Vocab Midterm 1 Flashcards
psychological science
The study, through research, of mind, brain, and behavior
critical thinking
Systematically questioning and evaluating information using well-supported evidence
culture
The beliefs, values, rules and customs that exist within a group of people who share a common language and environment
nature-nurture debate
The arguments concerning whether psychological characteristics are biologically innate or acquired through education, experience, and culture
mind-body problem
A fundamental psychological issue: are mind and body separate and distinct, or is the mind simple the physical brain’s subjective experience?
introspection
a systematic examination of subjective mental experiences that requires people to inspect and report the content of their thoughts
structuralism
An approach to psychology, based on the idea that conscious experience can be broken down into its basic underlying components
stream of consciousness
A phrase coined by William James to describe each person’s continuous series of ever-changing thoughts
functionalism
an approach to psychology concerned with the adaptive purpose, or function, of mind and behavior
evolutionary theory
A theory presented by the naturalist Charles Darwin; it view the history of a species in terms of the inherited, adaptive value of physical characteristics , of mental activity, and behavior
adaptations
In evolutionary theory, the physical characteristics, skills, or abilities that increase the chances of reproduction or survival and are therefore likely to be passed along to future generations
natural selection
In evolutionary theory, the idea tat those who inherit characteristics that help them adapt to their particular environments have a selective advantage over those who do not
Gestalt theory
a theory based on the idea that the whole of personal experience is different from the sum of its constituent elements
unconscious
The place where mental processes operate below the level of conscious awareness
psychoanalysis
A method developed by Sigmund Freud that attempts to bring the contents of the unconscious into conscious awareness so that conflicts can be revealed
behaviorism
A psychological approach that emphasizes the role of environmental forces in producing observable behavior
cognitive psychology
the study of mental functions such as intelligence, thinking, language, memory, and decision making
cognitive neuroscience
the study of the neural mechanisms underlying thought, learning, perception, language, and memory
social psychology
the study of how people influence other people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions
personality psychology
the study of characteristic thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in people and how they vary across social situations
data
Measurable outcomes of research studies
research
a scientific process that involves the careful collection of data
scientific method
a systematic and dynamic procedure of observing and measuring phenomena, used to achieve the goals of description, prediction, control, and explanation; it involves an interaction among research, theories, and hypotheses
theory
a model of interconnected ideas or concepts that explains what is observed and makes predictions about future events. Theories are based on empirical evidence
hypothesis
A specific, testable prediction, narrower than the theory it is based on
replication
Repetition of a research study to confirm the results
variable
something in the world that can vary and that a researcher can manipulate, measure, or both
independent variable
the variable that gets manipulated in a research study
dependent variable
the variable that gets measured in a research study
operational definition
a definition that qualifies and quantifies a variable so the variable can be understood objectively
descriptive research
research methods that involve observing behavior to describe that behavior objectively and systematically
case study
a descriptive research method that involves the intensive examination of an unusual person or organization
participant observation
a type of descriptive study in which the researcher is involved in the situation
naturalistic observation
a type of descriptive study in which the researcher is a passive observer, separated from the situation and making no attempt to change or alter ongoing behavior
reactivity
The phenomenon that occurs when knowledge that one is being observed alters the behavior being observed
observer bias
systematic bias errors in observation that occur because of an observer’s expectations
experimenter expectancy effect
actual change in the behavior of the people or nonhuman animals being observed that is due to the expectations of the observer
self-report methods
methods of data collection in which people are asked to provide information about themselves, such as in surveys or questionnaires
correlational studies
A research method that describes and predicts how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them or assign causation between them
positive correlation
a relationship between two variables in which both variables either increase or decrease together
negative correlation
a relationship between two variables in which one variable increases when the other decreases
zero correlation
a relationship in which one variable is not predictably related to the other
directionality problem
a problem encountered in correlational studies; the researchers find a relationship between two variables, but they cannot determine which variable may have caused changes in the other variable
third variable problem
a problem that occurs when the researcher cannot directly manipulate variables; as a result, the researcher cannot be confident that another, unmeasured variable is not the actual cause of differences in the variables of interest
confound
anything that affects a dependent variable and that may unintentionally vary between the experimental conditions of a study
culturally sensitive research
studies that take into account the role that culture plas in determining thoughts, feelings, and actions
Institutional review boards
groups of people responsible for reviewing proposed research to ensure that it meets the accepted standards of science and provides for the physical and emotional well-being of research participants
