AP Psych Vocab Test 1

Psychology

The scientific study of human behavior and mental processes

Functionalism

A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and physical behavioral processes function; how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish

Humanistic psychology

Historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and individuals potential for fostering growth

Nature-nurture issue

The longstanding controversy over the relative contribution that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors from the interaction of nature (inherited traits) and nurture (environmental conditions).

Natural selection

The principle that, among the range of inherited variation, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

Levels of analysis

The differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social cultural, for analyzing a given phenomenon.

Psychiatry

A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy.

Biopsychosocial approach

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

Basic research

Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.

Applied research

Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.

Counseling psychology

A branch of psychology that assists people with problems (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being).

Clinical psychology

A branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders.

Topic 2

Research Methods

Hindsight bias

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon).

Critical thinking

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and asses conclusions.

Theory

An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory.

Operational definition

A statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures.

Replication

Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.

Case study

An observational technique in which one person is studied in depth in hope of revealing universal principles.

Survey

A technique for asserting the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.

False consensus effect

A cognitive bias where a person overestimates how much other people share their beliefs, values, habits, and choices.

Population

All the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn. (Note

Random sample

A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.

Naturalistic observation

Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

Correlation study

A non-experimental research method that measures two or more naturally occurring variables to determine the strength and direction of their relationship.

Scatterplot

A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little scatter indicates high correlation).

Illusionary correlation

The perception of a relationship where none exists

Experiment

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors.

Double-blind procedure

An experiment procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the researcher participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug evaluation.

Placebo effect

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.

Experimental condition

The part of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment or to one specific version of the independent variable.

Control condition

The experimental setup where participants do not receive the active treatments or independent variable manipulation.

Random assignment

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to different groups

Independent variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

Dependent variable

The outcome factor; the variable may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable; what’s being measured

Mode

A measure of central tendency defined as the most frequently occurring score or value in a data set.

Mean

A measure of central tendency; the arithmetic average of a data set

Median

A measure of central tendency defined as the middle score in a distribution

Range

A measure of variation; the numerical difference between the highest and lowest scores in a data set.

Standard deviation

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Statistical significance

A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance.

Culture

The shared behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, traditions, and habits that a group of people share and pass down from one generation to the next.

Normal distribution

A symmetrical, bell-shaped graph showing how data is spread out.

Bimodal distribution

A frequency distribution or graph that shows two distinct preamps or high points instead of one.

Conformation bias

A tendency to search for information that supports preconceptions

Overconfidence

The tendency to be more confident than correct-to-overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgements.

Percentile rank

The percentage of scores in a distribution that fall at or below a specific score.

Regression toward the mean

The statistical tendency for extreme scores or behaviors to fall back toward the average (the mean) when measured a second time.

Convenience sampling

A non-random research method where a researcher selects participants because they are easy to reach and ready to take part rather than using random selection.

Effect sizes

A statistical measure that shows the strength or magnitude of the difference between groups, or the degree of association between variables.

Peer review

A quality-control process where other experts in the field evaluate a research paper before its published.

Third variable problem

Occurs when an unmeasured outside factor dives changes in two correlated variables creating. False impression that one variable causes the other; proves why correlation does not equal causation.

Confounding variables

Any factor other than the independent variable that might affect the outcome (dependent variable) of an experiment.

Meta-analysis

A procedure for statistically combining the results of many different studies.

Empiricism

The view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation.

Structuralism

Uses that method of introspection to break down conscious experience into basic elements like sensations, feeling and images.

Gestalt Psychology

Emphasizes the organized whole; emphasizes our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes.

Psychoanalysis

Signmond Freud’s therapeutic technique; believed patients free associations, resistances, dreams and transferences, and the therapist interpretation of them released previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self insight.

Behaviorism

The perspective that psychology should be an objective science, focusing entirely on observable behavior without referencing unobservable, internal mental processes, like thoughts, feelings, or motives.

Neuroscience perspective

The scientific study of the link between biological processes, such as genetics, the nervous system, brain structures, and hormones and psychological behavior and mental processes.

Evolutionary perspective

Views human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as inherited adaptation shaped by natural selection to help our ancestors survive and reproduce

Behavior genetics perspective

The study of how individual differences and behavior, personality and mental traits result from a combination of genetic inheritance and environmental influences.

Psychodynamic perspective

explains human behavior, emotion, and personality by focusing on unconscious drives, inner conflicts and early childhood experiences

Cognitive perspective

Studies internal mental processes, like thinking, memory, perception, and problem-solving to understand how people act and feel.

Humanistic perspective

Focuses on individual potential free will and personal growth rather than on unconscious drives or conditioned behaviors.

Social-Cultural perspective

an approach that looks at how social interactions, cultural beliefs, and societal, norms shape, human behavior, thoughts, and development