All AP Psychology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #91 : Ap Psychology
Ms. L recently began teaching a college course on psychology. Her students perceive her to be down to earth and likable. What type of authority does Ms. L have over her students?
Coercive power
Expert power
Referent power
Psychological power
Legitimate power
Referent power
French and Raven are social psychologists that described different types of power that leaders may possess. Ms. L is described as possessing positive personality traits. This is an example of referent power because she is seen as likable. Expert power comes from having advanced knowledge or expertise in a subject. Coercive power comes from the ability to punish others. Police officers hold coercive power. Legitimate power is power based on a person's position or status. Ms. L would have legitimate power if she was respected by her students simply because she was a professor. Note that psychological power is not one of the types of power described by French and Raven.
Example Question #92 : Ap Psychology
Who was the head researcher behind the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Abraham Maslow
Karen Horney
Solomon Asch
Philip Zimbardo
Sigmund Freud
Philip Zimbardo
In 1971, Philip Zimbardo and his team of research assistants ran the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. For six days, they studied the psychological effects of being a prisoner or prison guard. The experiment was supposed to run for two full weeks, but abruptly ended due to significant abuse between the guards and the prisoners.
Example Question #93 : Ap Psychology
What is the bystander effect?
The likelihood of an individual in distress receiving assistance increases if the crowd around him/her is large
The likelihood of an individual in distress receiving assistance decreases if there are emergency responders in the crowd of bystanders
Bystanders tend to avoid helping an individual in distress because they do not want to be late
Bystanders should not help an individual in distress because they may make the situation worse
The likelihood of an individual in distress receiving assistance decreases if the crowd around him/her is large
The likelihood of an individual in distress receiving assistance decreases if the crowd around him/her is large
The bystander effect maintains that the larger a group of bystanders, the lower the chance that an individual needing help will receive it. This is in large part due to a diffusion of responsibility, and everyone assuming someone else will handle the situation.
Example Question #94 : Ap Psychology
Which of the following is not a factor that increases an individual's conforming behavior within a group?
All of these will increase an individual's conforming behavior
The group cannot observe the individual's behavior
Feeling of insecurity or incompetency
Large group size
Greater agreement within the group
The group cannot observe the individual's behavior
When the individual knows the group can see his/her behavior, he/she is more likely to conform to the group. Individuals are also more likely to conform when the group is larger, but this only increases conformity up to a certain point, after which conformity levels off and does not further increase with group size. Further, if there is unanimous agreement within the group, an individual is more likely to conform. If even one individual within a group dissents, the likelihood of conformity will decrease. Last, if the individual feels insecure or incompetent, or looks up to and admires members of the group, they are more likely to conform.
Example Question #95 : Ap Psychology
In Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment, which of the following was not a factor that increased obedience?
Command given by an equal or peer, rather than an individual in a position of authority
The subject observed others obeying the command
All of these increased obedience in the experiment
The person giving the command was in the room with the subject
The "learner" receiving the "punishment" was not in the same room as the subject
Command given by an equal or peer, rather than an individual in a position of authority
Subjects were more likely to listen to the command if it came from an individual they viewed as a legitimate authority figure, rather than someone who was their equal or peer. Subjects were also more likely to obey if they saw others obeying, if the command came from someone in the room, or if the "learner" being punished was in another room.
Example Question #96 : Ap Psychology
Suzie notices that she is the only girl in her advanced calculus class, which makes her extra nervous for her first test. Her nervousness can be explained by what psychological concept?
subtyping
fundamental attribution error
cognitive dissonance
stereotype threat
the prisoner's dilemma
stereotype threat
Stereotype threat occurs when people fear that they will confirm unfavorable stereotypes about a social group they belong to. In this question, girls are stereotyped to be not as good at math as boys, so Suzie is nervous about confirming that stereotype in that context of her math class.
Example Question #97 : Ap Psychology
If Elena enjoys the newest pop song more the fifth time she hears it than the first time, what could explain her increased affinity for the song?
social exchange theory
altruism
groupthink
mere-exposure effect
self-fulfilling prophecy
mere-exposure effect
The mere-exposure effect states that people are more likely to enjoy things with which they are familiar, accounting for Elena's increased affinity for the song as she becomes more familiar with it.
Example Question #98 : Ap Psychology
Which of the following is an example of fundamental attribution error (FAE)?
People tend to like nonsense syllables that they have heard before more than nonsyllables that they haven't.
Laura pretends that she wants $100 to pay for the plane ticket when she really only wants $50, in case her parents bargain her down.
Lily does poorly on a test because she is afraid of confirming stereotypes about her race.
Dashiell doesn't clap after a concert because he sprained his wrist, but Sarah assumes it is because he is being rude.
Alicia feels strange when she realizes that even though she campaigns for sustainability, she uses a lot of plastic containers.
Dashiell doesn't clap after a concert because he sprained his wrist, but Sarah assumes it is because he is being rude.
"Dashiell doesn't clap after a concert because he sprained his wrist, but Sarah assumes it is because he is being rude" is an example of fundamental attribution error because there is a external factor (a sprained wrist) accounting for Dashiell's behavior, but Sarah attributes it to a internal personality trait (rudeness).
Example Question #99 : Ap Psychology
A toothpaste ad claiming to be "dentists' favorite brand" is utilizing which of Cialdini's principles of influence?
Liking
Reciprocity
Scarcity
Authority/Expertise
Social Proof/Consensus
Authority/Expertise
Because dentists are experts/authorities in the field of dental care, a toothpaste ad claiming their approval appeals to their authority to convince consumers to buy the product- basically, they're saying "if dentists think our toothpaste is good, you should think it's good too."
Example Question #100 : Ap Psychology
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief traditionally proceed in which order?
Denial, Anger, Depression, Bargaining
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
Denial, Depression, Bargaining, Anger, Acceptance
Anger, Depression, Acceptance
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
While individual experiences of grief certainly vary, and some grievers may not even experience all five stages, the grieving process is usually described as a procession from immediate denial into anger, then through bargaining and depression before one can finally reach acceptance.