Unit 1 Vocab - Historical Approaches/Research Methods

Question 1

psychology

Answer 1

the science of behavior and mental processes

Question 2

empiricism

Answer 2

the view that knowledge originates in experience
and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and
experimentation

Question 3

structuralism

Answer 3

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
Study consciousness and how the elements of the mind are organized and realted

Question 4

functionalism

Answer 4

school of psychology focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function as well as how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish
How does consciousness (thoughts and feelings) function to help people adapt to their environment

Question 5

humanistic psychology

Answer 5

emphasizes human growth, potential, and self-concept, as well as how to make ones self a better person
POTENTIAL, FREE WILL, SELF-ACTUALIZATION

Question 6

nature-nuture issue

Answer 6

the debate centered on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to human development

Question 7

natural selection

Answer 7

inherited trait variations that lead to increased reproduction and survival will be the most likely to be passed on to succeeding generations

Question 8

psychiatry

Answer 8

branch of medicine (MD) dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by medical doctors who can prescribe drugs, and treatment, and psychological therapy

Question 9

levels of analysis

Answer 9

the differing complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon

Question 10

biopsychosocial approach

Answer 10

modern-day approach that incorporated biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Question 11

basic research

Answer 11

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Question 12

applied research

Answer 12

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Question 13

counseling psychology

Answer 13

branch of psychology that assists people with academic, vocational, and marital challenges to achieve greater well-being

Question 14

clinical psychology

Answer 14

branch of psychology that studies, asses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Question 15

hindsight bias

Answer 15

“I knew it all along” phenomenon, believing you knew the outcome after learning about it

Question 16

critical thinking

Answer 16

process of assessing claims and making judgments on the basis of well-supported evidence, not blindly accepting arguments and conclusions

Question 17

theory

Answer 17

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organized observations and predicts behaviors or events

Question 18

hypothesis

Answer 18

testable prediction that is usually implied by a theory

Question 19

operational definition

Answer 19

precise definition of a variable being observed so that it is measurable and manageable

Question 20

replication

Answer 20

similar studies that will take place to further prove or disprove a theory

Question 21

case study

Answer 21

intense examination of behavior and mental processes on one person or a very small group in the hope of revealing more info

Question 22

survey

Answer 22

a technique for getting self-reported attitudes and getting opinions on behaviors to gain data (validity is dependent on not making generalizations)

Question 23

false consensus effect

Answer 23

the tendency to assume that one’s own opinions, beliefs, attributes, or mental behaviors are more widely shared than is actually the case

Question 24

population

Answer 24

all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

Question 25

random sample

Answer 25

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

Question 26

naturalistic observation

Answer 26

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Question 27

correlation

Answer 27

measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other

Question 28

scatterplot

Answer 28

graph made up of points generated by two variables as a graphic demonstration of a correlation

Question 29

illusory correlation

Answer 29

the perception of a relationship when none exists

Question 30

experiment

Answer 30

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (dependent variable)

Question 31

double blind procedure

Answer 31

an experimental procedure in which both participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo (common in drug eval studies)

Question 32

placebo effect

Answer 32

experimental results caused by expectations alone, and effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition that is assumed to be the active agent by the participant

Question 33

experimental condition

Answer 33

the group of participants in a study who are exposed to the independent variable

Question 34

control condition

Answer 34

the group of participants who are exposed to the control with no manipulation in an experiment

Question 35

random assignment

Answer 35

assigning participants to a experimental or control groups by chance to minimize preexisting differences between those assigned to different groups

Question 36

independent variable

Answer 36

the variable in a study or experiment that is being manipulated

Question 37

dependent variable

Answer 37

the variable in a study or experiment that changes based on the independent variable being changed

Question 38

mode

Answer 38

the most frequently occurring scores in a distribution

Question 39

mean

Answer 39

the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scored and then dividing by the number of scores

Question 40

median

Answer 40

the middle score in a distribution (half the scores will be above and below this value)

Question 41

range

Answer 41

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Question 42

standard deviation

Answer 42

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

Question 43

statistical significance

Answer 43

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

Question 44

culture

Answer 44

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted through generations