The AP Psychology Exam will be given on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at noon.
AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM: 2 HOURS
The AP Psychology Exam measures students' knowledge of the 14 key topics and fields of study in psychology and tests their ability to define, compare, and apply concepts and research findings. Questions are based on key terminology, scientific methodology, and theories associated with each subfield.
Free-response questions may require students to interrelate different content areas and to analyze and evaluate psychological constructs and, more generally, theoretical perspectives.
Format of Assessment (taken directly from College Board)
The exam is 2 hours long and has two sections — multiple choice and free-response.
Section I: Multiple Choice | 100 Questions | 70 minutes | 66.7% of Exam Score
You’ll be asked to:
Section II: Free-Response | 2 Questions | 50 minutes | 33.3% of Exam Score
The following task verbs are commonly used in the free-response questions:
Exam Content (taken directly from College Board)
The AP Psychology Exam, which debuted in 1992, is a relative newcomer among AP Exams. The exam tests knowledge of topics included in a one-semester introductory college course in psychology. The following table reflects the approximate percentage of the multiple-choice section of the exam devoted to each content area:
Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology (10-14%)
Unit 2: Biological Basis of Behavior (8-10%)
Unit 3: Sensation and Perception (6-8%)
Unit 4: Learning (7-9%)
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology (13-17%)
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology (7-9%)
Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality (11-15%)
Unit 8: Clinical Psychology (12-16%)
Unit 9: Social Psychology (8-10%)
The AP Psychology Exam measures students' knowledge of the 14 key topics and fields of study in psychology and tests their ability to define, compare, and apply concepts and research findings. Questions are based on key terminology, scientific methodology, and theories associated with each subfield.
Free-response questions may require students to interrelate different content areas and to analyze and evaluate psychological constructs and, more generally, theoretical perspectives.
Format of Assessment (taken directly from College Board)
The exam is 2 hours long and has two sections — multiple choice and free-response.
Section I: Multiple Choice | 100 Questions | 70 minutes | 66.7% of Exam Score
You’ll be asked to:
- Define and explain content from a range of course topics
- Apply skills of comparison and interpretation to course concepts, theories, and scientific methods
Section II: Free-Response | 2 Questions | 50 minutes | 33.3% of Exam Score
- Question 1: Concept Application assesses students’ ability to explain behavior and apply theories and perspectives in authentic contexts. Skill Category 1 is assessed.
- Question 2: Research Design assesses students’ ability to analyze psychological research studies, including analyzing and interpreting quantitative data. All three skill categories are assessed, with an emphasis on Skill Category 3.
The following task verbs are commonly used in the free-response questions:
- Construct/Draw: Create a graph that illustrates or explains relationships or phenomena. Labels may or may not be required.
- Define: Provide a specific meaning for a word or concept.
- Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.
- Draw a conclusion: Use available information to formulate an accurate statement that demonstrates understanding based on evidence. Sometimes phrased as, “What is the most appropriate conclusion?”
- Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning to support or qualify a claim. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.
- Identify/State: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.
Exam Content (taken directly from College Board)
The AP Psychology Exam, which debuted in 1992, is a relative newcomer among AP Exams. The exam tests knowledge of topics included in a one-semester introductory college course in psychology. The following table reflects the approximate percentage of the multiple-choice section of the exam devoted to each content area:
Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology (10-14%)
Unit 2: Biological Basis of Behavior (8-10%)
Unit 3: Sensation and Perception (6-8%)
Unit 4: Learning (7-9%)
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology (13-17%)
Unit 6: Developmental Psychology (7-9%)
Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality (11-15%)
Unit 8: Clinical Psychology (12-16%)
Unit 9: Social Psychology (8-10%)