Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Empirical method

gaining knowledge through observation, data collection, and logical reasoning

Biological approach

focuses on the body and physiological responses

Cognitive

focuses on mental processes and conscious thought

Humanistic

focuses on a person’s positive qualities, capacity for growth

Behavioral

focuses on observable and measurable behaviors

Evolutionary

focuses on evolutionary history and adaptations to explain behaviors

Psychodynamic

focuses on unconscious thought, desires, and early childhood

Sociocultural

focuses on how social and cultural environments influence behavior

Theory

idea about how variables are related

Hypothesis

educated guess that is specific and testable

Descriptive research

describes a phenomenon

Observation

systematically observing and recording behavior

Case studies

in-depth look at a single person (or just a few)

Interviews and surveys

quick and inexpensive

Socially desirable responding

answering in a way that makes them look good or as they think they should

Correlational research

looks for relationship between 2+ variables

Third variable problem

when a third variable, that wasn’t measured, accounts for the relationship between two variables

Experimental research

is a careful procedure where we manipulate one variable and measure another

Experimenter bias

experimenter’s expectations accidentally influence the outcome

Cross-sectional research

measures different groups of people at the same time

Longitudinal research

measures the same people multiple times over “long” time

Reliability

consistency, replicability

Validity

measuring what we intend to measure

Informed consent

researchers ensure that individuals understand a study and voluntarily agree to participate.

corpus callosum

bundle of axons that allows the two sides to communicate

Classical conditioning

learning an association between two stimuli that leads us to anticipate events (involuntary)

Operant conditioning

learning an association between a behavior and a consequence, leading us to increase/decrease behaviors (voluntary)

Schemas

preexisting mental concepts – help us organize memory

Confirmation bias

searching for info that supports our ideas

Hindsight bias

tendency to falsely report that we accurately predicted an outcome

Mindfulness

being alert and mentally present for everyday activities

Cognitive dissonance

psychological discomfort from having two inconsistent thoughts, which we are motivated to alleviate

Conformity

changing our behavior to do something because everyone else is doing it

Bystander effect

the more people that are around during an emergency, the less likely anyone is to help

Fundamental attribution error

tendency to overestimate internal traits and underestimate external factors when explaining someone else’s behavior

Traits of Anorexia nervosa

* More common in women (especially those who are high-achieving and perfectionistic) * Intense fear of gaining weight and distorted body image * Has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness

Nature v Nurture

nurture is how were raised. nature is biological

Purpose of Myelin

transmission of nerve impulses, which impact cognitive functions

what is the neurotransmitter most involved in the brain’s reward pathway

Dopamine

Difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

intrinsic arises from withing a person. extrinsic comes from other factors around you i.e. rewards

The part of the brain involved in higher cognitive functions such as planning and self-control

prefrontal cortex