Perspectives and Fundamentals of Research in Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes detailing psychological perspectives and research fundamentals.

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes and behavior.

Mental Processes

Internal processes happening inside our heads that cannot be seen from the outside, often referred to as the 'thinking' parts of the brain.

Behavior

Observable actions and responses—what people do and how they act on the outside.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological perspective that explores how unconscious drives, conflicts, and childhood experiences shape behavior (associated with the thumb in hand mnemonics).

Behaviorism

A psychological perspective that focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interaction with the environment (associated with the middle finger in hand mnemonics).

Humanistic Perspective

A psychological perspective that emphasizes personal growth, free will, and the concept of self-actualization (associated with the ring finger in hand mnemonics).

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological perspective that examines internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving (associated with the index finger in hand mnemonics).

Biological Perspective

A psychological perspective that studies the physiological bases of behavior in humans and animals (associated with the pinky finger in hand mnemonics).

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective that considers how behavior and mental processes serve as adaptations for survival and reproduction (associated with the wrist bone in hand mnemonics).

Sociocultural Perspective

A psychological perspective that analyzes how culture, social norms, and social environments influence behavior (associated with an open palm in hand mnemonics).

Biopsychosocial Perspective

A comprehensive approach that combines biological, psychological, and social factors to understand human behavior (associated with multiple fingers in hand mnemonics).

Cognitive Biases

Systematic errors or distortions in thinking that lead to incorrect conclusions.

Confirmation Bias

A cognitive bias where people tend to look for, interpret, or remember information in a way that confirms what they already believe.

Hindsight Bias

A cognitive bias where people believe that they knew something was going to happen after it has already occurred, even if they did not predict it beforehand.

Overconfidence

A cognitive bias occurring when people have too much faith in their own judgments or abilities, thinking they know more than they actually do.

Empirical Evidence

Information obtained through observation, experimentation, or measurement that provides objective data to help prevent cognitive bias.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach used in psychology involving making observations, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments or studies, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results.

Hypothesis

A specific, testable prediction or educated guess about the relationship between variables or the outcome of a research study.

Falsifiable Hypothesis

A statement formulated in a way that allows for the possibility of evidence to contradict or refute it through observation or experimentation.

Peer Review

A process where research articles and studies are evaluated by experts in the field for quality, validity, and significance before publication in academic journals.

Replication

The process of repeating or reproducing a research study with new participants under similar conditions to determine if findings can be consistently observed.

Reliability

The degree to which a measure or test produces consistent results when administered repeatedly under similar conditions.

Validity

The extent to which a research study or measurement tool accurately measures what it intends to measure.

American Psychological Association (APA)

Founded in 1892, a leading professional organization dedicated to advancing psychology, which has grown to become the largest association of psychologists worldwide with over 121,000 members.