AP Psychology : AP Psychology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #121 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Ariana is studying the effect of an intervention that seeks to increase a child's positive behaviors and decrease negative behaviors by providing reinforcement and punishment. What school of psychology does Ariana most likely subscribe to?

Possible Answers:

Psychoanalytic

Gestalt

Humanistic

Cognitive

Behavioral 

Correct answer:

Behavioral 

Explanation:

Ariana is looking at how an intervention affects children's behaviors by providing reinforcement and punishment. She is therefore using operant conditioning, which is a behavioral approach. Humanism views human nature positively, emphasizes free will, and seeks to increase awareness of one's self-concept. Cognitive psychology looks at thought processes, not necessarily behaviors. Psychoanalysis is a form of treatment that uses free association, catharsis, and dream interpretation to reveal the unconscious. Gestalt psychology stems from philosophy and looks at the human mind as a whole.

Example Question #122 : History And Principles Of Psychology

A school teacher gives her students tokens that can be exchanged for prizes after a student receives five passing scores on an exam. This is an example of what type of schedule of reinforcement?

Possible Answers:

Variable interval

Variable ratio

Fixed ratio

Fixed interval

Negative reinforcement

Correct answer:

Fixed ratio

Explanation:

The school teacher rewards her students after a set number of behaviors. This is called a fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement. In a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement, a teacher would reward her students after a random number of passing grades. A fixed interval schedule of reinforcement would be based on time elapsed. The teacher might reward her students every fifteen days if they received a passing grade in that time period. In a variable interval schedule, the amount of time elapsed would vary. 

Example Question #1 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

What is the highest step on Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Possible Answers:

Need for esteem

Need for love

Need for self-actualization

Need for safety

Physiological needs

Correct answer:

Need for self-actualization

Explanation:

Maslow structured his hierarchy of needs in the following order: physiological needs, need for safety, need for love, need for esteem, and then the need for self-actualization. Ideally, people reach this last step in order to completely fulfill their potential.

Example Question #2 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

Which psychologist is most commonly associated with humanistic psychology?

Possible Answers:

Albert Bandura

Ivan Pavlov

Sigmund Freud

Carl Rogers

B.F. Skinner

Correct answer:

Carl Rogers

Explanation:

Carl Rogers pioneered the humanistic psychology movement. Freud was known for the psychoanalytic approach to psychology, Skinner and Pavlov for the behavioral approach, and Bandura for the social learning approach.

Example Question #1 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

Which is not a characteristic of the psychoanalytic approach to psychology?

Possible Answers:

External rewards and punishments

Internal impulses

Dream symbolism

The unconscious mind

Sigmund Freud

Correct answer:

External rewards and punishments

Explanation:

External rewards and punishments are a characteristic of the behavioral approach.

Example Question #2 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

A wife is angry with her husband for not listening to her when, in reality, she is the one who does not listen. Which defense mechanism is she using?

Possible Answers:

Reaction formation

Repression

Intellectualization

Projection

Denial

Correct answer:

Projection

Explanation:

Projection is a defense mechanism in which an individual misattributes his or her negative impulses onto another person. This often occurs when said individual has trouble acknowledging his or her own motivations and feelings.

Example Question #5 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

What is the difference between Freudians and neo-Freudians?

Possible Answers:

There is no difference.

Neo-Freudians rejected Freud's ideas in favor of humanism.

Neo-Freudians focused on developing a more favorable view of women than Freud had.

Neo-Freudians expanded Freud's theories to include social and cultural ideas.

Neo-Fruedians incorporated theories on genetics into Freud's ideas.

Correct answer:

Neo-Freudians expanded Freud's theories to include social and cultural ideas.

Explanation:

Neo-Freudians dissented from Freud only to bring social and cultural ideas into his established theories.

Example Question #6 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

Alfred Adler and Carl Jung are best known as which kind of psychologists?

Possible Answers:

Neo-Freudian

Psychoanalytic

Cognitive

Humanistic

Behaviorist

Correct answer:

Neo-Freudian

Explanation:

Adler and Jung are the best known Neo-Freudians. They accepted the basic tenets of Freud's theories but later dissented from him to develop their own theories.

Example Question #7 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

Which is not one of the Big Five personality traits?

Possible Answers:

Conscientiousness

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

Happiness

Extraversion

Correct answer:

Happiness

Explanation:

Happiness is not one of the Big Five personality traits. The other four choices are, along with openness.

Example Question #8 : Subdisciplines And Approaches

Which of the following is not a fundamental part of Freud's psychoanalytic theory?

Possible Answers:

Ego

Superego

Id

Superid

Correct answer:

Superid

Explanation:

The superid is not a part of Freud's psychological theory.

According to Freud, the id is the unorganized part of personality structure that contains instinctual drives and the source of our needs and wants. The superego is the part of personality structure that reflects proper behavior and morals, often referred to as a "conscience." The ego is the reality principle of our personality stucture and works to balance the wants of the id and superego.

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