AP Psychology Comprehensive Exam Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the major concepts and terminology from the AP Psychology review notes, including research design, biological bases, cognition, development, and psychological disorders.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation that must be FALSIFIABLE, meaning it is able to be supported or rejected.

Operational Definition

A clear, precise definition of variables that allows replication and collection of reliable data.

Correlation

An identification of the relationship between two variables; however, it does not equal causation.

Independent Variable

The variable purposefully altered by the researcher to look for an effect.

Double-Blind

An experiment where neither the participant nor the experimenter are aware of which condition people are assigned to.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to either control or experimental groups at random to allow for cause and effect conclusions.

Standard deviation

The average amount the scores are spread from the mean.

Statistical Significance

Established when results are not due to chance and the experimental manipulation caused the difference in means, typically defined as $p < .05$.

Autonomic NS

Part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary organs like the heart and lungs.

Myelin Sheath

A layer that speeds up the action potential down the axon and protects the axon.

Resting potential

The state where a neuron maintains a $-70 \text{mv}$ charge when not active.

All or nothing principle

The rule that a stimulus must trigger the action potential past its threshold, and does not increase the intensity or speed of the response.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter associated with memory and movement; too little is linked to Alzheimer's.

Agonist

A drug that mimics a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist

A drug that blocks a neurotransmitter.

Cerebellum

Brain structure responsible for movement, balance, coordination, and procedural memory.

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system associated with emotions and fear.

Broca’s Area

Located in the left frontal lobe, it is responsible for speech production; damage results in broken speech.

Circadian Rhythms

The $24$-hour biological clock of body temperature and sleep.

Absolute Threshold

The detection of a signal $50\%$ of the time.

Weber’s Law

The principle that two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum proportion.

Trichromatic Theory

The theory that there are three cones for receiving color: Blue (short waves), Green (medium waves), and Red (long waves).

Place theory

The theory that the location where hair cells bend in the cochlea determines the perception of high pitches.

Heuristics

Short cut strategies used in problem solving, such as representative or availability heuristics.

Semantic encoding

Deep processing focused on the meaning of words, which leads to better memory retention.

Explicit memory

Long term memory that requires conscious effort, including episodic (events) and semantic (facts).

Proactive interference

When old information blocks the retrieval of new information.

Reliability

The property of a test where it yields the same, consistent results over time.

Object Permanence

The cognitive realization gained in the sensorimotor stage that objects still exist even when removed from view.

Phonemes

The smallest unit of sound in a language.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that causes a response naturally without needing to be learned.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding something desirable to increase a behavior.

Fundamental attribution error

The tendency to blame a person's internal disposition and not consider the situational factors.

Cognitive dissonance

Discomfort caused by two opposing thoughts conflicting with each other, leading to justification.

The Big Five (OCEAN)

The trait explanation of personality including Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Diathesis-Stress

A model explaining that a genetic predisposition must be triggered by environmental stimuli like stress for a disorder to manifest.

Tardive Dyskinesia

A side effect of anti-psychotic medications characterized by hand tremors due to decreased dopamine.