AP Psychology Review

Success on the AP Psychology ExamKnowledge

Need to know the material of a typical Introduction to Psychology course at the college level.

Typical college course meets for 15 weeks, 3 times a week for 45 class hours.

TextbooksWeiten Text: 714 pagesGleitman Text: 720 pagesBernstein Text: 627 pagesMyers Text: 794 pages

Success on the AP Psychology ExamUnderstanding of the AP Psychology Test

Knowing the basic elements of the AP Psychology test including:Number of questions in the total testNumber of questions from each individual unitTypes of questions possibleHow the questions are arraigned?How is the test scored?

Success on the AP Psychology ExamMotivation

Drive to do well on the test Reasons for a 5

Time/WorkWillingness to put in the time and effort needed to succeed

ConfidenceFeeling you are prepared and have the skills needed to pass

the test.

Test Taking StrategiesGeneral Tips for Test TakingMultiple Choice SectionFree Response

Questions

General Tips for Test TakingKnow the structure of the test

Multiple Choice Section - 100 questionsA-EColumn formatQuestions taken

from every unit on a percentage basis

AP Psychology Exam StructureHistory and Approaches 2-4%Research Methods 8-10%Biological Bases of Behavior 8-10%Sensation and Perception 6-8%States of Consciousness 2-4%Learning 7-9%Cognition 8-10%Motivation and Emotion 6-8%Developmental Psychology 7-9%Personality 5-7%Testing and Individual Differences 5-7%Abnormal Psychology 7-9%Treatment of Psychological Disorders 5-7%Social Psychology 8-10%

AP Psychology Exam StructureResearch Methods 8-10%Biological Bases of Behavior 8-10%Cognition 8-10%Social Psychology 8-10%Abnormal Psychology 7-9%Developmental Psychology 7-9%Learning 7-9%

Motivation and Emotion 6-8%Sensation and Perception 6-8%

Personality 5-7%Testing and Individual Differences 5-7%Treatment of Psychological Disorders 5-7%

History and Approaches 2-4%States of Consciousness 2-4%

AP Psychology Exam StructureHistory, Approaches and Research Methods 10-14%

Biological Bases of Behavior 8-10%Cognition 8-10%Social Psychology 8-10%Abnormal Psychology 7-9%Developmental Psychology 7-9%Learning 7-9%

Motivation and Emotion 6-8%Sensation and Perception 6-8%

Personality 5-7%Testing and Individual Differences 5-7%Treatment of Psychological Disorders 5-7%

States of Consciousness 2-4%

General Tips for Test TakingKnow the structure of the test

Free Response Section - 2 questionsNo choiceMultiple parts

General Tips for Test TakingMake good use of your time and be aware of

time restraintsMultiple Choice - 70 minutes (100 questions)Free Response - 50 minutes (2 questions)

Bring a watch to the testDirections on exam

(see next slide)

General Tips for Test TakingMake good use of your time and know your

time restraints“Use your time effectively, working as quickly

as you can without losing accuracy. Do not spend too much time on any one question. Go on to other questions and come back to the ones you have not answered if you have time. It is not expected that everyone will know the answers to all of the multiple-choice questions.”

General Tips for Test TakingRead the directions carefully

“Mark the one best answer” “Mark all correct answers”AP Psychology test says:

“Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by five suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case and then fill in the corresponding oval on the answer sheet.”

General Tips for Test Taking Know how the test is graded

Multiple Choice2/3 of overall grade100 Points

Free Response1/3 of overall grade50 Points

150 Total Points

General Tips for Test Taking

Section I: Multiple Choice

_____ = __________Number Correct Multiple-Choice

Score

Notes: If any questions are thrown out the 1.0 will change to reflect that change.1999 – two questions 1.0204

2007 – one question 1.0101


Section II: Free Response (Assumes one 8 point and one 10 point question)

(3.1250 X _______) + (2.500 X ________ ) = _____

Question 1 Question 2 Free Response

(Out of 8) (Out of 10) Score

Note: The numbers will change dependent on how many points each question in a given year is worth.


