AP Psychology Mega Review Video Notes

Introduction

• Covers the entire AP Psychology course in approximately 4 hours.
• Organized into 5 units.
• Study guide worksheets are available for download.

Unit 1: Biological Basis of Behavior

1.1 Interaction of Heredity and Environment

• Nature vs. Nurture Debate
  • Nature: Genetic predispositions.
  • Nurture: Environmental influences (family, education).
  • Interactionist perspective: Both genetics and environment shape behavior.
• Evolutionary Perspective
  • Natural selection affects human behaviors.
  • Eugenics: Misuse of evolutionary psychology.
• Research Studies
  • Twin, family, and adoption studies.
  • Both nature and nurture influence traits.

1.2 Overview of the Nervous System

• Central Nervous System
  • Brain: Command center.
  • Spinal Cord: Message relay, reflexes.
• Peripheral Nervous System
  • Autonomic Nervous System: Involuntary functions.
    • Sympathetic: Fight or flight.
    • Parasympathetic: Rest and digest.
  • Somatic Nervous System: Voluntary movements.

1.3 The Neuron and Neural Firing

• Neural Cells
  • Neurons: Electrical/chemical signal transmission.
  • Glial Cells: Support neurons.
• Reflex Arcs
  • Sensory, motor, and interneurons.
• Neural Transmission
  • Resting potential, depolarization, all-or-nothing, refractory period, re-uptake.
• Neurotransmitters
  • Dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, etc.
• Psychoactive Drugs
  • Agonists, antagonists, re-uptake inhibitors.

1.4 Structures of the Brain

• Brainstem, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, limbic system.
• Split Brain Research
  • Functions of brain hemispheres.
  • Corpus callosum severance effects.

1.5 Sleep

• Stages of Sleep
  • NREM: Light to deep stages.
  • REM: Dreaming.
• Sleep Theories
  • Activation-Synthesis, Consolidation.
• Sleep Disorders
  • Insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, etc.

1.6 Sensation

• Key Concepts
  • Absolute threshold, just noticeable difference, Weber's law.
• Sensory Systems
  • Visual, auditory, chemical senses.
• Pain and Balance
  • Gate control theory, vestibular, and kinesthetic systems.

Unit 2: Cognition

2.1 Perception

• Processing Types
  • Bottom-up, top-down.
• Schemas and Perceptual Sets
• Gestalt Psychology
  • Principles: Closure, figure-ground, proximity, similarity.
• Attention
  • Cocktail party effect, inattentional blindness, change blindness.

2.2 Thinking, Problem Solving, Judgment, and Decision-Making

• Concepts and Prototypes
• Problem Solving
  • Algorithms, heuristics.
• Decision-Making Influences
  • Mental sets, priming, framing.
• Fallacies and Executive Functions
  • Gambler's fallacy, sunk cost fallacy.
• Creativity
  • Divergent vs. convergent thinking.

2.3 Introduction to Memory

• Types of Memory
  • Explicit, implicit, procedural, prospective.
• Memory Models
  • Working memory, multi-store, levels of processing.

2.4 Encoding Memories

• Methods of Encoding
  • Mnemonic devices, chunking, spacing effect.

2.5 Storing Memories

• Memory Storage
  • Sensory, short-term, long-term.
• Rehearsal Types
  • Maintenance vs. elaborative.
• Memory Conditions
  • Amnesia, Alzheimer's, infantile amnesia.

2.6 Retrieving Memories

• Retrieval Types
  • Recall vs. recognition.
• Conditions Enhancing Retrieval
  • Context, mood-congruent, state-dependent memories.
• Retrieval Practice Techniques
  • Testing effect, metacognition.

2.7 Forgetting and Memory Challenges

• Forgetting Curve
• Retrieval Failures
  • Encoding failure, interference.
• Memory Distortions
  • Misinformation effect, source amnesia.

2.8 Intelligence and Achievement Testing

• Theories of Intelligence
  • Spearman's g, Gardner's multiple intelligences, Sternberg's triarchic theory.
• Testing
  • IQ tests, standardization, validity, reliability.
• Social Implications
  • Flynn effect, stereotype threat, stereotype lift.

Unit 3: Developmental Psychology

3.1 Themes and Methods

• Stability vs. change, nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity.
• Research Designs
  • Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal.

3.2 Physical Development

• Prenatal Influences
  • Teratogens, maternal illness, genetic mutations.
• Infancy and Childhood
  • Motor skills, critical periods, imprinting.
• Adolescence
  • Puberty, sex characteristics.
• Adulthood
  • Menopause, physical decline.

3.3 Influence of Sex and Gender

• Gender Schema Theory
• Gender Socialization

3.4 Cognitive Development

• Piaget's Stages
  • Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational.
• Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory
  • Scaffolding, zone of proximal development.
• Adulthood Cognitive Changes
  • Crystallized vs. fluid intelligence.

3.5 Communication and Language Development

• Language Structure
  • Phonemes, morphemes, semantics.
• Developmental Stages
  • Cooing, babbling, one-word, telegraphic speech.

3.6 Social Emotional Development

• Ecological Systems Theory
• Parenting Styles
• Attachment Styles
  • Secure, avoidant, anxious, disorganized.
• Peer and Adult Relationships
• Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
• Adverse Childhood Experiences
• Marcia's Identity Status Theory

Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality

4.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception

• Types of Attribution
  • Dispositional vs. situational.
• Attribution Biases
  • Actor-observer bias, fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias.
• Related Concepts
  • Locus of control, mere exposure effect, social comparison.

4.2 Attitudes and Beliefs

• Stereotypes and Implicit Attitudes
• Belief Perseverance and Cognitive Dissonance

4.3 Psychology of Social Situations

• Social Norms and Influence
  • Normative, informational.
• Group Dynamics
  • Polarization, groupthink, social loafing.
• Theories of Persuasion
  • Elaboration likelihood model.

4.4 Psychodynamic and Humanistic Theories of Personality

• Psychodynamic Theory
  • Ego defense mechanisms, projective tests.
• Humanistic Theory
  • Unconditional positive regard, self-actualization.

4.5 Social Cognitive and Trait Theories

• Social Cognitive Theory
  • Reciprocal determinism, self-efficacy.
• Trait Theories
  • Big Five personality traits.

4.6 Motivation

• Theories of Motivation
  • Drive reduction, arousal, self-determination.
• Motivational Conflicts

4.7 Emotion

• Emotion Components
  • Cognitive, physiological.
• Theories and Hypotheses
  • Facial feedback hypothesis.

Unit 5: Health Psychology

5.1 Stress

• Types of Stressors
  • Eustress vs. distress.
• General Adaptation Syndrome
• Coping Mechanisms
  • Problem-focused vs. emotion-focused.

5.2 Positive Psychology

• Key Concepts
  • Gratitude, strengths, post-traumatic growth.

5.3 Diagnosing and Classifying Disorders

• Approaches to Diagnosis
  • Behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, socioultural, biological.
• Important Models
  • Biopsychosocial, diathesis-stress model.

5.4 Psychological Disorders

• Categories
  • Neurodevelopmental, schizophrenia spectrum, depressive, anxiety, etc.

5.5 Treatment of Psychological Disorders

• Types of Therapy
  • Psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, group, humanistic.
• Modern Treatments
  • Medications, surgical methods.