AP Psychology

Plato

Everyone has their own perception of the world and we're all born with all the knowledge but unlock it as we go

Aristotle

we learn as we go

Renee Descartes

dualism - the body and mind are two separate entities

John Locke

Tabula Rasa - We're born with a blank slate

Empiricism - Observation and experimentation enables scientific knowledge

Willhelm Wundt

First person to study psychology in a lab

G. Stanly Hall

started the first psychology lab in the US at John's Hopkins and was the first president of the APA

Edward Titchner

founder of structuralism

Structuralism

the analysis of the basic elements that constitute the mind

Introspection

A method of self-observation in which participants report their thoughts and feelings

William James

founder of functionalism; studied how humans use perception to function in our environment

Functionalism

a school of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish.

Mary Whiton Calkins

First female president of the APA

Margaret Floyd Washburn

Was the first female PhD in psychology

psychoanalytics/psychodynamics

psychological perspective concerned with how unconscious instincts, conflicts, motives, and defenses influence behavior

Behaviorism

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only

Humanistic Psychology

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual's potential for personal growth

Cognitive Neuroscience

A field that attempts to understand the links between cognitive processes and brain activity.

Ivan Pavlov

studied classical conditioning

Jean Piaget

studied cognitive development

Charles Darwin

studied evolutionary psychology

Positive Psychology

the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

Behavioral Perspective

Investigates how learned and observable behaviors impact behavior

Biological Perspective

Investigates how genetics impact behavior

Cognitive Perspective

Investigates how our thought processes impact behavior

Evolutionary Perspective

Investigates how natural selection impacts the psychological traits we have now

Humanistic Perspective

Investigates how the drive for self improvement impacts behavior

Psychodynamic Perspective

Investigates how subconscious drives and conflicts impact behavior

Socio-cultural Perspective

Investigates how peoples' overall environment impacts behavior

Testing Effect

Enhanced performance on a memory test caused by being tested on the material to be remembered.

SQ3R

a study method incorporating five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review

psychaitrist

a physician who can diagnose and treat mental disorders

Human Factors Psychologist

focus on the interaction of people, machines, and physical environments

Developmental Psychologist

a psychologist who studies the emotional, cognitive, biological, personal, and social changes that occur as an individual matures

Cognitive Psychologist

study how we perceive, think, and solve problems

Educational Psychologist

studies the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning

Experimental Psychologist

conducts experimental research studies

Psychometric Psychologist

quantitatively studies the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

Social Psychologist

Studies how the individual's behavior and mental processes are affected by interactions with other people

Forensic Psychologist

applies psychological concepts to legal issues

Environmental Psychologist

studies relationships between people and their physical environment

Health Psychologist

studies the interaction between physical and psychological health factors

industrial/organizational psychologist

applies psychological principles to the workplace to improve productivity and the quality of work life

Neuropsychologist

studies how brain dysfunction affects cognition, emotion, and behavior

Rehabilitation Psychologist

works with people who have lost optimal functioning after an accident, illness, or other event

School Psychologist

works with parents, teachers, students to solve problems

Clinical Psychologist

diagnoses and treats people with emotional disturbances

Community Psychologist

work to create social and physical environments that are healthy for all

Counseling Psychologist

treats people with adjustment problems

Personality Psychologist

studies how people differ from one another

Hindsight Bias

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Overconfidence

the tendency to be more confident than correct—to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.

Theory

A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Operational Definitions

a statement of the procedures used to define research variables

Case Study

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Naturalistic Observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Surveys

Questionnaires and interviews that ask people directly about their experiences, attitudes, or opinions.

Wording Effect

the effect that question phrasing and order have on how people answer surveys

Sampling Bias

A problem that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.

Population

all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

Random Sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Positive Correlation

A correlation where as one variable increases, the other also increases, or as one decreases so does the other. Both variables move in the same direction.

Negative Correlation

the relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other variable decreases

No Relationship

as one variable increases the other stays the same

illusory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists

Regression Toward the Mean

the tendency for extreme or unusual scores to fall back toward their average.

Experimental Method

A method of investigation used to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships by purposely manipulating one factor thought to produce change in another factor.

Experimental Group

In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Control Group

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Randomly Assign

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

Single-blind procedure

research design in which participants don't know whether they are in the experimental or control group

double-blind procedure

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo

Placebo Effect

the phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior

Independent Variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

dependent variable

The measurable effect, outcome, or response in which the research is interested.

Confounding variable

a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment

External Validity

the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people

Internal Validity

the degree to which changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation of the independent variable

Descriptive Research

research methods that involve observing behavior to describe that behavior objectively and systematically

Correlational Research

research that seeks to identify whether an association or relationship between two factors exists

Experimental Research

research designed to discover causal relationships between various factors

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee at each institution where research is conducted to review every experiment for ethics and methodology.

descriptive statistics

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation.

Histogram

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Mode

The value that occurs most frequently in a given data set.

Mean

average

Median

Middle number

Skewed

When there are a few outliers that make the results lean toward one side

Range

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Standard Deviation

a measure of variability that describes an average distance of every score from the mean

Normal Curve

the symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes.

inferential statistics

numerical methods used to determine whether research data support a hypothesis or whether results were due to chance

statistical significance

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chanceNeurons

Cell body/Soma

the cell's life support center

Dendrite

receives messages from other cells

Axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

terminal branches of axon

form junctions with other cells

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons