ALL OF AP PSYCH

Conformation Bias

favoring info. that confirms existing beliefs

Hindsight bias

Tendency to believe, after the outcome, that it would’ve happened anyway. In other words, that you predicted it all along (even though you didn’t know).

Empirical evidence

info. acquired through observation or experiment

Scientific Method

problem, data gathering, hypothesis is formulated, is tested, etc.

falsifiable

capable of being disproved by experimental results

Peer review

other groups of people (experts) reviewing publication.

Replication

is the process of repeating an experiment to verify results and ensure reliability in scientific findings.

Quantitative Data

info. that can be written or measured in numbers

Qualitative Data

info. from interviews, focus groups, or artistic depictions

Likert Scales

type of survey —> from 1-5 how do you feel

Wording effect

the way a question is worded & how it affects a survey

Social Desirability Bias

tendency to give socially biased answers to questions about yourself (fitting in)

Naturalistic observation

research where behavior is observed in its natural environment without manipulation or intervention.

Case study

an in-depth analysis of a single individual, group, or community

Correlational research

non-experimental that studies relationship between 2 variables with the help of statistical methods to identify patterns or associations.

3rd Variable Problem

The possibility that a correlation between two variables (A and B) might be due to a third variable (C) that influences both, rather than a direct causal relationship between A and Be

Experimental Method

researcher manipulates 1 variable and controls/randomizes the rest.

Confounding variable

a variable that unintentionally influences the outcome of an experiment, thus affecting the validity of the results.

Operational definition

defining a variable in terms of how it’s measured or manipulated in the study

Experimental Group

the group that receives the testing (the variable)

random assignment

assigning participants in experimental and control groups BY CHANCE

Experimenter bias

scientists performing research, influence the results to portray a certain outcome

Single-Blind Study

participants don’t know whether they are in the control group or experimental group but the RESEARCHERS DO.

Double-Blind Study

neither the researchers or participants know who is receiving the treatment. Experimenters don’t know until AFTER.

Placebo condition

treatment is not distributed but the subject believes they are receiving it

Representative sample

accurately reflects the characteristics of the population AS A WHOLE. People in experiment represents who you’re studying

Random Sample

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

Sample bias

some members of the intended population are less likely to be ACTUALLY include than others.

Mean

average

Median

middle value in the list of numbers

Mode

value that appears most in the data

positive skew

more numbers in a list are on the lower side, but there are a few higher numbers that stretch the average higher

negative skew

more numbers on a list are higher side, but a few low numbers pull the average down

Meta analysis

statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies

informed assent

agreement by minor or other parties not able to give legal consent to participate in the activity.

confederates

people who appear to be participants but are actually part of the research team.

debriefing

providing participants in a study with a full explanation of the study AFTER its completed, including the purpose and any deceptions used

Evolutionary perspective

how human behaviors helped our ancestors survive and reproduce

twin studies

similarities between identical and fraternal twins to understand the influence of genetics versus environment

adoption studies

compare biologically related people, including those raised apart, to understand genetic difference

family studies

looking at behavioral traits in families to determine how much is genetic versus environmental

genetic predisposition

likelihood of developing certain traits or disorders based on genetics

Eugenics

improving the genetic composition of humans through selective breeding

Cerebral Cortex

outer layer of the brain, involved in complex mental processing

Frontal Lobes

involved in decision-making, problem-solving, and controlling behavior

Prefrontal Cortex

involved in planning complex behaviors and expressing personality

Executive functioning

Higher order processes including planning, organizing and regulating behavior

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movements

Pariental Lobes

processes sensory info. like touch and spatial awareness

Somatosensory Cortex

processes sensory input from various body parts

Occipital Lobes

responsible for vision

Temporal lobes

involved in hearing, memory, and understanding language

Corpus Callosum

Thick band of nerve fibres that connects the 2 brain hemispheres.

Brainstem

supports life functions, including heart rate, breathing, and sleeping

Medulla

Part of the brainstem that controls vital life-sustaining functions like heartbeat and breathing.

reticular activating system

regulates wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions. RAS—> REM

cerebellum

coordinates VOLUNTARY movements like posture, balance, and Coordination.

Limbic system

emotion, motivation, and memory. LIMotivationMemory

Reward Center

brain area that regulates experience of pleasure

Thalamus

Relays motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex

Hypothalamus

regulates body temp., hunger, thirst, and other homeostatic systems. opposite of HYPOtonic

Pituitary Gland

master gland of the endocrine system that regulates other glands

Hippocampus

essential for learning and memory. HIPPOS LEARN to BITE.

Amygdala

emotional processing particularly fear and aggression.

Central Nervous System

brain and spinal cord. CENTRAL of body

Peripheral Nervous System

connect nervous system to the rest of the body

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary bodily functions. AUTOMATIC

Sympathetic Nervous System

Activates body’s resources during STRESS and emergencies. S for Stress

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Conserves energy and restores it to a calm state. Para —> calm

Somatic Nervous System

controls VOLUNTARY movements

Glial Cells

Support cells in the nervous system

Motor Neurons

carry signals from spinal cord to muscles to produce movement. MOTOR—> movement

Sensory Neurons

body parts —> Central nervous system. SENSE —> touch

Neural Transmission

neurons communicate with each other

Threshold

level of stimulation required to trigger neural impulse. THRUST

All-or-Nothing Principle

rule that neurons are either on or off.

Depolarization

decrease in electrical charge across a cell membrane

Refractory Period

following stimulation during which a nerve or muscle is unresponsive to further stimulation. DEAD MUSCLE

Circadian Rhythm

Sleep/Wake cycle. Body’s natural 24 hour cycle, affecting sleep and wakefulness.

NREM Stage 1

Initial stage of sleep, light sleep and slow eye movement.

Hypnagogic Sensations

Feeling of falling or hearing strange noises during NREM 1. going GOO-GOO

NREM Stage 2

second stage of sleep, body temp. drops and heart rate slows.

NREM Stage 3

Deepest and most restorative sleep stage. Slow wave sleep.

REM Sleep

rapid eye movement and dreaming.

REM Rebound

tendency for REM sleep to increase of sleep deprivation.

Activation synthesis

A theory suggesting dreams are caused by the brain’s attempt to make sense of neural activity during sleep.

Consolidation Theory

dreams help cement memories and learning.

Narcolepsy

uncontrollable episodes of deep sleep

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

sleep disorder where individuals act out vivid dreams. SLEEP WALKING

Somnambulism

sleep walking

agonists

drugs that increase action of neurotransmitter

Antagonists

drugs that block neurotransmitter. ANTAGONIST —> hinder

Reuptake inhibitors

drugs that block reabsorbtion of neurotransmitters, increasing their levels

Absolute threshold

minimum stimulus intensity required to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.

Weber’s Law

to perceive a difference, two stimuli must differ by constant proportion, not a constant amount

Retina

light-sensitive layer of tissue on the back of the eye

Accommodation

The process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina.

Nearsightedness

nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects

Farsightedness

far objects are seen more clearly than nearby objects

photorecepters

cells in the retina that respond to light