AP Psychology

Essential Questions & Learning Targets

1) Read the Essential Questions. Can you answer them? If not, come back to them after you have reviewed.
2) Read through the Learning Objectives. Highlight any important terms (nouns)
3) In the box in the right, provide specific examples (vocab terms) that support or answer that objective.

Unit 0: Scientific Foundations of Examples

Psychology
Essential Questions:
● How does the methodology of the research affect the
outcome of a study?
● How do ethical guidelines impact psychological research?

Learning Objectives
● Determine the type of research design(s) used in a given study.
o Experiment
o Case Study
o Correlation
o Meta-Analysis
o Naturalistic Observation

● Evaluate the appropriate use of research design elements in

experimental methodology.
o Falsifiable Hypothesis
o Operational Definitions
o Independent Variable
o Dependent Variable
o Confounding Variable
o Sampling
▪ Participants
▪ Representative sample
▪ Random or convenience samples
▪ Sampling Bias
▪ Representation of population
▪ Generalizability
o Experimental & Control Groups
o Placebo
o Single or Double Blind
o Qualitative or Quantitative instruments
o Peer Review and Replication
● Calculate and interpret measures of central tendency, Examples
variation, and percentile rank.
o Mean, Median, Mode, Range
o Normal Curve
o Skewness
o Bimodal distribution
o Regression towards the mean

● Interpret data from a table, graph, chart, figure or

diagram
o Correlational Data
o Scatter Plot
o Correlation Coefficient
o Effect size
o Statistical significance

● Compare and contrast how perspectives or theories explain

behavior and mental processes.
o Biological
o Evolutionary
o Cognitive
o Learning
o Social
o Psychodynamic
o BioPsychoSocial

●
Unit 1A: Biological Bases of Behavior Examples
Essential Questions:
● How does knowledge of the connection between biological
systems and mental processes help us live healthier lives?
● How much of who you are is determined by what’s in your
brain?

Learning Objectives
● Explain the relationship between heredity and environment
in shaping behavior and mental processes (1.1.A)

● Differentiate among the subsystems of the human nervous

system and their functions (1.2.A)

● Explain how the structures and functions of typical neuron in

the central nervous system affect behavior and mental
processes. (1.3.A)

● Explain how the basic process of neural transmission is

related to behavior and mental processes. (1.3.B)
 Examples

● Explain how psychoactive drugs affect behavior and mental

processes (1.3.C)

● Explain how the structures and function of the brain apply to

behavior and mental processes (1.4.A)

● Explain how the sleep/wake cycle affects behavior and

mental processes throughout the day and night. (1.5.A)

Unit 1B: Sensation & Perception Examples

Essential Questions:
● Can you always trust your senses?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how the process of sensation is related to behavior and mental processes (1.6.A)

● Explain how the structures and functions of the visual sensory system relate to behavior and mental processes.
(1.6.B)

● Explain how the structures and functions of the auditory sensory system relate to behavior and mental
processes (1.6.C)

● Explain how the structures and functions of the chemical sensory system relate to behavior and mental
processes. (1.6.D)

● Explain how the structures and functions of the touch sensory system relate to behavior and mental processes.
(1.6.E)

● Explain how the structures and functions of the Pain sensory system relate to behavior and mental processes.
(1.6.F)
 ● Explain how the structures and functions that maintain
balance (vestibular) and body movement (kinesthetic)
relate to behavior and mental processes. (1.6.G)

● Explain how internal and external factors influence

perception (2.1.A)

● Explain how visual perceptual processes produce correct

or incorrect interpretations of stimuli (2.1.B)

Unit 2A: Cognition (Memory) Examples

Essential Questions:
● Why don’t people always make good decisions?
● What strategies do you use to help you remember important
things?
● Why aren’t our memories recorded by the brain exactly how
we experienced them?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how the types, structures, and processes of memory
work (2.3.A)
● Explain how different encoding processes work to get information into memory (2.4.A)

● Explain how memory storage processes retain information in memory (2.5.A)

Examples
● Explain how memory retrieval processes get information
our of memory (2.6.A)

● Explain possible reasons why memory failure or errors may

occur (2.7.A)
Unit 2B: Cognition (Thinking & Examples
Intelligence)
Essential Questions:
● Why don’t people always make good decisions?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how psychological concepts and theories account for
thinking, problem solving, judgment, and decision-making.
(2.2.A)

● Explain how modern and historical theories describe

intelligence (2.8.A)

● Explain how intelligence is measured (2.8.B)

 ● Explain how systemic issues relate to the quantitative and
Examples
qualitative uses of intelligence assessments (2.8.C)

● Explain how academic achievement is measured and

experienced as compared to intelligence (2.8.D)

Unit 3A: Developmental Psychology Examples

Essential Questions:
● Are you the same person now as you were when you were
10 years old? Do you think you will be the same person in
10 years as you are now? Why or why not?
● How do parents know if their baby is hungry?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how enduring themes inform developmental
psychology (3.1.A)

