Behaviorism
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).
Humanistic psychology
historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people; used personalized methods to study personality in hopes of fostering personal growth
Psychology
the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Nature-nurture issue
the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today's science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture
Levels of analysis
the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
Biopsychosocial approach
an integrated perspective that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
Basic research
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
Applied research
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
Counseling psychology
a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being
Clinical psychology
a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
psychiarty
a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy
Hindsight bias
the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)
Critical thining
thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusoins
Theory
an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations
Hypothesis
a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Operational definition
a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures
Replication
repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
Case study
an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
survey
a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them
population
all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study
Random sample
a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
naturalistic observation
observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
Correlation
a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
illusory correlation
the perception of a relationship where none exists
Experiment
A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process
Random assignment
assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups
Double-blind procedure
an experimental procedure in which both the reseach participants and the reseach staff are ignorant (blind) about wether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies
Placebo effect
experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which is assumed to be an active agent
Experimental group
the group in an experiment that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable
Control group
the group in an experiment that contrasts with the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Independent variable
the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied
Dependant variable
a variable that changes in response to the independant variable
Culture
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
SQ3R
a study method incorporating five steps: survey, question, read, rehearse, review