AP Psychology Unit 1 Review

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

William Wundt

Father of Psychology and Father of Created the first laboratory dedicated to psychology research.

William Wundt

Focused on senses, reaction time, attention spans, and emotions

William James

Created Functionalism, Promoted women's involvement in psychology

Stanley Hall

Opened the first U.S. psychology lab and First president of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Mary Whiton Calkins

First female APA president

Margaret Floy Washburn

First woman to earn a psychology degree

Second female APA president

Significant contributions to animal research

Charles Darwin

Proposed natural selection

His ideas shaped Evolutionary Psychology

Dorothea Dix

Highlighted inhumane treatment of the mentally ill

Helped reform insane asylums

Sigmund Freud

Created Psychoanalytic Theory (later Psychodynamic Approach).
Focused on unconscious mind and unconscious motives shaping personality.

Ivan Pavlov

Studied reflex conditioning (Classical Conditioning)

Famous for experiments with dogs.

Jean Piaget

Conducted systematic study of cognitive development in children.

Created a theory of cognitive development.

Carl Rogers

Founding figure of Humanistic Psychology.

Contributed to understanding of personality.

B.F. Skinner

Expanded on Behavioralism (Behaviorism).

Known for Operant Conditioning

John B. Watson

Founder of Behaviorism.

Focused on psychology as a scientific study of observable phenomena.

Structuralism

Focused on structures of consciousness via introspection.

Functionalism

Understanding mental and behavioral processes through evolved functions

Gestalt Psychology

Studied the whole consciousness and focused on perception, sensation, learning, and problem-solving.

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Approach

Unconscious processes and conflict between id, ego, and superego

Early Behavioralism

Focuses on observable, learned behaviors.

• Classical Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning

Humanistic Approach

Humans are naturally good and seek self-actualization

Sociocultural Approach

Examines cultural, religious, and social norms impacting behavior

Evolutionary Approach

Current behaviors shaped by natural selection

Biological Approach

Links brain structures and nervous system to psychological processes

Cognitive Approach

Focuses on attitudes, memories, and perceptions

Counselors and Psychologist

Help individuals cope with life and mental challenges

Psychiatrists

Medical doctors who can prescribe medication and provide psychotherapy

Experiments

Controlled conditions to study relationships between variable

Correlational Studies

Predict relationships between variables but do not show cause and effect

Surveys

Self-reported data, prone to wording effects and social desirability bias

Naturalistic Observation

Observes behavior in a real-world setting without staging

Case Studies

Analyze different perspectives of a topic chronologically

Longitudinal Studies

Follow a group over a long period of time.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction

Causal Relationship

An independent variable (IV) causes a dependent variable (DV).

Confounding Variables

Other variables that may impact the DV.

Control Group (Placebo Group)

Receives a placebo

Experimental Group

Receives the independent variable

Reliability

Repeatability of a test or study

Validity

How well a test measures what it claims to measure

Hindsight Bias:

Tendency to think the outcome was predictable.

False Consensus Effect

Overestimating how many share one's opinions

Confirmation Bias

Focusing only on data that aligns with one's viewpoint

Experimenter/Researcher Bias

Researcher unknowingly influences the outcome

Hawthorne Effect

Participants alter behavior because they know they're being observed

APA (American Psychological Association)

Governs ethical standards in psychology

IRB (Institutional Review Board)

Ensures adequate protection for participants.

IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee)

Oversees the protection of animals in studies.