IPsyO Syllabus Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the International Psychology Olympiad (IPsyO) syllabus as of May 14, 2024.

Structuralism

An early school of thought in psychology that focused on the structure of the mind.

Functionalism

An early school of thought in psychology that explored how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment.

Wilhelm Wundt

A key figure in early psychology often associated with the formal establishment of psychology as a science.

William James

A key figure in psychology known for his role in the functionalist perspective.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A modern psychological perspective focused on unconscious processes and early childhood experiences.

Behavioral Perspective

A modern psychological perspective that emphasizes observable behaviors and how they are learned.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to inquiry involving steps such as formulating hypotheses, conducting research, and interpreting data.

Descriptive Research

A type of research used to describe behaviors or characteristics of a population without manipulating variables.

Correlational Studies

Research methods used to examine the relationship between two or more variables.

Informed Consent

An ethical requirement where participants are briefed on the nature of the study before agreeing to participate.

Confidentiality

An ethical guideline ensuring that personal information of research participants is protected.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is measured to determine the effect of the independent variable.

Random Assignment

A technique in experimental design where participants are assigned to control or experimental groups by chance.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study can demonstrate a causal relationship between variables without interference from confounding factors.

External Validity

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other settings or populations.

Measurement Reliability

The consistency and stability of a measurement over time or across different observers.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that controls voluntary muscle movements.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that regulates involuntary functions like heart rate and digestion.

Dopamine

A major neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion.

Serotonin

A major neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

Acetylcholine

A major neurotransmitter involved in muscle action, learning, and memory.

Limbic System

A complex set of brain structures involved in emotion and memory.

Hemispheric Specialization

The functional differences between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb used in decision making and problem solving.

Encoding

The initial stage of memory involving the processing of information into the memory system.

Gestalt Principles

Perceptual principles describing how humans naturally organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes.

Piaget’s Theory

A theory of cognitive development describing stages through which children's thinking matures.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

A theory of identity development consisting of eight stages across the human lifespan.

Kohlberg’s Theory

A theory describing the development of moral reasoning from childhood to adulthood.

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning discovered by Pavlov involving the association of neutral stimuli with meaningful events.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process associated with B.F. Skinner where behavior is modified through reinforcement and punishment.

Big Five

A trait theory of personality including openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational theory depicting human needs in a pyramid structure from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, used for the standard classification of psychological disorders.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A type of psychotherapy focused on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors.