AP Psychology Unit 0

Humanistic Perspective

  • Focuses on individual choice and free will.
  • Key theorists: Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers.
  • Behavior choices are influenced by psychological, emotional, or spiritual needs.

Psychodynamic Perspective

  • Emphasizes unconscious mind influence on thoughts and actions.
  • Uses techniques like dream analysis and word association.
  • Can explain behaviors like social avoidance based on repressed traumatic memories.

Biopsychology Perspective

  • Relates behavior to biological processes (genes, hormones, neurotransmitters).
  • E.g., extroversion may stem from inherited genetics and neurotransmitter levels.

Evolutionary Perspective

  • Based on Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
  • Considers outgoing traits advantageous for survival and reproduction.

Behavioral Perspective

  • Focuses on observable behavior; explains action through conditioning.
  • Investigates environmental rewards and punishments for behavior like extroversion.

Cognitive Perspective

  • Examines thought processes in interpreting and remembering events.
  • E.g., social interpretations can influence extroverted behaviors.

Sociocultural Perspective

  • Emphasizes cultural norms' influence on thought and action.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

  • Integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in decision-making.

Research Methods

  • Hindsight Bias: Thinking one knew something after learning it.
  • Confirmation Bias: Seeking supporting information for preexisting beliefs.
  • Quantitative vs Qualitative Research: Numerical measures vs textual responses.
  • Hypothesis: Explains relationships between variables; needs to be falsifiable.

Sampling Methods

  • Representative Sampling: Ensuring diversity in participant selection.
  • Random Sampling: Equal chance for all in the population to be selected.
  • Convenience Sampling: Selecting participants based on ease of access.
  • Stratified Sampling: Ensuring representation based on specific criteria.

Experimental Method

  • Confounding Variable: Additional factors affecting results.
  • Assignment: Group placement of participants.
  • Random Assignment: Equal chance of group placement, avoiding bias.
  • Study Types:
    • Double-Blind Study: Neither participants nor researchers know group assignment.
    • Single-Blind Study: Participants are unaware of their group.
    • Social Desirability Bias: Participants answer in a way to seem favorable.

Correlational Method

  • Measures relationships between two variables (positive or negative correlations).
  • Directionality Problem: Difficulty in identifying which variable affects the other.

Naturalistic Observation

  • Observing behavior in natural settings without influence.

Qualitative Methods

  • Open-ended questions or structured interviews provide rich data.

Statistics

  • Descriptive Statistics: Mean, median, mode for central tendency.
  • Skewed Distributions: Positive or negative based on extreme scores.
  • Correlations: Strong or weak relationships between variables, measured by correlation coefficient (-1 to 1).

Inferential Statistics

  • Helps determine generalizability of findings to a larger population.

Ethical Research

  • Animal Research: Must be humane with scientific purpose.
  • Human Research: Voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing required.