AP Psychology Exam
Perception - (ANSWER)The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to give meaning
to our environment.
Bottom-up processing - (ANSWER)An approach where perception starts with sensory input and works up
to the brain's integration of this information.
Top-down processing - (ANSWER)Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes,
drawing on experience and expectations to construct perceptions.
Schema - (ANSWER)A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.
Perceptual set - (ANSWER)A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.
Gestalt psychology - (ANSWER)Emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the
parts.
Closure - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to mentally fill in gaps in a visual image to perceive objects
as wholes.
Figure and ground - (ANSWER)The organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out
from their surroundings (ground).
Proximity - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to group together visual and auditory events that are
near each other.
Similarity - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to group together elements that seem alike.
Attention - (ANSWER)The focusing of mental resources on select information.
Selective attention - (ANSWER)The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.
,AP Psychology Exam
Cocktail party effect - (ANSWER)The ability to focus auditory attention on a particular stimulus while
filtering out other stimuli.
Inattentional blindness - (ANSWER)Failing to see visible objects when attention is directed elsewhere.
Change Blindness - (ANSWER)Failing to notice changes in the environment.
Binocular depth cues - (ANSWER)Depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two
eyes.
Retinal disparity - (ANSWER)A binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas
in the two eyes.
Convergence - (ANSWER)A binocular cue for perceiving depth by the extent to which the eyes converge
inward when looking at an object.
Monocular depth cues - (ANSWER)Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to
either eye alone.
Relative clarity - (ANSWER)A monocular cue for perceiving depth; hazy objects are seen as farther away
than sharp, clear objects.
Relative size - (ANSWER)A cue that allows determining the closeness of objects to an object of known
size.
Texture gradient - (ANSWER)A gradual change from coarse to fine texture signaling increasing distance.
Linear perspective - (ANSWER)Parallel lines appear to converge with distance.
Aptitude tests - (ANSWER)Tests designed to predict a person's future performance; aptitude is the
capacity to learn.
,AP Psychology Exam
Fixed mindset - (ANSWER)The idea that we have a set amount of an ability that cannot change.
Growth mindset - (ANSWER)The belief that one's skills and qualities can change and improve through
effort and dedication.
Explicit memory - (ANSWER)Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and
'declare.'
Episodic memory - (ANSWER)The collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular
time and place.
Semantic memory - (ANSWER)Memory for factual information.
Implicit memory - (ANSWER)Retention independent of conscious recollection.
Procedural memory - (ANSWER)A type of long-term memory of how to perform different actions and
skills.
Prospective memory - (ANSWER)Remembering to perform a planned action or recall a planned intention
at some future point in time.
Long-term potentiation - (ANSWER)An increase in a cell's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation.
Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.
Working memory model - (ANSWER)A model that suggests that memory involves a series of active,
temporary memory stores that manipulate information.
Working memory - (ANSWER)A newer understanding of short-term memory that involves conscious,
active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from
long-term memory.
Central executive - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that directs attention and processing.
, AP Psychology Exam
Phonological loop - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that holds and processes verbal and auditory
information.
Visuospatial sketchpad - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that holds visual and spatial
information.
Multi-store model - (ANSWER)A model of memory that suggests information passes through three
stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
Sensory memory - (ANSWER)The immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory
system.
Iconic memory - (ANSWER)A momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-
image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.
Echoic memory - (ANSWER)A momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere,
sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.
Short-Term Memory - (ANSWER)Activated memory that holds a few items briefly before the information
is stored or forgotten.
Long-Term Memory - (ANSWER)The relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory
system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.
Automatic processing - (ANSWER)Unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time,
and frequency, and of well-learned information.
Effortful processing - (ANSWER)Encoding that requires attention and conscious effort.
Encoding - (ANSWER)The processing of information into the memory system—for example, by
extracting meaning.
Perception - (ANSWER)The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to give meaning
to our environment.
Bottom-up processing - (ANSWER)An approach where perception starts with sensory input and works up
to the brain's integration of this information.
Top-down processing - (ANSWER)Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes,
drawing on experience and expectations to construct perceptions.
Schema - (ANSWER)A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.
Perceptual set - (ANSWER)A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.
Gestalt psychology - (ANSWER)Emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the
parts.
Closure - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to mentally fill in gaps in a visual image to perceive objects
as wholes.
Figure and ground - (ANSWER)The organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out
from their surroundings (ground).
Proximity - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to group together visual and auditory events that are
near each other.
Similarity - (ANSWER)The perceptual tendency to group together elements that seem alike.
Attention - (ANSWER)The focusing of mental resources on select information.
Selective attention - (ANSWER)The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.
,AP Psychology Exam
Cocktail party effect - (ANSWER)The ability to focus auditory attention on a particular stimulus while
filtering out other stimuli.
Inattentional blindness - (ANSWER)Failing to see visible objects when attention is directed elsewhere.
Change Blindness - (ANSWER)Failing to notice changes in the environment.
Binocular depth cues - (ANSWER)Depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two
eyes.
Retinal disparity - (ANSWER)A binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas
in the two eyes.
Convergence - (ANSWER)A binocular cue for perceiving depth by the extent to which the eyes converge
inward when looking at an object.
Monocular depth cues - (ANSWER)Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to
either eye alone.
Relative clarity - (ANSWER)A monocular cue for perceiving depth; hazy objects are seen as farther away
than sharp, clear objects.
Relative size - (ANSWER)A cue that allows determining the closeness of objects to an object of known
size.
Texture gradient - (ANSWER)A gradual change from coarse to fine texture signaling increasing distance.
Linear perspective - (ANSWER)Parallel lines appear to converge with distance.
Aptitude tests - (ANSWER)Tests designed to predict a person's future performance; aptitude is the
capacity to learn.
,AP Psychology Exam
Fixed mindset - (ANSWER)The idea that we have a set amount of an ability that cannot change.
Growth mindset - (ANSWER)The belief that one's skills and qualities can change and improve through
effort and dedication.
Explicit memory - (ANSWER)Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and
'declare.'
Episodic memory - (ANSWER)The collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular
time and place.
Semantic memory - (ANSWER)Memory for factual information.
Implicit memory - (ANSWER)Retention independent of conscious recollection.
Procedural memory - (ANSWER)A type of long-term memory of how to perform different actions and
skills.
Prospective memory - (ANSWER)Remembering to perform a planned action or recall a planned intention
at some future point in time.
Long-term potentiation - (ANSWER)An increase in a cell's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation.
Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.
Working memory model - (ANSWER)A model that suggests that memory involves a series of active,
temporary memory stores that manipulate information.
Working memory - (ANSWER)A newer understanding of short-term memory that involves conscious,
active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from
long-term memory.
Central executive - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that directs attention and processing.
, AP Psychology Exam
Phonological loop - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that holds and processes verbal and auditory
information.
Visuospatial sketchpad - (ANSWER)The part of working memory that holds visual and spatial
information.
Multi-store model - (ANSWER)A model of memory that suggests information passes through three
stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
Sensory memory - (ANSWER)The immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory
system.
Iconic memory - (ANSWER)A momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-
image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.
Echoic memory - (ANSWER)A momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere,
sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.
Short-Term Memory - (ANSWER)Activated memory that holds a few items briefly before the information
is stored or forgotten.
Long-Term Memory - (ANSWER)The relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory
system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.
Automatic processing - (ANSWER)Unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time,
and frequency, and of well-learned information.
Effortful processing - (ANSWER)Encoding that requires attention and conscious effort.
Encoding - (ANSWER)The processing of information into the memory system—for example, by
extracting meaning.
