Myers' AP Psych Unit 1

Applied Research

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Basic Research

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Behavioral Psychology

the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning

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

Biopsychosocial Approach

an integrated perspective that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Clinical Psychology

a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Cognitive Neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

Cognitive Psychology

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

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

Empiricism

the view that (a) knowledge comes from experience via the senses, and (b) science flourishes through observation and experiment

Evolutionary Psychology

the study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection

Experimental Psychology

the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method

Functionalism

a school of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

Human Factors Psychology

the study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments

Humanistic Psychology

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people; used personalized methods to study personality in hopes of fostering personal growth

Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

Levels of Analysis

the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon

Natural Selection

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those that lead to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Nature-Nurture Issue

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors

Personality Psychology

the study of an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Psychiatry

a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy

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

Psychology

the science of behavior and mental processes

Psychometrics

the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

Social Psychology

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

Social-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 structural elements of the human mind

Positive Psychology

the scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive.

Community Psychology

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

Testing Effect

enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information. Also sometimes referred to as a retrieval practice effect or test-enhanced learning.

SQ3R

a study method incorporating five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review.