Section III: Composite Score

______________ + ___________ = _______________ Multiple Choice Free Response Composite Score Score Score

Section IV: Final Score


Section I: Multiple Choice

_____Number Correct Multiple-Choice Score

Notes: If any questions are thrown out the 1.0 will change to reflect that change.

74 74





74.00


Section II: Free Response (Assumes two 8 point and 8 point question)

(3.1250 X _______) + (2.500 X ________ ) = _____




6 6 33.7518.75 15





74.00 33.75 107.75

General Tips for Test TakingDon’t waste time with extremely difficult

questionsDon't waste time pondering difficult-to-

answer questions excessively. If you have no idea at all, just guess (there is no penalty for doing so) and go on. If you need to devote a good deal of time to the question, skip it and mark it so you can return to it later if time permits.

General Tips for Test TakingAre charts, graphs, drawings, etc.

on the test?Are there names on the test?

General Tips for Test TakingKeep to the level of the testAdopt the appropriate level of

sophistication for the test. Don't read things into questions. Sometimes students make things more complex that they were intended to be. Often, simple-looking questions are just what they appear to be.

AP Psychology test appears to go from easiest questions to the hardest questions.

General Tips for Test TakingIf possible, review your answersIf you complete all of the questions and still

have some time remaining, review the test. Make sure that you have recorded your answers correctly, especially when using a scanner sheet. If you were unsure of some answers, go back and reconsider them.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsMultiple Choice Question Structure

Stem 1.Which of the following is responsible for focusing the image on the retina?

Decoys/distracters A. cornea

B. optic nerve

C. rods

D. cones

Correct Answer E. lens

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsAnticipate the answer

As you read the stem of each multiple choice question, anticipate the answer if you can, before looking at the options. If the answer you anticipated is among the options, it is likely to be the correct one.


When Shelly first had cable television service installed, Public Broadcasting (PBS) was on channel 9. Her cable company then switched PBS to channel 16. Shelly now has trouble remembering that PBS is on channel 16 and not on channel 9. This memory problem represents

(AP Psychology Exam 2004 #86)


When Shelly first had cable television service installed, Public Broadcasting (PBS) was on channel 9. Her cable company then switched PBS to channel 16. Shelly now has trouble remembering that PBS is on channel 16 and not on channel 9. This memory problem represents

(A) memory decay

(B) retrograde amnesia

(C) reconstruction errors

(D) retroactive interference

(E) proactive interference


Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsCompletely read each question and every answer

Always read each question completely. Continue reading even if you find your anticipated answer among the options. There may be a more complete option farther down the list.


Which of the following is evidence of the reliability of a new intelligence test?(A) A correlation of +0.90 exists between scores on the new test and scores on the Wechsler Intelligence

Scale for Children.(B) The test predicts students’ ability to succeed in college.(C) The correlation between scores for identical twins

taking the test is +0.90.(D) Baseline data for test norming are obtained from a diverse sample of several thousand participants.(E) The correlation between scores of participants

who take two forms of the test is +0.90.



Which of the following is evidence of the reliability of a new intelligence test?(A) A correlation of +0.90 exists between scores on the new test and scores on the Wechsler Intelligence

Scale for Children.(B) The test predicts students’ ability to succeed in college.(C) The correlation between scores for identical twins

taking the test is +0.90.(D) Baseline data for test norming are obtained from a diverse sample of several thousand participants.(E) The correlation between scores of participants who take two forms of the test is +0.90.


Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsRe-phrase complicated questions

If the question is too complex try to re-phrase it into a form you can understand.

“In their deliberations and discussions regarding the process of developmental maturation, the advocates of the importance of nurture in the nature/nurture controversy emphasize which of the following concepts?”

In the nature/nurture controversy, what do the nurture supporters believe?

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsStick to the subject matter

Watch for answers that have nothing to do with the subject matter of the course or have nothing to do with the subject matter of the particular unit the question is testing.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsStick to the subject matter

Alfred Binet’s most important contribution to psychology was in the area of

(A) intelligence testing

(B) visual perception

(C) psychopathology

(D) comparative psychology

(E) classical conditioning


Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsWatch for help

Look for answers or help within other questions of the test.


