Ch. 1 - The Science of Psychology Flashcards
Psychological Science
The study of mental activity, the brain’s biochemical processes and behavior
Critical Thinking
Systematically questioning and evaluating information using well-supported, empirical evidence
Confirmation Bias
The inclination to overweigh evidence that aligns with one’s belief system while downplaying that which does not
Hindsight Bias
The tendency to view a past event as highly predictable
Availability Heuristic
Thinking guided by easy accessible or recent information
Dunning-Kruger Effect
The idea that people lack the ability to evaluate their own performance in areas in which they have little expertise
Mind vs. Body Debate
Poses the question: are the mind and body separate, or is the mind the subjective experience of the physical brain?
Dualism
The idea that the mind and body were separate yet intertwined
Culture
Beliefs, values, rules, norms and customs existing within a group of people who share a common language and environment
Nature vs. Nurture Debate
Poses the question: is individual personality and temperament biologically innate or attributed to environment?
Functionalism
An approach to psychology concerned with the adaptive purpose/function of mind and behavior
Natural Selection
In evolutionary theory, the idea that inherited characteristics that enable adaptation have a selective advantage over traits that do not
Clinical Psychology
Seeks to understand, characterize and treat mental illness
Cognitive Psychology
Laboratory research aims to comprehend the basic skills and processes that are the foundation of mental life and behavior
Cultural Psychology
Studies how cultural factors haver profound effects on mental life and behavior
(i.e geographical regions, national beliefs, religious values, moral standards, etc.)
Developmental Psychology
Studies how humans grow and develop from the prenatal period through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and into old age
Health Psychology
Concerned with how psychological processes influence health (& vice versa)
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Explores how psychological processes play out in the workplace. Blends social-personality approaches with principles from management, communication and marketing.
Relationship Psychology
Researches the success and failure of intimate relationships and their effects on other life aspects
Social-Personality Psychology
Studies everyday thoughts, feelings, behaviors and situational causes of them
Epigenetics
The study of the way environmental mechanisms influence mind and behavior through genetic expression
Computational Modeling
Building and testing mathematical models that measure unobservable and intrinsic phenomena with precision
Big Data Approach
Using tools from computer science, such as data mining and machine learning, to identify complex patterns in large data sets
Data Ethics
Grapples with issues of privacy, equal access to information and user-controlled factors
Open Science
Emphasizes research transparency and data accessibility to improve the method and replicability of psychological science
