Chapter 1 Flashcards
Anecdotal Evidence
First-hand accounts that vividly describe the experiences of one or a few people, but may erroneously be assumed to be scientific evidence.
Applied Psychologists
Area of psychology where the psychologist practice in many specialties, such as industrial/organizational, sports, school, rehabilitation, clinical and counseling, forensic, and environmental psychology.
Confirmation Bias
The tendency to gravitate to evidence that complements and confirms our beliefs or expectations, while ignoring evidence that does not.
Critical Thinking Skills
When confronting new claims, these 6 scientific questions should be asked: What is the source? Is the claim reasonable or extreme? What is the evidence? Could bias contaminate the conclusion? Does the reasoning avoid common fallacies? Does the issue require multiple perspectives?
Emotional Bias
The tendency to make judgments based on attitudes and feelings, rather than on the basis of a rational analysis of the evidence.
Experimental Psychologists
Psychologists who primarily do research, but often teach as well.
Pseudo-psychology
Psychology that does NOT have solid evidence to back up its claim
Psychiatry
A medical specialty that deals especially with mental disorders.
Psychology
A science of behavior and mental processes.
Teachers of Psychology
Psychologists who teach in a variety of settings, such as colleges, universities, and high schools.
Psychology’s 6 Main Perspectives
biological, cognitive, behavioral, whole-person, developmental, and sociocultural perspectives
behavioral perspective
A psychological viewpoint that finds the source of our actions in environmental stimuli, rather than in inner mental processes.
behaviorism
A historical school (as well as a modern perspective) that has sought to make psychology an objective science by focusing only on behavior—to the exclusion of mental processes.
functionalism
A historical school of psychology that believed mental processes could best be understood in terms of their adaptive purpose and function.
cognitive perspective
Psychological viewpoint distinguished by an emphasis on mental processes, such as learning, memory, perception, and thinking, as forms of information processing.
cross-cultural psychologists
Those who work in this specialty are interested in how psychological processes may differ among people of different cultures.
culture
A complex blend of language, beliefs, customs, values, and traditions developed by a group of people and shared with others in the same environment.
developmental perspective
A psychological viewpoint, distinguished by its emphasis on nature and nurture and on predictable changes that occur across the lifespan.
humanistic psychology
A clinical approach emphasizing human ability, growth, potential, and free will.
Necker cube
An ambiguous two-dimensional figure of a cube that can be seen from different perspectives: The Necker cube is used to illustrate the notion that there is no single “right way” to view psychological processes.
psychoanalysis
An approach to psychology based on Sigmund Freud’s assertions, which emphasize unconscious processes. The term is used to refer broadly both to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory and to his psychoanalytic treatment method.
psychodynamic psychology
A clinical approach emphasizing the understanding of mental disorders in terms of unconscious needs, desires, memories, and conflicts.
sociocultural perspective
A main psychological viewpoint emphasizing the importance of social interaction, social learning, and culture in explaining human behavior.
trait and temperament psychology
A psychological perspective that views behavior and personality as the products of enduring psychological characteristics.
whole-person perspectives
A group of psychological perspectives that take a global view of the person: Included are psychodynamic psychology, humanistic psychology, and trait and temperament psychology.
control group
Participants who are used as a comparison for the experimental group. The control group is NOT given the special treatment of interest.
correlational study
A form of research in which the relationship between variables is studied, but without the experimental manipulation of an independent variable. Correlational studies cannot determine causeand-effect relationships.
data
Pieces of information, especially information gathered by a researcher to be used in testing a hypothesis.
dependent variable
The measured outcome of a study; the responses of the subjects in a study. “effect”
empirical investigation
An approach to research that relies on sensory experience and observation as research data.
case study
Research involving a single individual (or, at most, a few individuals).
experimental group
Participants in an experiment who are exposed to the treatment of interest.
hypothesis
A statement predicting the outcome of a scientific study; a statement predicting the relationship among variables in a study.
independent variable
A stimulus condition so named because the experimenter changes it independently of all the other carefully controlled experimental conditions. “cause”
negative correlation
A correlation indicating that the variables change simultaneously in opposite directions: As one becomes larger, the other gets smaller.
double-blind study
An experimental procedure in which both researchers and participants are uninformed about the nature of the independent variable being administered.
positive correlation
A correlation indicating that the variables change simultaneously in the same direction: As one grows larger or smaller, the other grows or shrinks in a parallel way.
expectancy bias
The researcher allowing his or her expectations to affect the outcome of a study.
replicate
In research, this refers to doing a study over to see whether the same results are obtained. As a control for bias, replication is often done by someone other than the researcher who performed the original study.
scientific method
A four-step process for empirical investigation of a hypothesis under conditions designed to control biases and subjective judgments.
theory
A testable explanation for a set of facts or observations. In science, a theory is not just speculation or a guess.
zero correlation
When two variables have no relationship to each other.
informed consent
Insures that research participants are informed of the procedures of the research, as well as any potential dangers involved, so they may opt out if desired.
naturalistic observation
A form of descriptive research involving behavioral assessment of people or animals in their natural surroundings.
placebo
Substance that appears to be a drug but is not. Placebos are often referred to as “sugar pills” because they might contain only sugar, rather than a real drug.
survey
A technique used in descriptive research, typically involving seeking people’s responses to a prepared set of verbal or written items.
scientific method
A four-step process for empirical investigation of a hypothesis under conditions designed to control biases and subjective judgments. (hypothesis, collect data, analyze results, publish/replicate)
survey
A technique used in descriptive research, typically involving seeking people’s responses to a prepared set of verbal or written items.
