Psych/Soc Flashcards
Archival Research
A type of primary research that involves extracting evidence from original records.
Value-free Sociology
The view that sociologists won’t allow their personal biases affect their research.
Serial Position Effect
People are more likely to remember the first and last thing in a series.
Instinctual Drift
A phenomenon that animals (and sometimes humans) can go back to their instincts/habits after undergoing operant conditioning.
Continuous reinforcement
A type of reinforcement that UNAMBIGUOUSLY tells the individual which behavior is “right” because they are continuously getting reinforcements following good behavior.
Function of the hypothalamus
Maintain homeostasis
Functions of the thalamus
Involved in learning and memory
Function of Amygdala
Involved in regulating emotions such as anger
Function of the Basal Ganglia
Involved in coordinating smooth movements. If this area of the brain is damaged, jerky movements may occur (Ex: Huntington’s disease)
Shadowing
Allows one to test for selective attention by repeating a selective message out loud when given more than one stimulus.
Primacy Effect
When first impressions are more important than subsequent impressions.
Social Facilitation
When people perform better in front of a crowd/ public.
Approach-Approach Conflict
When you are weighing between two appealing decisions
Approach-Avoidance Conflict
Option in one decision has both pros and cons
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict
Choosing between two sets of cons (lesser of two evils)
Double-Approach Avoidance
Conflict consists of two options and each has both pros and cons
Case Studies
Studies that usually involve interviews or reports about ONE person
Informational Influence
An influence to accept information from others as evidence of reality this can occur when you might not know what is correct for example.
Normative Influence
An influence to conform with the expectations of society and gain social approval.
What is the difference between discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping?
Discrimination is a BEHAVIOR.
Prejudice is an ATTITUDE.
Stereotyping is a COGNITIVE BELIEF.
What is the biggest limitation of observational studies?
There are confounding variables that may be influencing the relationships observed.
Urbanization
Pattern of moving from rural areas to cities.
Hindsight bias
The tendency to believe that an event in the past was highly predictable when at the time before it occurred, it wasn’t as predictable.
Construct validity
The researchers definition of the dependent variable. Are the methods measuring what they are intended to measure?