AP Psych Unit 0

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the notes on biopsychosocial influences, research methods, statistics, and research ethics.

Biopsychosocial approach

An integrated view that combines biological, psychological, and social-cultural factors to explain behavior or mental processes.

Natural selection of adaptive traits

Evolutionary process where traits that improve survival or reproduction become more common.

Genetic predispositions responding to environment

Inherited tendencies that are activated or expressed by environmental conditions.

Brain mechanisms

Neural processes that underlie behavior and mental processes.

Hormonal influences

Hormones affecting behavior, mood, and cognition.

Psychological influences

Factors related to learning, emotion, and cognition that shape behavior.

Learned fears and expectations

Fears and expectations acquired through conditioning and experience.

Emotional responses

Affective reactions to stimuli or events.

Cognitive processing

Mental activities such as thinking, memory, attention, and problem-solving.

Perceptual interpretations

How sensory information is interpreted to form perception.

Social-cultural influences

Social and cultural contexts that shape behavior, including norms and group dynamics.

Presence of others

The impact of others being present on behavior (e.g., social facilitation, conformity).

Cultural, societal, and family expectations

Norms and roles dictated by culture, society, and family.

Peer and other group influences

Influence from peers and social groups on behavior.

Compelling models (such as in the media)

Media portrayals that influence attitudes and behaviors.

Descriptive research method

A method to observe and record behavior, often via case studies, naturalistic observation, or surveys.

Case study

An in-depth examination of a single phenomenon or situation to gather detailed information.

Naturalistic observation

Observing behavior in a natural setting without intervention.

Survey

A data-collection method using questionnaires or interviews to describe attributes of a group.

Correlational method

A research approach that detects naturally occurring relationships between variables without manipulation.

Experimental method

A research approach to determine cause and effect by manipulating variables and using random assignment.

Independent variable

The variable that the researcher deliberately manipulates.

Random assignment

Assigning participants to groups by chance to reduce bias.

Probability density

A function describing the relative likelihood of a continuous random variable taking a value.

Standard normal distribution

A normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.

Mean

The arithmetic average of a set of numbers.

Median

The middle value in an ordered data set.

Mode

The most frequently occurring value in a data set.

Informed consent

Participants must be allowed to make an informed decision about participation.

Deception

Deception must be justified and approved; participants should be informed about deception during debriefing.

Debriefing

After participation, researchers explain the true nature of the study and results.

Right to withdraw

Participants may withdraw from a study at any time without penalty.

Confidentiality

Researchers must keep participants' data confidential and secure.

Risk disclosure

Participants must be protected from risks or told explicitly of potential risks.

Ethical balance in research

Rights and well-being of participants must be weighed against the study's value to science.