AP Psychology Test

Empiricism

The view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should rely on observation and experimentation.

Structuralism

An early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind.

Functionalism

The study of how our mental health and behavioral processes function and how they help adapt, survive, and flourish.

Behaviorism

The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes.

Experimental Psychology

The study of behavior and thinking using experimental methods.

Humanistic Psychology

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

Psychology

The science of behavior and mental processes.

Behavior Psychology

The scientific study of observable behavior and its explanation by principles of learning.

Biological Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies the links between biological factors and behavior.

Cognitive Psychology

The scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Psychodynamic Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior, and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders.

Social-Cultural Psychology

The study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking.

Developmental Psychology

The scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

Educational Psychology

The study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning.

Personality Psychology

The study of someone's personality, including their thinking, feeling, and acting.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

The application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces.

Human Factors Psychology

The study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments.

Counseling Psychology

Counseling that assists people with problems in living, such as school, work, marriage, and relationships.

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders.

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the roots of behavior and mental processes to understand natural selection.

Applied Research

Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.