AP® Psychology Notes

Unit 0: Psychological Perspectives and Research Methods

  • Psychological Perspectives:   - Biological: Impact of brain and body on behavior.   - Evolutionary: Behavior/nmental processes designed for survival.   - Psychodynamic: Influence of unconscious drives.   - Behavioral: Learning through rewards and punishments.   - Cognitive: Information processing and problem-solving.   - Humanistic: Personal growth and self-actualization.   - Social-Cultural: Effects of social interactions and cultural factors.

  • Domains of Psychology:   - Various specializations including biological, cognitive, developmental, personality, social, and organizational psychology.

  • Research Methods:   - Hindsight Bias: Believing after the fact.   - Overconfidence: Overestimating knowledge.   - Pseudoscience: Lack of evidence for claims.   - Confirmation Bias: Seeking confirming evidence.   - Scientific Method: Theory, hypothesis, operational definition, research.

  • Ethics: Guidelines ensure participant safety and informed consent.

  • Types of Research:   - Naturalistic observation, case studies, surveys, experiments.

Unit 1: Biological Bases of Behavior

  • Nature vs. Nurture: Interaction of genetics and environment.

  • Neurons and Neural Firing: Action potentials, neurotransmitter release, synapses.

  • Nervous System Structure: CNS vs PNS; autonomic and somatic divisions.

  • Endocrine System: Hormones affecting behavior and health.

Unit 2: Cognition

  • Memory Types: Implicit (nondeclarative) vs. Explicit (declarative).

  • Key Processes: Encoding, storage, retrieval.

  • Forgetting: Causes and phenomena like interference and decay.

  • Intelligence: Definitions and theories, including Gardner's multiple intelligences and Sternberg's triarchic theory.

Unit 3: Development and Learning

  • Developmental Psychology: Continuous vs. discontinuous changes (e.g., Piaget, Erikson).

  • Cognitive, social, and emotional development stages,   - Impact of gender, identity, and environmental forces.

Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality

  • Attribution Theory: Situational vs dispositional attributions.

  • Attitudes and Actions: Components and influences; cognitive dissonance.

  • Social Influence: Norms, roles, and conformity behaviors.

Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

  • Health Psychology: Stress response and coping strategies.

  • Psychological Disorders: Definitions, classifications, and therapies.   - Emphasis on DSM-5 and treatment options including psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and alternative therapies.

  • Ethics in Therapy: Adherence to APA guidelines.