bad

Critical Thinking – thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions; It examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions; tests ideas

Scientific attitude – curiosity + skepticism + humility

Third variable problem – correlation does not equal causation

Directionality problem – correlational research cannot determine which variable is the cause, and which one is the effect

Representative samples – larger & generalize the population better

Self report bias – bias when people report their behavior inaccurately.

Hindsight Bias – the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I

knew

Overconfidence – results partly from our bias to seek information that confirms them; to be overly keen on a belief that is most likely false

Cognitive bias – confidence, hindsight bias, & eagerness to perceive patterns in random events

Nature nurture issue – longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes & experience make to te development of psychological traits & behaviors; science sees traits & behaviors are from interaction of nature & nurture

Natural selection – the principle that, among range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction & 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 any given phenomenon

Biopsychosocial approach – an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological & social

cultural levels of analysis in understanding behavior and mental processes

humanistic approach – how people meet their needs of love, acceptance, & achieve self

fulfillment

Behavioral psychology – the scientific study of observable behavior, & its explanation by principles of learning

Biological psychology – the scientific study of the lis between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) & psychological processes (emotion, sensation, individual differences, how genes combine w/ environment)

Cognitive psychology – the scientific study of all the mental activities associated w/ thinking, encoding, process, retrieving, knowing, remembering, & communicating info

Evolutionary psychology – the study of the evolution of behavior & the mind, using principle of natural selection, & how it promotes the survival of genes

psychodynamic psychology – a branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives & conflicts influence behavior, uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders

Social

cultural psychology – the study of how situations & cultures affect our behavior & thinking

Psychometrics – study of how the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, & traits affect our behavior & thinking

Psychologists experiment w/, test, & treat behavior

Basic research – pure science that aims to inc. the scientific knowledge base

Developmental psychology – a branch of psychology that studies physical cognitive, & social change throughout the life span

Educational psychology – study of how psychological processes affect & can enhance teaching & learning

Personality psychology – study of individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, & acting

Social psychology – scientific study of how we think about, influence, & relate to one another

applied research – scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.

industrial

organizational (l/O) psychology – the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces.

human factors psychology – an I/O psychology subfield that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use.

counseling psychology – a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (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.

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.

positive psychology – the scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive.

community psychology – a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups.

Testing effect (retrieval practice / test

enhanced learning) – enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, info

Major levels of analysis – biological, psychological, & sociocultural

Scientific method – self correcting process for evaluating ideas w/ observation & analysis; tests theories & reject them/rework

Peer reviewers

scientific experts who evaluate a research article’s theory, originality, and accuracy

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

Falsifiability – the possibility that an idea, hypothesis, or theory can be disproven by observation or experiment.

Operational definitions – a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures. (Also known as operationalization.); What they do and exactly how its measured; Variables must be defined with operational definitions for replication as well.

Replicate – repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced.

Sampling bias – a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample.

Case study – a non

experimental technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

Naturalistic observations – a non

experimental technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

Survey – a non

experimental technique for obtaining the self

Convenience sampling – sample that is readily available but not always representative

Random sampling – a sample that fairly represents a population because each member of a population has an equal chance of inclusion (surveys, interviews, experiments, etc.)