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AP Psychology > Unit 1 Terms > Flashcards

Unit 1 Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Critical Thinking

A

Critical thinking allows one to evaluate the validity of a claim. This style of thinking is neither gullible nor cynical, and is thus open to new ideas while retaining a healthy amount of skepticism. Critical thinking is essential for uncovering the truth—not as it is believed to be, but as it really is.

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2
Q

Empiricism

A

The idea that what we know comes from experience, and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge

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3
Q

Structuralism

A

An early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind

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4
Q

Introspection

A

The process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one’s own psychological processes

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5
Q

Functionalism

A

An early school of thought promoted by William James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function—how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

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6
Q

Behaviorism

A

The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)

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7
Q

Humanistic Psychology

A

A historically significant perspective that emphasizes human growth potential and the idea that all people are inherently good.

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8
Q

Cognitive Psychology

A

The scientific exploration of how we perceive, process, and remember information and of how thinking and emotion interact in anxiety, depression, and other disorders

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9
Q

Cognitive Neuroscience

A

A combination of cognitive psychology and neuroscience in which researchers study the brain activity underlying mental activity

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10
Q

Psychology

A

The science of behavior and mental processes

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11
Q

Nature-Nurture Issue

A

The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture

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12
Q

Natural Selection

A

The principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other traits variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

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13
Q

Evolutionary Psychology

A

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection; how behavior and the mental processes that underly it helped humans survive and reproduce

Supported by David Buss, Martin Daly, Margo Wilson, Leda Cosmides, and John Tooby

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14
Q

Behavior Genetics

A

The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

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15
Q

Culture (term)

A

The shared ideas and behaviors passed along through generations. Significant in shaping our behavior and beliefs

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16
Q

Positive Psychology

A

The scientific study of human flourishing with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive.

An approach followed by researchers such as Martin Seligman

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17
Q

Biopsychosocial Approach

A

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural viewpoints and offers a better understanding than any single theoretical perspective (humanistic, psychodynamic, etc.)

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18
Q

Behavioral Psychology

A

How we learn observable responses

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19
Q

Biological Psychology

A

How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences; how our genes and our environment influence our individual differences.

Supported by James Olds, Roger Sperry, David Hubel, and Torsten Weisel

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20
Q

Psychodynamic Psychology

A

A branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders

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21
Q

Social-Cultural Psychology

A

How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures

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22
Q

Testing Effect

A

Enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information. Also known as a retrieval practice effect or test-enhanced learning

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23
Q

SQ3R

A

A study method incorporating five steps: survey, question, read, retrieve, review

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24
Q

Hindsight Bias

A

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)

25
Q

Theory

A

An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behavior or events; how x affects y

26
Q

Hypothesis

A

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

27
Q

Operational Definition

A

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures

28
Q

Replication

A

Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced

29
Q

Case Study

A

A descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

30
Q

Naturalistic Observation

A

A descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation

31
Q

Survey

A

A descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group

32
Q

Sampling Bias

A

A flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

33
Q

Population

A

All those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

34
Q

Random Sample

A

A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

35
Q

Correlation

A

When one trait or behavior tends to coincide with another

36
Q

Correlation Coefficient

A

A statistical measure of how closely two things vary together

37
Q

Variable

A

Anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

38
Q

Scatterplot

A

A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little scatter indicates high correlation)

39
Q

Illusory Correlation

A

Perceiving a relationship where none exists, or perceiving a stronger-than-actual relationship

40
Q

Regression towards the mean

A

The tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back (regress) toward the average

41
Q

Experiment

A

A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (the independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors

42
Q

Experimental Group

A

In an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable

43
Q

Control Group

A

In an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

44
Q

Random Assignment

A

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

45
Q

Double-Blind Procedure

A

An experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies

46
Q

Placebo Effect

A

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent

47
Q

Independent Variable

A

The factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

48
Q

Confounding Variable

A

A factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a study’s results

49
Q

Dependent Variable

A

In an experiment, the outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

50
Q

Validity

A

The extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to

51
Q

Informed Consent

A

Giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

52
Q

Debriefing

A

The post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

53
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

Numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation

54
Q

Histogram

A

A bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

55
Q

Skewed Distribution

A

A representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value

56
Q

Standard Deviation

A

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

57
Q

Normal Curve

A

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean and fewer near the extremes

58
Q

Inferential Statistics

A

Numerical data that allow one to generalize–to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population

AP Psychology (60 decks)

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