AP Psychology Exam Review

Introduction

• Presenter: K Fakowski
• Purpose: Review key terms and individuals from the AP Psychology curriculum in preparation for the exam.

Unit 1: Understanding the Brain

Key Brain Structures

• Cerebral Cortex: Responsible for higher-order brain functions.
  • Frontal Lobe: Decision making, problem-solving.
  • Parietal Lobe: Sensory information processing.
  • Temporal Lobe: Auditory processing.
  • Occipital Lobe: Visual processing.
• Limbic System: Emotion processing, memory, and motivation.
• Brain Stem: Connects brain to spinal cord; essential for survival.
• Basal Ganglia: Motor control, learning, decision-making.
• Thalamus: Sensory and motor signal relay to the cerebral cortex.
• Hypothalamus: Regulates body functions and homeostasis.

Neurons

• Specialized cells for electrical signaling.
  • Dendrites: Receive signals.
  • Soma: Cell body.
  • Axon: Carries signals away, insulated by myelin for faster transmission.
• Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers in synapses.
  • Dopamine: Pleasure, reward, motor control.
  • Serotonin: Mood, sleep, appetite.
  • Norepinephrine: Alertness, arousal.
  • GABA: Inhibitory neurotransmitter, anxiety control.

Nervous System

• Central Nervous System: Brain and spinal cord.
• Peripheral Nervous System: Nerves outside the central system.
  • Somatic: Voluntary movements.
  • Autonomic: Involuntary movements, with sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (homeostasis) divisions.

Hormones

• Chemical messengers from the endocrine system.
• Regulate behavior and physiological processes.
• Key hormones: Testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, melatonin.

Unit 2: Mental Processes and Cognition

Cognitive Processes

• Processes like knowing, thinking, remembering, communicating.
• Information processing: encoding, storing, and retrieving.

Memory Models

• Central Executive: Attention control.
• Phonological Loop: Verbal information.
• Visuospatial Sketchpad: Visual/spatial information.
• Episodic Buffer: Integrates information sources.

Key Theorists

• Jean Piaget: Cognitive development in children.
• Lev Vygotsky: Social interaction, zone of proximal development.
• Noam Chomsky: Innate language acquisition device.
• Howard Gardner: Multiple intelligences theory.

Language and Intelligence

• Language: Communication using symbols and rules.
• Intelligence: Learning and applying knowledge.
  • Spearman: Single cognitive ability factor.
  • Sternberg: Triarchic theory (analytical, creative, practical).
  • Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking: Creativity vs. focused solutions.

Unit 3: Stages of Development

Developmental Stages

• Prenatal: Conception to birth.
• Infancy to Toddlerhood: Refining basic motor skills.
• Early Childhood: Language, social skills.
• Middle Childhood: Logical thinking, independence.
• Adolescence: Abstract thinking, puberty.
• Adulthood: Career, relationships, personal growth.

Cognitive Development

• Piaget’s Stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational.

Social and Emotional Development

• Bandura: Observational learning (Bobo Doll experiment).
• Attachment Theory: Trust and exploratory behavior.
• Erikson: Psychosocial stages, crises.
• Kohlberg: Moral development and reasoning.

Language Development

• Chomsky: Language acquisition device, critical period for language learning.
• Bilingualism advantages.

Learning Theories

• Classical Conditioning (Pavlov): Associating stimuli with reflexive responses.
• Operant Conditioning (Skinner): Reinforcement and punishment.

Unit 4: Social Psychology and Behavior

Social Influences

• Social Cognition: Understanding and interpreting the world.
• Social Identity Theory: In-group vs. out-group dynamics.
• Attribution Theory: Explaining behavior.
• Cognitive Dissonance: Handling conflicting beliefs.
• Fundamental Attribution Error: Misjudging behavior causes.

Group Dynamics

• Social Facilitation: Performance in the presence of others.
• Social Loafing: Reduced effort in groups.
• Groupthink: Consensus over critical thinking.
• Conformity and Obedience: Influence of groups on behavior.

Personality

• Trait Theories: Big Five (OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).
• Psychoanalytic Theories: Unconscious drives (Freud).
• Humanistic Theories: Self-actualization (Maslow).

Mental Health

• Stress Responses: General adaptation syndrome, acute vs. chronic stress.
• Mental Disorders: Schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder.
• Therapies: Cognitive-based, interpersonal, community interventions.

Good luck on your AP Psychology exam!