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UNIT 1 AP Psychology Vocabulary

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212146780empiricismthe view that knowledge originates in experience and the science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation
212146781structuralisman early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind
212146782functionalisma school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function--how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish
212146783experimental psychologythe study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method
212146784behaviorismthe 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).
212146785humanistic psychologyhistorically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual's potential for personal growth
212146786cognitive neurosciencethe interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
212146787psychologythe science of behavior and mental processes
212146788nature-nurture issuethe longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors.
212146789natural selectionthe principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generation
212146790levels of analysisthe differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
212146791biopsychosocial approachan integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
212146792biological psychologya branch of psychology that studies the links between biological (including neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes. How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences; how genes combine with environment to influence individual differences
212146793evolutionary psychologythe study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection. How the natural selection of traits promotes the survival of genes
212146794psychodynamic psychologya branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior, and uses the information to treat people with psychological disorders How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts
212146795behavioral psychologythe scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning How we learn observable responses
212146796cognitive psychologythe scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information
212146797social-cultural psychologythe study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures
212146798psychometricsthe scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
212146799basic researchpure science that aims to increase the scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
212146800developmental psychologythe scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
212146801educational psychologythe study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning
212146802personality psychologythe study of an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
212146803social psychologythe scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
212146804applied researchscientific study that aims to solve practical problems
212146805industrial-organizations (I/O) psychologythe application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
212146806human factors psychologythe study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments
212146807counseling psychologya branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being
212146808clinical psychologya branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
212146809psychiatrya branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy

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