AP Psychology : AP Psychology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #183 : Developmental Psychology

The conventional stage of Kohlberg's moral developmental stages usually occurs during which of the following age brackets?

Possible Answers:

None of these

Approximately late adolescence through adulthood 

Approximately birth to 9 years old

Approximately 10 years old through adolescence

Correct answer:

Approximately 10 years old through adolescence

Explanation:

The conventional stage of moral development occurs from approximately 10 years old to early adolescence. During this stage, children make decisions based on how the world will view them. Children learn conventional standards of right and wrong, as usually follow these so others will see them as "good." 

Example Question #931 : Ap Psychology

10-year-old Mark believes that you should not lie because it is wrong and against the rules. What stage of Kohlberg's moral development is Mark most likely in?

Possible Answers:

Postconventional

Conventional

Oral 

Preconventional

Latency

Correct answer:

Conventional

Explanation:

Kohlberg's theory of moral development divides morality into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. The preconventional level occurs prior to age 10 and involves a desire to avoid punishment and receive rewards. Children in this stage may follow rules because of their own self-interests. Children in the conventional stage are motivated to do what is right and uphold society's rules and standards. This is consistent with Mark's philosophy on why lying is wrong. During the postconventional stage, people develop an internal set of values and have a more flexible view of morality. Kohlberg believed that not everyone reaches the postconventional level. The oral and latency stages are associated with Freud's psychosexual stages of development. 

Example Question #932 : Ap Psychology

A young child decides not to steal a classmate's stuffed animal because he will likely be punished by the teacher. According to Kohlberg's stages of morality, this child is engaging in which of the following  types of thinking?

Possible Answers:

Conventional morality

Post-conventional morality

Macro-oriented morality

Pre-conventional morality

Elementary morality

Correct answer:

Pre-conventional morality

Explanation:

Lawrence Kohlberg believed that there are three different stages of morality that are expressed through our actions. The young child above is engaging in "pre-conventional morality." In this stage, actions are determined to be bad or good depending on how they are rewarded or punished. Specifically, the action of stealing is determined to be bad because society has set forth rules that would likely result in the young child getting punished for it.  

Example Question #521 : Individual Psychology And Behavior

Conventional morality is derived from which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Social norms and expectations

Self-interest

Social contract

Intrinsic motivation

Avoiding punishment

Correct answer:

Social norms and expectations

Explanation:

The conventional stages of Kohlberg's stages of moral development are associated with morality derived from "social norms and expectations." This is in contrast with the pre-conventional stages, which focus on self-interest and punishment, and the post-conventional stages, which focus on social contracts and universal principles. 

Example Question #933 : Ap Psychology

In which stage of sleep do we typically dream?

Possible Answers:

Stage 4

Stage 1

REM sleep

Stage 2 

Stage 3

Correct answer:

REM sleep

Explanation:

REM sleep (REM stands for "rapid eye movement") is the stage of sleep in which we dream. As the name suggests, our eyes move rapidly in different directions while in this stage. The other 4 stages of sleep are called "non-REM" sleep.

Example Question #934 : Ap Psychology

What does a delta wave on an EEG scan signify?

Possible Answers:

The accessing of spatial information

A painful sensation experienced during the reading

An extreme emotion, such as anger or sadness, occurring at the time of the reading

The subject is working through a problem involving math

Slow wave sleep, or non-rapid-eye-movement sleep

Correct answer:

Slow wave sleep, or non-rapid-eye-movement sleep

Explanation:

A delta wave is a wave with a high amplitude (height on graph) and has a frequency of 0-4 Hz (fairly slow). Delta waves are helpful to note on a scan because they can help characterize how deeply a person is sleeping; in certain disorders (such as alcoholism) delta waves are disrupted by other wave forms, showing that a person is not getting the type of rest required by the body. 

Example Question #3 : Cognition And Consciousness

What stage of sleep is most strongly associated with dreaming?

Possible Answers:

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 1

Stage 4

REM

Correct answer:

REM

Explanation:

Rapid-eye movement (REM) is the stage during which most dreaming occurs. It is the last stage in the cycle of sleep and gets longer and more frequent the longer you sleep.

Example Question #935 : Ap Psychology

Which hormone is most closely associated with sleep?

Possible Answers:

Adrenaline

Testosterone

Melatonin

Estrogen

Oxytocin

Correct answer:

Melatonin

Explanation:

Melatonin is released by the pineal gland in response to circadian rhythms and other environmental clues, like darkness. It causes drowsiness and helps induce sleep.

Example Question #4 : Cognition And Consciousness

During which stage of sleep do night terrors occur?

Possible Answers:

Stage 4

Stage 3

REM Sleep

Stage 2

Stage 1

Correct answer:

Stage 4

Explanation:

Night terrors are characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified. Stage 4 is our deepest sleep stage, so it is difficult for those with night terrors to escape their terror by waking up (unlike nightmares).

Example Question #936 : Ap Psychology

Which brain waves are associated with deep sleep?

Possible Answers:

Beta waves

Alpha waves

Delta waves

Iota waves

Gamma waves

Correct answer:

Delta waves

Explanation:

Delta waves occur during deep sleep (stage 4) and are associated with dreaming. In contrast, alpha waves are relatively slow brain waves that occur during a relaxed, awake state.

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