All AP Psychology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #2 : Social Development
A 2-year-old boy is in the process of being potty trained. His mother frequently makes trips to the bathroom with him, but he frequently still goes in his diaper. Which stage of psychosocial development would Erikson say this toddler is facing?
Integrity vs. despair
Industry vs. inferiority
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
Initiative vs. guilt
Trust vs. mistrust
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
Erikson would say that this boy is at the developmental stage during which he is grappling with his own autonomy. This stage is known as "autonomy vs. shame and doubt," and typically takes place during ages 1-3 years.
Example Question #41 : Dimensions Of Psychological Development
Alexia decides to spread a rumor about Lindsay to all of their mutual friends. Once their friends hear about the rumor, they begin to ignore and isolate Linsday. This is an example of __________ aggression.
physical
relational
reactive
nonverbal
relational
Relational aggression typically involves more covert behavior, such as spreading rumors or gossiping about others in an attempt to manipulate one's friendships and faciltation exclusion. This type of aggression is represented in the given question.
Physical aggression involves physical harm to another person, such as hitting, punching, kicking, or even vandalizing or damaging one's property.
There is no such thing as nonverbal aggression.
Reactive aggression is typically an angry, defensive response to provocation, particularly when one is blocked from reaching a goal or is harmed first.
Example Question #1 : Social Development
Landon is a junior in high school and is beginning to think about what he wants to do in the future. He has participated in a law internship, has shadowed a principal for a day, and currently volunteers at a children's clinic. He in interested in law, education, and medicine, but has not decided which field he would like to pursue in the future. According to James Marcia's Identity Statuses, which identity status best describes Landon?
Achievement
Foreclosure
Diffusion
Moratorium
Moratorium
Marcia's theory pertaining to identity development and statuses involves two dimensions: exploration and committment.
Individuals who are actively exploring their options before making a final decision, such as the young man described in this question, are classified in the moratorium identity status.
Individuals who have made a decision after active exploration as classified in the achievement identity status.
Individuals who make a decision without doing any exploration are classified in the foreclosure identity status.
Individuals who do not know what they want to do and who are indifferent to exploring are classiged in the diffusion identity status.
Example Question #1 : Social Development
Which stage of Erikson's Psychosocial Theory characterizes adolescence?
Identity vs. role confusion
Industry vs. inferiority
Initiative vs. guilt
Intimacy vs. isolation
Identity vs. role confusion
Since adolescence is characterized by various biological, social, emotional and cognitive changes, Erikson would argue that adolescents are attempting to solidify their identity in terms of who they are, what they value, and what their goals are. If adolescents do not resolve their identity crises, they could have role confusion, which has negative psychological implications.
Intimacy vs. isolation characterizes early adulthood.
Industry vs. inferiority characterizes middle childhood.
Initiative vs. guilt characterizes early childhood.
Example Question #1 : Social Development
Stereotypes related to gender and women's capabilities could cause __________ in their career advancement.
an increase in self-confidence
a self-fulfilling prophecy
a glass ceiling effect
a stereotype threat
a glass ceiling effect
The glass ceiling effect is the phenomenon that occurs when women can no longer advance in their careers for higher-level positions that are typically held by men.
A self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotype threat are very similar in that they typically are the result of stereotypes that negatively impact one's academic performance.
Increase in self-confidence is a distractor item, and does not directly relate to the question.
Example Question #5 : Social Development
Which of the following traits are men most likely to value when selecting a long-term mate?
Income level
Family stability
Physical attractiveness
Intelligence
Physical attractiveness
Men are more likely than women to select mates based on physical attractiveness. According to evolutionary theory, men focus on whether a woman is physically healthy and fit to carry children.
Income level and intelligence are traits that women actually value. Family stability was a distractor item, and does not directly relate to the question.
Example Question #2 : Social Development
Ten-year-old Eric knows that he is a great athlete compared to his peers, but he is not as good in math class. Eric is focusing on which of the following?
Social comparisons
Social identity
Gender typing
Self-control
Social comparisons
Social comparisons are chracteristic of middle childhood when children begin to notice their relative strengths and weaknesses in comparison to their friends and classmates.
Example Question #51 : Dimensions Of Psychological Development
Which of the following terms would describe an individual who engages in emotional intimacy and even romantic relationships, but is uninterested in pursuing sexual experiences?
Genderqueer
Asexual
Gender neutral
Agender
Asexual
One's sexuality generally describes interest in sexual partners and experiences, while one's gender identity can be a more personal factor in the definition of self. One might identify as a man, a woman, as genderqueer, or as a number of other gender identities. The terms "agender," "gender neutral," and "genderqueer" all refer to gender identities. In contrast, "asexual" is a term used to describe one's general disinterest in the pursuit of sexual experiences. An asexual individual may still be interested in close emotional relationships and romance.
Example Question #12 : Social Development
Who coined the term "basic trust?"
Erik Erikson
Lawrence Kohlberg
Urie Bronfenbrenner
James Maslow
Mary Ainsworth
Erik Erikson
Erikson theorized that "basic trust" is a child's sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy. An infant is able to develop basic trust through positive relationships with his or her caregivers.
Example Question #52 : Dimensions Of Psychological Development
Which of the following linguistic capacities do infants acquire first?
Distinguishing their own native language from others spoken to them
Understanding prosody
Babbling
Speaking in words
Distinguishing speech from other sounds
Distinguishing speech from other sounds
Infants can distinguish speech from other sounds at as early an age as four months old. Shortly after that, they will begin to babble and coo. By ten months old, they become able to distinguish their own native language from others spoken to them. At 12-18 months old, they begin to use words themselves, and they start to understand prosody between 18 and 24 months of age.
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