AP Psych Units 0-5

All the vocab from units 0 to 5 in the newest edition of the Meyer's Psychology textbook (4th edition)

The scientific approach

using observation and experimentation to test ideas / theories

“Scientific Attitude” (3 components)

1. Curiosity: does it work?

2. skepticism: what do you mean?

3. humility: “that was unexpected", lets explore further”

curiosity (1/3 scientific attitude)

does it work?

skepticism (2/3 scientific attitude)

what do you mean?

humility (3/3 scientific attitude)

that was unexpected, lets explore further

hindsight bias

the tendency to believe the event was predictable after it has occurred.

overconfidence

an excessive belief in one's abilities or knowledge, often leading to errors in judgment.

perceiving order in random events

eagerness to find “pattern” in random events

3 road blocks to critical thinking

1. hindsight bias

2. overconfidence

3. perceiving order in random events

critical thinking

not immediately agreeing w''/arguments and conclusions.

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. It involves thinking reflectively and reasoning systematically.

The scientific method

self correcting process for evaluating ideas with observation - analysis `

peer reviewers evaluate:

1. theory

2. originality

3. accuracy

theory

explanation of the world using set of principles, with organized observations and evidence.

hypothesis

testable prediction

operational definition

carefdully worded statements of the exact procedure

• to eliminate bias

• allow for easy replication

case study

the examination of one person or group

naturalistic observation

observing and recording behaviors without any manipulation of events

• describes behaviors, does not explain it

survey

questioning a random sample of a group to obtain self-reported behaviors

social desirability bias

participants answer in a way they believe they think is desired by the administrator

self-report bias

participants do not accurately report their own behaviors

sampling bias

flawed sampling that produces unrepresentative results

random sample

everyone has an equal chance of being surveyed to ensure representative results.

convenience sampling

collecting samples form areadily/easily available group

population

all those in a group being studied, from whhich random samples are drawn

illusory correlation

perceiving a relationship where none exists

regression towards the mean

the tendency for extreme/unusual scenes scores or events to fall back towrad the average after

experimenter bias

researchers unintentionally influencing results to confirm their own beliefs

random assignment

assigning participants to a treatment group randomly

expiremental group

experiences treatment

control group

does not experience treatment, has ‘placebo’ typically

single blind procedure

either participant or staff are ignorant ab treatment

double b lind procedure

both the staff and participants are ignorant about treatments

placebo effect

results caused by expectations alone

independent variable

factor being manipulated

dependent variables

the outcome measured

confounding variable

factor other than studied-factor that might influence results (uncontrollable)

validity

extent to which the test/experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to.

predicting everyday behavior

experiment where lab environment is a simplified reality

• to test theoretical principles

confederates

pretend ‘fellow participants’ that participate in experiments to minimize social desirability bias

Todays ethics codes

1. obtain participants informed consent

2. protect from greater-than-usual harm and discomfort

3. keep individuals information confidential

4. fully debrief patients

informed consent

gives potential particpants enoigh information about a study to enable them to chose if they want to participate

deberiefing

post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions to participants

descriptive stats

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups

• includes masures of central tendency

  • measure of variation

inferential statistics

taking received information about a population and making an inference on the larger population

meta analysis

statistics procedure for analyzing the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion

mode

most frequent number

mean

total/n

median

center score of a distribution

percentile rank

% of scores lower than given score1

skewed distribution

scores missing symmetry around its average value

• always note measure of central tendency: if theres a mean, is there an outlier?

range

max - min

standard deviation

average distance of each score from the mean

normal curve

• bell shaped curve

• most scores fall near the mean

• 68 - 95 - 99.7% rule

• mean, median, and mode all the same number

natural selection

nature selects traits that best enable survival + reproduction

eugenics

racist evolution-theory

• humans selectively breed to promote certain characteristics

behavior genetics

the study of relative power/limits of genetics=environments influences on behavior

Evolutionary psychology

what makes us so alike?

• darwinism - survival of the fittest

mutation

random errors in gene replication

fitness

ability to surve and reproduce

behavior genetics

predicting individual differences

• humans share: biological heritage + social behaviors

environment

every non-genetic influence

heredity

the genetic transfer of characteristics

heritability

how much of the variance seen in a population can be attributed to genetic variation instead of the environment

monozygotic twins

• identical twins

• 1/3 do not share placenta

• same genes but not the same # of copies

  • why one is more succeptibel to cancer

dizygotic twins

• fraternal twins

• biologically siblings

adaptability

genes and experience interact

interaction

interplay that occurs when effect of one factor depnds on another

epigenetics

triggers that swtich gees on and off

• environment can influence genetic expression

epigenetic marks

self-regulating system for genes

• attached to part of dna

• can instruct cell to ignore any gene in dna

  • will be ‘turned off’

CNS (Central nervous System)

• brain and spinal cor

PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)

nerves, pathway for CNS decisions

afferent neurons

• SENSORY neurons

• carry info INTO body from tissue/sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord (CNS)

efferent neurons

• MOTOR neurons

• carry info OUT from brain and CNS to the muscles and glands

Interneurons

• within the brain and spincla cord (CNS)

  • process info between the afferent and efferent neurons

Somatic Nervous system

• PNS (1/2)

• controls the bodys skeletal muscles

• sensory input

• motor output

autonomic system

• PNS (1/2)

• controls glands and muscles

• has sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system

Sympathetic nervous system

adrenaline boost

• “fight or flight”

parasympathetic nervous system

calms you down

• rest and digest

reflexes

automatic response to a sensory stimulus

• simple

  • ex: knee-jerk

• spinal pathway

dendrites

neurons that receive the message

axon

passes messages to toher neurons

myelin sheath

encases axon

• speed

glial cells

support, nourish, and protect neurons

resting potential

fluid otuside the axon membrane is mostly +,

fluid inside the axon membrane is mostly -`

action potential

depolarization: when neuron fires, starting a chain reaction

excitatory neurons

pushing accelerator on neurons

inhibitory neurons

pushing the brake on neuron

treshold

level of stimulation requried to trigger a neural impulse

refractory period

a pause (rest) that occurs after a neuron fires

All-or-none response

neuron either fires or does not

• intensity is demonstrated by NUMBER of neurons that fire

synapse

how neurons communicate

• gap between axon tip and dendrites

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that pass synaptic gap to send messages

reuptake

neurotransmitter reabsorption by the sending neuron

• some antidepressants are made to block the re-uptake of mood enhancing neurotransmitters

neurotransmitters (CHART)

endorphins

bodys natural opioids

agonist

• drugs

  • molecule that increases neurotransmitters action

antagonist

• drug

  • drug molecule that inhibits/blocks neurotransmitters actions

hormones

chemical messengers manufacturedbby endocrine glands

pituitary gland

in core of brain, controlled by hypothalamus

oxytocin

enabels orgasm, labor contractions, milk growth, social support