Unit 1 - Theoretical Approaches and Research Methods

Vocabulary flashcards covering theoretical perspectives in psychology and various research methodologies from the lecture notes.

Biological Approach

Assumes that people's thoughts, feelings, and behavior all derive from genetics as well as the chemical and electrical impulses that wire the brain to the nervous system.

Behaviorism

Treats people on the basis that their behavior is learned by interacting with the world and that the influence of the subconscious is irrelevant.

Cognitive Approach

Considers the mind to be like a complex computer, analyzing the way people process information and how that dictates their behavior and emotions.

Socio-Cultural Approach

Stresses the interaction between developing people and the culture in which they live.

Humanistic Approach

Focuses on how a person perceives their own behavior and interprets events.

Psychoanalytic or Psychodynamic

Proposed that personality and behavior are the outcome of continual conflicts in the mind (Conscious, Preconscious, Unconscious).

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired: a response which is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.

Operant Conditioning

A type of associative learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Health Psychology

Is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness.

Evolutionary Psychology

Proposed that all human behaviors reflect the influence of physical and psychological predispositions that helped human ancestors survive and reproduce.

Correlational Research

Non-experimental research method which studies the relationship between two variables with the help of statistical analysis.

Case Study

Process or record of research in which detailed consideration is given to the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment.

Experimental Method

Involves manipulating one variable to determine if changes in one variable cause changes in another variable.

Independent Variable

The characteristic of a psychology experiment that is manipulated or changed by researchers and not by other variables in the experiment.

Qualitative Research

The process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting non-numerical data, such as language… can be used to understand how an individual subjectively perceives and gives meaning to their social reality.

Quantitative Research

Systematic investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques.

Naturalistic Observation

Involves observing subjects in their natural environment.

Reliability

Means that a test is consistent and dependable.

Validity

A measure of how well a test measures what it claims to measure.

Hypothesis

A precise, testable statement of what the researchers predict will be the outcome of the study.

Correlation

A statistical measurement of the relationship between two variables.

Control Group

Composed of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment.

Experimental Group

Refers to the groups of participants who are exposed to the independent variable.

Placebo Effect

When an improvement of symptoms is observed, despite using a non active treatment.

Confounding Variable

An extraneous variable in an experimental design that correlates with both the independent and dependent variables.