Chapter 1 Flashcards
Biopsychological perspective
Perspective that attributes human and animal behavior to biological events occurring in the body such as genetic influences, hormones, and the activity of the nervous system
Behaviorism
The science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only
Case study
The study of one individual in great detail
Cognitive neuroscience
study of the physical changes in the brain and nervous system during thinking
Cognitive perspective
Modern perspective that focuses on memory ,intelligence ,perception, problem solving ,and learning
Control group
Subjects in and experiment that are not subject to the independent variable and who may receive a placebo treatment
Correlation
A measure of the relationship between two variables
Correlation coefficient
A number derived from the formula for measuring a correlation and indicating the strength and direction of the correlation
Critical thinking
Making reasoned judgments about claims
Dependent variable
Variable in an experiment that represents the measurable response or behavior of the subject in the experiment
Double-blinded study
Study in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know if the subjects are in the experimental or control group
Evolutionary perspective
Perspective that focuses on the biological basis of universal mental characteristics that all humans share
Experiment
A deliberate manipulation of a variable to see if corresponding changes in behavior result, allowing the determination of cause-and-effect relationships
Experimental group
Subjects in an experiment that are subject to the independent variable
Functionalism
Early perspective in psychology associated with William James, in which the focus of the study is how the mind allows people to adapt ,work, live, and play
Experimenter effect
Tendency of the experimenters expectations for a study, to unintentionally influence the results of the study
Gestalt psychology
Early perspective in psychology focusing on perception and sensation , particularly the perception of patterns and whole figures
Hypothesis
Tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observations
Independent variable
Variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter
Objective introspection
The process of examining and measuring one’s own thoughts and mental activities
Observer bias
Tendency of observers to see what they expect to see
Observer effect
Tendency of people or animals to behave differently from normal when they know they are being observed
Operational definition
Definition of a variable of interest that allows it to be directly measured
Participant observation
A naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed
Placebo effect
The phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior
Psychiatrist
A medical doctor who has specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders
Psychoanalysis
The theory and therapy based on the work of Sigmund Freud
Psychodynamic perspective
Modern version of psychoanalysis that is more focused on the development of a sense of self and the discovery of other motivations behind a person’s behavior ( other than sexual motivations)
Psychologist
A professional with an academic degree and specialized training in one or more areas of psychology
Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental process
Random assignment
The process of assigning subjects to the experimental or control groups randomly so that each subject has an equal chance of being in either group
Replication in research
Repetition of a study or experiment to see if the same results will be obtained in an effort to demonstrate the reliability of Results
Representative example
Randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger population of subjects
Scientific method
A system of gathering data so that bias and error in measurement are reduced
Single-blind study
Study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group
Sociocultural perspective
Perspective that focuses on the relationship between social behavior and culture
Structuralism
Early perspective in psychology associated with Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener, in which the focus of the study is the structure or basic elements of the mind
