AP PSYCHOLOGY FRQ PROMPTS

AND SCORING RUBRICS

The enclosed document includes an essay prompt for each unit
in AP Psychology and a corresponding scoring rubric. The purpose of
this activity is to increase the students’ awareness of how AP exam
readers grade from a rubric. Emphasis is placed on the definition of
terms and the application of those terms.

Units include:
 Introduction to Psychology
 Biological Bases of Behavior
 Sensation and Perception
 States of Consciousness
 Learning

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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

Describe the different perspectives from which psychologists examine behavior and mental
processes, and explain their complementarity. Your answer should include:
 Neuroscience
 Evolutionary
 Behavior Genetics
 Psychodynamic
 Behavioral
 Cognitive
 Social-cultural

Rubrics

Note: The application portion on the rubrics may include a variety of answers. This is
simply an example of possible answers. The perspectives have more than one
complement.

Term Definition Application

Neuroscience The study of how the neurological system It is complementary to evolutionary

affects such things as emotions, memories, because the structures and
and sensory experiences. functions of the brain that promote
survival are the most likely to
develop.
Evolutionary The study of the natural selection of some It is complementary to the
traits that promotes genetic survival. behavioral perspective because
some behaviors may enhance the
chance to survival.
Behavior Genetics The study of how much our psychological traits It is complementary to the
are attributed to our genetic make-up or as a cognitive process because our
result of environmental influences. thinking, language, and
intelligence may be the result of
our ability to adapt to our
environment.
Psychodynamic The study of how unconscious drives and It is complementary to the
conflicts may influence our lives behavioral perspective in the
investigation of how much of our
behavior is below our awareness
level.
Behavioral The study of how we learn from the It is complementary to the social-
environment around us. cultural perspectives in the
investigation of how differing
situations can influence our
behavior.
Cognitive The study of how we encode, process, and It is complementary to the
store information. neuroscience perspective because
our cognitive ability is dependent
on our brain function.
Sociocultural The study of how behavior and thinking can It is complementary to the
vary across socio-cultural situations. behavior genetics perspective
because pro-social behaviors may
influence the genetics of one
culture as opposed to another.

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UNIT 3: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR

Identify the four lobes of the cerebral cortex, and describe the sensory and motor functions
of the cortex. Your answer should include the description and function of the following:
 Frontal lobe
 Parietal lobe
 Occipital lobe
 Temporal lobe

Rubrics

Lobes Description Function

Frontal Located behind the forehead and is known The fontal lobe is
especially for the arch-shaped region at the responsible for higher
back of the frontal lobe known as the order thinking and the
motor cortex. motor cortex controls
voluntary movements.
Parietal Located on the top of the head and is The sensory cortex in the
known especially for the sensory cortex parietal lobe is
which is parallel to the motor cortex and responsible for registering
located at the front of the parietal lobe. and processing body
sensations.
Occipital Located at the back of the head and The visual cortex receives
includes the visual cortex. and begins processing
visual information.
Temporal Located roughly above the ears and The auditory areas
includes the auditory areas. receives and begins the
processing of auditory
information.

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UNIT 4: SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

Discuss the different levels of visual information processing and the value of parallel
processing. Your answer should include:
 Feature detection
 Color constancy
 Parallel processing

Rubrics

Term Definition Application

Feature detection Neurons that receive information Feature detection neurons

to specific features such as edges, pass the information on to
angles, movements, etc. more complex neuron
systems which integrate
the information into a
visual whole.
Color Constancy Perceiving familiar objects as The experience of color
having consistent color even in not only depends on the
situations where the wavelengths wavelength information
reflected by the object are altered. but the surrounding
context. It demonstrates
that our experience of
color comes not just from
the object but from
everything around it as
well.
Parallel The processing of several pieces of The brain divides a visual
processing information by integrating the scene into subdimensions
work of different perceptual but works on each aspect
systems, which work in parallel. simultaneously to produce
an integrated perception.

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UNIT 5: STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Describe the physiological and psychological effects of depressants, stimulants, and

hallucinogens and drug dependence.

