AP Psychology : History and Research

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology

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Example Questions

Example Question #1694 : Ap Psychology

Which of the following psychologists were considered to be the pioneers of the early school of psychological thought known as structuralism?

Possible Answers:

Titchener and James 

Wundt and Skinner

Titchener and Freud

Wundt and Titchener

James and Skinner

Correct answer:

Wundt and Titchener

Explanation:

William Wundt and Edward Titchener pioneered the development of the structuralist school of psychological inquiry. Structuralism is a theory of consciousness that seeks to analyze the simplest definable components of the adult mind and investigate how these micro-components form greater experiences and correlate to the physical world. Wundt and Titchener focused on inner sensations and feelings and assisted in the creation of a foundation for the field of psychology that prior to 1900 was simplistically defined as "the science of mental life." William James was a founder of functionalism, B.F. Skinner was a founder of behaviorism, and Sigmund Freud was the father of psychoanalysis; therefore, answers that contain these persons are incorrect.

Example Question #1695 : Ap Psychology

Freud is well-known for "Freudian psychology," also known as psychoanalysis. Which of the following choices best describe the views that Freud entertained in the field of psychology?

Possible Answers:

Analysis should focus on the importance of current environmental conditions and their affect on our ability to reach growth potential

Analysis should focus on unconscious thought and emotional responses to childhood experiences and their influence on human behavior

Analysis should focus on the importance of having our humanly needs of love and acceptance satisfied in order undergo maximal brain development 

Analysis should focus on psychology as "the science of mental life"

Analysis should focus on maintaining the integrity of observing behavior and responses

Correct answer:

Analysis should focus on unconscious thought and emotional responses to childhood experiences and their influence on human behavior

Explanation:

Freud is well-known for his theory of "Freudian psychology," where a child is said to graduate to different stages of development revolving around the id, ego, and superego. These three stages are well-associated with the Oedipal complex, where the id stage of a male child revolves around desiring his mother's attention. As he graduates eventually to the ego and superego stages, he will learn to overcome his now unconcious desires and consciously focus on what is morally correct and socially acceptable. Freud's approach focused on the importance of childhood memories and how they affected the individual throughout life. In the id stage, Freud believed that the child underwent psychosexual stages where different stages focused on immediate pleasure gratification of different erogenous zones. Each stage offered its own challenges for the child to overcome. A failure to overcome a stage, according to Freud, would result in an obsession with it. For example, Freud may have argued that someone who continously chews gum or on pencils  suffers from oral fixation because he didn't overcome the oral stage as an infant. The other options pertain to behavioral psychology, humanistic psychology, and biological psychology;therefore, they would be incorrect.  

Example Question #1696 : Ap Psychology

What kind of psychologist was B.F Skinner?

Possible Answers:

Developmental psychologist 

Biological psychologist 

Humanistic psychologist 

Freudian psychologist 

Behavioral psychologist

Correct answer:

Behavioral psychologist

Explanation:

In the 1920s, Skinner and Watson expanded upon Wundt's and Titchener's early definition of psychology. They believed that it was difficult to consider psychology as a "science of the mental life" because it was something that required observation. They believed it was impossible to observe a sensation or thought, but that it was possible to observe an individuals behavior given a particular situation. In his experiments that tested psychologist Edward Thorndike's law of effect, Skinner was able to identify the principles of “behavior control.” He hypothesized that rewarded behavior is likely to be repeated; therefore, Skinner was able to use behavior control to successfully pigeons to play Ping-Pong and walk in figure eights. Throughout his controversial behavioral studies, he created what's commonly known as Skinner's box, an operant box where rats or pigeons had their behaviors recorded and were rewarded for pressing a bar. This experiment tested Skinner's concept of reinforcement in terms of operant conditioning. 

Example Question #1697 : Ap Psychology

Which of the following theorists would best be described as a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist who was famous for his writings on freedom and self-actualization?

Possible Answers:

Sigmund Freud

Erich Fromm

Erik Erikson

Carl Rogers

Correct answer:

Erich Fromm

Explanation:

Fromm devoted his professional life to the concepts of self-actualization and personal freedom. Freud was never very interested in personal freedom as he thought it was quite limited due to the thorough influence of childhood experiences. Rogers also was interested in self-growth and freedom, but he was not a psychoanalyst. Erikson focused on conflicts across the stages of development.

Example Question #194 : History And Research

Who was the first woman to become president of the APA?

Possible Answers:

Francis Sumner

Sigmund Freud

Mary Calkins

Wilhelm Wundt

Correct answer:

Mary Calkins

Explanation:

Mary Calkins studied under William James and established a psychology lab at Wellesley College then became president of the APA in 1905. The other choices are all male psychologists.

Example Question #195 : History And Research

Who is considered the father of behaviorism?

Possible Answers:

Ivan Palvov

John Watson

Sigmund Freud

Abraham Maslow

Correct answer:

John Watson

Explanation:

Although Ivan Pavlov's study helped to develop behaviorism it was Watson who made behaviorism as a major school of psychological thought. Freud founded psychoanalysis, and Maslow influenced humanistic psychology.

Example Question #1701 : Ap Psychology

Which of the following theorists created a three level theory of moral development?

Possible Answers:

Abraham Maslow

Anna Freud

Alfred Adler

Sigmund Freud

Lawrence Kohlberg

Correct answer:

Lawrence Kohlberg

Explanation:

Lawrence Kohlberg followed the work of Jean Piaget in the field of developmental psychology. Kohlberg's theory had three levels, with two sub stages in each level. The levels are Pre-conventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional. Sigmund Freud is considered the primary originator of psycho-analysis. Abraham Maslow constructed his well-known hierarchy of needs.

Example Question #1702 : Ap Psychology

Who was the first African American to receive a PhD in psychology?

Possible Answers:

William James

Kenneth Clark

Mary Calkins

Francis Sumner

Correct answer:

Francis Sumner

Explanation:

Sumner recieved his PhD in psychology in 1920 from Clark University becoming the first African American to receive a PhD in psychology. Kenneth Clark was the first African American president of the APA, Mary Calkins was the first female president of the APA, and William James was the first American to receive a PhD in psychology.

Example Question #1703 : Ap Psychology

The idea that personality consists of three dimensions, existing in high or low states, which largely influence personal preference and development is most closely associated with __________.

Possible Answers:

Carl Rogers

Hans Eysenck

Walter Mischell

Raymond Cattell

Correct answer:

Hans Eysenck

Explanation:

Eysenck, who at the time of his death was the most cited living psychologist in the world, promoted the idea of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism as the three personality traits or dimensions which, in combination, made up the majority influence in personality and psychological development.

Example Question #1704 : Ap Psychology

Which of the following pairings of psychologists with their theories or major contributions is not correct?

Possible Answers:

Diana Baumrind - parenting styles

Karen Horney - feminist psychology

Raymond Cattell - personality inventory

Joseph Wolpe - learned helplessness

Correct answer:

Joseph Wolpe - learned helplessness

Explanation:

Joseph Wolpe was a behavioral psychologist most famous for developing the therapeutic technique called systematic desensitization. The experiment and subsequent development of the theory of learned helplessness in dogs was performed by Martin Seligman.

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