AP Psych Unit 1

Ethics in Psychological Research

Protects participants' rights, welfare, and dignity.

Nature vs Nurture

Debate on the influence of heredity (nature) vs. environment (nurture) on individuals.

Generalizability of Experimental Results

Results may not apply to all humans due to individual and cultural differences.

Scientific Method in Psychology

Systematic approach to studying human behavior and mental processes, with limitations.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Integrates biological, psychological, and social factors to explain human behavior.

Impact of Nature and Nurture

Both significantly influence development and shape personality and behavior.

Ethical Principle in Experimentation

"Do no harm" emphasizes that ends do not justify the means; consent and welfare are paramount.

Counseling Psychologist

Focuses on helping clients with emotional, social, and physical stressors.

Clinical Psychologist

Diagnoses and treats mental disorders.

Psychiatrist

Medical doctor specializing in mental health, can prescribe medication.

Applied Research

Using research to solve problems.

Naturalistic Observation

Watching subjects in their natural environment.

Hypothesis

Testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Replication

Repeating a study to confirm results.

Independent Variables

Manipulated factors in an experiment.

Dependent Variables

Measured outcomes affected by independent variables.

Extraneous Variables

Uncontrolled variables that may affect results.

Case Study

In-depth analysis of an individual or group.

Cross-Sectional Studies

Observing different subjects at one point in time.

Longitudinal Studies

Observing the same subjects over a long period.

Mean

Average of a data set.

Median

Middle value in a data set.

Mode

Most frequently occurring value.

Standard Deviation

Measure of data variability.

Informed Consent

Participants must be informed about the study.

Confidentiality

Keeping participant information private.

Deception

Misleading participants about the study's purpose.

Placebo Effect

Improvement due to belief in treatment.

Double Blind Study

Neither participants nor researchers know who receives treatment.

Random Assignment

Randomly placing participants into groups.

Correlation

Relationship strength and direction between variables.

p value

Probability that results are due to chance; typically

Normal Distribution

Symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution.

Skewed Distribution

Asymmetrical distribution (positive or negative).

Gambler’s Fallacy

Belief that past events affect future probabilities.

Histograms

Graphical representation of frequency distribution.

Scatterplot

Graph showing relationship between variables.

operational definition

a clear, precise, and measurable definition of a variable or concept used in research. How it will be measured or identified.

positive correlation

an increase in one variable is associated with an increase in another.

negative correlation

one variable increases while the other decreases.

zero correlation

changes in one variable do not predict changes in the other.

biological psychology

studies the relationship between biological processes and behavior, focusing on how the brain, nervous system, and genetics influence thoughts, emotions, and actions.

behavioral psychology

focuses on the study of observable behaviors and the ways in which they are learned and reinforced through interactions with the environment.

cognitive psychology

studies mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving.

humanistic psychology

the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of individual experience, focusing on personal growth, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people.

psychoanalytic psychology

emphasizes the influence of unconscious processes and childhood experiences on behavior and mental states.

hindsight bias

the tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred, often leading individuals to believe they "knew it all along."