🧠 AP Psychology – 2025 Cheatsheet

AP Psychology is an introductory college-level psychology course and examination offered by the College Board. It introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students learn about the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. Typically, no prior psychology course is required to take AP Psychology. It's often a year-long course in high school.

The AP Psychology exam is 2 hours long.

It is divided into two sections:

• Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
  • 100 questions
  • 1 hour and 10 minutes (70 minutes)
  • Worth 66.7% of the total exam score
• Section II: Free-Response Questions (FRQs)
  • 2 questions
  • 50 minutes
  • Worth 33.3% of the total exam score

The AP Psychology exam assesses students' understanding of psychological concepts and their ability to apply these concepts.

• Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs): These questions require students to define, explain, and apply psychological concepts, theories, and research findings. Some questions may involve analyzing data or scenarios.
• Free-Response Questions (FRQs):
  • Question 1 (Concept Application): Asks students to explain behavior and apply theories and perspectives in authentic contexts.
  • Question 2 (Research Design): Asks students to analyze psychological research studies, including analyzing and interpreting quantitative data.

The exam covers various units, including scientific foundations, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, motivation, emotion, personality, clinical psychology, and social psychology.

The AP Psychology course is typically organized into 9 units:

1. Scientific Foundations of Psychology
2. Biological Bases of Behavior
3. Sensation and Perception
4. Learning
5. Cognitive Psychology
6. Developmental Psychology
7. Motivation, Emotion, and Personality
8. Clinical Psychology
9. Social Psychology

The perceived difficulty of AP Psychology varies among students. It's generally considered one of the more manageable AP courses for many, but it still requires consistent effort and memorization of a large volume of vocabulary and concepts.

• Pros (can make it seem easier): Content is often relatable and interesting. Less emphasis on complex analytical writing compared to history APs.
• Cons (can make it challenging): Requires memorizing many specific terms, theories, and names of researchers. The FRQs require precise application of concepts.

Success depends on good study habits, active learning, and consistent review.

AP exams, including AP Psychology, are usually administered in the first two full weeks of May each year. The College Board publishes the specific exam schedule on its official website well in advance. For example:

• The AP Psychology exam for 2024 was on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Always check the College Board's official website for the most current dates for upcoming exams (e.g., 2025 and beyond) and specific start times.

AP exam scores, including those for AP Psychology, are typically released in early to mid-July. Students can access their scores through their College Board online account. The release is often staggered over a few days based on geographic location.

Effective study strategies for AP Psychology include:

• Master Vocabulary: Psychology has a vast vocabulary. Use flashcards (physical or digital like Quizlet), make lists, and actively use the terms.
• Understand Key Theories and Researchers: Know the major psychological theories and the researchers associated with them.
• Apply Concepts: Don't just memorize definitions; understand how concepts apply to real-world scenarios. This is crucial for both MCQs and FRQs.
• Practice Regularly: Work through practice MCQs and FRQs from released exams or review books. Pay attention to the scoring guidelines for FRQs.
• Use Multiple Resources: Supplement your textbook with review books (e.g., Barron's, Princeton Review), online videos (Khan Academy has psychology content, though not a dedicated AP Psych course; also channels like Crash Course Psychology), and official College Board materials.
• Active Recall and Spaced Repetition: Test yourself frequently and revisit topics over increasing intervals.
• Form Study Groups: Explaining concepts to others can solidify your understanding.
• Focus on the 9 Units: Ensure you cover all topics outlined in the AP Psychology Course and Exam Description (CED).

To aim for a 5, consistent, in-depth study, extensive practice with exam-style questions, and a thorough understanding of how to apply concepts in FRQs are key.

AP Psychology FRQs require you to apply psychological concepts to specific scenarios or analyze research.

