AP PSYCH s1 final

antereograde amnesia

inability to form new memories

retrograde amnesia

inability to retrieve info from the past

amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

automatic processing

unconscious encoding of incidental information, and of well-learned information

chunking

organizing items into familiar, manageable units

cognitive maps

a mental representation of the layout of one's environment

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

context dependent memory

The theory that information learned in a particular situation or place is better remembered when in that same situation or place.

Distrubuted Practice

studying is spaced out/spread out over multiple time periods for greater success

Ebbinghaus forgetting curve

the course of forgetting is initially rapid, then levels off with time

Echoic Memory

the ability to remember an auditory stimuli for 3-4 seconds, even if attention is diverted

Explicit/Delcarative Memory

information or knowledge that can be consciously recollected

Encoding failure

the inability to recall specific information because of insufficient encoding of the information for storage in long-term memory

episodic memory

category of long-term memory that includes memories of particular events

flashbulb memory

the recall of very specific images or details surrounding a vivid, rare, or significant personal event

Hippocampus

long-term/explicit memory formation, Loss of function results in the inability to form new memories

iconic memory

a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli

implicit memory

(procedural) long-term memory that is remembered unconsciously

long-term memory

the stage of memory that represents the long-term storage of information

long-term potentiation

a long-lasting increase in synaptic strength between two neurons (the more you rehearse/learn something the more likely you are you remember it)

misinformation effect

when misleading information has corrupted one's memory of an event

mnemonic

Memory aid or trick

mood-congruent memory

the tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood

parallel processing

the brain can process multiple information at once

priming

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

proactive interference

prior learning gets in the way of new information

procedural memory

category of long-term memory that includes memories of different skills, operations, and actions

prospective memory

remembering to do something in the future

recall

A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, (fill-in-the-blank test)

recognition

a measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, (multiple-choice test)

rehearsal

the conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage

relearning

a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time

retrieval

the process of getting information out of memory storage

retroactive interference

the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information

semantic encoding

the encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words

sensory memory

A type of storage that holds sensory information for a few seconds or less.

serial position effect

our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list

short term memory

activated memory that holds a few items briefly, such as the seven digits of a phone number while dialing, before the information is stored or forgotten

source misattribution

memory distortion that occurs when people misremember the time, place, person, or circumstances involved with a memory

storage

the retention of encoded information over time

testing effect

enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information

working memory

a newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from long-term memory

behaviorism

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

biological psychology

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

clinical psychologist

a psychologist who diagnoses and treats people with emotional disturbances

Cognitive Psychology

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

community psychologist

a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups

counseling psychology

a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being

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

evolutionary psychology

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

experimental psychology

the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method

Forensic Psychology

area of psychology that applies the science and practice of psychology to issues within and related to the justice system

functionalism

A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.

human factors psychology

a branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use

humanistic psychology

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual's potential for personal growth

Neuropsychology

The study of functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain.

psychodynamic psychology

a branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior, and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders

school psychologist

assesses and counsels students, consults with educators and parents, and performs behavioral intervention when necessary

social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

socio-cultural psychology

the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking

Structuralism

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

Instrospection

careful observation of mental process and how they expand from simple thoughts to complex ideas

case study

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

causation

A cause and effect relationship in which one variable controls the changes in another variable.

counfounding variable

a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment

control condition

the condition of an experiment that contrasts with the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

control group

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

correlation

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

correlation coefficient

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)

dependent variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

descriptive statistics

statistics that summarize the data collected in a study

double-blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

empirical approach

A study conducted via careful observations and scientifically based research.

Ethical Guidelines (APA)

coercion, confidentiality, debriefing, informed consent, protection from harm

experiment

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process

hindsight bias

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Hypothesis

a testable prediction

illusory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists

independent variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

naturalistic observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

normal curve

the symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes.

operational definition

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

Overconfidence

the tendency to be more confident than correct—to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.

placebo effect

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.

random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups

random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

single blind study

study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group

standard deviation

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

wording effect

the effect that question phrasing and order have on how people answer surveys

theory

A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

adrenal gland

A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.

agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

antagonist

chemical or drug that binds to receptors in the brain and prevents an agonist from having a reaction

autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

broca's area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.