Unit 1 AP Psych Vocab

Critical thinking

Carefully examining evidence, assumptions, sources, and conclusions instead of automatically believing information.

Behaviorism

a theory in psychology stating that all human and animal behavior is learned through interaction with the surrounding environment, rather than driven by internal thoughts or feelings

Humanistic psychology

The perspective that emphasizes free will, personal growth, and the desire to reach your full potential.

Cognitive psychology

The study of how people think, remember, learn, solve problems, and process information.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Nature–nurture issue

The debate over how much behavior and traits are influenced by genetics versus experiences and environment.

Evolutionary psychology

the study of how human behavior, thoughts, and feelings have been shaped by natural selection to help our ancestors survive and reproduce

Biopsychosocial approach

An approach that explains behavior by considering biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences together.

Behavioral psychology

the study of how our environment and external experiences shape our observable actions rather than internal thoughts or feelings

Biological psychology

The study of how the brain, nervous system, genes, hormones, and other biological processes influence behavior and mental processes.

Psychodynamic psychology

The perspective that emphasizes how unconscious thoughts, feelings, conflicts, and early experiences can influence behavior.

Social-cultural psychology

The study of how other people, groups, society, and culture influence behavior and mental processes.

Hindsight bias

The tendency to believe after an event happens that you would have predicted or expected it all along.

Theory

A well-supported explanation that organizes observations and helps researchers make predictions.

Hypothesis

A specific, testable prediction about how variables will be related.

Operational definition

A precise description of how a researcher will measure or define a variable in a study.

Replication

Repeating a study to determine whether the original results can be reproduced.

Case study

A detailed investigation of one person, group, or situation, often used to gather information that may be difficult to study otherwise.

Naturalistic observation

Observing and recording behavior in a person's or animal's normal environment without interfering.

Survey

A research method that collects information by asking people questions about their attitudes, behaviors, or experiences.

Sampling bias

A problem that occurs when the people selected for a study do not accurately represent the population.

Population

The entire group of people or subjects that a researcher wants to study

Random sample

A sample chosen so that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Correlation

A relationship between two variables in which changes in one variable are associated with changes in the other, but does not prove causation.

Correlation coefficient

A number from -1.00 to +1.00 that shows the strength and direction of a correlation.

Variable

Any factor or characteristic that can change or have different values in a study.

Scatterplot

A graph that uses dots to show the relationship between two variables.

Illusory correlation

The mistaken belief that two variables are related when they actually have little or no relationship

Regression toward the mean

The tendency for unusually high or low results to move closer to the average when measured again.

Experiment

A research method that changes one variable to determine whether it causes a change in another variable.

Experimental group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment or experiences the independent variable.

Control group

The group that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used as a comparison.

Random assignment

Using chance to place participants into experimental and control groups so the groups are more likely to be similar.

Double-blind procedure

A procedure in which neither the participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who received the treatment.

Placebo effect

A change in behavior or health caused by a person's expectations rather than by an actual treatment.

Independent variable

The variable that the researcher changes or controls to test its effect.

Confounding variable

An outside factor that could affect the results and make it difficult to determine what caused the change.

Dependent variable

The variable that researchers measure to see whether it changes because of the independent variable.

Validity

The degree to which a study or test actually measures what it is intended to measure.

Informed consent

Participants agreeing to take part in research after being given important information about the study and its possible risks.

Debriefing

Explaining the true purpose and procedures of a study to participants after their participation, especially if some information was withheld.

Descriptive statistics

Numbers and methods used to organize, summarize, and describe data.

Histogram

A graph that displays how frequently different numerical values or ranges of values occur.

Mode

The most frequently occurring score in a set of data.

Mean

The average of a set of scores, found by adding all scores and dividing by the number of scores.

Median

The middle score in an ordered set of data, with half the scores above it and half below it.

Skewed distribution

A distribution in which scores are not evenly balanced around the center and the tail extends farther on one side.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a data set.

Standard deviation

A measure of how much scores typically differ from the mean, with a larger standard deviation meaning the scores are more spread out.

Normal curve

A symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution in which most scores fall near the mean and fewer scores occur farther from the mean.

Inferential statistics

a method that lets you take information from a small group (a sample) and use it to make smart guesses or conclusions about a much larger group (a population)

Statistical significance

when it is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone according to a chosen probability level.