AP Psychology Comprehensive Review

Flashcards covering key terms, research methods, biological bases, cognition, development, and clinical psychology from the lecture notes.

AAQ (Article Analysis Question)

Free-Response Question 1 where students analyze a summarized peer-reviewed source across 6 parts: research method, variable, statistic, ethics, generalizability, and argumentation.

EBQ (Evidence-Based Question)

Free-Response Question 2 where students use 3 summarized peer-reviewed sources to provide a claim, evidence, and reasoning applying AP Psychology content.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Theory

An established explanation of some part of the world that organizes observations and predicts future outcomes.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction.

Falsifiable

An element of a hypothesis or theory meaning it can be tested and potentially proven wrong.

Operational Definition

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a study to permit replication.

Replication

The ability to repeat a research study, usually with different people, to test if the original findings can be reproduced.

Independent Variable

The factor that is manipulated in an experiment; its effect is being studied.

Dependent Variable

The outcome that is measured; the changes that happen as a result of the Independent Variable.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies on the same topic to draw a conclusion.

Double-Blind Procedure

An experimental design in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the participants have received the treatment or a placebo.

Confidentiality

An ethical guideline ensuring that the general public does not know the particulars of individuals within a study.

Informed Consent

An ethical guideline where potential participants are given enough information about a study to decide if they wish to participate.

Debriefing

Telling participants about the experiment after-the-fact, especially if deception was involved, to minimize harm and ensure understanding.

Generalizability

A measure of how applicable the results of a study are to a larger group of people and/or situations.

Correlation Coefficient

A numerical value ranging from $-1$ to $+1$ that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.

Standard Deviation

A measure of variation in a set of scores.

Statistical Significance

A measure of whether research results likely occurred by chance.

Normal Curve

A symmetrical, bell-shaped pattern where $68\%$ of the data fall within one standard deviation of the mean.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

Action Potential

A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon of a neuron when it fires.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty layer that surrounds and insulates the axon of some neurons, speeding up electrical signals.

Endorphins

Natural chemical messengers that serve as the body's internal pain relievers.

Agonists

Substances that mimic neurotransmitters and increase their action.

Antagonists

Substances that block the actions of neurotransmitters.

Pituitary Gland

The 'master gland' of the endocrine system that controls hormone release from other glands.

Amygdala

A brain structure in the limbic system that regulates emotions, especially fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

A brain structure involved in the formation of new memories.

Broca's Area

A region in the left frontal lobe that controls speech production.

Wernicke's Area

A region in the left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension.

Transduction

The process of converting physical stimuli, such as light or sound, into neural signals the brain can interpret.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum stimulus intensity detected $50\%$ of the time.

Weber's Law

The principle that for two stimuli to be perceived as different, they must differ by a constant minimum percentage rather than a constant amount.

Fovea

The central focal point of the retina where cones are most concentrated, providing the sharpest vision.

Cochlea

A fluid-filled structure in the inner ear where sound waves are converted into neural signals by hair cells.

Schema

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons, believed to be the biological basis for learning and memory.

Fluid Intelligence

The ability to reason speedily and abstractly, which tends to decrease with age.

Crystallized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge and verbal skills that tend to increase with age.

Teratogens

Harmful substances, such as drugs, alcohol, or viruses, that can pass through the placenta and cause damage during prenatal development.

Object Permanence

The awareness that things continue to exist even when they are not perceived; a key milestone in Piaget's sensorimotor stage.

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing another's behavior.

Big Five Factors

The core traits of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).

Diathesis-Stress Model

A theory suggesting that disorders develop due to a combination of a genetic predisposition and environmental stressors.

DSM-5-TR

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used for classifying and diagnosing psychological disorders.