AP Psychology · Unit 1
Scientific Method in Psychology: every key term you need
24 flashcard terms for AP Psychology Unit 1, written to match the course framework. Study them here, then drill them as interactive flashcards — free, no account needed.
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Psychology Unit 1 Overview Core concepts in AP Psychology; study of behavior and mental processes; scientific approach.
Scientific Method in Psychology Hypothesis, design study, collect data, analyze, draw conclusions; experiment, observation, correlation.
Ethics in Research Informed consent, minimize harm, confidentiality, debriefing; institutional review boards (IRBs) oversee research.
Reliability and Validity Reliability: consistent results; validity: measures what it claims; both essential for good research.
Bias and Confounds Experimenter bias, demand characteristics, confounding variables; random assignment and blinding reduce bias.
Statistics in Psychology Mean, SD, correlation, significance tests; p < 0.05 typically significant; large samples increase power.
Neurons and Neurotransmitters Neurons: cell body, axon, dendrites; synapses: neurotransmitter release; various NT (serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine).
Brain Structure and Function Cortex (higher functions), limbic system (emotion), brainstem (basic functions); lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital.
Sensation and Perception Sensation: sensory input; perception: brain interpretation; thresholds: absolute and difference; sensory adaptation.
Vision and Hearing Light → retina → brain; eye anatomy: pupil, lens, retina; sound → cochlea → brain; middle ear amplifies.
Attention and Memory Attention: selective focus; memory: encoding, storage, retrieval; types: sensory, short-term, long-term.
Forgetting Decay theory, interference, retrieval failure; Ebbinghaus forgetting curve; spacing effect: spaced practice better retention.
Thinking and Problem Solving Concept formation, reasoning, decision-making; mental sets and functional fixedness; heuristics vs algorithms.
Language and Thought Linguistic relativity: language influences thought; grammar, semantics; language development stages.
Learning: Classical Conditioning Stimulus-response associations; Pavlov's dogs; neutral stimulus paired with UCS → CR; extinction and spontaneous recovery.
Learning: Operant Conditioning Skinner: behavior shaped by consequences; reinforcement (increase behavior), punishment (decrease); schedules of reinforcement.
Learning: Observational Learning Bandura: learning by watching others; modeling; mirror neurons; social cognitive theory.
Motivation and Emotion Drives: biological needs; needs hierarchy (Maslow); emotions: physiological + cognitive + behavioral components.
Personality Theories Psychoanalytic (Freud), humanistic (Rogers), social-cognitive (Bandura), trait (Big Five); different approaches to understanding.
Psychological Disorders DSM classification; anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders; diathesis-stress model.
Therapy and Treatment Psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), humanistic therapy, biomedical (medication); effectiveness varies by disorder.
Developmental Psychology Piaget (cognitive), Erikson (psychosocial), Bowlby (attachment); nature-nurture, continuity-discontinuity.
Social Psychology Attitudes and persuasion, conformity, obedience, group behavior; attribution theory; prejudice and stereotypes.
Unit 1 Exam Preparation Review concepts, practice questions, manage test anxiety, apply concepts to scenarios; deep understanding essential.
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