student of Wilhelm Wundt, used introspection, and founder of the school of psychology called structuralism.

Functionalism

Psychology school that focused on the purpose or function of the mind (how does the mind help us adapt)

Hint: Industrial Revolution

William James

American philosopher who founded the psychology school functionalism.

John Watson

American psychologist who founded psychology school of behaviorism

Behavioral approach (behavior)

Behavior is caused by external stimuli from the environment (learned responses)

Hint: Dog training

Biological (neuroscience) approach

Behavior is caused by biochemical & neurological processes like genes, the brain, hormones & neurotransmitters

Hint: Depression (chemical imbalance)

Cognitive approach

Behavior is caused by how we interpret, process & remember our experiences (how we think)

Hint: Online school/distance learning

Psychoanalytic (psychodynamic) approach

Conflicts in the unconscious control our thoughts & actions

Hint: Sleep paralysis

Evolutionary (socio-biological) approach

Behavior is caused by adaptation overtime

Hint: Native Americans

Humanistic approach

People have the free will to choose their behaviors & what to think (Emphasizes the inherent goodness of people)

Hint: Renaissance Era

Socio-cultural approach

Behavior is determined by our social group or culture which specifies what is appropriate or inappropriate

Hint: Religion

Hypothesis

A testable prediction in an if-then statement

Hint: Hippos

Experiment

A scientific procedure to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.

Hint: Science project

Operational definition

Defining of research variables or procedures

Hint: Instructions

Independent variable

Condition the researcher is evaluating or manipulating

Hint: "I change"

Dependent variable

Subject's responses or the results

Hint: "I Don't change"

Control group

Does not receive the treatment, or IV

Hint: The base

Experimental group

Receives the treatment, or independent variable (IV)

Hint: Guinea pigs

Population

Group of people a researcher is studying

Hint: China

Single blind

Subjects do not know which group (control or experimental) they have been assigned to

Hint: Voluntarily

Double blind

Both researchers & subjects do not know who is assigned to the experimental or control groups

Hint: Helen Keller

Sampling

Set of subjects drawn from the population that are representative, random, and can be generalized.

Hint: Starbucks order

Assignment

The method used to place participants into groups in an experimental study

Hint: Game levels

Survey

Research technique where people answer a prepared set of questions that measure attitudes, motives, opinions, etc.

Hint: Google forms

Naturalistic observation

Technique in which subjects are studied without them being aware they're being studied

Hint: How to obtain a patient's respiratory rate

Case study

In-depth research on 1 subject that focuses on unusual individuals with rare problems or unusual talents

Hint: Grayson

Correlational study

The researcher measures two variables and assesses the statistical relationship; positive or negative.
Positive: Variables increase or decrease together
Negative: As 1 variable increases, the other decreases

Hint: Bar graphs

Longitudinal study

Study of the same event or group over time

Hint: Chronic illnesses

Ex post facto study

Research where subjects are selected based on a condition already present. Ex: research on divorce or abuse.

Hint: PTSD

Cross sectional study

Study people of various ages all at the same time

Hint: Makeup

APA ethical principles

Key principles and ethical standards psychologists must follow when conducting an experiment.
Animals: animals must be treated humanely, animals must be acquired legally, experiment must be least amount of suffering as possible
Humans: informed consent needed, participation must be voluntary (no bribes)

Hints: Laws