AP psychology vocabulary Gestalt psychology The school of psychological thought that argued that behavior cannot be studied in parts

s but must be viewed a s whole

cognitive psychology the perspective that focuses on the mental processes involved in perception, learning, memory, and thinking

Behaviorism The perspective that defines psychology as the study of behavior that is directly observable or through assessment instruments

humanistic psychology the perspective that emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual and the idea that humans have free will

self-actualization the human need to fulfill one's potential

socio-cultural psychology perspective concerned with how cultural differences affect behavior

evolutionary psychology perspective that seeks to explain and predict behaviors by analyzing how the human brain developed over time, how it functions, and how input from the environment affects human behaviors

positive psychology focuses on positive experiences; includes subjective well-being, self-determination, the relationship between positive emotions and physical health, and the factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to boorish

psychologist professional who studies behavior and uses behavioral principles in scientific research or in applied settings

clinical psychologist - psychologist who treats people serious psychological problems or conducts research into the causes of behavior

counseling psychologist - psychologist who treats people with adjustment problems psychiatrist - a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders

psychoanalyst one who uses psychoanalysis to treat psychological problems developmental psychologist - studies psychological development across the lifespan

educational psychologist this focuses on how effective teaching and learning take place

engineering psychologist it does research on how people function best with machines

forensic psychologist it applies psychological concepts to legal issues

health psychologist it focuses on psychological factors in illness

industrial/organizational psychologist it applies psychological principles to the workplace to improve productivity and the quality of work life

neuropsychologist this is concerned with the relationship between brain/nervous system and behavior

psychometrician this focuses on methods of acquiring and analyzing data

school psychologist it assesses and counsels students, consults with educators and parents, and performs behavioral intervention when necessary

social psychologist it focuses on how the individual's behavior and mental processes are affected by interactions with other people

sports psychologist - helps athletes improve their focus, increase motivation, and deal with anxiety and fear of failure

confounding variable- anything that causes a difference between the IV and the DV other than the independent variable