AP Psychology Test Prep - Barron's - Key Concepts and Study Guide

Introduction

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  • The eBook was uploaded by $am$exy98 to theBooks and is downloaded from www.PlentyofeBooks.net, a blog aiming to help students who cannot afford costly books.
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Barron's AP Psychology, 5th Edition

  • The book is authored by Robert McEntarffer and Allyson J. Weseley.
  • It is designed for AP Psychology preparation.
  • Advanced Placement Program is a registered trademark of the College Board.

Acknowledgments

  • The authors thank their teachers, family, friends, and students.

About the Authors

  • Allyson Weseley has 17 years of experience teaching AP Psychology at Roslyn High School.
  • Her students have a 100% passing rate on the AP exam, with over 80% earning 5's.
  • She holds degrees from Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia University's Teachers College.
  • She has served as a Reader and Table Leader for the AP Psychology exam and has been involved in various psychology-related activities.
  • Rob McEntarffer taught AP Psychology at Lincoln Southeast High School for 13 years and Introductory Psychology at Nebraska Wesleyan University for 7 years.
  • He has degrees from the University of Nebraska and extensive experience scoring AP Psychology free-response questions.
  • He has worked with the Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools and on national standards for teaching high school psychology.
  • The book is copyrighted by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. and all rights are reserved.
  • The ISBN is 978-0-7641-4701-2 (Book) and eISBN is 978-1-4380-8344-5.

Contents Overview

  • Introduction: "Using This Book"
  • The Fabulous 15: List of most significant psychologists for the AP exam.
  • Diagnostic Test to identify areas of strength and weakness.
  • Topical review of 14 main areas of psychology, mirroring the exam format.
  • Chapter 1: History and Approaches (2–4% of the test)
  • Chapter 2: Methods (8–10% of the test)
  • Chapter 3: Biological Bases of Behavior (8–10% of the test)
  • Chapter 4: Sensation and Perception (6–8% of the test)
  • Chapter 5: States of Consciousness (2–4% of the test)
  • Chapter 6: Learning (7–9% of the test)
  • Chapter 7: Cognition (8–10% of the test)
  • Chapter 8: Motivation and Emotion (6–8% of the test)
  • Chapter 9: Developmental Psychology (7–9% of the test)
  • Chapter 10: Personality (5–7% of the test)
  • Chapter 11: Testing and Individual Differences (5–7% of the test)
  • Chapter 12: Abnormal Psychology (7–9% of the test)
  • Chapter 13: Treatment of Psychological Disorders (5–7% of the test)
  • Chapter 14: Social Psychology (8–10% of the test)
  • Multiple-Choice Test-Taking Tips, Answering Free-Response Questions, and Practice Tests are included.

Barron's Essential 5 tips for succeeding on the AP Psychology exam.

  • Know the Psychological Perspectives: Each perspective uses some unique research methods, concepts, and vocabulary to describe and explain thinking and behavior.
  • Know your terms: Psychological terms refer to specific concepts, and it is important to understand their specific, scientific meaning.
  • Psychology is a science: Psychological researchers use the scientific method to gather data and test hypotheses about the mind and behavior.
  • Application is key: The AP Psychology test is designed to measure your knowledge of psychological concepts and ability to apply these concepts.
  • Use what psychology teaches you about cognition to improve your study habits: Memory research indicates that distributed practice" is more effective than "massed practice."

Introduction on how to use the book.

  • Become familiar with the structure of the test.
  • The book begins with a diagnostic test to gauge preparation for the exam and a Multiple-Choice Error Analysis Sheet to identify areas of strength and weakness.
  • Two full-length practice exams with explained answers and Error Analysis Sheets are included.
  • The book offers a topical review of the main areas of psychology mirroring the exam format with percentage coverage on the AP exam listed for each.
  • AP Exam Topic Distribution:
    • History and Approaches: 2–4%
    • 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%
  • The book corresponds closely to the revised AP Psychology course objectives.
  • Important information and psychologists are highlighted, with a specific list of the most significant psychologists included in the "Fabulous 15" section.
  • Multiple-choice practice questions are provided at the end of each review chapter.
  • Testing tips, free-response question guidance, and model essay answers are included.
  • An index is included for easy reference to terms and psychologists.
  • The eBook contains hyperlinks to navigate through the content.

The Fabulous 15 Top Psychologists

  • Highlights the psychologists most likely to appear on the AP Exam with their major contributions and relevant chapter(s).

Overview of the AP Psychology Exam

  • The AP Psychology exam has two parts: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section, totaling two hours.
  • The multiple-choice section has 100 five-choice questions (70 minutes).
  • The multiple-choice score is based on the number of questions answered correctly; there is no guessing penalty, so answer every question.
  • The free-response section has two questions to be answered within 50 minutes.
  • The final exam score (1 to 5) is based on both sections, with the multiple-choice section counting for twice as much (two-thirds of the score).
  • Score breakdowns from past years are available from the College Board website.