Psychology Perspectives and Research Methods

Flashcards covering key concepts of psychology perspectives and research methods.

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on how external environmental stimuli influence observable behavior, emphasizing conditioning.

Cognitive Perspective

Studies internal processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving that underline human thought.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Explores the influence of the unconscious mind, particularly desires and childhood experiences, as outlined by Freud.

Humanistic Perspective

Emphasizes individual potential and personal growth, suggesting humans are inherently good.

Biological Perspective

Explains behavior through brain structure, chemicals, and genetic makeup.

Evolutionary Perspective

Focuses on natural selection of traits that enhance individual survival and reproductive success.

Sociocultural Perspective

Analyzes how behavior is influenced by social environments and cultural norms.

Cognitive Bias

Mental shortcuts that influence our thoughts and decisions, leading to inaccuracies.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to focus on information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring contradicting evidence.

Hindsight Bias

The inclination to see events as having been predictable after they have already happened.

Hypothesis

A testable statement that can be proven false, often forming the basis of an experimental study.

Operational Definition

A precise description of how a variable is manipulated or measured in a study.

Confounding Variables

External factors that can mislead a study's findings, which researchers aim to control.

Qualitative Data

Non-numerical information collected through observations.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data that can be statistically analyzed to measure behaviors or psychological conditions.

Peer Review

The process by which experts evaluate a study's methodology and findings before publication.

Experimental Group

A group in an experiment that receives the treatment or condition being tested.

Control Group

The benchmark group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, used to compare effects.

Single-Blind Study

An experimental design where participants are unaware of their group assignment (experimental or control).

Double-Blind Study

An experimental design where neither participants nor experimenters know who is receiving the treatment.

Case Study

In-depth examination of a single subject or group that offers detailed insights, though may be biased.

Correlational Study

Investigates the relationship between two or more variables without experimental manipulation.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical technique that combines results from multiple studies to identify common findings.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing subjects in their natural environment without manipulation to gather genuine behavior insights.

Self-Report Bias

Bias that occurs when individuals' reports are skewed by exaggeration or poor self-assessment.

Informed Consent

An ethical guideline in research that requires participants to be fully aware of study and agree to it.

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency of participants to respond in a manner they believe will be viewed favorably by others.

Measures of Central Tendency

Statistical measures that identify a single value as representative of a dataset, typically mean, median, or mode.

Regression Towards the Mean

The phenomenon where extreme measurements tend to be closer to the average in subsequent tests.

Inferential Statistics

Statistical methods used to make generalizations or predictions about a larger population based on sample data.

Correlation Coefficient

A numerical value between -1 and 1 that quantifies the strength and direction of the relationship between variables.