AP Psychology Comprehensive Exam Review Flashcards

This pack consists of 750 flashcards based on the AP Psychology Review Transcript, which is structured in the formal vocabulary style.

Evolutionary Perspective

Mental processes exist because they serve an evolutionary purpose; they aid in survival and reproduction.

Biological Perspective

The influence of genetics and brain chemistry involving physical and biological processes.

Sociocultural Perspective

Focuses on society and culture in terms of our behavior and shaping cognition.

Behavioral Perspective

Focus on observable behaviors; people and animals are controlled by environment and consequences.

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on human capacity for choice and growth; motivation to fulfill potential.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Eclectic or combining approach linking genetics and environment.

Psychology

The science of behavior and mental processes.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation; 'Seeing is believing'.

Scientific Method

Systematic procedure of gathering data and testing hypotheses; 'Step-by-step discovery'.

Confirmation Bias

Favoring information that confirms your beliefs; 'Seeing what you believe'.

Hindsight Bias

Believing events were predictable after they happened; 'I knew it all along'.

Overconfidence

Overestimating the accuracy of knowledge and judgments; 'Too sure to be sure'.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often derived from a theory; 'Educated guess'.

Falsifiable

Capable of being proven wrong; 'Can be challenged'.

Peer Review

Evaluation of work by others in the same field; 'Colleague check-up'.

Replication

Repeating a study to test its findings; 'Do it again'.

Reliability

Consistency of measurement; 'Consistently consistent'.

Validity

Accuracy of a test in measuring what it is supposed to measure; 'Accurately accurate'.

American Psychological Association (APA)

Leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the US; 'Psychology's rule-maker'.

Quantitative Data

Data that can be quantified and verified, susceptible to statistical manipulation; 'Numbers tell the tale'.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data which can be observed but not measured; 'Stories, not statistics'.

Likert Scales

Scale used to represent people's attitudes to a topic; 'Agree to disagree'.

Structured Interviews

Interviews following a set sequence of questions; 'Scripted Q&A'.

Survey Technique

Research method involving asking questions to gather data; 'Ask to know'.

Wording Effect

Changes in responses caused by word choices in questions; 'Words sway'.

Social Desirability Bias

A tendency to give socially approved answers; 'Looking good'.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing subjects in their natural environment; 'Real-world watching'.

Case Study

Study of a single subject or group in detail; 'Focus on one'.

Correlational Research

Research determining the relationship between variables; 'Correlation - relationship'.

Third Variable Problem

A confounding variable that influences both variables of interest; 'Hidden influencer'.

Correlation Coefficient

Numerical measure of the type and degree of the relationship between two variables; 'Relationship strength meter'.

Positive Correlation

When variables increase or decrease together; 'Together upward'.

Negative Correlation

One variable increases as the other decreases; 'Opposite directions'.

Experimental Method

Method involving manipulation and controlled testing of variables; 'Controlled experiment'.

Independent Variable

Variable that is manipulated in an experiment; 'Cause'.

Dependent Variable

Variable that is measured to see the effect of the independent variable; 'Effect'.

Confounding Variable

Variable that might influence the experiment's outcome unexpectedly; 'Unseen influencer'.

Operational Definitions

Clear, precise descriptions of variables; 'Define to measure'.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested; 'Test group'.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the variable being tested; 'Comparison group'.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance; 'Fair placement'.

Placebo Effect

Improvement resulting from the mere expectation of improvement; 'Mind over matter'.

Experimenter Bias

When researchers' expectations influence the outcome of a study; 'Researcher's sway'.

Measure of Central Tendency

A number that describes the center of a data set (mean, median, mode); 'Data center'.

Mean

Average of a data set; 'Average'.

Median

Middle value in a data set; 'Middle value'.

Mode

Most frequently occurring value in a data set; 'Most common'.

Range

Difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set; 'Spread'.

Normal Curve

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; 'Bell curve'.

Regression to the Mean

Tendency for extreme scores to fall back toward the average; 'Average pullback'.

Positive Skew

When a distribution includes more low scores; 'Tail on the right'.

Negative Skew

When a distribution includes more high scores; 'Tail on the left'.

Standard Deviation

A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values; 'Spread measure'.

