Unit 1 | AP Psychology Exam Definitions

Margaret Floy Washburn

First woman to receive psychology Ph. D

John B

Championed psychology as the science of behavior, demonstrated conditioned responses on "Little Albert," and dismissed introspection

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany

Mary Whiton Calkins

Student of William James, focused on self-psychology, and was the first female president of the American Psychological Association

Charles Darwin

Proposed evolution and the role of natural selection in shaping behaviors and bodies

Dorothea Dix

Advocated for humane treatment of psychological disorders

Sigmund Freud

Known for psychoanalysis, structuralism, and functionalism

Stanley Hall

Founded the first U.S. psychological lab, studied childhood development and evolution

William James

Functionalism proponent, emphasized the flow of consciousness, and considered the father of American psychology

Ivan Pavlov

Conducted pioneering studies on learning and conditioning

Jean Piaget

Swiss biologist known for observing children

Carl Rogers

Emphasized how the current environment limits individuals, associated with humanism

B.F Skinner

Redefined psychology as the study of observable behavior, dismissed introspection

Structuralism

Focuses on the mind's structures and uses introspection

Introspection

Examining one's conscious thoughts and experiences

Functionalism

Seeks to understand how mental and behavioral processes operate

Behaviorism

Views psychology as the study of behavior without considering mental processes

Gestalt

Emphasizes the importance of looking at the whole rather than individual parts

Psychoanalytic

Focuses on uncovering unconscious conflicts as the root of psychological issues

Humanistic

Focuses on self-determination and self-realization through self-reported experiences

Evolutionary Approach

Examines traits and adaptations from natural selection

Biological Approach

Studies the physical basis of behavior in animals and humans

Cognitive Approach

Emphasizes the role of the brain in behavior and cognition

Biopsychosocial Approaches

Incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural perspectives in psychology

Sociocultural

Considers how social groups influence individuals' development

Biological Domain

Explores how biology influences behavior and cognition

Clinical Domain

Focuses on diagnosing and treating psychological disorders

Cognitive Domain

Studies perception, thinking, intelligence, and memory

Counseling Domain

Uses psychological principles to improve mental health and well-being

Developmental Domain

Studies development across the lifespan

Educational Domain

Focuses on learning and knowledge retention in educational settings

Experimental Domain

Tests theories of human thoughts, feelings, and actions

Industrial-organizational Domain

Studies human behavior in the workplace

Personality-Domain

Focuses on individual traits and patterns of behavior

Psychometric Domain

Measures and predicts psychological traits and behaviors

Social Domain

Examines social reasoning and behavior from a developmental perspective

Positive domain

Focuses on character strengths and behaviors for a meaningful life

Correlational Studies

Assess relationships among variables

Survey

Involves a list of questions to assess attitudes or opinions

Naturalistic Observations

Documents behavior in real-world settings

Case Studies

In-depth examination of a single subject or small group

Longitudinal Studies

Examines development over a long period

Cross-sectional Studies

Compares groups of different ages for developmental conclusions

Random Assignment

Participants equally placed into groups in an experiment

Random Sample

Every member of a population has an equal chance of selection