Test your basic knowledge |

AP Psychology

Subjects : psychology, ap
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Perspective that seeks to explain and predict behaviors by analyzing how the human brain developed over time - how it functions - and how input from the environment affects human behaviors






2. A situation in which an individual is given two different and inconsistent messages.






3. The realization of infants that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight






4. A descriptive statistic that tells which result or score best represents an entire set of scores






5. The system of principles of reasoning used to reach valid conclusions or make inferences.






6. Consciousness-altering drugs that affect moods - thoughts - memory - judgment - and perception and that are consumed for the purpose of producing those results






7. Nerve cell that transmits messages between sensory and motor neurons






8. Organizing sensory information so it can be processed by the nervous system






9. Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions - rather - they are involved in higher mental processes such as thinking - planning - and communicating






10. Pioneer in observational learning (AKA social learning) - stated that people profit from the mistakes/successes of others; Studies: Bobo Dolls-adults demonstrated 'appropriate' play with dolls - children mimicked play






11. Relatively permanent change in an organism that occurs as a result of experiences in the environment






12. Perspective that defines psychology as the study of behavior that is directly observable or through assessment instruments






13. Differential psychology AKA 'London School' of Experimental Psychology; Contributions: behavioral genetics - maintains that personality & ability depend almost entirely on genetic inheritance; compared identical & fraternal twins - hereditary differe






14. Procedures used to draw conclusions about larger populations from small samples of data






15. The study of the patterns and distributions of speech sounds in a language and the tacit rules for their pronunciation.






16. Studies as identical and rhetorical twins to determine relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior






17. After firing when a neuron will not fire again no matter how strong the incoming message may be






18. Simultaneously analyzing different elements of sensory information - such as color - brightness - shape - etc.






19. A sample that reflects the characteristics of the population from which it is drawn






20. Memory of specific personal events and situations (episodes) tagged with information about time






21. Devices or instruments used to assess personality - in which examinees are shown a standard set of ambiguous stimuli and asked to respond to the stimuli in their own way.






22. The process of changing a short-term memory to a long-term one






23. Photoreceptors that detect black - white - and gray - and movement; used for vision in dim light






24. Describes differences between groups of participants that differ naturally on a variable such as race or gender






25. Pioneer in intelligence (IQ) tests - designed a test to identify slow learners in need of help-not applicable in the U.S. because it was too culture-bound (French)






26. Light sensitive cells (rods and cones) that convert light to electrochemical impulses






27. Universal Emotions (based upon facial expressions); Study Basics: Constants across culture in the face and emotion






28. A score indicating what percentage of the test population would obtain a lower score






29. Ends of axons that secrete neurotransmitters






30. A discipline based on the premise that even day-to-day behaviors are determined by the process of natural selection - that social behaviors that contribute to the survival of a species are passed on via the genes from one generation to the next.






31. Biologist; developed theory of evolution; transmutation of species - natural selection - evolution by common descent; 'The Origin of Species' catalogs his voyage on The Beagle






32. The extent to which people are flexible and respond adaptively to external or internal demands






33. Developed one of the first projective tests - the Inkblot test which consists of 10 standardized inkblots where the subject tells a story - the observer then derives aspects of the personality from the subject's commentary






34. Small area of retina where image is focused






35. Production of new brain cells; November 1988: cancer patients proved that new neurons grew until the end of life






36. A subjective response - usually accompanied by a physiological change - which is interpreted n a particular way by the individual and often leads to a change in behavior






37. A tentative statement or idea expressing a causal relationship between two events or variables that is to be evaluated in a research study






38. Reflex that causes a newborn to make sucking motions when a finger or nipple if placed in the mouth






39. Photoreceptors that detect color and fine detail in bright-light conditions; not present in peripheral vision






40. Period of development from conception until birth






41. Division which includes the cerebellum - Pons - and medulla; responsible for involuntary processes: blood pressure - body temperature - heart rate - breathing - sleep cycles






42. Ancient Greek philosopher. Wrote 'Peri Psyches' ('About the Mind').






43. Process by which stored information is recovered from memory






44. A person's inherited traits - determined by genetics






45. In Freud's theory - the source of a person's instinctual energy - which works mainly on the pleasure principle.






46. The quality of a sound determined by the purity of a waveform






47. In Piaget's view - a specific mental structure; an organized way of interacting with the environment and experiencing it- a generalization a child makes based on comparable occurences of various actins - usally physical - motor actions






48. The period of extending from the onset of puberty to early adulthood






49. Process by which a person takes some action to manage - master - tolerate - or reduce environmental or internal demands that cause or might cause stress and that tax the individual's inner resources






50. The increase in sensitivity to light that occurs when the illumination level changes from high to low - causing chemicals in the rods and cones to regenerate and return to their inactive state.