• Read the Prompt Carefully: Understand exactly what each part of the question is asking. Note any bullet points or specific terms you must address.
• Directly Answer the Prompt: Address each part of the question explicitly.
• Define and Apply (D.A.V.E - Define, Apply, Vocabulary, Example):
  • Define: Briefly define the psychological term in your own words (if appropriate or if it helps set up your application).
  • Apply: Clearly connect the term/concept to the specific scenario or elements provided in the prompt. Show *how* it applies. This is the most critical part.
  • Use specific psychological vocabulary correctly.
  • Provide an example if it clarifies your application within the context of the prompt.
• Be Specific and Concise: Get straight to the point. Avoid lengthy introductions or conclusions unless they directly add to your answer for a specific point. Write in complete sentences.
• Organize Your Answer: Clearly label or structure your response so graders can easily see where you address each part of the prompt. Use paragraphs to separate distinct points.
• Do Not "Shotgun": Avoid listing multiple concepts hoping one is correct. Focus on the concepts asked.

The term "identify" in a prompt usually means to state or name a concept. "Define" means to provide its meaning. "Apply" or "explain how" requires connecting the concept to the given scenario.

Many colleges and universities grant credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Psychology exam scores (typically a 3, 4, or 5). However, policies vary significantly. Some institutions may grant general elective credit, while others might allow you to bypass an introductory psychology course.

It's crucial to check the specific AP credit policy of each college or university you are interested in. You can usually find this information on their admissions website or by searching for "[College Name] AP credit policy." The College Board website also has a tool to help search for these policies. The number of credits awarded (e.g., 3 credits) also varies.

AP Psychology is generally considered a social science. Psychology uses scientific methods to study behavior and mental processes, so it has strong scientific underpinnings. However, it focuses on human social behavior, individual differences, and mental health, aligning it with the social sciences rather than the natural sciences (like biology, chemistry, physics).

Whether it fulfills a "science" or "social studies" graduation requirement for high school or a distribution requirement in college depends on the specific institution's policies. Some high schools may count it for either, while others categorize it strictly as a social studies elective or a general elective.

Yes, many students successfully self-study for the AP Psychology exam. Its relatively straightforward content and abundance of study resources make it more feasible for self-study compared to some other AP subjects.

Tips for self-studying:

• Get the Official AP Psychology Course and Exam Description (CED): This outlines all the content and skills.
• Choose a Good Textbook and/or Review Book: Barron's, Princeton Review, or Myers' Psychology for AP are popular choices.
• Create a Study Schedule: Pace yourself through the 9 units.
• Utilize Online Resources: Look for videos, practice quizzes, and flashcard sets.
• Practice FRQs and MCQs: This is crucial. Get familiar with the question types and timing.
• Stay Disciplined and Motivated: Self-studying requires commitment.

The time it takes to self-study can vary from a few months of intensive study to a more paced approach over an academic year.

AP Psychology covers a wide range of concepts. Here are a few fundamental examples:

• Classical Conditioning: A type of learning where an organism learns to associate two stimuli, such that one stimulus comes to elicit a response that was originally elicited by the other stimulus (e.g., Pavlov's dogs salivating to a bell).
• Operant Conditioning: A type of learning where behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher. Based on the work of B.F. Skinner (e.g., a rat pressing a lever to get food).
• Operational Definition: A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as "what an intelligence test measures." This allows for replication.
• Research Methods & Ethics: Understanding experimental design, correlational studies, surveys, naturalistic observation, case studies, and the ethical principles guiding psychological research (e.g., informed consent, debriefing, confidentiality).
• Eugenics: A discredited movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that aimed to improve the genetic quality of the human population through practices such as selective breeding and sterilization. It is discussed in AP Psychology in the context of intelligence testing history and ethical concerns in science.

The AP Psychology exam is scored as follows:

1. Multiple-Choice Section: Your score is based on the number of questions answered correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers (guessing is encouraged if you can eliminate some options). This raw score is then converted to a weighted score.
2. Free-Response Section: Each of the two FRQs is scored by trained AP readers using a detailed rubric. Each FRQ typically has a set number of points (e.g., 7 points each). Your raw scores on the FRQs are summed.
3. Composite Score: The weighted MCQ score and the raw FRQ score are combined to create a composite score.
4. AP Score (1-5): This composite score is then converted into an AP score on a 5-point scale (5 = extremely well qualified, 4 = well qualified, 3 = qualified, 2 = possibly qualified, 1 = no recommendation). The specific cutoffs for each score can vary slightly from year to year.