IB Psychology - Concept Glossary (First Assessment 2027)

Comprehensive fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering all key concepts and definitions from the IB Psychology syllabus (First Assessment 2027), including sections on Bias, Change, Causality, Measurement, Perspective, and Responsibility.

A systematic tendency to think or act in a particular way that influences judgement, behaviour, or research outcomes is known as __________.

Bias

__________ occurs when a researcher’s expectations, beliefs, or values influence the design, conduct, or interpretation of a study.

Researcher bias

__________ occurs when participants change their behaviour because they are aware they are being studied or want to meet perceived expectations.

Participant bias

The tendency to seek, interpret, or remember information in ways that support existing beliefs is known as __________.

Confirmation bias

__________ occurs when psychological theories or research reflect the values or norms of one culture more than others.

Cultural bias

__________ occurs when the participants selected for a study are not representative of the target population.

Sampling bias

__________ occurs when researchers’ observations or recordings are influenced by their expectations or prior knowledge.

Observer bias

Cues in a research setting that suggest how participants are expected to behave are called __________.

Demand characteristics

The tendency for individuals to present themselves in a favourable way when responding to questions or tasks is known as __________.

Social desirability bias

Questions that are phrased in a way that influences or suggests a particular response are known as __________.

Leading questions

Judging other cultures according to the standards and values of one’s own culture is called __________.

Ethnocentrism

Awareness of how a researcher’s own background, assumptions, and position may influence the research process is termed __________.

Reflexivity

A general tendency for participants to respond inaccurately or falsely to measures such as questionnaires or interviews is known as __________.

Response bias

The process through which behaviour or mental processes develop or are modified over time is called __________.

Change

Systematic psychological changes that occur across the lifespan are referred to as __________.

Development

The capacity of the brain or behaviour to be altered by experience or environmental influences is known as __________.

Plasticity

Structural and functional changes in the brain resulting from learning or experience are termed __________.

Neuroplasticity

Biologically programmed growth and development that occurs with age is called __________.

Maturation

A relatively permanent change in behaviour or knowledge resulting from experience is known as __________.

Learning

Adjustment in behaviour or thinking in response to environmental demands is called __________.

Adaptation

A planned action designed to bring about psychological or behavioural change is an __________.

Intervention

The use of learning principles such as reinforcement to change behaviour is called __________.

Behaviour modification

A decrease in response to a repeated stimulus over time is known as __________.

Habituation

The return of functioning following injury, trauma, or psychological difficulty is known as __________.

Recovery

The ability to cope with and adapt positively to challenges or adversity is known as __________.

Resilience

Change that is studied or measured over an extended period of time is known as __________.

Longitudinal change

The relationship in which one factor produces a change in another factor is known as __________.

Causality

When a change in one variable directly leads to a change in another, a __________ exists.

Cause-and-effect relationship

A clear and immediate relationship where one variable produces a change in another is called __________.

Direct causality

__________ occurs when one variable influences another through an intermediate factor.

Indirect causality

__________ occurs when two variables influence each other.

Bidirectional causality

Behaviour explained as the result of several interacting causes is a __________.

Multicausal explanation

A factor that must be present for an outcome to occur is a __________.

Necessary cause

A factor that is enough on its own to produce an outcome is a __________.

Sufficient cause

__________ occurs when a factor increases the likelihood of an outcome rather than guaranteeing it.

Probabilistic causality

A relationship between variables that does not necessarily indicate causation is a __________.

Correlation

Difficulty determining which variable is the cause and which is the effect is known as the __________.

Directionality problem

When an unmeasured factor may explain an observed relationship, researchers face the __________.

Third variable problem

Drawing conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships from evidence is called __________.

Causal inference

The systematic process of observing and recording behaviour or mental processes is called __________.

Measurement

Defining a variable in terms of how it will be measured or manipulated in a study is known as __________.

Operationalisation

The consistency of a measure across time, observers, or different parts of a test is referred to as __________.

Reliability

The extent to which a measure accurately assesses what it is intended to measure is termed __________.

Validity

The extent to which measurement is free from personal bias or subjective judgement is known as __________.

Objectivity

Using the same procedures and instructions for all participants to ensure consistency is called __________.

Standardisation

Numerical information that can be analysed using statistical methods is known as __________.

Quantitative data

Descriptive, non-numerical information such as words, themes, or narratives is referred to as __________.

Qualitative data

A method of measurement in which participants provide information about themselves is a __________.

Self-report measure

The recording of observable actions or responses is called a __________.

Behavioural measure

A structured set of response options used to assign scores or categories to behaviour or attitudes is a __________.

Scale

A small preliminary study conducted to test procedures, materials, or measures is known as a __________.

Pilot study

Inaccuracy in measurement that reduces the precision or validity of results is called __________.

Measurement error

A particular way of understanding or explaining behaviour or mental processes is a __________.

Perspective

Explaining behaviour in terms of brain processes, genetics, hormones, or physiology is central to the __________.

Biological perspective

Explaining behaviour by focusing on mental processes such as thinking, memory, and perception is the focus of the __________.

Cognitive perspective

Explaining behaviour in relation to social interaction, cultural norms, and environmental influences characterizes the __________.

Sociocultural perspective

Understanding behaviour by considering multiple interacting factors and perspectives is known as a __________.

Holistic approach

Explaining complex behaviour by breaking it down into simpler components is termed __________.

Reductionism

The situational, social, or cultural environment in which behaviour occurs is called the __________.

Context

Interpretation influenced by personal experiences, beliefs, or values is called __________.

Subjectivity

A structured set of ideas or assumptions used to guide explanation and research is called a __________.

Theoretical framework

The process of assigning meaning to behaviour, data, or research findings is termed __________.

Interpretation

Understanding behaviour from within a particular cultural or social group is known as an __________.

Emic perspective

Understanding behaviour using external or universal criteria across cultures is known as an __________.

Etic perspective

The idea that behaviour should be understood in relation to the cultural context in which it occurs is called __________.

Relativism

The obligation to consider the welfare, dignity, and rights of individuals and society when conducting or applying psychological research is termed __________.

Responsibility

The duty to follow moral principles and professional guidelines in psychological research and practice is called __________.

Ethical responsibility

Participants’ agreement to take part in research after receiving sufficient information about the study is known as __________.

Informed consent

The entitlement of participants to leave a study at any time without penalty is called the __________.

Right to withdraw

Protecting participants’ personal information and ensuring data is not disclosed without permission is known as __________.

Confidentiality

Ensuring that participants cannot be identified from the data collected or reported is known as __________.

Anonymity

The requirement to minimise physical or psychological risk to participants is known as __________.

Protection from harm

Providing participants with full information about the study after their participation is known as __________.

Debriefing

Intentionally withholding or misleading participants about aspects of a study (which must be justified and minimised) is called __________.

Deception

Evaluating whether the potential benefits of research outweigh possible risks to participants is a __________.

Risk–benefit analysis

A group that reviews research proposals to ensure ethical standards are met is called a __________.

Research ethics committee

Considering how psychological knowledge and research may affect individuals, groups, or society is known as __________.

Social responsibility

Adhering to established standards of behaviour set by psychological organisations is called __________.

Professional conduct