AP Psychology : AP Psychology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #27 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This German, Neo-Freudian psychologist is known for bringing feminist values to Freud's work. The psychologist questioned Freud's concepts surrounding sexuality. She took particular issues with the concept of "penis envy", claiming that men must have "womb envy"—jealousy directed at women because they can bear life, but men cannot. 

Possible Answers:

Mary Whiton Calkins

Melanie Klein 

Mary Ainsworth 

Karen Horney

Mamie Phipps Clark 

Correct answer:

Karen Horney

Explanation:

The correct answer is Karen Horney. Horney is a Neo-Freudian psychologist who is also known as the mother of Feminist psychology. 

Example Question #28 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This American psychologist is known for "attachment theory.” This psychologist’s most famous study—the strange situation study—analyzed different styles of attachment children had to their mothers. She did so by putting the children in a new environment with plenty of toys. Next, this psychologist removed the mother and observed if the children continued to play or cried. Finally, the mothers were reintroduced into the room and the child's acknowledgement of their mother’s presence was noted. 

Possible Answers:

Mary Whiton Caulkins 

Jean Piaget 

Karen Horney

Mary Ainsworth 

Solomon Asch 

Correct answer:

Mary Ainsworth 

Explanation:

The correct answer is Mary Ainsworth. Although Ainsworth had many contributions to psychology, she is best known for discovering the three forms of attachment—secure, insecure, and ambivalent. 

Example Question #31 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This Swiss psychologist is known for his work in developmental psychology. This psychologist broke down children's psychological development into four stages: sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal operational stage. 

Possible Answers:

Alfred Binet

Alfred Bandura

Sigmund Freud

Jean Piaget 

Philip Zimbardo 

Correct answer:

Jean Piaget 

Explanation:

The correct answer is Jean Piaget. In conjunction with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Tests, Piaget's findings changed the face of the modern education system.

Example Question #32 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This psychologist was the first female president of the American Psychological Association. Despite attending classes at Harvard as a "guest" and presenting her thesis to faculty, this psychologist was denied a degree because of her gender. 

Possible Answers:

Mary Whiton Calkins

Sabrina Spielrein

Mamie Phipps Clark 

Karen Horney

Mary Ainsworth

Correct answer:

Mary Whiton Calkins

Explanation:

The correct answer is Mary Whiton Calkins. Calkins was elected President of the APA in 1905. Although she did not receive a degree from Harvard, Calkins was granted a Doctorate of Letters from Columbia in 1909, and a Doctorate of laws from Smith College—her alma mater—in 1910.

Example Question #33 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This American psychologist is known for coining the term "operant conditioning"—training behavior through the use of reinforcements. This psychologist observed the proper timing of the reinforcement through the use of an apparatus that bears his name. 

Possible Answers:

B.F. Skinner

Albert Bandura

Ivan Pavlov 

Edward Thorndike

Jean Piaget

Correct answer:

B.F. Skinner

Explanation:

The correct answer is B.F. Skinner. Skinner—a behavioral psychologist—invented the Skinner box to study the effect of reinforcement on learning. Using the Skinner box, pigeons were taught to peck at the same spot in order to be rewarded with food. 

Example Question #34 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This psychologist's famous "bobo doll" experiment, discovered that modeling was an important aspect of leaning behavior. His experiment provided evidence that suggested that violent television shows had an effect on the level of violence seen in a child’s play behavior. 

Possible Answers:

Alfred Adler 

Alfred Binet 

Albert Bandura

Leon Festinger 

Philip Zimbardo

Correct answer:

Albert Bandura

Explanation:

The correct answer is Albert Bandura. Bandura's 1961 experiment has been repeated and cited many times over the years as concerns in order to find a correlation between the prevalence of violent video games and television shows and rising trends of social violence.

Example Question #35 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This Swiss psychologist and Neo-Freudian thinker helped to found the field of analytic psychology. Working closely with Sigmund Freud, this psychologist became fascinated with the subconscious and began to conduct dream studies and psychoanalysis. Despite being close to Freud, this psychologist rejected Freud's emphasis on sex as a root of dysfunction and eventually deviated from many other Freudian beliefs.  

Possible Answers:

Wilhelm Wundt 

Carl Jung

Leon Festinger

Anna Freud

B.F. Skinner

Correct answer:

Carl Jung

Explanation:

The correct answer is Carl Jung. Jung is a popular Neo-Freudian thinker, who actually studied with Freud in person. Although the two had a close friendship, problems emerged when Jung began doubting Freud's methods. 

Example Question #36 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This German psychologist was the first to found an experimental lab for psychology. His work helped to build the foundation for cognitive psychological research. 

Possible Answers:

Wilhelm Wundt

Carl Jung

Sigmund Freud

B.F. Skinner

Philip Zimbardo 

Correct answer:

Wilhelm Wundt

Explanation:

The correct answer is Wilhelm Wundt. Wundt was a well-known structural psychologist. His first lab was opened at the University of Leipzig in 1879. He studied three main areas—mental functioning, thoughts, images/feelings—that are now the three main areas of study in cognitive psychology. 

Example Question #37 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This American psychologist founded the field of client-centered or "humanist" psychology. This psychologist believed that therapists should have unconditional positive regard for their clients. 

Possible Answers:

Richard von Krafft-Ebing

Philip Zimbardo

B.F. Skinner

Carl Rogers

Albert Bandura

Correct answer:

Carl Rogers

Explanation:

The correct answer is Carl Rogers. Rodgers was one of the first psychologists to focus on the self-actualization of his clients. 

Example Question #38 : History And Principles Of Psychology

Which psychologist matches the given description?

This Austrian psychologist is most often associated with the psychoanalytic perspective. Through free association, this psychologist diagnosed patients with many disorders including the Oedipal Complex, penis envy, and repression. This psychologist was also known for defining the id, ego, and superego—the three forces that make up a person’s psyche. 

Possible Answers:

Sigmund Freud

Albert Bandura

Fritz Perls 

B.F. Skinner

Richard von Krafft-Ebing

Correct answer:

Sigmund Freud

Explanation:

The answer is Sigmund Freud. Freud is one of the most popular names in psychology. He is attributed with finding the psychoanalytic approach to psychology. Although many of his findings (e.g. the Oedipal Complex and penis envy) have become outdated and proven false, Freudian Psychology still remains important to the field. 

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