UNIT 1 (CH 1/2)

Question 1

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

Answer 1

empiricism

Question 2

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind

Answer 2

structuralism

Question 3

a school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish

Answer 3

functionalism

Question 4

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

Answer 4

behaviorism

Question 5

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth

Answer 5

humanistic psychology

Question 6

the inter-disciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

Answer 6

cognitive neuroscience

Question 7

the science of behavior and mental processes

Answer 7

psychology

Question 8

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

Answer 8

nature-nurture issue

Question 9

the principle that among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on the succeeding generations

Answer 9

natural selection

Question 10

the differing complementary views, from biological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon

Answer 10

level of analysis

Question 11

an integrated appraoch that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Answer 11

biopsychosocial approach

Question 12

a branch of psychology that studies the links between biological (including neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes

Answer 12

biological psychology

Question 13

the study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection

Answer 13

evolutionary psychology

Question 14

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

Answer 14

psychodynamic psychology

Question 15

the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning

Answer 15

behavioral psychology

Question 16

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Answer 16

cognitive psychology

Question 17

the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking

Answer 17

social-cultural psychology

Question 18

the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

Answer 18

psychometrics

Question 19

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Answer 19

basic research

Question 20

the scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

Answer 20

developmental psychology

Question 21

the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning

Answer 21

educational psychology

Question 22

the study of an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Answer 22

Personality psychology

Question 23

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

Answer 23

social psychology

Question 24

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Answer 24

applied research

Question 25

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

Answer 25

industrial-organizational psychology (I/O)

Question 26

the study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments

Answer 26

human factors psychology

Question 27

a branch of psychology that assist people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being

Answer 27

counseling psychology

Question 28

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

Answer 28

clinical psychology

Question 29

a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicianswho often provice medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy

Answer 29

psychiatry

Question 30

the process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one's own psychological processes

Answer 30

Introspection

Question 31

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

Answer 31

behavior genetics

Question 32

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

Answer 32

culture

Question 33

the scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

Answer 33

positive psychology

Question 34

enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information

Answer 34

testing effect

Question 35

a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups

Answer 35

community psychology

Question 36

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

Answer 36

hindsight bias

Question 37

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

Answer 37

critical thinking

Question 38

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

Answer 38

theory

Question 39

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Answer 39

hypothesis

Question 40

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

Answer 40

operational definition

Question 41

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances

Answer 41

replication

Question 42

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Answer 42

case study

Question 43

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

Answer 43

survey

Question 44

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

Answer 44

population

Question 45

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

Answer 45

random sample

Question 46

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

Answer 46

naturalistic observation

Question 47

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

Answer 47

correlation

Question 48

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)

Answer 48

correlation coefficient

Question 49

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).

Answer 49

scatterplot

Question 50

the perception of a relationship where none exists

Answer 50

illusory correlation

Question 51

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (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

Answer 51

experiment

Question 52

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

Answer 52

random assignment

Question 53

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.

Answer 53

double-blind procedure

Question 54

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

Answer 54

placebo effect

Question 55

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

Answer 55

experimental group

Question 56

in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contracts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

Answer 56

control group

Question 57

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

Answer 57

independent variable

Question 58

a factor other that the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment

Answer 58

confounding variable

Question 59

the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

Answer 59

dependent variable

Question 60

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution

Answer 60

mode

Question 61

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

Answer 61

mean

Question 62

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above and half are below

Answer 62

median

Question 63

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Answer 63

range

Question 64

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

Answer 64

standard deviation

Question 65

a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (68% fall within one standard deviation of it) and fewer and fewer near the extremes

Answer 65

normal curve (normal distribution)

Question 66

an ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Answer 66

informed consent

Question 67

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

Answer 67

debriefing

Question 68

a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

Answer 68

sampling bias

Question 69

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

Answer 69

regression toward the mean

Question 70

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

Answer 70

descriptive statistics

Question 71

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Answer 71

histogram

Question 72

a representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value

Answer 72

skewed distribution

Question 73

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

Answer 73

inferential statistics

Question 74

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

Answer 74

statistical significance

Question 75

anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

Answer 75

variable

Question 76

a study method incorporating five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review

Answer 76

SQ3R

Question 77

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

Answer 77

Validity