AP Psychology : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

The British philosopher John Locke proposed that learning (i.e. the process by which we come to have knowledge) occurs mainly through empiricism. In other words, most of our knowledge is based on which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Our experiences after we are born, as produced by our senses to our minds

Our capability of detecting cause and effect 

All of these

Our ability to hold mental representations of objects and ideas, and create mental associations

Correct answer:

All of these

Explanation:

Locke suggested the idea of empiricism, and believed that we experience the world through our senses, process the knowledge in our minds, and learn through our capacity to understand cause and effect. This was based on the writings of Aristotle, who wrote that all learning occurs through associations that we make about objects that are contiguous in time or space. 

Example Question #32 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Plato believed in the power nature and genetics in determining a person's traits. Which of the following scholars would most likely agree with Plato's beliefs?

Possible Answers:

Edward Thorndike 

John B. Watson 

B.F. Skinner 

Aristotle 

Wilhelm Wundt

Correct answer:

Wilhelm Wundt

Explanation:

Wilhelm Wundt would be the most likely to agree that nature and genetics are more influential than external or environmental factors in determining a person's traits. Wundt also utilized and expanded upon other concepts associated with Plato. For example, Wundt used the idea of mental imagery to further psychology and discovery through experimentation. Aristotle, Skinner, Watson, and Thorndike, on the other hand, believed that environment and experiences were more influential in determining a person's traits. 

Example Question #31 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Which of the following Freudian personality structures operates on the reality principle and involves the prefrontal cortex? This structure plans to maximize pleasure and success and is able to delay gratification using secondary processes. 

Possible Answers:

Ego

Superid

Mediator 

Id

Superego 

Correct answer:

Ego

Explanation:

The ego acts as a mediator between the id and the superego. The id is very impulsive, operating on the pleasure principle and seeking immediate gratification. The superego represents the ideal in every situation and operates on the perfection principle. It also is the part of our personality with morals and standards; thus, it produces feelings of guilt and pride. The ego is mediates between the id and the superego and is involved with the prefrontal cortex in planning. By planning, the ego is able to accomplish goals and maximize pleasurable results. Unlike the id, the ego can delay gratification using secondary processes. 

Example Question #32 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

According to Freud, the oral psychological stage allows for oral gratification and satisfies the oral level of sexual libido. At what ages is oral gratification satisfactory of sexual libido?

Possible Answers:

6-12 years 

Over 12 years 

1-3 years

0-1 year

3-6 years 

Correct answer:

0-1 year

Explanation:

The oral psychosocial stage lasts from approximately 0-1 year. The psychosocial stages increase in age starting from oral and then progressing to anal, phallic, latency, and settling at the genital level. Freud proposed that throughout the duration of life, libido—sexual desire—shifts from one part of the body to another. Freud proposed that problems arise when one of these psychosocial stages was not satisfied in an individual. For example, if an adult is addicted to smoking cigarettes, then Freud might say that as a child he or she was punished for sucking on his or her thumb. As a result, this patient never satisfied the oral psychosocial stage; therefore, this patient seeks oral gratification from smoking.

Example Question #33 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Your boss is furious because this month's sales are significantly lower than usual, a result of you and your coworkers being too social around the office. Everyone in the office is disappointed and angry about their performance. You, in particular, have been a distraction to everyone in the office, and your boss is quite upset. When you get home, you channel all of your frustration and anger into cleaning your house. This is an example of which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Displacement 

Repression 

Regression 

Projection 

Sublimation 

Correct answer:

Sublimation 

Explanation:

The correct answer is sublimation. Sublimation is defined as the conversion of sexual or aggressive impulses into socially acceptable behaviors. In this case, you were able to convert your anger into a more productive, socially acceptable activity: cleaning. Defense mechanisms are created by the ego to reduce anxiety and distort reality. Defense mechanisms consist of sublimation, repression, regression, reaction formation, projection, rationalization, displacement, and fixation.

Example Question #34 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

According to Gestalt principles of perceptual organization, humans mostly organize their perceptual world by:

Possible Answers:

Responding separately to individual elements of visual input

Mechanically processing similar elements and separating dissimilar elements

Instantly and spontaneously organizing shapes and patterns of objects

Learning how to form patterns and associations of objects 

Correct answer:

Instantly and spontaneously organizing shapes and patterns of objects

Explanation:

According to Gestalt principles of perceptual organization, the human brain is dynamic. When we encounter sensory input such as shapes and patterns, we instantly organize them into unified wholes instead of individual clusters. This process is spontaneous and inevitable, and occurs without learning. 

Example Question #32 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Which of the following statements would not be made by a Neo-Freudian?

Possible Answers:

"People are motivated by feelings of inferiority and striving for superiority." 

"Children pass through a series of stages in which they experience pleasure from a specific object."

"Personality is shaped by more than just early childhood experiences." 


"Men experience womb envy when they are envious of a woman's ability to carry a child."

"The unconscious consists of the personal and collective unconscious." 

Correct answer:

"Children pass through a series of stages in which they experience pleasure from a specific object."

Explanation:

Neo-Freudians were theorists who disagreed with some of the tenets of Sigmund Freud's theory. They included Karen Horney, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, Erik Erikson, and Erich Fromm. Freud made the statement that children pass through a series of psychosexual stages. He believed that each stage involved children receiving pleasure from a specific part of the body. If children were not able to successfully complete the stage, then they would become fixated as adults. The stages include oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. All of the other statements are consistent with the theories of Neo-Freudians. Erik Erikson believed personality was shaped by more than early childhood experiences, and proposed his own psychosocial stages that spanned from infancy to late adulthood. Karen Horney disagreed with the idea of penis envy, and proposed the concept of womb envy. Alfred Adler believed people were motivated by feelings of inferiority. Carl Jung asserted the concept of the personal and collective unconscious, which includes unconscious concepts that are shared among members of the same species. 

Example Question #37 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Julian Rotter, the first psychologist to use the term “social learning theory,” developed a form of behaviorism that is considered less radical than Skinner’s because it takes into account which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Only human subjects

Only social experiences

External stimuli

Internal, subjective experiences

Correct answer:

Internal, subjective experiences

Explanation:

Rotter is known as a proponent of expanding behaviorism to include internal subjective experiences. Unlike Skinner, he did not believe that learning and behavior could be explained by only focusing on what was objectively, empirically observed. Rather, he sought to integrate the notion of the individual’s perceptions and beliefs into the study of learning.

Example Question #35 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

Which of the following best represents the primary criticism of Skinner’s theory of behaviorism by later psychologists such as Rotter and Bandura?

Possible Answers:

It did not emphasize conscious, cognitive processes

It focused on the study of individual subjects in an isolated environment

All of these

It failed to include the influence of social experiences

Correct answer:

All of these

Explanation:

Rotter was among the first psychologists to integrate the influence of social experiences into behaviorist learning theory. He is credited with recognizing that human beings do not function in isolation. Rather, we are actively engaged in conscious cognitive processing of our environment and assessing consequences such as risk and reward in relation to our behavior. 

Example Question #36 : Fundamental Psychological Theories

According to Rotter’s social learning theory, behavioral outcomes are governed by which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Because reinforcement always has the same value for all people

Because stimuli has the same value for all people

Objective expectations of the outcomes or results of our behavior 

Subjective expectations of the outcomes or results of our behavior

Correct answer:

Subjective expectations of the outcomes or results of our behavior

Explanation:

According to Rotter, behavioral outcomes are governed by subjective expectations of the outcomes or results of our behavior. This is because different types of reinforcement have different values, depending on the person. What is reinforcing for one person may not matter to another. For example, one child may learn to clean his room when promised time to play computer games while another may respond to a chance to play outdoors.

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