Chapter 1
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77 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Alzheimer's disease | An irreversible brain disease characterized by progressive deterioration of mental functioning |
| amniocentesis | A technique for diagnosing fetal abnormalities involving examination of extracted fetal cells |
| applied research | Research that attempts to find solutions to specific problem |
| basic research | Research focused on acquiring knowledge even if such knowledge has no direct practical application |
| behavior therapy | A form of therapy that involves the systematic application of the principles of learning |
| behavior perspective | An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the role of learning in explaining observable behavior |
| behaviorism | The school of psychology that holds that psychology should limit itself to study of overt, observable behavior |
| case study method | An in-depth study of one or more individuals |
| clinical psychologist | Psychologists who use psychological techniques to evaluate and treat individuals with mental or psychological disorders |
| cognitive perspective | An approach to the study of psychology that focus on the processes by which we acquire knowledge |
| comparative psychologist | Psychologist who study behavioral similarities and differences among animal species |
| consumer psychologist | Psychologists who study why people purchase particular products and brands |
| control group | a group of research participants in an experimental study who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention |
| correlation coefficient | A statistical measure of association between variables that can vary from -1.00 to +1.00 |
| correlation method | A research method that examines relationships between variables |
| counseling psychologist | Psychologist who help people clarify their goals, make life decisions, and overcome problems they face in their lives |
| critical thinking | The adoption of skeptical, questioning attitude and carefully scrutiny of claims or arguments |
| dependent variables | The effects or outcomes of an experiment that are believed to be dependent on the values of the independent variables |
| developmental psychologist | Psychologist who focus on processes involving physical, cognitive, social and personality development |
| double-blind studies | In drug research, studies in which both participants and experimenters are kept uniformed about which participants receive the active drug and which receive the placebo |
| educational psychologists | Psychologist who study issues relating to the measurement of intelligence and the processes involved in educational or academic achievement |
| empirical approach | A method of developing knowledge based on evaluating evidence gathered from experiments and careful observation |
| environmental psychologists | Psychologists who study relationships between the physical environment and behavior |
| ethics review committees | Committees that evaluate whether proposed studies meet ethical guidelines |
| evolutionary psychology | A branch of psychology that focuses on the role of evolutionary processes in shaping behavior |
| experimental method | a method of scientific investigation involving the manipulation of independent variables and observation or measurement of their effect on dependent variables under controlled conditions |
| experimental psychologists | Psychologists who apply experimental methods to the study of behavior |
| forensic psychologists | Psychologists in the application of psychology to the legal system |
| functionalism | the school of psychology that focuses on the adaptive functions of behavior |
| geropsychologists | Psychologists who focus on psychological processes involved in aging |
| gestalt | A German word meaning "unitary form" or pattern" |
| Gestalt psychology | The school of psychology that holds that the brain structures our perceptions of the world in terms of meaningful patterns or wholes |
| health psychologists | Psychologists who focus on the relationship between psychological factors and physical health |
| humanistic perspective | An approach to the study of pyschology that applies the principles of humanistic psychology |
| humanistic psychology | The school of psychology that holds that free will and conscious choice are essential aspects of the human experience |
| hypothesis | A precise prediction about the outcomes of an experiment |
| independent variables | Factors that are manipulated in an experiment |
| industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists | Psychologists who study people's behaviour at work |
| inferences | Conclusion drawn from observations |
| informed consent | Agreement to participate in a study following disclosure of information about the purpose and nature of the study an its potential risks and benefits |
| introspection | Inward focusing on mental experiences, such as sensations or feeling |
| natural selection | The evolutionary process by which individuals of a species that are best adapted to their environments are the ones most likely to survive and pass along their traits to succeeding generations |
| naturalistic observation method | A method of research based on careful observaton of behavior in natural settings |
| neuropsychologists | Psychologists who study the psychological characteristics and behaviors that distinguish us as individuals and lead us to act consistently over time |
| physiological perspective | An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the relationships between biological processes and behavior |
| physiological psychologists | Psychologists who focus on the biological underpinnings of behavior |
| placebo | An inert substance or experimental condition that resembles the active treatment |
| placebo effects | Positive outcomes of an experiment resulting from participants' expectations about the effects of a treatment rather than from the experimental treatment itself |
| population | All the individuals or organisms that constitute particular groups |
| positive psychology | A contemporary movement within psychology that emphasizes the study of human virtues and assets rather than weaknesses and deficits |
| psychiatrists | Medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental or psychological disorders |
| pyschodynamic perspective | The view that behavior is influenced by the struggle between unconscious sexual or aggressive impulses and opposing forces that try to keep this threatening material out of consciousness |
| psychology | The science of behavior and mental process |
| pyschophysics | The study of the relationship between features of physical stimuli, such as their intensity, and the sensations we experience in response to them |
| questionnaire | A written set of questions or statements to which people reply by marking their response on an answer form |
| random assignment | A method of randomly assigning research participants to experimental or control groups |
| random sampling | A method of sampling in which each individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected |
| replication | The attempt to duplicate findings |
| samples | Subsets of a population |
| school psychologists | Psychologists who evaluate and assist children with learning problems or other special needs |
| scientific method | A method of inquiry involving careful observation and use of experimental methods |
| single-blind studies | In drug research, studies in which research participants are kept uniformed about wether they are receiving the experimental drug or a placebo |
| social desirability bias | The tendency to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner |
| social psychologists | Psychologists who study group or social influences on behaviour and attitudes |
| social-cognitive theory | A contemporary learning-based model that emphasizeds the roles played by both cognitive factors and environmental or situational factors in determining behavior |
| sociocultural perspective | An approach to the study of psychology that emphasizes the role of social and cultural influences on behavior |
| sport psychologists | Psychologists who apply psychology to understanding and improving athletic performance |
| statistical significance | A term representing that a finding is unlikely to have been due to chance or random fluctuations |
| statistics | The branch of mathematics involving the tabulation, analysis, and interpretation of numerical data |
| stream of consciousness | The continues flow of conscious thoughts |
| structuralism | The school of psychology that attempts to understand the structure of the mind by breaking it down into its components parts |
| structured interview | An interview in which a set of specific questions is asked in a particular order |
| survey method | A research method that uses structured interviews or questionnaires to gather information about groups of people |
| theories | Formulations that account for relationships among observed events or experimental findings in ways that make them more understandable and predictable |
| unconscious | In Freudian theory, the part of the mind that lies outside the range of ordinary awareness and that contains primitive drives or instincts and unacceptable urges, wishes, or ideas |
| variables | Factors or measures that vary within an experiment or among individuals |
| volunteer bias | The type of bias that arises when people who volunteer to participate in a survey or research study have characteristics that make them unrepresentative of the population from which they were drawn |
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