Psyc1-Chap1-Scienceofpsych (Arranged By Topics)

Front 1

basic research

Back 1

Research focused on acquiring knowledge even if such knowledge has no direct practical application.

Front 2

applied research

Back 2

Research that attempts to find solutions to specific problems.

Front 3

behavior therapy

Back 3

A form of therapy that involves the systematic application of the principles of learning.

Front 4

behaviorism

Back 4

The school of psychology that holds that psychology should limit itself to the study of overt, observable behavior.

Front 5

control groups

Back 5

Groups of participants in a research experiment who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention.

Front 6

correlation coefficient

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A statistical measure of association between variables that can vary from -1.00 to +1.00.

Front 7

clinical psychologists

Back 7

Psychologists who use psychological techniques to evaluate and treat individuals with mental or psychological disorders.

Front 8

comparative psychologists

Back 8

Psychologists who study behavioral similarities and differences among animal species.

Front 9

consumer psychologists

Back 9

Psychologists who study why people purchase particular products and brands.

Front 10

counseling psychologists

Back 10

Psychologists who help people clarify their goals and make life decisions or find ways of overcoming problems in various areas of their lives.

Front 11

developmental psychologists

Back 11

Psychologists who focus on processes involving physical, cognitive, social, and personality development.

Front 12

educational psychologists

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Psychologists who study issues relating to the measurement of intelligence and the processes involved in educational or academic achievement.

Front 13

environmental psychologists

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Psychologists who study relationships between the physical environment and behavior.

Front 14

experimental psychologists

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Psychologists who apply experimental methods to the study of behavior and mental processes.

Front 15

forensic psychologists

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Psychologists involved in the application of psychology to the legal system.

Front 16

geropsychologists

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Psychologists who focus on psychological processes involved in aging.

Front 17

health psychologists

Back 17

Psychologists who focus on the relationship between psychological factors and physical health.

Front 18

industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists

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Psychologists who study people’s behavior at work.

Front 19

neuropsychologists

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Psychologists who study relationships between the brain and behavior.

Front 20

social psychologists

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Psychologists who study group or social influences on behavior and attitudes.

Front 21

physiological psychologists

Back 21

Psychologists who focus on the biological underpinnings of behavior.

Front 22

school psychologists

Back 22

Psychologists who evaluate and assist children with learning problems or other special needs.

Front 23

personality psychologists

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Psychologists who study the psychological characteristics and behaviors that distinguish us as individuals and lead us to act consistently over time.

Front 24

sport psychologists

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Psychologists who apply psychology to understanding and improving athletic performance.

Front 25

social-cognitive theory

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A contemporary learning-based model that emphasizes the roles of cognitive and environmental factors in determining behavior

Front 26

case study method

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An in-depth study of one or more individuals.

Front 27

naturalistic observation method

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A method of research based on careful observation of behavior in natural settings.

Front 28

experimental method

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A method of scientific investigation involving the manipulation of independent variables and observation or measurement of their effects on dependent variables under controlled conditions.

Front 29

survey method

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A research method in which structured interviews or questionnaires are used to gather information about groups of people.

Front 30

scientific method

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A method of inquiry involving careful observation and use of experimental methods.

Front 31

correlational method

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A research method used to examine relationships between variables, which are expressed in the form of a statistical measure called a correlation coefficient.

Front 32

critical thinking

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The adoption of a skeptical, questioning attitude and careful scrutiny of claims or arguments.

Front 33

double-blind studies

Back 33

In drug research, studies in which both participants and experimenters are kept uninformed about which participants are receiving the active drug and which are receiving the placebo.

Front 34

empirical approach

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A method of developing knowledge based on evaluating evidence gathered from experiments and careful observation.

Front 35

ethics review committees

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Committees that evaluate whether proposed studies meet ethical guidelines.

Front 36

functionalism

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The school of psychology that focuses on the adaptive functions of behavior.

Front 37

gestalt

Back 37

A German word meaning “unitary form” or “pattern.”

Front 38

positive psychology

Back 38

A contemporary movement within psychology that emphasizes the study of human virtues and assets, rather than weaknesses and deficits.

Front 39

evolutionary psychology

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A branch of psychology that focuses on the role of evolutionary processes in shaping behavior.

Front 40

gestalt psychology

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The school of psychology that holds that the brain structures our perceptions of the world in terms of meaningful patterns or wholes.

Front 41

humanistic psychology

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The school of psychology that believes that free will and conscious choice are essential aspects of the human experience.

Front 42

hypothesis

Back 42

A precise prediction about the outcomes of an experiment.

Front 43

independent variables

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Factors that are manipulated in an experiment.

Front 44

variable

Back 44

A factor or measure that varies within an experiment or among individuals.

Front 45

dependent variables

Back 45

The effects or outcomes of an experiment that are believed to be dependent on the values of the independent variables.

Front 46

informed consent

Back 46

Agreement to participate in a study following disclosure of information about the purposes and nature of the study and its potential risks and benefit.

Front 47

operational definition

Back 47

A definition of a variable based on the procedures or operations used to measure it.

Front 48

placebo

Back 48

An inert substance or experimental condition that resembles the active treatment.

Front 49

placebo effects

Back 49

Positive outcomes of an experiment resulting from a participant’s positive expectations about the treatment rather than from the treatment itself.

Front 50

population

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All the individuals or organisms that constitute particular groups.

Front 51

psychiatrists

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Medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental or psychological disorders.

Front 52

psychoanalysis

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Freud’s method of psychotherapy; it focuses on uncovering and working through unconscious conflux its he believed were at the root of psychological problems.

Front 53

questionnaire

Back 53

A written set of questions or statements to which people reply by marking their responses on an answer form.

Front 54

random assignment

Back 54

A method of randomly assigning subjects to experimental or control groups.

Front 55

replication

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The attempt to duplicate findings.

Front 56

random sampling

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A method of sampling in which each individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Front 57

samples

Back 57

Subsets of a population.

Front 58

single-blind studies

Back 58

In drug research, studies in which subjects are kept uninformed about whether they are receiving the experimental drug or a placebo.

Front 59

social desirability bias

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The tendency to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner.

Front 60

statistics

Back 60

The branch of mathematics involving the tabulation, analysis, and interpretation of numerical data.

Front 61

structuralism

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The school of psychology that attempts to understand the structure of the mind by breaking it down into its component parts.

Front 62

structured interview

Back 62

An interview in which a set of specific questions is asked in a particular order.

Front 63

theory

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A formulation that accounts for relationships among observed events or experimental findings in ways that make them more understandable and predictable.

Front 64

unconscious

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In Freudian theory, the part of the mind that lies outside the range of ordinary awareness and that contains primitive drives and instincts.

Front 65

volunteer bias

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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.

Front 66

sociocultural perspective

Back 66

An approach to the study of psychology that emphasizes the role of social and cultural influences on behavior.

Front 67

cognitive perspective

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An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the processes by which we acquire knowledge.

Front 68

behavioral perspective

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An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the role of learning in explaining observable behavior.

Front 69

humanistic perspective

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An approach to the study of psychology that applies the principles of humanistic psychology.

Front 70

physiological perspective

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An approach to the study of psychology that focuses on the relationships between biological processes and behavior.

Front 71

psychodynamic perspective

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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.