AP Psych Unit 0

psychodynamic perspective

unconscious causes behavior, affected by early childhood

Behavioral

how we learn observable responses (ex. Pavlov and his dog)

Humanistic

emphasis on the goodness inside of a person, the belief that a person can be the best version of themselves

Cognitive

Thoughts (literal and problem solving), memory (what makes them)

Biological

Changing chemistry in the brain to produce a response

Evolutionary

how the natural selection of traits has promoted the survival of genes

Sociocultural

How does a group affect an individual or how does the individual affect the group

Biopsychosocial

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Psychology

Study of mental processes and behavior (scientific study of your thoughts and what you do)

Confirmation Bias

Looking for information based on something we already believe

Hindsight Bias

"I knew it all along"

Overconfidence

To overestimate our ability

Empirical Evidence

Evidence gained through observation, experimentation, and measurement

The Scientific Method

Observation/Question, Hypothesis, Design Experiment, Collect Data, Conclude, Communicate Results

Hypothesis

Experimental conclusion made before conducting the experiment

Falsifiable

A statement that can be proved wrong

Peer Review

Research is reviewed by professionals

Replication

Repeating a study that was previously created/conducted by someone to determine if it's findings can be consistently observed

Reliability

Consistency in repeated results

Validity

To test measure something that was intended to be measured

The American Psychological Association (APA)

A professional organization that works to develop the study of psychology and make guidelines for expirements

Research Design

Overall plan of what you want to study, find out, and how well you gather info

Methodology

Tools/methods used to collect data

Quantitative Data

Number based information taken from tests, surveys, and expirements

Qualitative Data

Interviews and observations that focus on experience and behaviors

Likert Scales

A scale used to represent people's attitudes or feelings

Structured Interviews

Predetermined questions asked in the same order

Survey Technique

Collects data through self report

Wording Effect

Change phrasing or wording for a different response

Social Desirability Bias

Rather than being honest, to respond in a way that would please others or fit into social norms

Naturalistic Observation

To record behavior in a real work setting without intervention or manipulation (no conclusions, just exploration)

Case Study

An in depth explanation that focuses on specific cases

Correlational Research

To study the relationship between different variables, no manipulation does not = causation

Third Variable Problem

unmeasured variables that can influence the relationship between two variables

Experimental Method

Cause and effect relationship, active manipulation

Independent Variable

manipulated variable

Dependent Variable

What's being investigated or measured, the result

Confounding Variable

Variables that weren't accounted for and have an effect on the study

Operational Definition

How researcher measures and manipulates, precise measurements

Experimental Group

Group that receives the treatment

Control Group

Group that is left alone, untreated

Random Assignment

Groups are assigned randomly to control variables brought by participants

Placebo Effect

Individuals who experience improvement because they believe they have been treated by a beneficial treatment

Experimental Bias

Researcher has expectations for the outcome

Single Blind Study

The subject does not know which group they're in

Double Blind Study

The subjects and experimenter don't know what group individuals are in

Placebo Condition

Participants receive no active treatment but may experience an improvement due to psychological factors/expectations

Sample

Inferences about the population

Representative Sample

A sample that reflects the characteristics of the population from which it is drawn

Sample Bias

Participants are picked on purpose

Generalizability

research findings from the sample can be applied to the larger population

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

Committees that review/approve research proposals that meet ethical standards, they also protect rights and welfare

Protect Participants from Harm

obligation to minimize risks and ensure well being

Informed Consent

Voluntarily go through with study after being told about experiment

Informed Assent

specifically applies to research involving children or individuals who may have limited decision-making capacity, such as those with cognitive impairments or developmental disabilities

Confidentiality

Protect Personal Information

Deception

Mislead participants about the true purpose of the study, must explain the deception during the debrief

Confederates

People who help with the lie

Debriefing

Tell the full truth about the study to participants involved