Which of the following theoretical frameworks would argue most strongly that a healthy child will choose what is good for his or her growth?

(A) Social learning theory

(B) Psychoanalytic

(C) Behavioral

(D) Humanistic

(E) Psychodynamic



The humanistic perspective in psychology suggests that

(A) most behavior can be explained by operant conditioning principles

(B) all humans have peak experiences

(C) all humans are by nature good

(D) humans are doomed to a life of neurosis and suffering

(E) self-actualization can happen only through therapy


Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsUse “all of the above” to your advantage

On items that have "all of the above" as an option, if you know that just two of the options are correct, you should choose "all of the above."

If you are confident that one of the options is incorrect, you should eliminate this option and "all of the above" and choose from the remaining options.

AP Psychology exam has not had any “all of the above” or “none of the above” questions

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsUse qualifiers and 100% words

Qualifiers: often, sometimes, perhaps, may, generally, some, seldom, usually, ordinarily, etc.

Options that use qualifiers tend to be correct.

100% words: never, none, no, every, always, all, only, entirely, necessarily, completely, totally, etc.

Options that represent broad, sweeping generalizations tend to be incorrect.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsUse flaws within the test to your advantage

Many writers of test questions make mistakes that you can use to help determine the correct answer.

Common Flaws in Multiple Choice Items

Flaw #1The incorrect options are highly implausible.The part of the brain responsible for higher order

thinking is the:

A. cerebrum

B. pupil

C. repression

D. pituitary gland

E. mania

Common Flaws in Multiple Choice ItemsFlaw #2Equivalence and/or contradictions among options

allow one to eliminate the incorrect options.

Which of the following is a anxiety disorder?

A. manic depression

B. bipolar disorder

C. phobia

D. dissociative amnesia

E. psychogenic amnesia


Flaw #3Content information in other items provides the

answer.Flaw #4The correct option is more detailed and/or more

specific than all the other options.Flaw #5The correct option is longer than all the other

options.


Flaw #6There is grammatical inconsistency between the

stem and the incorrect options but not the correct option.

Flaw #7The incorrect options include certain key words that

tend to appear in false statements (i.e. always, must, never, and so on).

Common Flaws in Multiple Choice ItemsFlaw #8There is a resemblance between the stem and

correct option but not the incorrect options.

Skinner and the other behaviorists would promote which of the following therapies?

A. psychoanalysis

B. humanistic therapy

C. behavioral therapy

D. Gestalt therapy

E. cognitive therapy

Common Flaws in Multiple Choice ItemsFlaw #1 - The incorrect options are highly implausible

Flaw #2 - Equivalence and/or contradictions among options allow one to eliminate the incorrect options.

Flaw #3 - Content information in other items provides the answer.

Flaw #4 - The correct option is more detailed and/or more specific than all the other options.

Flaw #5 - The correct option is longer than all the other options.

Flaw #6 - There is grammatical inconsistency between the stem and the incorrect options but not the correct option.

Flaw #7 - The incorrect options include certain key words that tend to appear in false statements (i.e. always, must, never, and so on).

Flaw #8 - There is a resemblance between the stem and correct option but not the incorrect options.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answers

Learn how to quickly eliminate options that are highly implausible. Many questions have only two plausible options, accompanied by "throwaway" options for filler. You should work at spotting these implausible options so that you can quickly discard them and narrow your task.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answersAccording to Benjamin Whorf’s linguistic relatively hypothesis,

which of the following is true?(A) Individuals have a natural predisposition to walk in the first two years of life.(B) Individuals learn positive instances of reinforcement faster than they learn negative instances.(C) Children learn “object permanence” much sooner than Piaget proposed in his cognitive theory.(D) Different languages predispose those individuals

who speak them to think about the world in different ways.