Rubrics

Term Definition Physiological Effects Psychological Effects

Depressants Drugs that calm neural Slows the sympathetic Slows the brain activity
activity and slow body nervous system activity that controls judgment
functions. including slurred and inhibitions.
speech, and Alcohol makes us
performance more aggressive or
deterioration. helpful or self-
disclosing if the
tendencies are already
present. Disrupts
memory processing.
Stimulants Drugs that excite Speeds up the body Energy and self-
neural activity and functions such as heart confidence rise, which
arouse body functions. rate and breathing. accounts for why
people use it as a
mood enhancer or to
improve athletic
performance. However
when the drug
stimulation ends,
fatigue, headaches,
irritability, and
depression may occur.
Hallucinogens Drugs that distort Amplifies the body’s As the hallucinogenic
perceptions and evoke sensitivity to colors, experience peaks,
sensory images in the sounds, tastes, and people frequently feel
absence of sensory smells. separated from their
input. bodies and experience
dreamlike scenes as
though they were real
– so real that users
may become panic-
stricken or harm
themselves.
Drug dependence Continued use of a In the drug’s absence When the drugs
psychoactive drugs the user may feel become an important
which produces physical pain and part of the user’s life
neuroadaptation intense cravings. as a way of relieving
negative emotions or
as other coping
mechanisms.

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UNIT 6: LEARNING

Explain the importance of Pavlov’s work, and describe how it might apply to an
understanding of human health and well-being. Your answer should include:
 The concept of associative learning
 The importance of classical conditioning in adaptation
 The importance of classical conditioning in objective study of behavior

Rubrics

Term Description Application

Associative learning Learning that happens Staying away from

when certain events occur settings or things
together. associated with a certain
unwanted behaviors may
increase a person’s well-
being.
Adaptation Learning based on prior Associative learning can
experiences. assist an individual in
adaptation to their
environment as well as
identifying elements of
behavior to master their
environment.
Objective study of Scientific model which Classical conditioning
behavior included no subjective terminology provided the
judgments for explaining elementary building
behavior blocks in understanding
more complex behaviors.

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UNIT 7: THINKING, LANGUAGE AND MEMORY

Discuss how we use trial and error, algorithms, heuristics, and insight to solve problems
and how confirmation bias and fixation can interfere with effective problem solving.

Rubrics

Term Definition Application

Trial and error Willingness to try a variety of The trial and error method
possibilities in problem solving may be used to solve a
until success is achieved. problem when no clear-cut
solution is favored or
several possibilities are
tried until the very best
solution is chosen.
Algorithms A step by step procedure use to Although all the steps
solve problems. may be labor intensive,
this problem solving
method guarantees a
solution.
Heuristics Simple strategy used to solve Heuristics are more error-
problems prone than algorithms, but
can be used with trail &
error to hit upon the
answer.
Insight Sudden flashes of inspiration. Sometimes the problem-
solving strategy is not
obvious to us, but the
suddenly all the pieces
come together and a
solution develops.
Confirmation Bias The search for information to The reluctance to seek
confirms our individual ideas. and consider information
that might disprove one’s
beliefs could interfere with
effective problem solving
Fixation The inability to see a problem from The reluctance to see a
a fresh perspective. problem from a different
perspective will also
interfere with effective
problem solving.

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UNIT 8A: MOTIVATION AND EMOTION

Discuss the importance of various motives for working, and identify the aims of industrial-
organization psychology. Your answer should include: pay, relationships, or identity.

Rubrics

Term Definition Application

Pay Financial compensation Many individuals are simply

for work done. motivated because they need
an income to support
themselves. In general, the
amount of pay increases as
the amount of responsibility
increases.
Relationships
Identity One’s sense of self People’s quality of life
solidified by testing and increases when they are
integrating various roles. purposefully engaged in a
meaningful activity. The sense
of self-esteem, competence,
well-being, and sense of
identity increase with job
satisfaction.
Industrial- The application of This branch of psychology
organizational psychology’s principles to applies psychology’s methods
Psychology the workplace. and principles to selecting
and evaluating workers,
considers how work
environments and
management types influence
worker motivation,
satisfaction, and productivity.

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UNIT 8B: STRESS AND HEALTH

Describe how stress increases the risk of disease by inhibiting the activities of the body’s
immune system. Your answer should include: B and T lymphocytes, macrophage,
epinephrine and norepinephrine, and the fight-or-flight response.

Term Description Application

Stress The process by which we The nervous and endocrine

perceive and physiologically systems are activated during
respond to certain events, the stress response, which has
called stressors, that we an influence on the immune
appraise as threatening or system.
challenging.
B and T lymphocytes While blood cells that defend B lymphocytes are formed in
the body by isolating and the bone marrow and fights
destroying foreign substances. bacterial inflections. T
lymphocytes are formed in the
thymus and attacks cancer
cells, viruses, and foreign
substances. However, if these
lymphocytes react too strongly
they may attack the body’s own
tissues causing such things as
arthritis or an allergic reaction.
Or it could under-react and a
dormant virus could erupt or
cancer cells could multiply.
Macrophage Process by which invading cells The B and T lymphocytes use
are identified, pursued, and the process of macrophage to
ingested. destroy invading cells.
Epinephrine and When the brain perceives a The greater the stress
Norepinephrine stressor, it triggers an response, the more hormones
outpouring of epinephrine and are released into the
norepinephrine which enter the bloodstream. The stress
bloodstream from adrenal hormones in turn suppress the
glands disease-fighting lymphocytes.
Fight or flight Adaptive response in which the Stress leads to an aroused,
sympathetic nervous system fight-or-flight response and
increases heart rate and diverts enerby to mobilie the
respiration, diverts blood from body for action. Therefore
digestion and skeletal muscles, energy needed by the immune
and releases stored sugar and system is now diverted making
fat in preparation for the us more vulnerable to foreign
organism to stand its ground invaders.
and fight or flee a threatening
situation.

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UNIT 9: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Describe the early development of a self-concept and discuss possible effects of different
parenting styles on children. Your answer should include:
 Self-concept
 Authoritarian parenting style
 Permissive parenting style
 Authoritative parenting style

Rubrics

Term Definition Application

Self-concept The sense of one’s own A child’s major social

identity and personal worth. achievement is a positive
sense of self.
Authoritarian Parenting Parenting style that imposes Children with
rules and expects authoritarian parents tend
unquestioning obedience. to be more rigid in self-
acceptance and the
acceptance of others.
Permissive Parenting Parenting style in which the Children with permissive
parents submit to their parents tend to be more
children’s desires, make few immature with little
demands, and use little impulse control.
punishment.
Authoritative Parenting Parenting style that is both Children with the highest
demanding and yet self-esteem, self-reliance,
responsive. The parents set and social competence
and enforce rules but tend to have authoritative
encourage open discussion parents.
and allow exceptions when
making the rules.

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UNIT 10: PERSONALITY

Describe the social-cognitive perspective, and discuss the important consequences

of personal control (internal/external locus of control), self-control, learned helplessness,
and optimism.

Term Description Application

Social-cognitive Views behavior as influenced by We learn behaviors through

Perspective the interaction between person conditioning, by observing, and
(and their thinking) and their social modeling behaviors. However
context. how we think about and interpret
those situations also influences
our behavior.
Personal Control Whether we learn to see ourselves Individuals with and external locus
as controlling, or as controlled by, of control perceive that chance or
our environment. outside forces determine their
fate. Individuals with and internal
locus of control believe that they
control their own destiny.
Internals achieve more in school,
act more independently, enjoy
better health, and feel less
depressed than do “externals” In
the social-cognitive perspective it
is preferable to have a greater
internal locus of control.
Self-Control The ability to control impulses and From the social-cognitive
delay gratification. perspective, self-control is a
predictor of good adjustment,
better grades, and social success.
Learned Helplessness The hopelessness and passive From the social-cognitive
resignation a person learns when perspective people repeatedly
unable to avoid repeated aversive faced with traumatic events come
events. to feel helpless, hopeless, and
depressed, and perceive control
as external.
Optimism Viewing events in a positive way. Optimists are able to put a
positive spin on events in the face
of adversity. According to the
social-cognitive perspective
success requires enough
optimism to provide hope and
enough pessimism to prevent
complacency. Excessive
optimism can blind us to real
risks.

