AP Psych Semester 1 Final

FRQ Review Terms

Independent variable

a variable that stands alone and isn’t changed by the other variables you are trying to measure (cause)

Dependent variable

a variable thats value depends on changes in the independent variable (effect)

Experimental group

The group in an experiment/study that is being tested

Control group

The group that is not exposed to any variables being tested

Double-blind procedure

a study where neither the subjects nor the researcher knows which group is control and which is experimental

Single-blind procedure

a study where the subjects do not know their group assignment, but the researchers do

Confounding variable

an unaccounted variable that could manipulate or cause variation in the results of a study

Ethics

the principles of morally right conduct that is considered appropriate to a specific field (APA guideline)

Statistical significance

a concept that designates whether the results taken from a data set can or cannot be the outcome of chance (p-value ≤ 0.05)

Correlation

the extent of a relationship between two variables

Psychodynamic perspective

The psychodynamic perspective is rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud. This particular view of psychology is that the unconscious mind is responsible for much of our behavioural in the present.

Behavioral perspective

As the name suggests, behavioural psychology focuses on the learned behaviours that we acquire whether through our environment, peer group or any other external stimuli.

Cognitive perspective

Cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes, such as memory, thinking, problem solving, language, and decision-making

Biological perspective

The biological perspective relates to the study of how our genes may affect our behaviour.

Cultural perspective

It explores how different cultures may impact the way people think, act and feel

Evolutionary perspective

It focuses on how the theory of evolution accounts for our psychological processes.

Humanistic perspective

This model emphasises the role of motivation in your thought process

Positive reinforcement

Adding a pleasant stimulus after a behavior to encourage it

Negative reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant stimulus in order to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior

Positive punishment

Adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior to encourage refraining from it

Negative punishment

A pleasent stimulus is removed in response to an undesired behavior

Shaping

The use of continuous reinforcement in order to develop a target behavior that someone does not exhibit; conditioning a new, desired behavior

Observational learning

the process of learning by watching the behaviors of others

Frontal lobe

This lobe is generally where higher executive functions including emotional regulation, planning, reasoning and problem solving occur.

Parietal lobe

Areas in this lobe are responsible for integrating sensory information, including touch, temperature, pressure and pain. 

Temporal lobe

This lobe contains regions dedicated to processing sensory information, particularly important for hearing, recognizing language, and forming memories.  

Occipital lobe

This lobe is the major visual processing center in the brain

Right hemisphere

Controls left side of the body and is responsible for creativity, spatial ability, artistic, and musical skills

Left hemisphere

Controls right side of the body and is responsible for reading, writing, calculations, logic, and language

Amygdala

Part of limbic system that processes fearful and threatening stimuli

Hippocampus

Part of limbic system that controls memories, memory storage, and learning

Thalamus

Part of limbic system that relays sensory information to the brain; think circuit board

Hypothalamus

Part of limbic system that keeps the body in a stable state of homeostasis; internal tempurature, water levels, sugar levels, etc.

Framing

the process of defining the context or issues surrounding a question, problem, or event in a way that serves to influence how the context or issues are perceived and evaluated. Also called framing effect; the way something is posed

Functional Fixedness

Cognitive bias that limits a person to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used

Confirmation bias

The tendency to seek out information that confirms one’s beliefs and opinions

Belief perseverance

Maintaining a belief despite new information that firmly contradicts/disproves it