key terms revision psych 1B

A psychologist wants to quickly recruit participants and approaches students as they leave a lecture. Which sampling method is the researcher most likely using?

Opportunity sampling

Why might the sampling method used in this study limit how widely the findings can be applied?

it introduces sampling bias

A research team uploads their dataset, analysis scripts, and experimental materials to a public repository. Which combination of practices does this reflect?

Open data, open code, open stimuli

A researcher uses an existing dataset collected by another team to test a new hypothesis about stress. What type of research approach is this?

secondary analysis

A developmental psychologist studies the same group of participants from age 10 to 20. What type of design is being used?

longitudinal design

In a repeated testing study, participants show improved scores simply because they have taken the test before. What is the most likely explanation for this improvement?

practice effects

A researcher compares 20-year-olds today with 20-year-olds from 30 years ago. Why might differences between the groups be difficult to interpret?

cohort effects may influence results

A laboratory experiment tightly controls variables but does not reflect real-life situations. Which statement best describes this study?

It has high internal validity but low ecological validity

A study asks participants to report their mood several times a day using a mobile app. What research method is being used?

experience sampling method

In a clinical trial, participants are randomly assigned to receive either a new drug or a placebo. What type of study design is this?

randomised controlled trial

A new therapy shows strong results in a controlled lab setting but weaker results in everyday clinical practice. Which explanation best accounts for this difference?

the difference reflects efficacy verses effectiveness

A dataset contains several extreme values. Which measure of central tendency is most likely to be affected by these outliers?

mean

A researcher collects the following scores: 2, 3, 3, 4, and 20. Which measure would best represent the typical value of this dataset?

median

When a researcher calculates the standard deviation of a dataset, what information are they obtaining?

the spread of scores around the mean

A distribution of exam scores shows a long tail extending to the right. How should this distribution be described?

positively skewed

A dataset produces a distribution with a very sharp peak and heavy tails. What term best describes this shape?

leptokurtic

A psychologist conducts in-depth interviews to explore how individuals experience grief and interprets the meaning of these experiences. Which approach are they most likely using?

interpretative phenomenological analysis

In qualitative research, why is reflexivity considered important?

it acknowledges how the researcher may influence the research process

A researcher finds a strong relationship between stress levels and illness but cannot determine whether stress causes illness. What is the main limitation of this study?

lack of causal inference

In a long-term study, only the healthiest participants remain by the final stage. How might this affect the findings?

it introduces selective survival bias

A person displays a behaviour that is extremely rare in the population but does not cause distress or impairment. Which definition of abnormality best applies?

statistical infrequency

A person is diagnosed with a mental health condition and begins to behave in ways that match others’ expectations of that diagnosis. What concept best explains this?

self fulfilling prophecy

Why might diagnostic labelling sometimes negatively impact individuals?

it can lead to stigma and altered expectations

A patient reports hearing voices that are not present. How should this symptom be classified?

positive symptom

A person with schizophrenia shows reduced emotional expression and social withdrawal. What type of symptoms are these?

negative symptom

which of the following would most likely be included in diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia?

persistent disruption in thinking or perception

Which explanation suggests that schizophrenia is linked to overactivity of dopamine pathways in the brain?

dopamine hypothesis

A person develops schizophrenia after experiencing significant life stress, but they also have a genetic predisposition. Which model best explains this?

stress vulnerability model

Research comparing adopted individuals with their biological and adoptive families is primarily used to investigate:

genetic influences

periods of elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced need for sleep are characteristic of:

mania

A person consistently interprets neutral events in a negative way and expects the worst outcomes. Which theory best explains this pattern?

Beck’s cognitive model

A patient believes “I am worthless, nothing will improve, and the world is unfair.” What does this pattern represent?

cognitive triad

a questionnaire used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms is most likely:

Beck’s depression inventory

a person repeatedly checks locks due to intrusive fears of danger. how should this behaviour be understood?

compulsion driven by obsession

hair pulling behaviour that occurs automatically without awareness is best described as:

automatic behaviour

A therapist helps a client identify and challenge negative thought patterns. What type of therapy is this?

cognitive therapy

A therapeutic approach that focuses on personal growth and self-acceptance is most consistent with:

humanistic theory

why might group therapy be beneficial for some individuals?

it provides social support and shared experience

A student experiences intrusive thoughts about failing during an exam. Which component of test anxiety does this reflect?

cognitive

A student experiences sweating and increased heart rate before an exam. Which component is this?

affective/physiological

according to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, performance is the best when:

arousal is moderate

a person initially reacts to stress with alarm, then adapts, and eventually becomes exhausted. Which model explains this?

GAS model

a person copes with stress by reinterpreting the situation in a more positive way. What strategy is this?

reframing

viewing stress as arising from the interaction between the individual and their environment reflects:

transactional model

a person intends to exercise regularly bit fails to follow through. What concepts explains this gap?

intention behaviour gap

in the theory of planned behaviour, which factor reflects a person’s belief in their ability to perform a behaviour?

perceived behavioural control

A model that describes behaviour change as progressing through stages (e.g., precontemplation to maintenance) is:

transtheoretical model

A person strongly identifies with their university and views other universities as rivals. Which theory best explains this behaviour?

social identity theory

when individuals categorise themselves as part of a group, this process is known as:

categorisation

the psychological benefits of belonging to social groups for health and wellbeing are referred to as:

the social cure

research showing that people across cultures recognise similar facial expressions supports which idea?

universality of emotion

when individuals modify emotional expression based cultural expectations, this reflects:

display rules

two individuals become friends partly because they live near each other. which factor best explains this?

proximity

people are more likely to be attracted to others who share similar attitudes and values. This reflects:

similarity

the idea that attractive people are assumed to have positive traits is known as:

attractiveness stereotype

a person helps another purely out of concern, without expecting anything in return. what is this behaviour called?

altruism

a person does not help in an emergency because others are present. What phenomenon explains this?

bystander effect

according to the empathy altruism theory, helping behaviour is primarily driven by:

empathy for others

A theory proposes that development occurs in distinct stages rather than gradually. What type of development is this?

discontinuous

in research involving children, what does ‘assent’ refer to?

child’s agreement to participate

a child believes a taller glass contains more liquid than a shorter one, despite equal volume. What does this demonstrate?

lack of conservation

when a child modifies an existing schema to incorporate new information, what process is this?

accommodation

the gap between what a child can do alone and with help is called:

zone of proximal development

in the strange situation, a child explores freely but seeks comfort from the caregiver when distressed. What attachment style is this?

secure

the idea that infants form one primary attachment figure is known as:

monotropy

care from multiple caregivers is referred to as:

alloparenting

a parenting style characterised by high warmth and high control is:

authoritative

a child’s behaviour influencing how a parent responds is an example of:

bidirectional influence

a theory emphasising multiple environmental systems influencing development is:

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory