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WorksheetsAP Psychology Vocabulary: Terms 1-39
Total questions: 150
Worksheet time: 1hrs 15mins
Which concept refers to the minimum stimulus intensity required to detect a particular sensation 50 percent of the time?
difference threshold
absolute threshold
sensory adaptation
signal detection
Aaron Beck is best known for developing which therapeutic approach?
behavioral activation therapy
client-centered therapy
cognitive therapy for depression
psychoanalytic therapy
Accommodation in cognitive development involves which process?
adding details to existing schemas
discarding prior schemas entirely
modifying schemas to fit new information
storing information without change
Achievement tests are primarily designed to measure what?
future learning capacity
innate intelligence level
what a person has learned
creative problem-solving
In neurons, an action potential is best described as which event?
gradual chemical diffusion
brief electrical impulse
continuous synaptic transmission
long steady polarization
Acoustic encoding primarily involves processing which type of information?
visual images of scenes
spatial maps of places
sound-based features of words
motor actions and skills
In classical conditioning, acquisition refers to which phase?
when extinction is complete
initial learning when NS becomes CS
spontaneous recovery of CR
generalization to similar stimuli
The adaptation-level phenomenon explains judgments of stimuli (like income) relative to what?
absolute physical magnitude
innate sensory thresholds
a prior level of experience
societal averages and norms
Adolescence is typically defined as the transition period from
birth to early childhood
childhood to adulthood
adulthood to old age
prenatal to neonatal
Adrenal glands release which hormones that arouse the body in stress?
dopamine and serotonin
insulin and glucagon
epinephrine and norepinephrine
thyroxine and calcitonin
Aggression is best defined as
assertive self-advocacy
physical or verbal intent to harm
competitive striving for goals
emotional reactivity to threat
An algorithm ensures problem solving by
trial-and-error guessing
intuitive pattern spotting
methodical step-by-step rules
creative divergent thinking
Alpha waves are associated with which brain state?
deep dream sleep
relaxed awake state
intense focused work
rapid eye movement
Altruism is defined as
cooperation for mutual gain
unselfish regard for others
strategic reciprocity only
obedience to social rules
Amnesia primarily involves which deficit?
loss of language skills
loss of motor coordination
loss of memory function
loss of visual processing
Amphetamines typically produce which effect on the nervous system?
slowed brain activity
enhanced neural activity
blocked synaptic firing
stabilized mood states
The amygdala is two lima bean–sized neural clusters linked mainly to
memory consolidation
language production
emotional processing
motor coordination
Anorexia nervosa involves which hallmark pattern?
binge eating with purging
healthy dieting motivation
significant underweight yet starving
overeating without weight gain
Anti-anxiety drugs are primarily used to
stabilize mood swings
control anxiety and agitation
improve memory capacity
treat psychotic symptoms
Antidepressant drugs work mainly by
increasing insulin release
altering neurotransmitter availability
blocking hormone receptors
stimulating the thyroid gland
Antipsychotic drugs are prescribed primarily to treat
panic and phobia disorders
major depressive episodes
schizophrenia and thought disorders
obsessive-compulsive symptoms
Antisocial Personality Disorder is characterized by
social withdrawal and fear
mood instability and swings
lack of conscience and aggression
compulsive rituals and order
Anxiety disorders are marked by
episodic psychotic breaks
persistent distress and maladaptive behaviors
stable euthymic mood states
temporary sadness without impairment
Aphasia results from brain damage that most often causes
loss of balance and coordination
impairments in language functions
deficits in emotional regulation
reduced sensory thresholds
Applied research focuses on
building grand theories
exploring basic mechanisms
solving practical problems
replicating classic findings
Aptitude tests aim to measure
past academic achievement
creative divergent thinking
capacity to learn and perform
current personality traits
Associative learning is learning that certain events
occur randomly without cause
occur together in sequence
occur only with rewards
occur only with punishments
Attachment in early development is best described as
a cognitive memory schema
an emotional tie with caregiver
a learned social script
a hereditary reflex pattern
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) typically includes which symptom cluster?
inattention and distractibility
compulsions and rituals
hyperactivity and impulsivity
delusions and hallucinations
Attitudes are feelings influenced by beliefs that
dictate behavior automatically
predispose responses to objects
eliminate bias in judgment
replace emotions with logic
Attribution theory examines how people explain behavior by
measuring unconscious motives
crediting situations or dispositions
predicting future outcomes
ranking personality traits
Audition refers to the sense of
touch on the skin
smell and aroma
hearing of sounds
taste and flavor
Autism is a childhood-onset disorder marked chiefly by
deficits in communication and social interaction
cyclical mood swings and euphoria
progressive memory loss and confusion
sudden motor tics and convulsions
Which statement best defines automatic processing in memory?
Effortful rehearsal of facts and procedures
Unconscious encoding of incidental information
Deliberate retrieval using mnemonic devices
Intentional organization into semantic networks
The autonomic nervous system primarily controls which functions?
Voluntary skeletal muscle movement
Language and symbolic reasoning
Glands and internal organ activity
Fine motor coordination in hands
Which choice illustrates the availability heuristic?
Using step-by-step algorithms for certainty
Relying on base rates over vivid cases
Estimating likelihood by ease of recall
Sampling randomly to avoid bias
What is the main role of an axon in a neuron?
Receiving signals from other neurons
Protecting the cell body from toxins
Transmitting messages away from the soma
Creating new synapses during learning
During the babbling stage, infants characteristically do what?
Produce meaningful word combinations
Imitate adult grammar accurately
Spontaneously utter various sounds
Understand abstract symbolic rules
Aversive conditioning aims to pair an unwanted behavior with:
Neutral stimulus with no effect
Pleasant reinforcement schedule
Unpleasant stimulus like nausea
Cognitive reappraisal technique
Barbiturates primarily affect the nervous system by:
Stimulating arousal and attention
Depressing central nervous activity
Enhancing long-term potentiation
Blocking autonomic reflexes
Basal metabolic rate refers to:
Energy used during intense exercise
Resting rate of energy expenditure
Maximum oxygen uptake capacity
Calories stored as body fat
Basic research in psychology is best described as:
Immediate application to therapy
Pure science to increase knowledge
Commercial product development
Policy-making and legal reform
Erikson’s concept of basic trust involves a sense that the world is:
Chaotic but controllable with effort
Predictable and reliable through caregivers
Hostile unless guarded constantly
Randomly shaped by genetic factors
Behavior genetics focuses on:
Neural circuits of reward learning
Relative power of genes and environment
Stages of cognitive moral development
Psychological therapies for phobias
Behavior therapy primarily seeks to:
Interpret unconscious conflicts
Eliminate unwanted behaviors
Resolve family communication issues
Reconstruct self-narratives
Behavioral medicine integrates:
Genetics with neuroscience models
Sociology with political science
Behavioral and medical knowledge
Economics with decision theory
Behavioral psychology emphasizes:
Unobservable mental processes
Objective study of behavior
Subjective self-report methods
Phenomenological experiences
Behaviorism originally argued psychology should:
Study conscious thought content
Be an objective science of behavior
Focus on introspective analysis
Center on innate personality types
Belief perseverance refers to:
Abandoning views after disconfirmation
Clinging to discredited conceptions
Updating beliefs with new evidence
Withholding judgment until consensus
Binge-eating disorder is marked by episodes of:
Overeating followed by purging
Restricting intake with fasting
Distress without compensatory purging
Compulsive chewing without swallowing
Binocular cues for depth include:
Texture gradient and motion parallax
Retinal disparity and convergence
Lightness constancy and shading
Interposition and relative height
Biofeedback systems do which of the following?
Automatically adjust hormone levels
Record and feed back subtle physiological states
Remove sensory input from the cortex
Block spinal reflexes during stress
Biological psychology examines:
Links between biology and behavior
Stages of social moral reasoning
Dynamic unconscious conflict models
Cultural narratives of identity
Biomedical therapy primarily uses:
Talk-based cognitive restructuring
Prescribed medications or procedures
Community reinforcement programs
Exposure with response prevention
The biopsychological approach integrates:
Only genetic and neural factors
Psychological and cultural levels
Social and economic policy
Philosophical and ethical theories
Bipolar disorder typically involves alternating between:
Phobia and compulsion cycles
Hopeless depression and manic states
Panic attacks and social withdrawal
Hallucinations and delusions
The blind spot exists because:
Rod cells saturate in bright light
No receptor cells at optic disc
Lens focuses images imperfectly
Fovea lacks cone photopigments
Bottom-up processing begins with:
Expectations shaping perception
Sensory receptors feeding to brain
Long-term memory associations
Top-down predictive coding
The brainstem is best described as:
Newest neocortical association area
Oldest part and central core of brain
Primary center for moral judgment
Regional hub for episodic memory
Broca’s area is primarily involved in:
Language comprehension and semantics
Motor speech production in frontal lobe
Auditory processing of phonemes
Visual word form recognition
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by:
Restrictive fasting without binging
Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors
Stable weight and healthy eating patterns
Obsessive calorie counting alone
The bystander effect refers to the tendency for:
Individuals to help more in crowds
Observers to intervene quickly
People to be less likely to help
Victims to refuse assistance
The Cannon–Bard theory proposes that emotion results from:
Sequential bodily arousal then feeling
Simultaneous physiological and subjective responses
Cognitive appraisal preceding arousal
Learned associations shaping feelings
In research, a case study is:
Controlled group experiment
Depth analysis of one individual
Randomized double-blind trial
Cross-sectional survey of many
Catharsis in emotion theory suggests that:
Suppressing anger reduces aggression
Releasing aggressive energy relieves urges
Practicing mindfulness escalates rage
Distraction increases hostile impulses
The central nervous system consists of:
Cranial nerves and ganglia
Brain and spinal cord
Autonomic and somatic divisions
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
Central route persuasion occurs when people:
Focus on superficial cues
Ignore message content entirely
Process strong arguments thoughtfully
Follow authority without question
The cerebellum primarily functions to:
Regulate circadian rhythms
Coordinate movement and balance
Store semantic long-term memory
Generate emotional valence
The cerebral cortex is best described as:
Brainstem relay for reflex arcs
Interconnected neural cell covers
Hormonal control center in glands
Single nucleus for information
Which best illustrates change blindness during a busy street scene?
Failing to notice a new billboard after glancing away
Recognizing a friend despite changing hairstyle
Detecting slight color shifts in traffic lights
Spotting a distant bird moving across the sky
Chromosomes are best described as
Threadlike DNA structures carrying genes
Protein clusters storing cellular energy
Membrane sacs transporting nutrients
RNA strands regulating enzyme action
Chunking improves memory by
Organizing items into manageable units
Repeating information without meaning
Eliminating interference from emotions
Encoding details using complex imagery
Circadian rhythm refers to
Biological clock regulating 24-hour cycles
Rapid eye movements during dream sleep
Neural patterns linked to learned habits
Short-term arousal from sudden stress
In classical conditioning, learning occurs when an organism
Links stimuli to produce automatic responses
Solves problems through insight and reflection
Selects behaviors based on their outcomes
Recalls facts using conscious strategies
The cochlea’s main function is to
Convert sound into neural signals
Balance head movements during walking
Protect hair cells from loud noise
Amplify low-frequency air vibrations
A cochlear implant works by
Directly stimulating the auditory nerve
Enhancing the eardrum’s natural vibration
Filtering background noise in the canal
Strengthening middle-ear ossicle motion
Cognition encompasses
Mental activities like thinking and remembering
Automatic reflexes such as blinking
Innate drives for hunger and thirst
Hormonal cycles controlling sleep
Cognitive behavioral therapy integrates
Changing thoughts with behavior strategies
Free association with dream analysis
Exposure therapy with drug treatment
Biofeedback with deep relaxation only
A cognitive map is
Mental layout representation of environments
Step-by-step plan for problem solving
Schema for categorizing social roles
Timeline encoding of personal memories
Cognitive neuroscience focuses on
Brain activity underlying cognition
Social norms shaping behavior
Genetic inheritance of traits
Cultural rituals across societies
Cognitive psychology studies
Thinking, memory, and communication
Physiological stress responses
Animal social hierarchies
Human motor development stages
Cognitive therapy aims to
Teach adaptive thinking patterns
Uncover repressed childhood memories
Condition reflexive emotional reactions
Increase serotonin through diet changes
Collective unconscious refers to
Inherited reservoir of shared memory traces
Personal store of unique life experiences
Learned norms within specific cultures
Group decisions made by majority vote
Collectivism prioritizes
Goals of one’s group and identity accordingly
Individual achievement above social ties
Legal rules over cultural expectations
Private beliefs beyond public behavior
Color constancy means
Perceiving object colors as consistent
Seeing colors only under daylight
Detecting wavelength changes precisely
Ignoring shadows in complex scenes
Companionate love is characterized by
Deep affectionate attachment with intertwined lives
Intense passion driven by physical attraction
Strategic commitment for social status
Short-term infatuation with novelty
A concept is
Mental grouping of similar items or ideas
Exact sensory image of a single object
Emotional response to familiar events
Rule learned through classical conditioning
In conditioning, a conditioned reinforcer gains power by
Association with a primary reinforcer
Immediate satisfaction of biological needs
Removal of unpleasant stimuli directly
Scheduled delivery after fixed intervals
A conditioned response is
Learned reaction to a previously neutral stimulus
Innate reflex triggered by loud sounds
Voluntary behavior chosen for rewards
Memory-based answer to a familiar cue
Conduction hearing loss results from
Damage to the mechanical system of the ear
Loss of hair cells in the inner ear
Injury to the auditory cortex pathways
Impaired neurotransmitter release in synapses
Cones in the eye are specialized for
Daylight vision and fine detail
Peripheral motion detection
Night vision and dim light
Depth perception and balance
Confirmation bias leads people to
Seek supporting evidence and ignore contradictions
Randomly sample all available information
Prefer novel data over familiar sources
Overestimate chance over causal patterns
Conflict is best defined as
Perceived incompatibility of actions or goals
Temporary confusion about instructions
Mild annoyance with minor inconveniences
Routine debate without strong stakes
Conformity involves
Adjusting behavior or thinking to a group standard
Resisting peer pressure despite social costs
Following personal values regardless of norms
Accepting leadership roles within teams
A confounding variable is
Factor other than the independent variable that may affect results
Secondary outcome measured for exploration
Random error influencing data collection
Control condition used for baseline
Consciousness refers to
Awareness of ourselves and environment
Automatic processing without attention
Subconscious drives shaping impulses
Physiological arousal from stress
Conservation in child cognition means understanding that
Properties like mass and number remain despite changes in form
All objects move unless forces stop them
Memory improves with repeated rehearsal
Language follows innate grammatical rules
Content validity is the extent to which a test
Samples the behavior of interest
Predicts future performance
Produces consistent scores
Avoids cultural bias
Continuous reinforcement involves
Reinforcing the desired response every time
Rewarding after variable intervals
Punishing unwanted behaviors intermittently
Pairing neutral cues with primary rewards
In experiments, the control group
Is not exposed to the treatment and serves as comparison
Receives double the dose of the treatment
Is randomly selected but given no tasks
Controls the timing of the manipulations
Which description best fits conversion disorder?
Neurological symptoms without medical cause
Chronic vessel clogging causing heart death
Split awareness with alternating identities
Defense mechanism refusing painful reality
Coronary heart disease primarily involves what process?
Clogging of coronary vessels
Loss of neural connections
Decrease in activity by depressants
Increase in creative idea production
What is the corpus callosum?
Large neural fibers connecting hemispheres
Branching neuron extensions for messages
Protective mechanism reducing anxiety
Brainwave pattern associated with deep sleep
Correlation is best defined as what?
Extent to which two factors vary together
Causal influence from one variable to another
Ability to judge distance and dimensions
Post-experimental explanation to participants
Which statement captures correlation coefficient?
Statistical index from −1 to +1
Minimum difference for detection
Outcome factor measured by study
Ability to see two images as one
Counterconditioning aims to achieve what outcome?
New responses to stimuli to reduce aversion
Split consciousness allowing dual behaviors
Loss of self-awareness fostering anonymity
Restructuring thinking during stressful events
What does a critical period refer to?
Optimal time early in life for proper development
Post-experimental explanation of procedures
Minimum stimulus difference for detection
Ability to judge distance and dimensions
A cross-sectional study compares what groups?
Different age groups at one time
Same participants tracked over years
Twins reared together and apart
Experimental and control conditions
Crystallized intelligence tends to do what with age?
Increase with accumulated knowledge
Decrease due to neural pruning
Remain constant across adulthood
Fluctuate with sleep brain waves
CT (computed tomography) produces which output?
Composite X‑ray representation of a slice
Electrical activity map of brain waves
Metabolic glucose consumption image
Three-dimensional MRI of soft tissue
Culture refers to shared what among a group?
Behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions
Genetic molecules making up chromosomes
Outcome factors measured by scientists
Branching neuron extensions called dendrites
Debriefing after an experiment should include what?
Purpose and any deceptions explained
Reinforcement schedule for responses
Training to restructure stressful thoughts
Measures to block unconscious distortions
Defense mechanisms primarily serve which function?
Reduce anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
Connect hemispheres to carry messages
Measure correlation strength between variables
Detect minimum stimulus differences
Deindividuation most likely results in what?
Loss of self-awareness in arousing situations
Enhanced personal restraint during group tasks
Improved critical evaluation of assumptions
Creation of novel and valuable ideas
Déjà vu can occur when what happens?
Current cues trigger retrieval of earlier experience
Unconscious denial blocks painful memories
New responses are conditioned to stimuli
Cultural values transmit across generations
Delta waves are associated with which state?
Slow brain waves during deep sleep
Fast waves during alert attention
Irregular waves during REM dream
Suppressed waves by depressant drugs
Which option best defines delusions?
False beliefs of persecution or grandeur
Defense to refuse painful realities
Split in consciousness allowing dual acts
Outcome factor measured by experiments
Dendrites in neurons primarily do what?
Receive messages and conduct impulses
Carry signals across synapse gaps
Insulate axons to speed conduction
Release neurotransmitters into clefts
Denial operates as what?
Defense mechanism refusing painful realities
Outcome factor varying with manipulation
Learned ability to distinguish stimuli
Stimulus eliciting response after reinforcement
Depressants primarily affect behavior by doing what?
Reducing neural activity and slow body functions
Enhancing deep sleep delta wave frequency
Producing false beliefs of grand persecution
Increasing creativity and novel idea output
Depth perception allows you to do what?
Judge distance when images are two-dimensional
Detect small differences at fifty percent threshold
Pair learned responses with reinforcement
Explain procedures and deceptions post-study
Developmental psychology focuses on what domain?
Physical, cognitive, and social change across life
Neural pathways connecting brain hemispheres
Defense processes that distort difficult realities
Index of relationship strength between variables
Which description matches developmental psychology as a science?
Scientific study of change across the life span
Measurement of brain waves during deep sleep
Study of drugs that slow body functions
Analysis of branching neuron extensions
Difference threshold refers to which measurement?
Minimum difference detectable half the time
Statistical index ranging from −1 to +1
Outcome factor responding to manipulations
Ability to see two images as single depth
Discrimination can mean what in social behavior?
Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group
Learned ability to distinguish conditioned signals
Defense process of redirecting impulses safely
Loss of awareness in arousing group settings
In classical conditioning, discrimination refers to what ability?
Distinguish CS from similar non-signals
Generalize response to related stimuli
Elicit response after reinforcement given
Reduce anxiety by distorting reality
In operant conditioning, a discriminative stimulus is one that does what?
Elicits a response after reinforcement association
Blocks painful realities through denial
Signals a split in consciousness events
Measures index of relationship strength
Displacement typically redirects impulses toward what?
A safer or more acceptable target
The original source of frustration
Unrelated cultural traditions and values
A deep sleep pattern of brain waves
Dissociation involves what change in consciousness?