(E) Children learn quantifying behaviors through their interactions with adults before learning qualifying behaviors.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answersAccording to Benjamin Whorf’s linguistic relatively hypothesis,

which of the following is true?(A) Individuals have a natural predisposition to walk in the first two years of life.(B) Individuals learn positive instances of reinforcement faster than they learn negative instances.(C) Children learn “object permanence” much sooner than Piaget proposed in his cognitive theory.(D) Different languages predispose those individuals who speak them to think about the world in different ways.(E) Children learn quantifying behaviors through their

interactions with adults before learning qualifying behaviors.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answersWhich of the following is an example of a metacognition?

(A) Explaining the significance of the client’s dreams to their disorder.(B) Protecting the terminal buttons of the neuron

from destruction by enzymes in the spinal cord.(C) Viewing personality disorders as adjustments

to the environment.(D) Understanding the role of various parts of the brain in motor coordination.(E) Knowing the effectiveness of different strategies for learning statistical formulas.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answersWhich of the following is an example of a metacognition?

(A) Explaining the significance of the client’s dreams to their disorder.(B) Protecting the terminal buttons of the neuron

from destruction by enzymes in the spinal cord.(C) Viewing personality disorders as adjustments to

the environment.(D) Understanding the role of various parts of the brain in motor coordination.(E) Knowing the effectiveness of different strategies for learning statistical formulas.

Tips for Multiple Choice QuestionsEliminate implausible answers

A college student experiences a loss of sensation in her right arm before exams. Doctors can find no physiological basis for her condition. This student is most likely experiencing which of the following kinds of disorders?

(A) Somatoform

(B) Dissociative

(C) Anxiety

(D) Mood

(E) Personality(AP Psychology Exam 2004 #64)

Free Response SectionTest Structure 2 Free Response (Essay) Questions Required to do both

Free Response SectionTime Structure 50 minutes to complete both essays Can break up your time on the essays

any way you want Watch your time. Don’t get caught

short on essay #2

Free Response SectionScoring Essays are 1/3 of the overall score Each essay 1/6 of the overall score Each essay will have a specific number

of points (6-12) Points are then mathematically

changed to equal 25 for a perfect essay



(3.1250 X _______) + (2.500 X ________ ) = _____




6 6 33.7518.75 15



(4.1667 X _______) + (2.083 X ________ ) = _____




6 6 37.525 12.5

Free Response SectionStyle of the Questions One essay tends to be unit based One essay tends to go across units Questions tend to be relatively specific Application questions with listing of

terms

Free Response Question 2009 #11. Dimitri and Linda are trying to learn a new routine to

compete successfully in a dance competition. Give an example of how each of the following could affect their performance. Definitions without application do not score.

• Extrinsic motivation

• Punishment

• Proactive interference

• Endorphins

• Vestibular system

• Divergent thinking

• Introversion

7 points

Free Response Question 2009 #22. James is in a driver’s education course preparing to take his driving

test. The course includes both book work and driving on the road to prepare students for a written test and a road test.

(a) Describe how each of the following might influence his ability to drive a car during the road test. Definitions without application do not score.

• Cognitive map

• Cerebellum

• Observational learning

• Human factors

(b) Describe how each of the following are related to the results of the written test. Definitions without application do not score.

• Reticular formation

• Predictive validity

• Semantic memory

7 points

Free Response SectionScoring Points are given for correct responses Points are not removed unless you

contradict yourselfPoints are not removed for Handwriting/

Spelling/Grammar issues

Free Response SectionHelpful Hints – Before Writing

Read both essaysThink through your answer before you

start writingTry to determine the point values for the

questionWrite an outline/notes on the essay

question sheet

If you are not sure take a logical guess.

Free Response SectionWriting the EssaysFormat of the Answer

Write your answers in essay form.DO NOT outline, write bullets, etc.Follow the format of the the question.Use paragraphs to separate the different

sectionsUnderline key points and conceptsDefine and give examples

Free Response SectionWriting the EssaysDo not worry if you cannot answer all of

the question.Try to avoid compound or complex

sentences. Style does not get you points.Avoid circular definitions.Be complete but to the point.DO NOT restate the question.

Free Response SectionWriting the EssaysIntroductions and conclusions are NOT

needed.DO NOT concept bomb the answer.Answer the question, don’t try to be cute.Define any concepts in the question.

AP Psychology Review

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