AP Psychology Unit 1 flashcards
Fifteen cards on Scientific Foundations of Psychology — the facts this unit is actually tested on: the major psychological perspectives, research methods, experimental design, independent and dependent variables, correlation versus causation, descriptive statistics, ethical guidelines. Read them here, no sign-up. When you want cards from your own class notes instead of someone else's, paste them into FlashDeck and you have a deck in seconds.
Last updated: 24 September 2026
The AP Psychology Unit 1 deck
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the independent variable in an experiment? | The variable that the researcher manipulates to test its effect on another variable. |
| What is the dependent variable in an experiment? | The variable that is measured to see if it changed due to the independent variable. |
| What is an operational definition? | A precise, measurable description of how a variable is defined and measured in a study. |
| What is random assignment in an experiment? | Placing participants into experimental and control groups by chance to minimize preexisting differences. |
| What does the correlation coefficient measure? | The strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. |
| What is a positive correlation? | As one variable increases, the other variable also tends to increase. |
| What is a negative correlation? | As one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease. |
| Why can't correlation establish causation? | Because correlation only shows association; a third variable or other factors might explain the link. |
| What is the mean in descriptive statistics? | The arithmetic average of a set of scores. |
| What is the median? | The middle score in a distribution when scores are arranged in order. |
| What is the mode? | The most frequently occurring score in a distribution. |
| What does standard deviation measure? | How much scores in a distribution vary, on average, from the mean. |
| What does the behavioral perspective emphasize? | Observable behaviors and how they are learned through conditioning and environmental influences. |
| What does the cognitive perspective study? | Mental processes such as thinking, memory, perception, language, and problem solving. |
| What is informed consent in psychological research? | Obtaining voluntary agreement after explaining the study's nature, risks, and benefits. |
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Other AP Psychology units
Other units
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