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UNIT 12: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Describe the various symptoms and subtypes of schizophrenia, and discuss

research on its causes. Your answer should include: paranoid, disorganized, catatonic,
undifferentiated, and residual schizophrenia.

Term Definition Application

Schizophrenia Split from reality in which the Actions profoundly disrupt

person displays disorganized social relationships and during
thinking, disturbed perception, the most severe periods, people
and inappropriate emotions with schizophrenia live in a
and actions. private inner world,
preoccupied with illogical ideas
and unreal images.
Paranoid schizophrenia Preoccupation with delusion or Person holds on to the false
hallucination, often with belief that they will be
themes of persecution or persecuted like Christ or Martin
grandiosity. Luther King or they have the
false belief that they are
extremely important and
powerful.
Disorganized schizophrenia Disorganized speech or Often a person cannot filter out
behavior, or flat or competing sensory stimuli and
inappropriate emotion. jump from one idea to another
resulting in “word salad.” Or
their emotions fluctuate
between extremes.
Catatonic schizophrenia Immobility (or excessive, The person may perform
purposeless movement), senseless, compulsive acts,
extreme negativism, and/or such as continually rocking or
parrot-like repeating of subbing an arm. Those who
another’s speech or exhibit catatonia may remain
movements. motionless for hours on end
and then become agitated.
Undifferentiated schizophrenia Many and varied symptoms Person can exhibit symptoms
from all the different subtypes.
Residual schizophrenia Withdrawal, after hallucinations
and delusions have
disappeared.

Causes Physiological Psychological

Dopamine over-activity due to an  Mother whose
excess of receptors schizophrenia was severe
Thalamus is smaller-than-normal and long-lasting
Flu – mother suffers from the flu  Separation from parents
during the middle of the child’s  Short attention span and
fetal development. poor muscle coordination
Genetics or inheriting a  Disruptive or withdrawn
predisposition behavior
 Emotional
unpredictability
 Poor peer relations and
solo play

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UNIT 13: TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

Identify the basic characteristics of humanistic therapy, behavior therapy, and

cognitive therapy.

Term Description Application

Humanistic Therapy The aim is to boost self- The most widely used is
fulfillment by helping client-centered therapy
people grow in self- which focuses on a
awareness and self- person’s conscious self-
acceptance perception and uses the
technique of active
listening.
Behavior Therapy Uses learning principles to Counterconditioning pairs
eliminate the unwanted the trigger stimulus with a
behavior. new response that is
incompatible with fear.
Systematic
desensitization associates
a pleasant relaxed state
with gradually increasing
anxiety-triggering stimuli.
Exposure therapies treat
anxieties by exposing
people to the things they
fear.
Aversive conditioning
associates an unpleasant
state with an unwanted
behavior.
Token economy rewards
desired behavior
Cognitive Therapy Teaching people new, Faulty cognitive processes
more constructive ways of could include:
thinking.
Overgeneralization
Diminishing the positive
Emphasizing the negative
All-or-nothing thinking

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UNIT 14: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Describe Milgram’s controversial experiments on obedience, and discuss their implications

for understand our susceptibility to social influence.

 The participants were told that the study concerned the effect of punishment on
learning.
 Participants drew slips form a hat to see who would be the “teacher” and who would
be the “student.”
 The “learner” was strapped into a chair “wired” to an electric shock machine.
 The “teacher” sat in front of the machine with switches labeled with voltages.
 The “teacher” was given the task to teach and then test the learner on a list of word
pairs.
 The “teacher” punished the “learner” for wrong answer by delivering brief electric
shock.
 After each “learner’s” error, the “teacher” move up to the next higher voltage.
 After the eighth switch is activated the “learner” shouts that the shocks are painful.
 The experimenter prods the “teacher” to go on saying it is essential to continue, and
the experiment requires that the “teacher” must continue.
 Milgram’s finding were that 63% complied fully – right up to the last switch.

Obedience was highest when:

 The person giving the orders was close at hand and was perceived to be a
legitimate authority figure.
 The authority figure was supported by a prestigious institution.
 The victim was depersonalized, or at a distance.
 There were no role models for defiance.

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