AP Psychology : Individual Psychology and Behavior
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology
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Example Questions
Example Question #951 : Ap Psychology
On average, a person repeats the sleep cycle about four times over the course of a night. Which of the following happens to the REM sleep period as the cycle repeats?
It becomes less associated with dreams each time
It gets shorter each time
It does not change duroing the sleep cycle
It gets longer each time
It gets longer each time
Over the course of the four repetitions, REM sleep starts as a fairly brief period of about 45 minutes. By the end of the fourth repetition, the REM period of the sleep cycle is substantially longer. Dreaming is most associated with REM sleep, and dreaming during REM stays the same over the course of the sleep cycle.
Example Question #22 : Consciousness
Inadequate sleep is a risk factor for which of the following?
All of these
Diabetes
Impaired immune functioning
Obesity
All of these
Sleep deprivation and partial sleep deprivation have many negative consequences on our physical and mental well-being. Studies have shown that people who consistently sleep less than 7 hours are at increased risk for overall mortality.
Example Question #952 : Ap Psychology
Which of the following stages of sleep and associated brain waves are correctly matched?
Stage 5: NREM sleep
Stage 1: Alpha Waves
Stage 4: Beta waves
Stage 3: Theta waves
Stage 2: REM sleep
Stage 1: Alpha Waves
Sleep can be divided into REM and NREM sleep. Stages 1 to 4 are characterized by non-rapid eye movement (i.e. NREM) sleep. Stage 5 is characterized by rapid eye movement (i.e. REM). Beta waves occur during normal wakefulness and are not associated with sleep. As the body begins to fall asleep and enters stage 1, alpha waves become present. During stage 2 theta waves and sleep spindles emerge. During stages 3 and 4, delta waves are present.
Example Question #961 : Ap Psychology
In which of the following stages of sleep are the brain waves the slowest?
Stage 1
Stage 3
Stage 2
Stage 4
REM
Stage 4
"Stage 4" has the slowest brain waves. This is because it's the deepest stage of sleep. The brain, if awoken in this stage, would take a long time to be able to perform certain actions because those brain waves have to be "sped up" to be able to engage in conscious action.
Example Question #962 : Ap Psychology
Which of the following is not true regarding night terrors?
Night terrors usually have a story or plot to them
During a night terror, a person may walk or sit up
Night terrors happen mostly to children
Night terrors are not the same as nightmares
Night terrors happen in Stage 4 sleep
Night terrors usually have a story or plot to them
"Night terrors usually have a story or plot to them" is the correct answer. This is the only answer that is not true. Nightmares usually have a story or a plot to them, not night terrors.
Example Question #963 : Ap Psychology
Which of the following does not occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep?
Random movement of the eyes
Low muscle tone throughout the body
Less control over breathing
Voluntary movement of the eyes
Vivid dreams
Voluntary movement of the eyes
During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the random movement of the eyes is not voluntary because the person is soundly sleeping. REM sleep is essential for humans to feel well-rested and thrive during waking hours.
Example Question #964 : Ap Psychology
Wanda has chronically had poor sleep habits. She often remains awake in bed for hours before being able to fall asleep and sometimes becomes worried about the next day as she attempts to rest. In addition to having difficulty falling asleep, Wanda wakes up in the middle of the night several times per week and is unable to fall back asleep most of the time. Her lack of adequate quality sleep is starting to cause her problems at work and she is becoming very frustrated. Wanda is most likely suffering from which of the following?
Hypersomnia
Insomnia
Sleep apnea
Narcolepsy
Insomnia
Wanda probably has insomnia. Insomnia refers to chronic problems in getting adequate sleep stemming from difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or persistently waking up early. Hypersomnia is the opposite of insomnia when someone gets too much sleep. Sleep apnea is a condition when respiration is periodically stopped during sleep. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by sudden irresistible feelings of sleepiness during normal waking periods.
Example Question #1 : Theories Of Sleep And Dreaming
What is the term used to describe the idea that dreams are the result of the cerebral cortex interpreting and organizing random flashes of brain activity?
Feature detection
Imprinting
Depth perception
Eidetic
Activation synthesis
Activation synthesis
This theory of dreaming was first proposed by Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley in 1977. According to the theory of activation synthesis, circuits in the brain are activated during REM sleep. These brain circuits, in turn, help to activate areas of the limbic system. All of this internal activity is synthesized and interpreted by the brain. The signals are then given meaning via dream states.
Example Question #2 : Theories Of Sleep And Dreaming
Which of the following is now widely considered to be the most accurate dream theory?
Dreams are a collection of our hopes and fears. They are a place where we can subconsciously act out what it would be like if our greatest hopes and fears came true. For instance, we process our fear of dying through nightmares where we are chased or under threat.
Dreams are a collections of our repressed fears, desires, and emotions stemming from our current or past memories. They can represent repressed moments of anger and frustration towards our caregivers, or sexual feelings towards other people.
Dreams should be widely disregarded as random occurrences that have nothing to do with significant emotions or memories. They occur when we get high-quality sleep that results in an abundance of higher mental functionality.
Dreams are the result of random electrical firings in our brains in regions that process memories. The reason dreams seem like stories is that our waking mind tries to make sense of them through a coherent narrative.
Dreams are the result of random electrical firings in our brains in regions that process memories. The reason dreams seem like stories is that our waking mind tries to make sense of them through a coherent narrative.
The most pervasive theory of dreaming is that dreams are a result of electrical impulses in our brains that occur only while we sleep. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley came up with this theory in 1973, and proposed that the reason why dreams have come to garner so much meaning for people is that our waking minds will give them a narrative. In other words, our actual dreams are not stories; they are instead random memories strung together. When we wake up, we try to make them into stories that make sense to us.
Example Question #3 : Theories Of Sleep And Dreaming
Who was originally responsible for creating the psychoanalytic approach to dream theory?
Abraham Maslow
Sigmund Freud
Allan Hobson
Carl Jung
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud is the founder of dream theory. He approached dreams from a psychoanalytic perspective, which posits that most of our actions are the result of repressed feelings and desires. Freud thought these feelings and desires came out unrestricted in our dreams.
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