AP PSYCHOLOGY MODULES 1-8 EXAM
Applied Research - answer-scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.
Basic Research - answer-pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
Behavioral Psychology - answer-the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by
principles of learning.
Behaviorism - answer-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).
Biological Psychology - answer-the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural,
hormonal) and psychological processes. • Some biological psychologists call themselves - behavioral
neuroscientists, - neuropsychologists, - behavior geneticists, - physiological psychologists, or -
biopsychologists.
Biopsychosocial Approach - answer-an integrated approach that incorporates biological,
psychological, and social- cultural levels of analysis.
Case Study - answer-an descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in
the hope of revealing universal principles.
Clinical Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treat people with
psychological disorders.
Cognitive Neuroscience - answer-the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition
(including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
Cognitive Psychology - answer-the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with
thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.
Community Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their
social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups.
Confounding Variable - answer-a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an
effect in an experiment.
Control Group - answer-in an experiment, the group that is NOT exposed to the treatment; contrasts
with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Correlation - answer-a measure of the extent to which two factors change together, and thus of how
well either factor predicts the other.
Correlation Coefficient - answer-a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1.0
to +1.0).
Counseling Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living
(often related to school, work, and marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
, Critical Thinking - answer-thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it
examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluated evidence, and assesses conclusions.
Culture - answer-the enduring behavior, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people
and transmitted from one generation to the next.
Debriefing - answer-the postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any
deceptions, to its participants.
Dependent Variable - answer-the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to
manipulations of the independent variable.
Descriptive Statistics - answer-numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of
groups. Include measures of central tendency and measures of variability.
Developmental Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and
social change throughout the life span.
Double-Blind Procedure - answer-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 the placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.
Educational Psychology - answer-the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance
teaching and learning.
Empiricism - answer-the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should,
therefore, rely on observation and experimentation.
Evolutionary Psychology - answer-the study of the evolution of behavior and mind, using principles
of natural selection.
Experiment - answer-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.
Experimental Group - answer-in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is,
to one version of the independent variable.
Experimental Psychology - answer-the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental
method.
Functionalism - answer-a school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored
how mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable the organism to adapt, survive,
and flourish.
Hindsight Bias - answer-the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have
foreseen it. •Also known as the "I knew it all along" phenomenon.
Histogram - answer-a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution.
Applied Research - answer-scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.
Basic Research - answer-pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
Behavioral Psychology - answer-the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by
principles of learning.
Behaviorism - answer-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).
Biological Psychology - answer-the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural,
hormonal) and psychological processes. • Some biological psychologists call themselves - behavioral
neuroscientists, - neuropsychologists, - behavior geneticists, - physiological psychologists, or -
biopsychologists.
Biopsychosocial Approach - answer-an integrated approach that incorporates biological,
psychological, and social- cultural levels of analysis.
Case Study - answer-an descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in
the hope of revealing universal principles.
Clinical Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treat people with
psychological disorders.
Cognitive Neuroscience - answer-the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition
(including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
Cognitive Psychology - answer-the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with
thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.
Community Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their
social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups.
Confounding Variable - answer-a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an
effect in an experiment.
Control Group - answer-in an experiment, the group that is NOT exposed to the treatment; contrasts
with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Correlation - answer-a measure of the extent to which two factors change together, and thus of how
well either factor predicts the other.
Correlation Coefficient - answer-a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1.0
to +1.0).
Counseling Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living
(often related to school, work, and marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
, Critical Thinking - answer-thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it
examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluated evidence, and assesses conclusions.
Culture - answer-the enduring behavior, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people
and transmitted from one generation to the next.
Debriefing - answer-the postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any
deceptions, to its participants.
Dependent Variable - answer-the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to
manipulations of the independent variable.
Descriptive Statistics - answer-numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of
groups. Include measures of central tendency and measures of variability.
Developmental Psychology - answer-a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and
social change throughout the life span.
Double-Blind Procedure - answer-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 the placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.
Educational Psychology - answer-the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance
teaching and learning.
Empiricism - answer-the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should,
therefore, rely on observation and experimentation.
Evolutionary Psychology - answer-the study of the evolution of behavior and mind, using principles
of natural selection.
Experiment - answer-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.
Experimental Group - answer-in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is,
to one version of the independent variable.
Experimental Psychology - answer-the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental
method.
Functionalism - answer-a school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored
how mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable the organism to adapt, survive,
and flourish.
Hindsight Bias - answer-the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have
foreseen it. •Also known as the "I knew it all along" phenomenon.
Histogram - answer-a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution.
