AP Psych Terms

	The branch of genetics that examines the genetic an d environmental contributions to a persons character and behavior.
	In an experiment, any variable other than the independent variable that creates differences between the experimental and control groups.
	A movement in psychology led by William James in which consciousness was studied according to the functions it serves, rather than its structures.
	A statistic that measures the variability, or degree of spread, of a distribution. It is calculated by taking the square root of the variance, or the average squared deviation of scores from the mean.
	The ability of a test to measure what it is purported to measure.
	Research that is conducted to solve a specific or practical problem.
	The branch of psychology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.
	A movement in psychology that was characterized by a deep concern for human beings, their dignity, and their universal struggles. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers were two key figures in this movement.
	A concrete definition of a variable for the purposes of a particular experiment.
	A theoretical perspective that focuses on unconscious mental processes, as well as the impact of early childhood experiences on later personality and behavior.
	In an experiment, every participant has an equal opportunity to be assigned to a particular group. Random assignment to groups is the hallmark of a "true experiment."
	A plan for how to conduct the scientific investigation, how the variables will be manipulated and/or measured, as well as how the data will be collected and analyzed.
	The pursuit of knowledge and understanding, using systematic methods of inquiry.
	A condition in which the difference between the experimental and control groups is so large that it is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone.
	Research that is conducted for the sake of knowledge itself, rather than to solve a specific or practical problem.
	Statistics that provide information about the features of a particular sample.
	In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the independent variable.
	The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
	A method of sampling in which every member of a population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.
	A philosophical approach that says that nothing can be known with absolute certainty. In general, it refers to a doubting or questioning attitude.
	A movement in psychology, led by Wilhelm Wundt, that focused on analyzing conscious experience in terms of its fundamental structures.
	A situation in which two variables are correlated, but neither one of them caused the other. They were both caused by another, different variable. If A and B are correlated, then C caused A and B.
	A statistic that measures the variability, or degree of spread, in the distribution. It is calculated by taking the average squared deviation of scores from the mean