THE EPIC PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Committee ensuring research proposals meet ethical standards

Animal Experimentation

Using animals for research to understand human behavior

APA's Committee on Animal Research and Ethics (CARE)

Advocates ethical use of animals in research

Ethical Principles

Guidelines protecting participants from harm and ensuring consent

Informed Consent

Participants sign to show understanding and agreement

Risk

Participants shouldn't face significant mental or physical risks

Debriefing

Explaining deception to participants after the study

Stanley Milgram Study

Contributed to ethical issues in psychological research

Inferential Statistics

Determines likelihood of results due to variables or chance

Statistical Significance

Measure of likelihood results are due to variables or chance

P-value

Probability measure in statistical significance

Statistical Inference

Generalizing from sample to population

Descriptive Statistics

Numerical data describing group characteristics

Mean

Arithmetic average of a distribution

Median

Middle score in a distribution

Mode

Most frequently occurring score in a distribution

Range

Difference between highest and lowest scores

Standard Deviation

Measure of score variance around the mean

Skewed Distribution

Scores lacking symmetry around the average

Normal Distributions

Bell-curve shaped data distribution

Frequency Distribution Table

Shows frequency of occurrences

Correlation Coefficient

Measure of relationship strength between variables

Confounding Variable

Factor other than IV affecting the results

Validity

Measure of how well a test measures its target

Reliability

Consistency in test results under similar conditions

Sampling Bias

Flawed process leading to unrepresentative samples

Illusory Correlation

Perception of a relationship that doesn't exist

Sampling Error

Difference between sample and population

Random Assignment

Equal chance of sample placement in groups

Representative Sample

Sample resembling the population characteristics

Single Blind

Subjects unaware of group, researchers know

Double Blind

Subjects and researchers unaware of group

Experimenter Bias

Researchers treating groups differently unconsciously

Independent Variable (IV)

Variable manipulated by the researcher

Dependent Variable (DV)

Variable measured to observe effects

Control Group

Group not exposed to treatment for comparison

Population

All individuals eligible for study participation

Random Sample

Sample representing the population fairly

Placebo Effect

Response based on expectations, not substance

Operational Definition

Defines a concept by the procedures used to measure it

Replication

Repeating a research study to test its findings

Meta-Analysis

Analyzing results from multiple studies on the same variables

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in natural settings without interference

Case Study

In-depth study of one person or group

Survey

Collecting self-reported data from a group

Correlation

Measuring how two factors vary together

Experiment

Study where variables are controlled or manipulated

Longitudinal Study

Observing variables over an extended period in the same subjects

Cross-Sectional Study

Comparing variables in different age groups at a single point in time

Applied Psychologists

Work directly with clients, students, or patients

Basic Psychologists

Focus on research to increase knowledge about behavior

Biological Psychology

Study of how brain structures influence behavior

Clinical Psychology

Study, assess, and treat psychological disorders

Cognitive Psychology

Study of perception, thinking, and problem-solving

Counseling Psychology

Assistance in problem-solving and well-being

Developmental Psychology

Study of changing abilities from birth to death

Educational Psychology

Expertise in teaching and learning issues

Experimental Psychology

Conduct research in laboratory settings

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Help organizations in employee selection and training

Personality Psychology

Study of individual thinking, feeling, and behavior patterns

Psychometric Psychology

Comparing experimental data for psychological connections

Social Psychology

Study of how individuals view and influence each other

Positive Psychology

Study of positive aspects of human experience

Theory

Explanation of a phenomenon, generating testable hypotheses

Kinesthesia

System for sensing body parts' position and movement

Vestibular Sense

Sense of body movement, position, and balance

Touch

Sensation mix of pressure, warmth, cold, and pain

Gate-Control Theory

Theory of spinal cord's pain signal regulation

Taste Buds

Clusters of taste cells transducing taste sensations

Olfaction

Sense of smell through receptor proteins in the nose

Sensory Interaction

Principle of senses influencing each other

Audition

Biological process of ear sound wave processing

Frequency

Pitch dimension determined by sound wave wavelength

Intensity

Amount of energy in a sound wave determining loudness

Middle Ear

Chamber with three bones concentrating eardrum vibrations

Cochlea

Fluid-filled tube triggering nerve impulses for hearing

Inner Ear

Contains cochlea, canals, and sacs for hearing and balance

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hearing loss from cochlea or nerve damage

Cochlear Implant

Device converting sounds to electrical signals for hearing

Conduction Hearing Loss

Hearing loss from mechanical sound wave conduction damage

Place Theory

Hearing theory linking pitch to cochlea membrane stimulation

Frequency Theory

Hearing theory matching nerve impulses to sound frequency

Perceptual Constancy

Perceiving objects as unchanging despite external changes

Binocular Cues

Depth cues using both eyes, like retinal disparity

Retinal Disparity

Depth perception cue from comparing retinal images

Convergence

Eye movement for near and far object focus

Monocular Cues

Depth cues available to one eye, like relative size

Color Blindness

Lack of red or green-sensitive cones in vision

Myopia

Nearsightedness condition for close vision

Presbyopia

Farsightedness condition for distant vision

Astigmatism

Irregularly shaped cornea causing blurry vision

Glaucoma

Optic nerve damage leading to vision loss

Synesthesia

Condition of senses blending, like hearing with sight

Cornea

Clear bulge protecting and covering the eye

Iris

Muscle changing pupil size for light entry

Lens

Transparent structure focusing images on the retina

Retina

Contains receptors processing visual information

Fovea

Retina area with high cone concentration for clear vision

Optic Nerve

Carries retina impulses to the brain for image interpretation

Accommodation

Eye lens shape change for near or far focus