Percentile Rank

The percentage of scores in its frequency distribution that are equal to or lower than it; 'Score standing'.

Single-Blind Study

Where participants do not know which group they are in; 'Participants in the dark'.

Double-Blind Study

Neither participants nor researchers know who is in the experimental or control group; 'Everyone's in the dark'.

Sample

A portion of the population chosen for a study; 'Mini population'.

Representative Sample

A sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole; 'True reflection'.

Random Sample

A sample representing a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion; 'Chance selection'.

Sample Bias

Errors that occur in the sample selection leading to non-representative samples; 'Skewed sample'.

Generalizability

The extent to which findings can be applied to the larger population; 'Broadly applicable'.

Statistics

Branch of mathematics dealing with data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation; 'Data crunching'.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize data from a sample; 'Summary stats'.

Inferential Statistics

Statistics that infer the properties of a population; 'Beyond the data'.

Bimodal Distribution

A distribution with two different modes which may appear as distinct peaks; 'Two peaks'.

Statistical Significance

The likelihood that a result or relationship is caused by something other than mere chance; 'Beyond chance'.

Effect Sizes

A quantitative measure of the magnitude of the experimental effect; 'Impact size'.

Meta Analysis

A procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies; 'Study of studies'.

Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

Groups that review research to ensure that ethical standards are met; 'Ethics watchdogs'.

Informed Consent

Agreement to participate in psychology research after being informed of risks and benefits; 'Agree with knowledge'.

Informed Assent

Agreement by a minor or adult not able to give legal consent to participate in research; 'Agree with assistance'.

Confidentiality

Keeping private information confidential; 'Secrecy promised'.

Deception

Misleading participants about the true purpose of a study; 'Necessary illusion'.

Debriefing

Explaining the purposes and methods of a completed procedure to a participant; 'Study reveal'.

Evolutionary Perspective (Biology)

Focuses on how natural selection has shaped behaviors; 'Survival strategy'.

Natural Selection

Process where traits enhancing survival are passed on more frequently; 'Survival of the fittest'.

Nature

Influence of genetics on behavior; 'Inherited traits'.

Nurture

Influence of environment on behavior; 'Learned behaviors'.

Twin Studies

Research assessing genetic and environmental influences using twins; 'Comparing twins'.

Heredity

Passing traits from parents to offspring; 'Genetic inheritance'.

Genetic Predisposition

Increased likelihood of developing a particular disease based on genetics; 'Inherited risk'.

Eugenics

Science of improving a population by controlled breeding; 'Selective breeding'.

Cerebral Cortex

The brain's outer layer responsible for thinking and processing information; 'Thought control'.

Association Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate simpler functions into more complex ones; 'Complex processing'.

Lobes of the Brain

Different regions responsible for specific functions; 'Brain's departments'.

Frontal Lobes

Involved in speaking, muscle movements, and making plans; 'Control panel'.

Prefrontal Cortex

Part of the frontal lobes involved in decision making and cognitive behavior; 'Decision maker'.

Executive Functioning

Higher order processes including planning, organizing, inhibition, and decision-making; 'Brain's CEO'.

Motor Cortex

Area at the rear of the frontal lobes responsible for voluntary movements; 'Movement manager'.

Parietal Lobes

Located in the upper back area of the skull, responsible for processing sensory information; 'Sensation central'.

Somatosensory Cortex

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers touch and movement sensations; 'Touch processor'.

Occipital Lobes

The back part of the brain involved in visual processing; 'Vision center'.

Temporal Lobes

Lower cerebral cortex playing roles in hearing, understanding language, and memory; 'Sound and memory'.

Corpus Callosum

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres; 'Brain bridge'.

Brainstem

The oldest part of the brain responsible for automatic survival functions; 'Survival core'.

Medulla

The base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing; 'Life control'.

Reticular Activating System

Network of neurons in the brainstem essential for arousal and attention; 'Alert system'.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain that coordinates movement and balance; 'Movement coordinator'.

Limbic System

Brain region involved in emotions and drives; 'Emotion center'.

Reward Center

Area of the brain linked to the experience of pleasure, critical in motivation/addiction; 'Pleasure zone'.