Key Psychology Terms: APA, Behaviorism, Biopsychology & More

American Psychological Association (APA)

organization representing psychologists in the US

behaviorism

focus on observing and controlling behavior

biopsychology

study of how biology influences behavior

biopsychosocial model

a view that biology, psychology, and social factors interact to determine ones health

clinical psychology

focuses on diagnosing and treating psychological disorders

cognitive psychology

study of how people think, remember, learn, perceive, and communicate

counseling psychology

area of psychology that focuses on improving emotional, social, vocational, etc aspects of life

developmental psychology

scientific study of development across a lifespan

dissertation

a long research paper done throughout doctoral training

empirical method

information gained through observation and experimentation rather than theory

forensic psychology

applies psychology to issues relating the justice system

functionalism

focuses on what a certain thing does (role) as opposed to why

humanism

a view that people have the power to lead good, happy lives

introspection

process of understanding ones own conscious to break it into component parts

ology

suffix for scientific study of

personality psychology

study of repeating thoughts and behaviors that make each person unique

personality trait

consistent pattern of thought and behavior

PhD

doctoral degree that focuses on scientific research, statistics, and academics

postdoctoral training program

supervised program for young scientists to improve and broaden their research skills

psychoanalytic theory

studies how the unconscious affects conscious behavior

psychology

scientific study of the mind and behavior

PsyD

doctorate degree that focuses on using psychology in the clinical context

sport and exercise psychology

focuses on how mental and emotional factors interact with physical performance

structuralism

understanding the conscious experience through introspection

Skills exposed to psychology students

Critical thinking, scientific method, and critical evaluation

Academic discipline studied before psychology existed

Philosophy

Hypothesis

proposed explanation

Perceptual phenomena are best understood as a combination of their components

Max Wertheimer

associated with the Hierarchy of needs

Abraham Maslow

hierarchy of needs

psychological needs, safety and security, love and belonging, self esteem, and self actualization

Genuineness, empathy, and

unconditional positive regard

operant conditioning chamber

Skinner

In Milgram's controversial study on obedience, nearly ________ of the participants were willing to administer what appeared to be lethal electrical shocks to another person because they were told to do so by an authority figure.

2/3

A researcher interested in how changes in the cells of the hippocampus (a structure in the brain related to learning and memory) are related to memory formation would be most likely to identify as a(n) ________ psychologist.

biological