Split awareness allowing simultaneous behaviors
Complete loss of memory due to repression
Enhanced critical evaluation of assumptions
Unconscious blocking of painful realities
Dissociative disorders are characterized by what feature?
Awareness separated from memories and feelings
Unjustifiable negative behavior toward groups
Increased creativity producing novel ideas
Ability to judge distance and dimensions
Dissociative Identity Disorder includes which pattern?
Two or more distinct alternating personalities
Defensive refusal to accept painful realities
Drug-induced slowing of body functions
Brain fiber bundle connecting hemispheres
DNA is best described as what?
Complex molecule carrying genetic information
Outcome factor measured in experiments
Branching extension conducting neural messages
Composite X‑ray representation of a slice
Donald Meichenbaum is known for offering which training?
Stress inoculation to restructure thinking
Classical conditioning of discriminative signals
Debriefing procedures after experiments
Defense mechanisms for anxiety reduction
MATCH the term to its best description.
Correlation coefficient
Index from −1 to +1
Debriefing
Post-study explanation of purpose and deception
Displacement
Redirecting impulses to safer target
Discriminative stimulus
Stimulus eliciting response after reinforcement
Which of the following are defense mechanisms?
Denial refusing to accept painful realities
Displacement redirecting aggressive impulses
Debriefing explaining procedures and deceptions
Dissociation splitting awareness into streams
Which scenario best illustrates a double-blind procedure in a drug study?
Participants and researchers know group assignments
Only participants know if they got placebo or drug
Neither participants nor researchers know treatment assignment
Researchers know assignments but participants do not
Down syndrome is primarily associated with which genetic condition?
Deletion on chromosome 15
Extra copy of chromosome 21
Mutation on X chromosome
Trisomy on chromosome 13
Which statement best captures the nature of dreams?
Purely random neural firings without meaning
Sequences of images, emotions, and thoughts during sleep
Accurate predictions of future events during REM
Continuous logical narratives remembered fully
Drive-reduction theory proposes that behavior is motivated by
External rewards creating learned goals
Physiological needs creating internal tension
Cognitive expectations shaping outcomes
Cultural norms defining proper actions
DSM-IV-TR is primarily used to
Rank treatment effectiveness across clinics
Diagnose and classify mental disorders
Measure personality traits in healthy adults
Predict relapse risk in substance use
Dual processing refers to information being
Handled on one conscious track only
Simultaneously processed on separate tracks
Stored in long-term memory immediately
Filtered exclusively through attention
An echoic memory trace typically lasts about
One minute of exact auditory detail
Four seconds of auditory information
Half a second of visual snapshots
Ten seconds of tactile sensations
Which description best fits an eclectic approach to psychotherapy?
Strictly using psychoanalytic methods only
Combining techniques from various therapies
Relying exclusively on behavioral conditioning
Using medication without any talk therapy
Which statement about Ecstasy (MDMA) is most accurate?
A strong opiate producing respiratory depression
A synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen
A classic depressant with long-term sedation
A pure psychedelic with no stimulant effects
Educational psychology primarily studies
How schools allocate funding budgets
How social norms shape political beliefs
How psychological processes affect teaching and learning
How genetics determine intelligence scores
Effortful processing involves
Automatic encoding without attention
Encoding requiring attention and conscious effort
Unconscious storage of episodic details
Immediate retrieval from sensory registers
In Freud’s model, the ego primarily
Enforces moral standards of the superego
Operates entirely unconscious and instinctual
Mediates demands of id, superego, and reality
Suppresses pleasure to avoid anxiety
Egocentrism in Piaget’s theory refers to a child’s difficulty
Remembering previously learned facts
Seeing another person’s point of view
Balancing multiple motor tasks
Following complex logical rules
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is best described as
Deep brain stimulation with implanted leads
Brief electrical current under anesthesia for severe depression
Cognitive restructuring for anxiety disorders
Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder
An electroencephalogram (EEG) records
Blood oxygen levels in brain regions
Electrical activity measured by scalp electrodes
Neurotransmitter concentrations in synapses
Structural images of brain tissue damage
