Unit 1 Vocab - AP Psych
applied research | the scientific study that aims to solve practical problems |
basic research | pure science that aims to increase psychology’s knowledge base |
behaviorism | the view that psychology should be an objective science and that studies behavior without reference to mental processes |
biopsychosocial approach | combines biological, psychological, and socio-cultural viewpoints |
humanistic psychology | emphasizes the potential for human growth |
case study | an individual or group is studied in depth in hopes of revealing universal principles |
clinical psychology | studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders |
confounding variable | a factor other than the one being studied that might influence results |
control condition | the condition to receive no treatment to compare with the experimental |
correlation | the measure of which two factors vary together, and how well either factor predicts the other |
control group | the group not exposed to the treatment |
correlation coefficient | a statistical index of the relationship between two things (-1 to 1) |
dependent variable | the outcome that is measured or changes based on the independent variable |
double-blind procedure | neither the participants nor the administers know which group receives treatment (removes bias) |
empiricism | the idea that knowledge comes from experience, observation, and experimentation enables scientific knowledge |
experiment | an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect |
experimental condition | the conditions of an experiment that exposes the participants to the treatment (independent variable) |
functionalism | how mental and behavioral processes function and how they enable adaption, survival, and flourishing |
hindsight bias | the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it |
hypothesis | a testable prediction |
independent variable | the factor that is manipulated, whose effect is being studied |
informed consent | giving participants info about a study for them to choose yes or no |
range | the gap between the lowest and highest scores |
debriefing | post-experimental explanation of the study (purpose and deceptions) |
mean | the average of scores |
median | the middle score, half below & half above |
naturalistic observation | observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without intervention |
nature-nurture issue | the effect of genes vs. experience that contributes to the development of traits and behaviors |
natural selection | inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce will be passed down to further generations |
operational definition | a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study |
placebo effect | results caused by expectations alone, the effect is from the recipient believing the treatment works |
population | those in a group being studied |
psychiatry | doctors licensed to prescribe drugs and psychological therapy |
psychology | the science of behavior and mental processes |
random assignment | assigning participants into experimental and control groups by chance |
random sample | fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion |
standard deviation | a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean |
structuralism | used introspection to reveal the structure of the mind |
survey | obtaining self-reported behaviors, usually by questioning |
theory | an explanation using principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors |