AP Psychology Unit 1 Vocab

Biological Perspective

Psychological perspective studying behavior's physical basis.

Biological Psychology

Field focusing on genetics and brain's role in behavior.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Approach considering biological, psychological, and social factors in health.

Clinical Psychology

Branch diagnosing and treating mental disorders.

Cognitive Approach

Focuses on how thought processes influence behavior.

Cognitive Psychology

Studies perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Counseling Psychology

Aids personal and social functioning across life stages.

Developmental Psychology

Studies human change from infancy to old age.

Early Behaviorism

Theory suggesting behaviors are learned through conditioning.

Educational Psychology

Studies learning effectiveness and teaching psychology.

Evolutionary Approach

Applies evolution principles to explain psychological processes.

Experimental Psychology

Uses scientific methods to study human behavior.

Functionalism

Philosophy focusing on mental adaptation to environment.

Gestalt Psychology

Views experiences as unified wholes.

Humanistic Approach

Emphasizes individual potential and free will.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Applies psychology to increase workplace productivity.

Introspection

Self-examination of emotional states and thoughts.

John Watson

Father of behaviorism, emphasizes observable behaviors.

Little Albert Experiment

Study conditioning fear responses in a child.

Personality Psychology

Studies individual differences due to psychological forces.

Positive Psychology

Focuses on positive emotions and character traits.

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Approach

Emphasizes unconscious processes and childhood experiences.

Psychometric Psychology

Focuses on psychological measurement techniques.

Self-Actualization

Realizing one's potential and capabilities.

Sigmund Freud

Founder of psychoanalysis, focused on unconscious mind.

Social Psychology

Studies how social interactions influence behavior.

Sociocultural Approach

Examines social and cultural influences on behavior.

Structuralism

Early psychology school using introspection to study the mind.

Wilhelm Wundt

Founder of modern psychology, established first psychological research lab.

William James

Father of American psychology, laid groundwork for modern theories.

Applied Research

Scientific study solving practical problems.

Basic Research

Expands knowledge and understanding fundamental concepts.

Cause and Effect

Relationship where one event is the result of another.

Confounding Variables

Factors other than the independent variable affecting results.

Control Variables

Kept constant to prevent interference in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

Changes based on the independent variable in an experiment.

Double-Blind Procedure

Experimental method to eliminate bias.

Experimenter Bias

Researcher's expectations skewing experiment results.

Hawthorne Effect

Altering behavior due to awareness of being observed.

Hindsight Bias

Belief that an outcome could have been predicted after knowing it.

Hypothesis

Testable statement about variables' relationship.

Independent Variable

Factor manipulated in an experiment to observe effects.

Operational Definitions

Describes how to measure a variable in research.

Overconfidence

Tendency to overestimate abilities and knowledge.

Random Assignment

Ensures equal participant group placement in an experiment.

Random Sample

Subset randomly selected from a larger population.

Sampling Bias

Occurs when some population members have lower sampling probability.

Scientific Method

Systematic procedure for conducting experiments.

Theory

Well-substantiated explanation acquired through scientific method

Case Studies

Detailed investigations into individuals or small groups

Correlation

Statistical relationship between two variables

Correlational Research Method

Analyzing how two variables relate to each other

Descriptive Research Method

Observing and describing behavior without manipulating variables

External Validity

Generalizability of study results to other situations

Internal Validity

Quality of experiment in avoiding confounding variables

Naturalistic Observations

Observing behavior in natural settings without intervention

Research Question

Clear, focused question guiding research study

Surveys

Research method involving questioning a large number of people

Validity

Extent to which a test measures what it's supposed to

Bimodal Distribution

Data distribution with two most frequent values

Correlation Coefficient

Measures strength and direction of relationship between variables

Descriptive Statistics

Numerical data describing characteristics of groups

Frequency Distribution

Occurrences within ranges or intervals for a set of data

Inferential Statistics

Procedures inferring observations from samples to populations

Mean

Sum of values divided by total number

Measures of Central Tendency

Indicators identifying the center of a data set

Measures of Variation

Describe spread or scatter of values in a data set

Median

Middle value in a dataset when arranged

Mode

Most frequently occurring score in a data set

Multimodal Distribution

Distribution with more than one peak

Negative Correlation

Relationship where one variable increases as the other decreases

Negatively Skewed Distribution

Distribution with more data values on the right side

No Correlation

Absence of relationship between two variables

Normal Distribution

Bell curve distribution with data clustered around the mean

Outliers

Values significantly different from other data points

Positive Correlation

Relationship where both variables increase or decrease together

Positively Skewed Distribution

Distribution with more values on the right side

Range

Difference between highest and lowest scores in a data set

Standard Deviation

Measure of variation in a set of values

Statistical Significance

Whether observed differences are real or due to chance

Summarizing Data

Simplifying information into smaller parts using measures

American Psychological Association (APA)

Professional organization setting ethical guidelines for psychology

Anonymity

Ensuring participant information is not linked to identity

Attachment Bonds

Enduring emotional connection between individuals

Coercion

Forcing someone into something against their will

Contact Comfort

Emotional and physical comfort from physical contact

Deception

Misleading participants about study purpose

Deception Debriefing

Explaining deceptive elements after study completion

Ethical Guidelines

Rules governing conduct and ethical decision making

Harry Harlow's Monkey Experiment

Experiments demonstrating importance of caregiving

Informed Consent

Participants informed enough to choose participation

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Regulating entity for institutions using laboratory animals

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Body protecting rights of human research subjects

Milgram Experiment

Experiments measuring obedience to authority

Protection from Harm or Discomfort

Ensuring participants are not subjected to harm

Secure Base

Caregiver providing safe environment for exploration