AP Psychology Final Exam Study Guide (Examples Only)

Behavioral Psychology

Focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they're learned through rewards and punishments.

Cognitive Psychology

Studies mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Biological Psychology

Emphasizes the role of genetics and the nervous system in influencing behavior.

Social-Cultural Psychology

Explores how cultural context influences behavior.

Evolutionary Psychology

Examines mental processes and behaviors through the lens of adaptive value.

Psychodynamic Psychology

Focuses on unconscious motivations and conflicts.

Experimental Group

Participants in a study who receive the treatment being tested.

Control Group

Participants in a study who do not receive the treatment and are used for comparison.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to groups by chance to minimize pre-existing differences.

Independent Variable

The factor that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The outcome that is measured in an experiment.

Statistical Significance

A measure of whether the results of a study are likely due to chance.

Agonists

Substances that enhance the action of neurotransmitters.

Antagonists

Substances that block the action of neurotransmitters.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain that regulates balance and coordination.

Frontal Lobe

Region of the brain responsible for decision-making and impulse control.

Hippocampus

A brain structure involved in memory formation.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse.

REM Sleep

A sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movement and vivid dreams.

Depth Perception

The ability to judge the distance of objects.

Gestalt Principles

The ways in which the brain organizes perceived stimuli into wholes.

Episodic Memory

Memory of personal experiences and specific events.

Crystallized Intelligence

The ability to use learned knowledge and experience.

Fluid Intelligence

The ability to solve new problems using logic.

Cross-Sectional Studies

Research that compares different groups at a single point in time.

Longitudinal Studies

Research that follows the same participants over time.

Secure Attachment

A stable and positive emotional bond between a child and caregiver.

Ambivalent Attachment

A child shows extreme distress when separated from the caregiver.