AP PSYCH REVIEW

Aristotle

Philosopher who studied mind, soul, and behavior; invented tabula rasa

Galen

Ancient physician with advanced anatomy knowledge; influenced personality psychology

Hippocrates

Father of modern medicine; theory of four humors, bodily fluids theory

Rene Descartes

Philosopher of mind-body dualism; impact on cognitive science

Wilhelm Wundt

Established first psychology lab; introspection method pioneer

William James

Functionalist founder of American psychology; mental processes approach

John Locke

Philosopher of tabula rasa theory; influence on developmental psychology

Edward Titchener

Founder of Structuralism; focused on mind's elements

Sigmund Freud

Creator of psychoanalytic approach; studied unconscious mind

David Buss

Prominent evolutionary psychologist; known for mating strategies research

John B. Watson

Behaviorist, studied observable behaviors; led Little Albert experiment

Margaret Washburn

First woman with a psychology PhD; comparative psychology researcher

Mary Whiton Calkins

First female APA president; pioneering memory research

Behavioral approach

Study of observable events; behavior modification techniques

Biological approach

Belief that physical processes shape behavior; hormonal influence on anger

Cognitive approach

Studies mental processes; cognitive-behavioral therapy focus

Eclectic approach

Integrates multiple theories for tailored treatment; personalized care

Evolutionary approach

Applies evolution principles to psychology; survival of the fittest explanation

Humanistic approach

Focuses on human potential; personal growth and self-exploration

Multicultural/Sociocultural approach

Examines social and cultural influences on behavior; cultural competence focus

Psychodynamic approach

Emphasizes unconscious processes; early experiences' impact on behavior

Dualism

Belief in mind-body separation; Cartesian philosophy concept

Empiricism

Knowledge from sensory experience; observation-based theory

Functionalism

Understanding conscious mind's relation to behavior; adaptive behaviors concept

Introspection

Self-reflection method; understanding internal experiences

Monism

Belief in mind-body unity; holistic perspective concept

Structuralism

Mind elements understanding; consciousness structure concept

Phrenology

Pseudoscience predicting traits from skull shape; personality traits linked to skull bumps

Clinical vs. Counseling psychologists

Differences in mental health vs. personal issues focus; treatment vs. support

Comparative psychology

Study of behavior comparisons across organisms; cross-species analysis

Development psychology

Studies changes throughout lifespan; cognitive, social, and emotional development

Educational/School psychology

Impact of psychological processes on learning; academic performance focus

Forensic psychology

Psychology applied to law; criminal behavior and legal system interface

Human factors psychology (ergonomics)

Study of humans with technology; workplace safety and design focus

Industrial/Organizational psychology

Studies work-people relationships; workplace dynamics and productivity

Personality psychology

Study of personality's impact on behavior; traits and individual differences

Sports psychology

Factors influencing sports performance; athlete mental skills training

Operational definition

Precise definition of how a variable is measured

Experiment

Controlled investigation to test hypotheses

Correlation (a research & statistical method)

Relationship between variables; statistical measure of association

Survey

Data collection method using standardized questions

Interview

Structured or unstructured questioning for data collection

naturalistic observation

Observing behavior in natural settings

Participant observation

Researcher actively participates in observed activities

Structured observation

Systematic observation using predetermined data

case study

In-depth analysis of a single subject or group

Longitudinal study

Research conducted over a long period, tracking changes

cross-sectional study

data collection from different groups at one time point

quantitative vs. qualitative research

Numerical data analysis vs. qualitative description

single subject design (a.k.a. Independent subject)

Research focused on individual responses

matched pairs design

Each participant matched with a similar counterpart

repeated measures (a.k.a. within-subjects design)

participants are exposed to each level of the IV

independent variable

Manipulated variable affecting the dependent variable

Dependent variable

Variable being measured and affected by the independent variable

experimental group

Group exposed to the independent variable

control group

Group not exposed to the independent variable; used for comparison

confounding variables

Unintended variables affecting the dependent variable

extraneous variables

Variables other than the independent variable influencing the results

representative sample

Sample reflecting the population’s characteristics

random sampling

Selection of participants from the population at random

Random assignment

Randomly assigning participants to experimental and control groups

single - blind techniqueParticipants unaware of their group assignment

double - blind technique

Both participants and researchers unaware of group assignment

Average value of set of numbers

Calculating the average income of employees in a company to determine salary trends.

Median

Middle value in a set of numbers when arranged in ascending order

Mode

Most frequently occurring value in a set of numbers

Range

Difference between between the highest and lowest values in a dataset

Reliability

Consistency or repeatability of measurement results

Validity

Degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure

positive correlation

Relationship between variables where they both increase or decrease together

negative correlation

Relationship between variables where one increases while the other decreases

Normal distribution

Symmetrical bell-shaped curve representing data distribution

skewed distributions

Asymmetric distribution of data

positively skewed distribution

Tail of the distribution extends to the right

negatively skewed distribution

Tail of the distribution extends to the left.

statistical significance

Probability that an observed difference in not due to chance

Variance

Measure of the spread or dispersion of data points

standard deviation

Measure of the average deviation of data points from the mean

descriptive statistics

Summarizing and describing features of a dataset

inferential statistics

Making predictions or inferences about a population based on sample data

frequency distribution

Summary of how often each value occurs in a dataset

histogram & bar chart/graph

Visual representation of data distribution using bars

Polygon

Line graph connecting data points to show trends

scattergram/scatter plot

Plot of data points on a graph to show relationships between variables

informed consent

Participant’s voluntary agreement to participate after being informed of study details

participant's right to withdraw

justification for the use of deception

Preventing participant bias in psychological experiments, ensuring accuracy

confidentiality of findings

Protecting patient privacy in medical research and records

debriefing procedure (additional notes: when it occurs, benefits for participant and researcher)

Immediate explanation post-study, promotes understanding, mitigates harm

animal research (additional notes: reasons for use, advantages, disadvantages, care)

Study involving animals for scientific purposes

Neuron

Nerve cell transmitting information throughout the body

Afferent neuron

Carries sensory information towards the central nervous system

Efferent neuron

Transmits motor impulses away from the central nervous system

Dendrites

Branch-like extensions receiving signals from other neurons

Axon

Long fiber transmitting electrical impulses away from the cell body

Soma

Cell body containing the nucleus and organelles

Myelin sheath

Insulating layer speeding up signal transmission along axon

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in the myelin sheath facilitating nerve impulse conduction

Synapse

Junction between 2 neurons for signal transmission

Synaptic cleft

Junction between 2 neurons for signal transmission