Psych2

clinical psychology

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cognitive perspective

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cognitive psychology

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counseling psychology

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double-blind procedure

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naturalistic observation

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nature vs. nurture debate

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negative correlation

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observable behavior vs. internal mental processes debate

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operational definition

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participant expecations

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personality psychology

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placebo

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positive correlation

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social psychology

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What is the scientific method and what are its steps?

1) identify a question 2) develop a hypothesis 3) test the hypothesis 4) communicate findings

What is the major reason researchers sometimes prefer to use animals as opposed to humans in psychological research?

The shorter lifespan of some animals makes it easier to study the effects of aging.

variable

a broad term for any characteristic that can change in some way

What is functionalism and who is its founder?

an early approach to psychology that concentrated on what the mind does, the functions of mental activity, and the role of behavior in facilitating adaptation to the environment founded by WillIam James

case study

an in-depth analysis of an individual or small group of people results of which are based on studying one individual and cannot be easily generalizable to the general population

experimental group

any group participating in an experiment that receives a treatment

Why do researchers test hypotheses?

because theories are too general to be tested adequately

What do psychologists study?

behavior and mental processes

Rene Descartes

believed some knowledge is inborn

John Locke

believed that the human mind is a blank slate

theories

broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interest

developmental psychology

examines how people grow and change from the moment of conception through death

correlational research

examines the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables

dependent variable

expected to change as a result of the experimental manipulation

What are two types of experimental bias?

experimenter bias participant bias

health psychology

explores the relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments

In comparison to a PhD, a PsyD psychologist is more likely to

have been trained exclusively to treat mental disorders

In comparison to a PsyD, a PhD psychologist is more likely to

have completed a dissertation based on original research

archival research

involves examining data, such as census documents, college records, and newspaper clippings, in order to test a hypothesis

independent variable

manipulated by the experimenter in an experiment

What are the five perspectives in psychology that are most practiced today?

neuroscience behavioral humanistic psychodynamic cognitive

What might the control group receive unlike the treatment group in a study of the effect of a drug?

placebo

survey research

research in which people chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes

What would represent a significant challenge of survey research that may ultimately affect the quality of the conclusions drawn?

sample may not be representative of broader population people may be unwilling to answer questions truthfully people may not be consciously aware of their true attitudes

neuroscience perspective

studies how people and nonhumans function biologically

behavioral perspective

suggests that observable, measurable behavior should be the focus of study

psychodynamic perspective

the approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by unconscious inner forces over which the individual has little control

humanistic perspective

the approach that suggests that all individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior

evolutionary psychology

the branch of psychology that considers how behavior is influenced by our genetic inheritance and the principle of natural selection

cross-cultural psychology

the branch of psychology that investigates similarities and differences in psychological functioning in and across cultures and ethnic groups

experimental manipulation

the change that an experimenter deliberately produces in an experiment

behavioral neuroscience

the field of psychology that examines how the brain and nervous system influence behavior

control group

the group that receives no treatment but rather a placebo

free will

the idea that behavior is a reflection of choices made by the individual

determinism

the idea that behavior is a reflection of factors beyond the control of the individual

treatment

the manipulation implemented by the experimenter

research experiment

the only way psychologists can establish cause and effect relationships through research

psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

What are some things you would need to know when assessing the validity of research you read about in a magazine?

the specific hypotheses of the research the independent and dependent variables who were the test subjects

What would tend to minimize experimental bias in research?

the use of a placebo and a double blind procedure

What is the purpose of using deception in psychological research?

to prevent participants from being influenced by what they think the purpose of the study is

What is Gestalt psychology and who led it?

an approach that focuses on the idea that the whole is different from the sum of its parts led by Hermann Ebbinghaus and Max Wertheimer

structuralism

an approach that focuses on uncovering the fundamental mental components of consciousness and thinking with Wilhelm Wundt

social neuroscience

a field that uses brain scans and other methods to understand interpersonal dynamics

experimental bias

a form of which would be experimenter expectations

hypothesis

a prediction stemming from a theory that's stated in a way that allows it to be tested

introspection

a procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which subjects are asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when exposed to a stimulus

random assignment to condition

a procedure where participants are assigned to either the treatment or control group on the basis of chance

significant result

a result that would have occurred by change less than 5 times out of one hundred