Myers’ Psychology for the AP Course — 3rd Edition Modules 1-3 Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the history, approaches, and subfields of psychology from Modules 1-3.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Behavior

Observable actions performed by an organism.

Mental processes

Internal activities including thinking, remembering, feeling, perceiving, and reasoning.

Scientific Attitude

Approaching questions with curiosity (encouraging questions), skepticism (requiring evidence), and humility (recognizing conclusions change with better evidence).

Critical Thinking

Evaluating claims by asking what evidence supports them, if the evidence is reliable, if another explanation exists, and if correlation is mistaken for causation.

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879.

Structuralism

An approach developed by Edward Bradford Titchener that attempted to identify the basic components of conscious experience.

Functionalism

An approach developed by William James, influenced by Darwin, that asked what mental processes and behaviors do and how they help organisms adapt.

Mary Whiton Calkins

Contributor to memory research and the first woman president of the American Psychological Association.

Margaret Floy Washburn

Studied animal behavior and became the first woman to earn a psychology PhD.

Behaviorism

The view introduced by John B. Watson that psychology should focus on observable behavior and how the environment shapes learning.

Sigmund Freud

Originator of psychoanalytic theory who emphasized unconscious mental processes and how they influence behavior.

Biopsychosocial approach

An approach that explains behavior through interacting biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences.

Biological perspective

Focuses on how the brain, nervous system, genes, hormones, and neurotransmitters influence behavior.

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on observable behavior and how learning and environmental experiences shape it.

Cognitive perspective

Focuses on mental processes such as thinking, memory, perception, language, reasoning, and decision-making.

Psychodynamic perspective

Emphasizes unconscious processes and the influence of earlier experiences on present behavior.

Humanistic perspective

Emphasizes free will, personal growth, self-awareness, and the desire to reach one's potential; associated with Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.

Evolutionary perspective

Uses principles of evolution to consider how behaviors may have developed because they helped organisms survive or reproduce.

Sociocultural perspective

Examines how social relationships, groups, culture, and social expectations influence behavior and mental processes.

Basic psychology

Psychological research that primarily seeks to expand knowledge and understand psychological processes.

Applied psychology

The use of psychological knowledge to address practical problems.

Biological psychology

Studies the relationships between biological processes (such as the brain and genes) and behavior.

Developmental psychology

Studies physical, cognitive, and social changes across the lifespan, from infancy through old age.

Cognitive psychology

Studies mental processes such as memory, thinking, language, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Educational psychology

Studies learning and teaching, including motivation and educational environments.

Personality psychology

Studies relatively consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that distinguish individuals.

Social psychology

Studies how people influence one another, including conformity, persuasion, prejudice, attraction, and group behavior.

Industrial-organizational psychology

Applies psychological principles to workplaces, such as employee motivation, leadership, and productivity.

Clinical psychology

Involves the assessment and treatment of psychological problems and emotional or behavioral difficulties.

Counseling psychology

Focuses on adjustment, relationships, career concerns, and personal development.

Psychiatry

A medical specialty where physicians specialize in mental health and can prescribe medication.