● Describe ways cross-sectional and longitudinal research

design methods used in developmental psychology inform
understanding about behavior and mental processes
(3.1.B)
● Explain how physical development before birth applies to behavior and mental processes (3.2.A)

● Explain how physical development in infancy and childhood apply to behavior and mental processes (3.2.B)

● Explain how physical development in adolescence apples to behavior and mental processes (3.2.C)

● Explain how physical development in adulthood applies to behavior and mental processes (3.2.D)

● Describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development (3.3.A)

Examples

● Explain how theories of cognitive development apply to

behavior and mental processes (3.4.A)

● Explain how key components of language and

communication apply to behavior and mental processes
(3.5.A)
 ● Explain how language develops in humans (3.5.B)

● Explain how social development relates to behavior and mental processes (3.6.A)

Unit 3B: Learning Examples

Essential Questions:
● How can you unlearn a bad habit and replace it with a new, better
one?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how classical conditioning applies to behavior and
mental processes (3.7.A)

● Explain how operant conditioning applies to behavior and

mental processes (3.8.A)

Examples
 ● Explain how social learning applies to behavior and mental processes (3.9.A)

● Explain how cognitive factors in learning apply to behavior and mental processes (3.9.B)

Unit 4: Social Psychology Examples

Essential Questions:
● Do people act the same when they are alone versus when they are in a
group? Why or why not?
● How do expectations, biases, and attitudes affect our relationships with
ourselves and others?
● Why do you do what you do? Is your “why” determined by your personal
choices or what you are rewarded to do?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how attribution theory applies to behavior and
mental processes (4.1.A)
● Explain how locus of control (internal and external) applies to behavior and mental processes (4.1.B)

● Explain how person perception applies to behavior and mental processes (4.1.C)

● Explain how stereotypes and implicit attitudes contribute to the behaviors and mental processes of prejudice
and discrimination (4.2.A)

● Explain how belief perseverance and cognitive dissonance applies to behavior and mental processes (4.2.B)

● Explain how the social situation affects behavior and mental processes (4.3.A)

● Explain how being in a group can affect an individual’s behavior and mental processes (4.3.B)
● Explain how prosocial behavior affects behavior and mental
processes (4.3.C)

● Explain how the psychodynamic theory of personality defines

and assesses personality (4.4.A)

● Explain how the humanistic theory of personality defines and

assesses personality (4.4.B)

Examples
● Explain how the social-cognitive theory of personality defines
and assesses personality (4.5.A)

● Explain how trait theories of personality define and assess

personality (4.5.B)

● Explain how theories about motivation apply to behavior and

mental processes (4.6.A)
● Explain how eating and belongingness motivate behavior and mental processes (4.6.B)

● Explain how theories of emotion apply to behavior and mental processes (4.7.A)

● Explain how social norms and experiences influence the expression of emotions (4.7.B)

Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health Examples

Essential Questions:
● How do Psychologists define “normal” behaving, thinking, and acting?
● How can we apply health, positive, and clinical psychology principles to
change our lives, organizations, and communities in a positive way?
● Where can someone find help if they think they or someone they care
about is experiencing a psychological illness?

Learning Objectives
● Explain how health psychology addresses issues of physical
health and wellness as they apply to behavior and mental
processes (5.1.A)

● Explain how stress applies to behavior and mental processes

(5.1.B)

● Explain how reactions to stress apply to behavior and mental

processes (5.1.C)
● Explain how the ways that people cope with stress applies to behavior and mental processes (5.1.D)

● Explain how positive psychology approaches the study of behavior and mental processes (5.2.A)
●
● Explain how positive subjective experiences apply to behavior and mental processes (5.2.B)

● Describe the approaches used to define behaviors and mental processes as psychological disorders (5.3.A)

● Explain how psychological perspectives define psychological disorders (5.3.B)

● Explain how interaction models define psychological

Examples
disorders (5.3.C)

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected

neurodevelopmental disorders (5.4.A)
o ADHD & Autism Spectrum Disorders

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected

schizophrenic disorders (5.4.B)
o Delusions, Hallucinations, Disorganized
thinking/speech, Catatonia, flat affect

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected

depressive disorders (5.4.C)
o Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive
Disorder

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected

Bipolar disorders (5.4.D)
o Bipolar I & II

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected

Anxiety disorders (5.4.E)
 o Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, GAD

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (5.4.F)
o OCD & Hoarding

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected Dissociative disorders (5.4.G)
o Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Identity

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected trauma and stressor-related disorders
o PTSD

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected feeding and eating disorders
o Anorexia and Bulimia

● Describe the symptoms and possible causes of selected Personality disorders

o Cluster A,B,C

● Describe research and trends in the treatment of psychological disorders (5.5.AB)

● Describe ethical principles in the treatment of psychological disorders (5.5C)

● Describe techniques used with psychological therapies (5.5D)

● Explain how group therapy is different from individual therapy (5.5.E)

● Describe effective uses of hypnosis (5.5.F)

● Describe interventions derived from the biological perspective
(5.5.G)